Here’s how the study works: Read the chapter mentioned in the heading several times during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for a chapter creates the opportunity to reread it several times and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
aha! you are home! i was afraid my ice cream was starting to melt. help yourselves.
what really jumped out at me this time was verses 18-32. (sorry, i read ahead a little bit as well) but given the context of his opening statement in verse 18, and where he takes this in chapter 2, i’m going to have to rethink the way i’ve read romans my whole life.
i think paul is talking about the church here. and that is to put it into modern context. i think paul is talking abuot those who had received the TRUE revelation of god and then turned it into something wrong. something horrible. you know, the pharisees and the teachers of the law and the high priest and what not.
and i believe, at least in the america, that there is a public face of “the church” that is EXACTLY like the “church” (and by that, i mean the jews) back in paul’s day.
commonly, i have read this and had it read to me in the context of it being about “pagans” and other such “unbelievers.” i don’t think so anymore.
in verse 18 he says: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…“
how exactly does one suppress a truth they are not familiar with? they do not. and paul goes on to make that case through the rest of the chapter. i think he’s talking about “the church” here. the tares. the ultra religious of his day. (and i would say the paralleles apply in our own day. as you read, i’m sure you can think of a few examples.)
in our modern day, we say, “since he mentions homosexual behavior, he must be talking about those horrible heathens out there somewhere. we “good christians” do not do such things, so he can’t be talking to us.”
okay. but the jews about whom he was actually speaking were having sex with temple prostitutes of the same sex. so…
just take the sex part out of it. the rest reads like a manual of the ultra religious christians of our day and why it is they don’t actually know god…when they are convinced that they do.
(oops. that’s chapter 2.)
aha! you are home! i was afraid my ice cream was starting to melt. help yourselves.
what really jumped out at me this time was verses 18-32. (sorry, i read ahead a little bit as well) but given the context of his opening statement in verse 18, and where he takes this in chapter 2, i’m going to have to rethink the way i’ve read romans my whole life.
i think paul is talking about the church here. and that is to put it into modern context. i think paul is talking abuot those who had received the TRUE revelation of god and then turned it into something wrong. something horrible. you know, the pharisees and the teachers of the law and the high priest and what not.
and i believe, at least in the america, that there is a public face of “the church” that is EXACTLY like the “church” (and by that, i mean the jews) back in paul’s day.
commonly, i have read this and had it read to me in the context of it being about “pagans” and other such “unbelievers.” i don’t think so anymore.
in verse 18 he says: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…“
how exactly does one suppress a truth they are not familiar with? they do not. and paul goes on to make that case through the rest of the chapter. i think he’s talking about “the church” here. the tares. the ultra religious of his day. (and i would say the paralleles apply in our own day. as you read, i’m sure you can think of a few examples.)
in our modern day, we say, “since he mentions homosexual behavior, he must be talking about those horrible heathens out there somewhere. we “good christians” do not do such things, so he can’t be talking to us.”
okay. but the jews about whom he was actually speaking were having sex with temple prostitutes of the same sex. so…
just take the sex part out of it. the rest reads like a manual of the ultra religious christians of our day and why it is they don’t actually know god…when they are convinced that they do.
(oops. that’s chapter 2.)
not saying that all the pharisees were having sex with temple prostitutes, but it has been known to have happened in israel.
wycraxgl (that was a good one)
not saying that all the pharisees were having sex with temple prostitutes, but it has been known to have happened in israel.
wycraxgl (that was a good one)
Actually now you point it out I can think of parallels which is concerning. It seems the trouble started in v. 21 where “they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”. The Message Bible says, “refusing to worship Him.” I think in worship we get things in perspective. That life is not about me, but about Him.
My own thoughts about v. 19 before I read Jon’s where about my parents. My parents aren’t Christians yet I know that God has given them so many many opportunities and I think God does that for everyone.
v.17 reminded me of what we read in Galatians, “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last”
and v. 12 is what I hope happens here “that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith”.
Actually now you point it out I can think of parallels which is concerning. It seems the trouble started in v. 21 where “they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”. The Message Bible says, “refusing to worship Him.” I think in worship we get things in perspective. That life is not about me, but about Him.
My own thoughts about v. 19 before I read Jon’s where about my parents. My parents aren’t Christians yet I know that God has given them so many many opportunities and I think God does that for everyone.
v.17 reminded me of what we read in Galatians, “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last”
and v. 12 is what I hope happens here “that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith”.
v.5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
We have received grace so we need to pass it on and call people to faith.
v.5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
We have received grace so we need to pass it on and call people to faith.
Hi Susan,
Romans is one of my fav books.
Cheers,
Kitty
Hi Susan,
Romans is one of my fav books.
Cheers,
Kitty
Hi Kitty,
Glad you like Romans, I do too. Would love to hear your comments.
Hi Kitty,
Glad you like Romans, I do too. Would love to hear your comments.
v.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (AMP)
Paul describes faith as a personal trust; confident surrender; firm reliance.
v.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (AMP)
Paul describes faith as a personal trust; confident surrender; firm reliance.
v.11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.
Paul longed to see them in order to give not get; in order to bless them not received from them.
v.11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.
Paul longed to see them in order to give not get; in order to bless them not received from them.
v.8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
No one seems to know how these believers came to faith, though it is unlikely to be Peter.
v.8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
No one seems to know how these believers came to faith, though it is unlikely to be Peter.
v.16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
To everyone who believes…now the door is open to everyone who believes.
v.16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
To everyone who believes…now the door is open to everyone who believes.
v.1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God
(From Constable Commentary) “Paul never thought of himself as a man who had aspired to an honour; he thought of himself as a man who had been given a task.”
v.1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God
(From Constable Commentary) “Paul never thought of himself as a man who had aspired to an honour; he thought of himself as a man who had been given a task.”
v.19-20 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
God has revealed himself through nature, it is clear to everyone; it is plain, understandable, we can draw conclusions about the Creator by looking at the creation; it is for all people since the creation. (Thoughts from Constable)
We are somewhat reluctant to say that people should know there is a Creator yet God's view is the accurate one and if He says "that men are without excuse" then that is the truth.
v.19-20 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
God has revealed himself through nature, it is clear to everyone; it is plain, understandable, we can draw conclusions about the Creator by looking at the creation; it is for all people since the creation. (Thoughts from Constable)
We are somewhat reluctant to say that people should know there is a Creator yet God's view is the accurate one and if He says "that men are without excuse" then that is the truth.