For next Tuesday, please read my study questions on Romans and then as much as you can of Paul's letter to the Romans. From the chapters you read, pick out a verse or two that you think is a particularly important part of Paul's recipe for helping Jewish and gentile believers get along with one another. Cite also a verse you find particularly puzzling and explain why you find this verse hard to understand.
Alternatively, you might take a stab at explaining the verse another student found difficult/confusing or at answering one of the study questions.
Romans 2:5-6 states, "but because of your stubbornness and your unrepentent heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgement will be revealed. God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.'" In this verse, Paul is giving them a warning to change their ways or they will pay for it on judgement day.
ReplyDeletePaul sheds some light on the subject in chapter 6:4-5 when he declares, "we were therefore buried with him throught baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.' He is basically stating that there is no reason why the Jews and Gentiles shouldn't get along with one another because, through Christ's death, they have been brought together and, therfore, are equal in the eyes of God.
A verse I found puzzling was in chapter 7:13: "...But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
To me, this verse just didn't make sense and it seemed to go in circles. I feel there could've been an easier way to get the message accross. -Melinda Quade
Romans 2:1, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” This verse is better known as judge thee lest thee be judged; meaning that w should not judge others because we ourselves are going to be judged one day. This is a very important thing that both, Gentiles and Jews, needed to understand so they could get along. Each group needed to not judge each other, so they could get along. Allowing judgments to be a part of society can destroy it from the inside out. It will cause the society or church to crumble, because the groups will be against each other and as Jesus said in Mark 3:25, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” To live together peacefully and accept each other no matter what the faults is all Paul want of the Romans, because they would be a close group that could keep the church together.
ReplyDeleteRomans 3:28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” I find this confusing, because in James it is talked about needing both faith and deeds/works. Why does it seem that Paul disagrees with this idea? -Kelly Longden
Romans 2:14-16 "(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."
ReplyDeleteRomans 2 has many passages that offer answers to getting the Jews and Gentiles to get along. I chose this particular one because it reminds people that it's what on the inside that counts. God will know if you have sinned even if your fellow Jew/Gentile doesn't. If you truly want to follow God he will know this because he knows your deepest, darkest thoughts. No one on Earth can do this, so don't do these things that are purely on the external.
Romans 5:7 "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die."
So what is the difference between a righteous person and a good person?
Romans 3:9 "So are we Jews better than others? No! We have already said that Jews and those who are not Jews are all guilty of sin." I feel that this is important be cause again it states that all people Jewish or not all commit sins in the eyes of God, and no one is perfect. Also this can work to pull people together and unite them in the chance to do better in the eyes of God and try to live a better life together. Paul shows here that all people need work in all aspects of life.
ReplyDeleteRomans 7:14-16 "We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not spiritual since sin rules me as if I were its slave. I do not understand the things I do. I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate. And if I do not, want to do the hated things I do, that means I agree that the law is good." This passage to me is worded in a weird way and is hard to understand.
In Romans 2:25-27, Paul muddies the water between any Jews that may feel privileged or entitled, and those Gentiles that may not feel adequate enough.
ReplyDelete25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
Essentially, even if you're a Jew, it doesn't make you any better than a Gentile if you don't adhere to the Law and faith. It could be quite the opposite if you had such a Gentile with the aforementioned qualities.
3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
3:29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also
Both of these passages reiterate my point. It serves to knock those Jews that may demean others down a few pegs, while giving a refreshing view on acceptance through Christ.
A part of Romans that has always confused me is the first half of chapter 13, on submitting to the authorities. Paul talks about how all secular authority was established by God, and that rebelling against such officials is going against God's will. I always think of unjust authorities, like tyrants and oligarchies. Surely if their end meant a greater good (which, in most cases, I think it would) then wouldn't a just outcome be more along the lines of what God wants for us? Perhaps he is trying to butter up such officials that might come across the letter.
In Romans 2:10-11 "But there will be glory,honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek (11) There is no partiality with God."
ReplyDeleteThis is an important statement because Paul is combining the two groups into a singular one, a Christian group so to speak. He wants them to get along and knows the only way to achieve this goal is to make them feel as equals and show to them that God favors neither group and loves equally.
Another important statement is Romans 2:1 "Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgement. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. Again we see Paul comparing the two groups by making them both at fault of ridiculing one another.
A part of Romans that confused me was in chapter 14 verse 20 "For the sake of food, do not destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to become a stumbling block by eating." the last phrase of this confuses me and it seems like Paul in contradicting himself.
By Zack Krage
DeleteRomans is Paul summarizing the plan of salvation found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He goes through the whole thing from sin separating us from God to Jesus sacrifice frees us from that sin. This is the book that stresses salvation though grace by faith; Paul writes to show God's mercy is for all. That 'for all' is important too because in Romans he calls for unity between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians because the church there was struggling with the question of which group should be in charge. Paul writes so that his readers know that they are to work together and build each other up so that the body of Christ will be built up in gratitude in waiting for his second coming. Paul writes that they are saved by grace through faith and calls them to live lives of gratitude and build each other up and that is how they honor Christ until his next coming. -Zach Kuhlman
ReplyDeleteTo explain the verse that Melinda found puzzling. Romans 7:13 "...But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful." Basically in order for someone to recognize sin as bad and something that should be avoided it "produced death" in their soul in a recognizable way by using that parts of themselves that were good. that way not only has sin destroyed part of you, it has used a part that was good to do it, so now that part will be forever changed. Sean M.
ReplyDeletePaul is writing to the Romans and deals with being set free from the law and what that means. I think a key verse would be Romans 8:2- "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." The law condemns us, but it can't save us. So when Christ came and died on the cross he freed us from the diagnosis that the law gave.
ReplyDeleteA puzzling verse that I found was Romans 5:13- "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." Does this mean that their sins weren't credited to their account? Or does it mean that they just weren't recognized as sins at that point because God hadn't revealed the Mosaic law yet?