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Romans
I have made a commentary of sorts with my thoughts on the Bible
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August 10, 2006
Romans 9:1 Paul wants his audience to believe that his heart is breaking for the Jews. I suppose what he says is so outlandish that some might suspect he is being sarcastic or over the top. But he says his conscience is in agreement with him.
August 18, 2006
Romans 9:2-3 This is such an amazing window into Paul’s heart. His love for the Jews is so deep and passionate. It is really amazing how broken his heart is for his people. Who wants to give everything up for others?
August 19, 2006
Romans 9:4-5 We should never forget the place Israel had in God’s history. The foundation of our faith is rooted in Jewish history.
August 24, 2006
Romans 9:6 Isaiah 55:11 says that God’s word will never return empty. The present situation with the Jews rejecting Christ, does not contradict Isaiah because not all the Jews are Israel. God sends His word out to accomplish His purposes in those He has called.
Romans 9:7-9 This seems to be a direct slam of the Muslims who trace their heritage back to Abraham. Paul is saying that God does not consider Ishmael one of God’s children because he was born of through natural means (Abraham sleeping with Sarah’s maidservant Hagar). So, this touches on how we can be considered God’s children, having been born again through the new promise of salvation.
August 25, 2006
Romans 9:10-13 This does not contradict what I believed growing up. However, I do remember going to Joe Holman thinking this was unfair and unloving of God, I mean, they haven’t even been born yet, and God is choosing to love one and hate the other. Rejecting Esau doesn’t sound like love; however, we can’t forget God’s character of justice. Esau was a sinner and deserved to be rejected by God. God’s love shines brighter than the sun when He chooses to have compassion on Jacob who was also a sinner deserving rejection.
This must have been incredibly mind-boggling to a culture rooted in work based salvation. “How can God choose to love one and hate the other even before they are old enough to make the sacrifices.” That is how sneaky the work’s based salvation can get into our minds. Don’t read this passage and have a problem with God.
Romans 9:14-15 As humans we really like to understand the reason behind things. God’s choice of some and not other goes beyond our realm and we cannot know why. This sound unjust to us, but the injustice was sacrificing Christ in our stead. We never have room to complain.
August 26, 2006
Romans 9:16-18 It does not depend on my efforts. It is only by His mercy that we are saved. God’s power was made known to the world, because Pharaoh had a hard heart. Pharaoh had a hard heart because God hardened it. Let’s not think too highly of our ability to change the course of history.
August 29, 2006
Romans 9:19-20 God hardens whom He hardens and has mercy on whom He has mercy. The logical response than is to sluff off responsibility and act however we want at the time. This gives us a difficulty, God hardens us and we reject Him, but God also judges us and holds us responsible. However, this kind of thinking assumes a closer equality between man and God than should be tolerated. He is the master potter, He has formed us, He has the perfect plan, and we will never be able to improve His will.
Romans 9:21 It is reasonable for the Potter to use some pots for the banquette hall and some for the stable. What should our response to this passage be? Adoration, wonder, praise, worship, thankfulness.
September 1, 2006
Romans 9:22-24 God be praised! This passage shows that there are two types of people in this world, those prepared for God’s wrath and those prepared for God’s mercy. In both cases God is after glorifying His own name. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to show His mighty power to the Israelites. God hardens peoples’ hearts to show His glory. God wants the whole world. He has adopted Gentiles into that family.
September 2, 2006
Romans 9:25-26 Christianity is the only religion that does not change a culture, but enhances it. It is because the Jews rejected Christ and Christ accepted Gentiles. It was not a Jewish religion at that point. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute who would be unfaithful to him. She would also raise his kids to despise him. But God wanted Hosea to love her unconditionally to show how God loves the Church. It’s pretty amazing.
September 7, 2006
Romans 9:27-29 The Lord has absolute judgment on His creation and His judgment will be final and perfect. Very few will be saved. If the Lord didn’t save some of us, then we would all have perished like Sodom and Gomorrah.
September 13, 2006
Romans 9:30-32 We always say that salvation is by faith, but here, righteousness is kind of used synonymously for salvation. We cannot become righteous by our efforts. That should be very freeing. We must fight the temptation to think of this freedom as a license to sin. Knowing we cannot obtain righteousness though works should lead us towards worship rather than wickedness. Jesus is our salvation and our righteousness, believing in him gives Him worship, trying to do His job will cause us to stumble.
September 14, 2006
Romans 9:33 Man’s pride holds us back from trusting in another for salvation. We want to make it on our own. Thus, anyone who tries to step over the Cornerstone and make it on their own, will stumble. Humbling ourselves fully and trusting in Christ we will never be put to shame.
Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 |
4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 |
10 | 11 | 12 |
13 | 14 | 15 |
16
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