RE: Review so far of the Romans study
December 1, 2015 at 10:40 am
(This post was last modified: December 1, 2015 at 11:12 am by Drich.)
Ok time for another recap:
romans
1 Paul Greets the church at Roman and points to the message in this letter (the Book of Romans) that this is the Gospel
He starts by identifying evil and provides a list. In short Evil is identified as a love for the sins on that list/Justification for said sins.
2 Paul starts out by Charging the Christians at the church of Rome to NOT Judge Evil men because he points out that the very members of said church practices these very same acts listed in romans 1. The difference only being that the members of the church were repentant of their sin. which separates and defines the terms Sin and Evil. sin being the transgressions of a humble and contrite/repentant heart, and Evil being the transgressions of a person who embrace their sin over God. Evil does not have anything to do with the depth of sin one is willing to take part in.
3 The take away from Romans 3 is that ALL Are guilty of sin, that even the most religious among us are still considered to be dirty sinners that need redemption. Which means that our religions, rights and practices do not save us. Chapter 3 put all in need of redemption even the religious 'christian' because again, the acts of religion are meaningless in of themselves. We find out here that Christ is the only one who can determine who is and is not saved. That Christ is the only Being who can rightfully issue the title "Christian." "We are not save by our works (works being our religious efforts) but by faith in Christ, so no man can boast (meaning no one can claim to be a 'true christian according to his religious beliefs.') again that title can only be awarded by Christ a church has no right to issue or sell that title.
4 In chapter 4 Paul takes the principle described in Chapter 3 (that its not our works of worship that save us) and applies it to Abraham. Pointing out that From the beginning it was the faith God looked for and this example could even be found in the works and deeds of Abraham. In that before Abraham did Anything, God found him 'righteous' through his faith. The 'works' of abraham were just outward showing of the faith that he had inside.
5 In the first 1/2 of Chapter 5 Paul takes the lesson of Abraham and practically applies Justification through Faith to the potential believer. In that how Abraham was found righteous/Saved through Faith we too Are also found Righteous/Saved through christ. In the second half, Paul answers a question he believes his followers are having, in that How can the Sacrifice of one Person/Jesus could atone for the sins of the whole world. He answers by point out that through one man, sin entered the world, and it is through one man that sin will be atoned for the whole world/those who seek atonement.
6 beings the good stuff. Paul explains that for everyone who sins, the consequence is death. Then Paul explains that Jesus Dies for our sin, and if we are baptized into Christ then it means we are putting on Christ's death/Rather we are allowing Christ to die in our place. Meaning Death is not required of us anymore. Nor are we bound by the law any longer for our righteousness, because when Jesus died in our place we died to the law of sin. Now does this mean the law goes away? no, for all who are not save are still bound to the law for their righteousness, and according to what we have already learned no one can be found righteous according to the law. (He explains in greater detail in the first 1/4 of chapter 7 when he makes a parallel from marriage)
so then Paul asks if we are free from the Law of sin, shall we sin more? He answers no. why? because it is out of love and respect (like abraham) that we follow the wishes of God to the best of our ability. Not as a way to earn heaven but as a way to thank God for redeeming us.
7 1/4 Paul explains that we are bound to the law of sin before we are saved like a wife to a husband, but if the Husband dies then the wife is free to remarry. So she is no longer bound to the covenant of her first husband.
the rest of the chapter is earth shattering to those in religions who practice legalism. Meaning those who preach we must stick to the law to be righteous before God (Super moral Christians who think we must be holier than you to earn salvation, this includes all sorts of rules and punishments or methods of redemption for breaking the rules of religion) In chapter 7 Paul admits to being a hopeless sinner. that even at the height of his ministry and even being one of the founding members of the church Paul is out of control when it comes to his sins. That he knows he should do certain things, but he does not do them. Rather he does the things/sin he hates instead. then he cries out and ask how can God love someone like him, someone the world/christian pharisees would call a hypocrite? He points back to Jesus' atonement. Paul in the last 1/4 also separates us into 2 being who occupy the same body. We are the Soul/Spirit who can want to be sin free and love and honor God, and we are the Mind/body who is a literal slave to sin. Paul points out that while the mind/body wants and is bound to sin we (soul/Spirit) must seperate from the sin the mind/body is bound to. So when we die our mind body who is a slave to sin will stay gone, but our (soul/Spirit) are resurrected with Christ and given a new body that will be controlled by the soul spirit.
8 Paul spents a lot of time in Chapter 8 telling how 'we'/saved are to live, now that we are no longer bound by the Law. The short answer is to live in the Holy Spirit. Now most people do not understand what this means or even some religious types believe this to be a cop out, but when we are saved our measure of the Holy Spirit greatly increases and we do indeed get sharp direction and correction from God. While we are not bound by the laws of sin for righteousness/going to Heaven, we are still to try and live by the law. If we don't doesn't mean we loose our salvation, it means we will be left to suffer the consequence of our sin. (If you choose to sin you choose to suffer.)
The middle of the chapter explains that even though our suffering we can always know and look forward to our heavenly reward. He closes with the reassure us that no matter how bad things may get that no one can take our salvation. Meaning once Christ identifies you as 'Christian' Nothing in all of creation has the authority to take your 'saved' status from you.
romans
1 Paul Greets the church at Roman and points to the message in this letter (the Book of Romans) that this is the Gospel
He starts by identifying evil and provides a list. In short Evil is identified as a love for the sins on that list/Justification for said sins.
2 Paul starts out by Charging the Christians at the church of Rome to NOT Judge Evil men because he points out that the very members of said church practices these very same acts listed in romans 1. The difference only being that the members of the church were repentant of their sin. which separates and defines the terms Sin and Evil. sin being the transgressions of a humble and contrite/repentant heart, and Evil being the transgressions of a person who embrace their sin over God. Evil does not have anything to do with the depth of sin one is willing to take part in.
3 The take away from Romans 3 is that ALL Are guilty of sin, that even the most religious among us are still considered to be dirty sinners that need redemption. Which means that our religions, rights and practices do not save us. Chapter 3 put all in need of redemption even the religious 'christian' because again, the acts of religion are meaningless in of themselves. We find out here that Christ is the only one who can determine who is and is not saved. That Christ is the only Being who can rightfully issue the title "Christian." "We are not save by our works (works being our religious efforts) but by faith in Christ, so no man can boast (meaning no one can claim to be a 'true christian according to his religious beliefs.') again that title can only be awarded by Christ a church has no right to issue or sell that title.
4 In chapter 4 Paul takes the principle described in Chapter 3 (that its not our works of worship that save us) and applies it to Abraham. Pointing out that From the beginning it was the faith God looked for and this example could even be found in the works and deeds of Abraham. In that before Abraham did Anything, God found him 'righteous' through his faith. The 'works' of abraham were just outward showing of the faith that he had inside.
5 In the first 1/2 of Chapter 5 Paul takes the lesson of Abraham and practically applies Justification through Faith to the potential believer. In that how Abraham was found righteous/Saved through Faith we too Are also found Righteous/Saved through christ. In the second half, Paul answers a question he believes his followers are having, in that How can the Sacrifice of one Person/Jesus could atone for the sins of the whole world. He answers by point out that through one man, sin entered the world, and it is through one man that sin will be atoned for the whole world/those who seek atonement.
6 beings the good stuff. Paul explains that for everyone who sins, the consequence is death. Then Paul explains that Jesus Dies for our sin, and if we are baptized into Christ then it means we are putting on Christ's death/Rather we are allowing Christ to die in our place. Meaning Death is not required of us anymore. Nor are we bound by the law any longer for our righteousness, because when Jesus died in our place we died to the law of sin. Now does this mean the law goes away? no, for all who are not save are still bound to the law for their righteousness, and according to what we have already learned no one can be found righteous according to the law. (He explains in greater detail in the first 1/4 of chapter 7 when he makes a parallel from marriage)
so then Paul asks if we are free from the Law of sin, shall we sin more? He answers no. why? because it is out of love and respect (like abraham) that we follow the wishes of God to the best of our ability. Not as a way to earn heaven but as a way to thank God for redeeming us.
7 1/4 Paul explains that we are bound to the law of sin before we are saved like a wife to a husband, but if the Husband dies then the wife is free to remarry. So she is no longer bound to the covenant of her first husband.
the rest of the chapter is earth shattering to those in religions who practice legalism. Meaning those who preach we must stick to the law to be righteous before God (Super moral Christians who think we must be holier than you to earn salvation, this includes all sorts of rules and punishments or methods of redemption for breaking the rules of religion) In chapter 7 Paul admits to being a hopeless sinner. that even at the height of his ministry and even being one of the founding members of the church Paul is out of control when it comes to his sins. That he knows he should do certain things, but he does not do them. Rather he does the things/sin he hates instead. then he cries out and ask how can God love someone like him, someone the world/christian pharisees would call a hypocrite? He points back to Jesus' atonement. Paul in the last 1/4 also separates us into 2 being who occupy the same body. We are the Soul/Spirit who can want to be sin free and love and honor God, and we are the Mind/body who is a literal slave to sin. Paul points out that while the mind/body wants and is bound to sin we (soul/Spirit) must seperate from the sin the mind/body is bound to. So when we die our mind body who is a slave to sin will stay gone, but our (soul/Spirit) are resurrected with Christ and given a new body that will be controlled by the soul spirit.
8 Paul spents a lot of time in Chapter 8 telling how 'we'/saved are to live, now that we are no longer bound by the Law. The short answer is to live in the Holy Spirit. Now most people do not understand what this means or even some religious types believe this to be a cop out, but when we are saved our measure of the Holy Spirit greatly increases and we do indeed get sharp direction and correction from God. While we are not bound by the laws of sin for righteousness/going to Heaven, we are still to try and live by the law. If we don't doesn't mean we loose our salvation, it means we will be left to suffer the consequence of our sin. (If you choose to sin you choose to suffer.)
The middle of the chapter explains that even though our suffering we can always know and look forward to our heavenly reward. He closes with the reassure us that no matter how bad things may get that no one can take our salvation. Meaning once Christ identifies you as 'Christian' Nothing in all of creation has the authority to take your 'saved' status from you.
