Sun, Feb 17, 2008
Romans Chapter 1 (LR commentary)
vs. 1-2: Paul starts out telling us who he is. a slave to Christ, an apostle of Christ, a holy teacher of the grace and love of Christ, a predestined worker for God. Could I introduce myself that way? I don't think I could. I wish I could though... what made Paul all these things? maybe it is just his dedication?
vs. 3-5: Paul then starts to introduce Christ. God's son, descendant of David, resurrected from the dead, Holy, Lord, giver of grace and apostleship to the gentiles. Notice verse 5 when it talks about the apostleship to bring about obedience of faith among the gentiles. Paul believed that the number one call on a christ follower's life was to share him with those not fortunate enough to know of him. What call is that on my life? do I have an apostle's calling? I think I do, and I think I need to put that into more practice.
Vs. 6: this is a very direct statement summing up that Paul believes that not just the jews are given the gift and calling of Christ, but the gentiles also. This makes it clear to the church that this letter he has written for them is also meant for the gentile believers, placing them as equals right at the beginning.
vs. 7: Paul continues to use the word that we translate as "called" or pulled out, chosen, or entrusted. It is of great importance to Paul to not just tell people about Christ's sacrifice for their lives... but also the calling that Christ has given them on their lives. Unfortunately in our churches today we have missed this. People are again missing the point. We need some more Pauls to write us about how we are missing the mark.
Vs. 8-13: Paul is writing nice words of affirmation here. Paul really loves these people, most of which he has never met. Paul was living in a day of no cell phones, no phones in general, no post office, no internet... He really didn't know most of these people. He loved them though, in huge ways! Our churches and church leaders don't love like this now. what would a pastor look like who really loved like Paul did? What would I be like if I could be that person like paul who loved without knowing.
vs. 14: Paul was being held back by people. He couldn't come because he had obligations. I have no idea what those were... I am sure some teachers would assume they were spiritual obligations. I am not sure about that though, he could have had some tents to make before he skipped town?
vs. 15-16: again Paul says he really wants to come and minister and get out on the front lines with the leaders in rome who are sharing Christ with the jews there and with the gentiles.
vs. 17-22: FAITH!!! seriously Paul is setting this up so that gentiles and Jews realize they are on the same level... neither one was given a better shake. Evil is evil and truth is truth... Paul is saying that the wrath of God is plainly known by all against the unrighteous. No one can give an excuse because everyone can see the truth in God. Whether they ever read his word or not, they can see his creation and know he is real. I really think the later verses here are telling us that the more we think we understand God the more foolish we become. I think you can see this in the ancient churches that have gotten us to today. The idea that we have figured out something about God not clearly presented in scripture has brought us to a point of foolishness and major division in the church. Paul knew exactly what he was talking about.
Vs 23-31: we exchanged the things of God for crap. Glory for failure, truth for lie, natural for unnatural, righteousness for unrighteousness, goodness for wickedness, generocity for greed, good for evil, contentness for envy, saving life for taking life, comfort for strife, vulnerability for deciet, good deeds for malice, prayer for gossip, truth speaking for slander, worship for hatred, obedience for insolence, humility for arrogance and boastfulness, abolishing evil for inventing evil, obeying parents for disobeying parents, understanding for no understanding, good character for bad character, love for hate, mercy for ill gotten justice, God's commands for death, disapproval of evil for approval of evil. seriously? why did we trade all of this? we traded EVERYTHING good from God, for OUR OWN AMBITIONS. it doesn't make sense. it is like trading our only computer for a cd of mp3s... you can't use them, they are garbage? the computer is more important. God is more important than our view of how we should live our life for him. We need to give it up, and trade back! We all have made the trade (we all have sinned), there is no excuse and it was obviously stupid.
vs. 3-5: Paul then starts to introduce Christ. God's son, descendant of David, resurrected from the dead, Holy, Lord, giver of grace and apostleship to the gentiles. Notice verse 5 when it talks about the apostleship to bring about obedience of faith among the gentiles. Paul believed that the number one call on a christ follower's life was to share him with those not fortunate enough to know of him. What call is that on my life? do I have an apostle's calling? I think I do, and I think I need to put that into more practice.
Vs. 6: this is a very direct statement summing up that Paul believes that not just the jews are given the gift and calling of Christ, but the gentiles also. This makes it clear to the church that this letter he has written for them is also meant for the gentile believers, placing them as equals right at the beginning.
vs. 7: Paul continues to use the word that we translate as "called" or pulled out, chosen, or entrusted. It is of great importance to Paul to not just tell people about Christ's sacrifice for their lives... but also the calling that Christ has given them on their lives. Unfortunately in our churches today we have missed this. People are again missing the point. We need some more Pauls to write us about how we are missing the mark.
Vs. 8-13: Paul is writing nice words of affirmation here. Paul really loves these people, most of which he has never met. Paul was living in a day of no cell phones, no phones in general, no post office, no internet... He really didn't know most of these people. He loved them though, in huge ways! Our churches and church leaders don't love like this now. what would a pastor look like who really loved like Paul did? What would I be like if I could be that person like paul who loved without knowing.
vs. 14: Paul was being held back by people. He couldn't come because he had obligations. I have no idea what those were... I am sure some teachers would assume they were spiritual obligations. I am not sure about that though, he could have had some tents to make before he skipped town?
vs. 15-16: again Paul says he really wants to come and minister and get out on the front lines with the leaders in rome who are sharing Christ with the jews there and with the gentiles.
vs. 17-22: FAITH!!! seriously Paul is setting this up so that gentiles and Jews realize they are on the same level... neither one was given a better shake. Evil is evil and truth is truth... Paul is saying that the wrath of God is plainly known by all against the unrighteous. No one can give an excuse because everyone can see the truth in God. Whether they ever read his word or not, they can see his creation and know he is real. I really think the later verses here are telling us that the more we think we understand God the more foolish we become. I think you can see this in the ancient churches that have gotten us to today. The idea that we have figured out something about God not clearly presented in scripture has brought us to a point of foolishness and major division in the church. Paul knew exactly what he was talking about.
Vs 23-31: we exchanged the things of God for crap. Glory for failure, truth for lie, natural for unnatural, righteousness for unrighteousness, goodness for wickedness, generocity for greed, good for evil, contentness for envy, saving life for taking life, comfort for strife, vulnerability for deciet, good deeds for malice, prayer for gossip, truth speaking for slander, worship for hatred, obedience for insolence, humility for arrogance and boastfulness, abolishing evil for inventing evil, obeying parents for disobeying parents, understanding for no understanding, good character for bad character, love for hate, mercy for ill gotten justice, God's commands for death, disapproval of evil for approval of evil. seriously? why did we trade all of this? we traded EVERYTHING good from God, for OUR OWN AMBITIONS. it doesn't make sense. it is like trading our only computer for a cd of mp3s... you can't use them, they are garbage? the computer is more important. God is more important than our view of how we should live our life for him. We need to give it up, and trade back! We all have made the trade (we all have sinned), there is no excuse and it was obviously stupid.
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