Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Romans 1 & 2
Last group we decided to start out with Romans. A week and half has snuck by without discussing (I apologize) so don't freak out if you haven't read both chapters. Let's open up the blogging with some comments or questions that we might have on the opening of Romans or maybe the context in which it takes place or any other ideas that the reading brought up.
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~ryan
Here are some opening thoughts/questions to get the study going. I numbered them just to make it easier to discuss. Comment as you read and then comment on other people's comments, and we will see where the discussion goes.
1. Paul speaks of taking the Gospel first to the Jew then the Gentile. The Jew grew up with God's law and the Gentile may have just been introduced to his laws. In your expeience, which seems to make it easier to appreciate God's grace, growing up in a Christian home or someone with no church experience as a child?
2. Verses 25-29 discuss the ideas of outward obedience vs inward obedience. How do we take our walk with God from ritual to relationship? Examples?
3. Discuss background to the book of Romans you found in your study Bible or other research tools.
I think both sides can really appreciate God's grace. I learned about God when I was a young child. But I never understood the concept of grace until a couple of years ago. And at times, I still have to remember, that God's grace covers all. I read a book, which is excellent and I'm willing to lend out, called Embrace Grace. In it, the author discusses Romans 3:23 and 24. She points out that verse 23, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ends in a comma. That it is just half of the story. Verse 24 continues, "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." She continues "To redeem a gift certificate, you hand over a piece of paper-purchased by someone else and inscribed with you name-in exchange for something of value yet at no cost to you......It is hard to receive a gift you feel you don't deserve. More than once I've blushed and stammered when someone handed me a present, usually because I didn't feel worthy of such generosity or because I didn't have something to give in return. But forgiveness isn't that kind of gift. It flows in one direction: from God to you." The writer goes on and on hammering home the concept of grace in such simple ways. But my "take home" is this, grace should be appreciated by all. It's a gift only God can give, making it so special---we should all appreciate it no matter our background. Whether you have a spot free background, or you have enough stains to freak out the makers of Resolve carpet cleaner and Tide with Bleach, put together.
Bethany
I agree with Bethany - both sides can appreciate it. I don't know if it's a question of who appreciates it more. From the other side of the spectrum, I grew up outside of the church not knowing the bible. Having experienced life without Gods great gift and then later in my life having the light of God shine upon me, I appreciate the difference. Nothing I have done or will do in my life will allow me to earn my salvation, only God can provides that to me - that really is a precious gift!
Regarding other topics in this part of Romans: Perhaps it was the video clip Nathan sent last week regarding Oprah and her foolish views combined with re-reading the first chapter of Romans but 1:22 really jumped out at me - "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles". When you reject the true source of all wisdom (God) then how can you claim to be a wise person? That is really just an idle boast isn't it? As that continues they become more and more foolish/stupid. An example of this is in Isaiah 44:9-20. Our refusal to give God the glory or failure to acknowledge God as the creator of all things leads to a downward spiral: it starts with worthless thinking; then moral insensitivity and then religious stupidity such as the worship of idols.
It's unfortunate that Oprah and others out there spreading false teachings have such a tight grip on so many people in this world. The real unfortunate part is majority of their audience is filled with people who will follow along with anything they say because they simply don't know any better. They've never been exposed to God's truth and His love for us so they follow a TV program that pretends to care about them but could ultimately cost them their lives. They are the sheep being led right off the cliff.
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