Pauls Epistle to the Romans

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• United Church of God
• Cleveland congregation
• Bible Study
• Writings of the Apostle Paul

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Bible Study thought for the month
• Seeing much, suffering much, and studying much,
  are the three pillars of learning.
• - Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), British
  writer and prime minister

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans
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Pauls Epistle to the Romans
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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Theme
• This book is a substitute for a personal visit.
• Paul is not writing to offer correction but to
  focus on the truth and heart of Christianity.
  It is an instruction in morals and righteousness.
• Paul is not addressing a crisis or serious
  problem like he did in Corinth.
• Paul wants to make Rome a missionary center like
  Antioch where he can preach the gospel in the
  western empire including Spain and the British
  Isles.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Its theme is thus basic to all Christian
  experience, for man cannot do business with God
  until a proper approach has been established.
• New Testament Survey Merrill Tenney
• Most of the biblical terms of salvation we use
  are taken from the vocabulary of this epistle
  like justification, adoption, imputed and
  sanctification.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Background of book
• Paul wrote the book while he was in Corinth,
  56AD
• He was on his way to Jerusalem for a visit and
  to deliver the collection for the poor gathered
  by the churches.
• He then intended to visit Rome for the 1st time.
• Acts 1921 (NKJV) When these things were
  accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when
  he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go
  to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I
  must also see Rome."

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Question Jesus said that our righteousness
  must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and
  Pharisees to be saved (Matt 520). Yet, Paul
  teaches that Christ is our righteousness and
  appears to diminish part of the law. If we dont
  observe the law meticulously, how can we exceed
  the righteousness of the Pharisees?

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Matthew 519-20 (NCV) Whoever refuses to obey
  any command and teaches other people not to obey
  that command will be the least important in the
  kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys the commands
  and teaches other people to obey them will be
  great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you
  that if you are no more obedient than the
  teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will
  never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Jesus then proceeds to teach the spiritual
  intent of the law regarding hate, adultery, love,
  etc.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Matthew 2323 (NKJV) "Woe to you, scribes and
  Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint
  and anise and cummin, and have neglected the
  weightier matters of the law justice and mercy
  and faith. These you ought to have done, without
  leaving the others undone.
• Their obedience (righteousness) was strictly of
  the letter of the law. They lacked spiritual
  understanding and the law was not written on
  their hearts. Their obedience was physical and
  ours is spiritually more demanding.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 824-26 (NKJV) For we were saved in this
  hope, but hope that is seen is not hope for why
  does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if
  we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait
  for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the
  Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
  not know what we should pray for as we ought, but
  the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
  with groanings which cannot be uttered.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• V26 intercession for us with groanings
• Believers Study Bible
• Among the benefits of adoption into God's
  family is the special supernatural care bestowed
  by the Holy Spirit upon the child of God. The
  Holy Spirit is present within the Christian to
  assist him in those moments of moral, physical,
  or emotional weaknessThe Holy Spirit is making
  the intercession. Moreover, the precise words in
  Greek are stenagmois alaletois, "groanings which
  cannot be uttered." Literally, the words might be
  rendered "unspoken sighings." In other words, the
  communication is nonverbal, involving no speaking
  of any kind.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 827-29 (NKJV) Now He who searches the
  hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,
  because He makes intercession for the saints
  according to the will of God. 28 And we know
  that all things work together for good to those
  who love God, to those who are the called
  according to His purpose. 29 For whom He
  foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to
  the image of His Son, that He might be the
  firstborn among many brethren.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Sidebar Is Paul teaching the Holy Spirit is a
  person or co-equal with God?
• V16 The Spirit himself bears witness
• V26 The Spirit makes intercessions with
  groanings.
• V27 knows what the mind of the spirit is
• Does this prove the Holy Spirit is a person since
  it appears to have personality?

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Sidebar Is Paul teaching the Holy Spirit is a
  person or co-equal with God?
• 1 Corinthians 1215-16 (NCV) The foot might say,
  "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the
  body." But saying this would not stop the foot
  from being a part of the body. 16 The ear might
  say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of
  the body." But saying this would not stop the ear
  from being a part of the body.
• Does anyone believe a hand, ear or foot can speak
  or have personality?

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Sidebar Is Paul teaching the Holy Spirit is a
  person or co-equal with God?
• Psalms 9612 (NKJV) Let the field be joyful, and
  all that is in it. Then all the trees of the
  woods will rejoice before the LORD.
• Isaiah 5512 (NKJV) "For you shall go out with
  joy, And be led out with peace The mountains and
  the hills Shall break forth into singing before
  you, And all the trees of the field shall clap
  their hands. Do these have personality?

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Sidebar Is Paul teaching the Holy Spirit is a
  person or co-equal with God?
• The Bible often gives genders, animation and
  personality to inanimate things. This is done as
  an allegory (symbolic representation) or figure
  of speech.
• In the same way the Bible uses allegories about
  the power of God within us. It grieves, groans
  and speaks inaudibly to us.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Sidebar Is Paul teaching the Holy Spirit is a
  person or co-equal with God?
• In contrast, what did Paul say in Romans 817
• Romans 817 (NKJV) and if children, then heirs
  heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if
  indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be
  glorified together.
• Notice who or what Paul leaves out here? The
  Holy Spirit. Paul does not believe the Holy
  Spirit is a co-equal Trinity with the Father and
  Christ!

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Now back to the Study
• V29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined
  to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He
  might be the firstborn among many brethren.
• Romans 829 (GWT) This is true because he
  already knew his people and had already appointed
  them to have the same form as the image of his
  Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among
  many children.
• (John Calvins extreme definition is not
  biblical.)

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• We call predestination God's eternal decree, by
  which he determined within himself what he willed
  to become of each man. For all are not created in
  equal condition rather, eternal life is
  foreordained for some, eternal damnation for
  others (Institutes 3. 21. 5).
• John Calvin (1509-1564) French Theologian

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• V30 Moreover whom He predestined.
• God is indeed sovereign over the universe and has
  a plan that cant be changed.
• Gods will is to call the elect at this age and
  the rest of mankind at another time. LGD
• These elect have been predestinated to be
  called now and in this lifetime. Others in the
  Millennium.
• Each person in their own time (predestination)
  will be able to inherit the universe and eternity.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 830-33 (NKJV) Moreover whom He
  predestined, these He also called whom He
  called, these He also justified and whom He
  justified, these He also glorified. 31 What
  then shall we say to these things? If God is for
  us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not
  spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
  all, how shall He not with Him also freely give
  us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge
  against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 834-36 (NKJV) Who is he who condemns? It
  is Christ who died, and furthermore is also
  risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who
  also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall
  separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
  tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
  famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As
  it is written "For Your sake we are killed all
  day long We are accounted as sheep for the
  slaughter."

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 834-36 (NCV) Who can say God's people
  are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died,
  but he was also raised from the dead, and now he
  is on God's right side, begging God for us. 35
  Can anything separate us from the love Christ has
  for us? Can troubles or problems or sufferings or
  hunger or nakedness or danger or violent death?
  36 As it is written in the Scriptures "For you
  we are in danger of death all the time. People
  think we are worth no more than sheep to be
  killed. Ps 4422

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• V34 Who is he who condemns?
• This predestinated elect has been made just in
• Gods eyes and He will glorify them. Since God
• has made them His adopted children, who dare
• judge them?
• V34 who also makes intercession for us.
• Paul uses this word three times between verses
  26-34
• How does Jesus make intercession for us today?
• Lets review some scriptures to answer

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Isaiah 5311-12 (NKJV) He shall see the labor of
  His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My
  righteous Servant shall justify many, For He
  shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I
  will divide Him a portion with the great, And He
  shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because
  He poured out His soul unto death, And He was
  numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the
  sin of many, And made intercession for the
  transgressors.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Hebrews 725-26 (NKJV) Therefore He is also able
  to save to the uttermost those who come to God
  through Him, since He always lives to make
  intercession for them.
• Hebrews 725-26 (NCV) So he is able always to
  save those who come to God through him because he
  always lives, asking God to help them. 26 Jesus
  is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy,
  sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and he
  is raised above the heavens.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Here is how Christ intercedes for us
• Sends ministering angels to serve and protect us.
  Heb 114
• He Goes directly to the Father on our behalf when
  we have special needs.
• When we fall short He becomes our righteousness
  so our prayers are heard and our relationship
  maintained. This is the power of His shed blood
  and sacrifice.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 837-39 (NKJV) Yet in all these things we
  are more than conquerors through Him who loved
  us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death
  nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor
  powers, nor things present nor things to come,
  39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created
  thing, shall be able to separate us from the love
  of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 837-39 (NCV) But in all these things we
  have full victory through God who showed his love
  for us. 38 Yes, I am sure that neither death,
  nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing
  now, nothing in the future, no powers, 39
  nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything
  else in the whole world will ever be able to
  separate us from the love of God that is in
  Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• V37 Yet in all these things we are more than
  conquerors through Him who loved us..
• We cant qualify of be good enough to be
  saved or in Gods Kingdom. It is a gift and a
  promise. Christ in us is our righteousness.
• We shouldnt doubt God or His ability to work in
  us and change our lives.
• Paul doesnt say we are barely saved or losers
  ready to fail. He doesnt say we might be
  successful.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 91-4 (NKJV) I tell the truth in Christ,
  I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me
  witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great
  sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I
  could wish that I myself were accursed from
  Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according
  to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom
  pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
  the giving of the law, the service of God, and
  the promises

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• V 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed
  from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen
  according to the flesh
• Paul is beginning a discussion about God and his
  relationship with the Jewish people. Paul is
  building upon a theme that being a spiritual
  Israelite is what really matters, not a physical
  descendent.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 95-7 (NKJV) of whom are the fathers and
  from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came,
  who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
  6 But it is not that the word of God has taken
  no effect. For they are not all Israel who are
  of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because
  they are the seed of Abraham but, "In Isaac your
  seed shall be called."

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Romans 95-7 (NIV) Theirs are the patriarchs,
  and from them is traced the human ancestry of
  Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!
  Amen. 6 It is not as though God's word had
  failed. For not all who are descended from Israel
  are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his
  descendants are they all Abraham's children. On
  the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your
  offspring will be reckoned."

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• Physically, God works with whoever He wants! For
  example Ishmael was the son of Abraham, a
  descendant but not the son of promise.
• Esau was the son of Isaac, a descendent but God
  choose to work with his brother Jacob.
• The spiritual analogy is this God calls Jews
  and gentiles to be his children at this age. They
  are the true Israelites of God! Spiritually, God
  also works with and calls whoever He wants.

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans

• End of today's Bible Study

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Pauls Epistle to the Romans