Categories
romans study

The Book of Romans Part 6 (2:1-16) Being a Good Person

Although the person Paul is addressing has changed,
the argument is still continuing underneath the same thought flow. The
thought-flow being how God is found just, in this particular case, by
the fact that He judges. God’s righteousness, it said in chapter one
was seen in the fact that He judges all unrighteousness.

In the previous chapter, Paul showed God’s progressive judgment of men
who suppress the knowledge of God within them, ultimately reveling in
their own darkness and rejecting the light. This sink into depravity
was so bad, that ultimately these unbelievers would uphold and admire
those who did these wicked things and taught others to do the same.
Mind you, this depraved man is not so bad that he can’t do “good” as if
he’s incapable of it. This depraved man knows that he can do “good” but
won’t! This depraved man is guilty, not because of something outside of
himself but out of his own choosing.

Categories
romans study

The Book of Romans Part 5 (1:18-32) Progression of Rejection

We broach today’s subject with our continued reliance on the Lord for guidance and wisdom in our studies.

This portion may very likely be one of the most powerful passages in
scripture delineating the wrath of God and also often misused. It has
been used to show how God hates homosexuality and also used to support
that men can be saved by looking at creation. I’ve seen this portion
used for teaching that the only way to preach the gospel is to start
with creation. It has been used to illustrate the pre-flood conditions
(and subsequently limited to that time period) and a few times I have
seen it used to support homosexual relationships.

I am not supporting these views, simply mentioning them in a
tuning-fork format. Perhaps you have heard the hum of today’s passage
in one of the tone’s mentioned in the previous paragraph. Yet, an
interesting feature about each of these arguments is that they
sometimes focus so wholeheartedly on the point they’re trying to make
that they ignore what the passage is actually saying.

Categories
study

First John

reynaldo reynoso (admin)

The Purpose of the Letter

  • So that you know the truth in opposition to the seducers (2:26), so that your joy may be full (1:4) in understanding that being a believer in the name of the Son of God assures your eternal life (5;13) thus securing your understanding so you stand unashamed before God (2:28).

Categories
church study

The Epistolic Thought Flow and Church Relationships

reynaldo reynoso (admin)

Refering to IreneQ’s post once more::

?church is all about relationships (something my previous pastor has always said) and that in cell groups you get to build those relationships — and it’s those relationships which will keep you in the church and help you to feel a part of it.

I am forced to examine this idea of basing the local gathering completely on relationships. It is something that many Christians have been falling into as of late, both the churched and the unchurched.

The following overviews reflect the writings of Paul to local gatherings, or churches if you will.

Categories
romans study

The Book of Romans–Part 2 (v1-2) A Slave of Christ

Let us continue this next section by leaning on the Lord for guidance and understanding in this study.

We left off making some preliminary commentary on the righteousness
of God defended in the book of Romans, or in other words, how God is
justified or declared right. Before we enter the courtroom of the book
of Romans, let us look at some peripheral details of the letter itself.