BJ McConnell
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Sept 28, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
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Post by BJ McConnell on Mar 14, 2020 0:29:38 GMT -5
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, Chapters 4-6 Read It OnlineWritten from Corinth in A.D. 60 This study is now closed.
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lizrodriguez67
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Post by lizrodriguez67 on May 7, 2020 9:42:26 GMT -5
THREE CHAPTERS😩😩😩
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lizrodriguez67
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Post by lizrodriguez67 on May 7, 2020 9:57:02 GMT -5
I LOVE CHAPTER 4!!!!! Abraham was an amazing example of what having faith will do. The man was a 100 YEARS OLD. His body was aging and Sarah wasn’t getting any younger to say the least BUT he did not allow to be moved by what he saw, heard or felt. I imagine if anyone knew what he was believing God for then he more then likely was made fun of. Abraham has so many opportunities to doubt BUT YET he choose to believe God at His word. Because of his faith he was counted as righteous and he became the father of many nations. It just reminds me not to be moved for what I am believing for my family. Not to let the lies of the enemy get to me. To stand firm on what God says....He is NOT a man as if He should lie. His promises are yes and Amen. I’m not to be moved but what I see, hear or even feel. I HAVE TO moved by the Spirit if God that lives inside of me and only that. I may not see the evidence of my prayers today or tomorrow BUT I WILL. I am told to believe and have faith. To love like God loves and not to count wrongs against me. At times it may seem hard to not be moved but when continue to focus on him and stay in his word and presence the impossible does not seem so impossible anymore.
Anyway chapter 4 was such a blessing to me....
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lizrodriguez67
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Nov 30, 2019 11:01:08 GMT -5
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Post by lizrodriguez67 on May 7, 2020 9:58:36 GMT -5
I’m going to stop at chapter 4 for today and just digest it and read chapter 5 tomorrow ❤️ I’m in tears at the revelation.
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BJ McConnell
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Sept 28, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
Posts: 246 Amens: 13
Favorite Verse: 2 Cor 5:17
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Post by BJ McConnell on May 7, 2020 11:39:13 GMT -5
I LOVE CHAPTER 4!!!!! Abraham was an amazing example of what having faith will do. The man was a 100 YEARS OLD. His body was aging and Sarah wasn’t getting any younger to say the least BUT he did not allow to be moved by what he saw, heard or felt. I imagine if anyone knew what he was believing God for then he more then likely was made fun of. Abraham has so many opportunities to doubt BUT YET he choose to believe God at His word. Because of his faith he was counted as righteous and he became the father of many nations. It just reminds me not to be moved for what I am believing for my family. Not to let the lies of the enemy get to me. To stand firm on what God says....He is NOT a man as if He should lie. His promises are yes and Amen. I’m not to be moved but what I see, hear or even feel. I HAVE TO moved by the Spirit if God that lives inside of me and only that. I may not see the evidence of my prayers today or tomorrow BUT I WILL. I am told to believe and have faith. To love like God loves and not to count wrongs against me. At times it may seem hard to not be moved but when continue to focus on him and stay in his word and presence the impossible does not seem so impossible anymore. Anyway chapter 4 was such a blessing to me.... I'm with you sis, chapter 4 is amazing and I plan on writing up something about it later today as well. Abram's faith in Genesis serves as the classic example of faith in God's word. I love how Paul uses this example to further his gospel of grace, defending his teaching of salvation through faith in Christ alone. I better stop there because I don't want to give away what I plan to talk about in my post, lol!
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BJ McConnell
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Sept 28, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
Posts: 246 Amens: 13
Favorite Verse: 2 Cor 5:17
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Born Again Christian?: Yes
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Post by BJ McConnell on May 7, 2020 11:40:07 GMT -5
I’m going to stop at chapter 4 for today and just digest it and read chapter 5 tomorrow ❤️ I’m in tears at the revelation. Awesome! Thank you Lord!
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BJ McConnell
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Sept 28, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
Posts: 246 Amens: 13
Favorite Verse: 2 Cor 5:17
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Post by BJ McConnell on May 7, 2020 14:41:14 GMT -5
Yeah, but they are very short
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BJ McConnell
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Sept 28, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
Posts: 246 Amens: 13
Favorite Verse: 2 Cor 5:17
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Post by BJ McConnell on May 9, 2020 22:50:22 GMT -5
Happy Saturday everyone. I have been trying for days to figure out how to write down my thoughts on this week's readings. Most specifically, my thoughts on chapter 2 continue to confound me as I try to put them into words, so I hope this reads clearly because, in my spirit, I feel this is very important.
Paul dedicated the entirety of chapter two to one specific theme - that man is justified by faith alone, wholly apart from works. I will typically refer to this doctrine moving forward as the gospel of grace, or the doctrine of grace. In order to validate his claim, Paul uses Abram as an example when he paraphrases Genesis 15:6, stating, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3).
We saw as we read through Acts that there was great dissention between the Jewish believers and Paul over the two separate ideas of works and grace. The Jewish believers wanted the Gentiles to keep the law and be circumcised. Paul insisted that the faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God was enough, and that grace provided freedom from the law and the other Judaic practices, such as circumcision.
First, take a look at the two individuals who were at the head of each side in this debate between law and grace. Paul on one side, James on the other. Many will tell you that James and Paul were at odds with each other because of that famous verse "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26), but anyone who will tell you works are required to get into heaven by quoting James does not understand what they are reading. Both James and Paul use Abram as their example in arguing their point of view for faith or works, but you have to take into account each apostles audience for their epistles to understand the relationship between the two doctrines.
James' epistle is written to the Jewish believers. If you remember, Jesus told us the Jews must see signs and wonders (John 4:48). So knowing his audience, James wrote in his epistle how Abram was justified when he offered Isaac on the alter (James 2:21), BUT you have to keep reading past verse 21 to understand what James is saying about faith and works. Read verses 21-24 in James chapter 2: Look at these verses closely. Do you see the word "only" at the end of verse 24? That changes things greatly. That implies that faith and works compliment each other. Now, what is the order in how they are used? The works are manifested because of the person's faith. Abram offered Isaac upon the alter because of his faith in God, not the other way around. He didn't have faith because he offered Isaac on the alter.
Finally, let's return to my point about the audience for each epistle from James and Paul. As I said, James, writing to the Jews addresses what can be seen. Paul on the other hand is writing to the Gentiles regarding the doctrine of grace. Salvation is a result of the work of the cross, which of course was accomplished by Jesus, so Paul is addressing the Gentiles and telling them what justifies them to God because they have done no works (so that no man can boast). So, Paul speaks of that which justifies man before God, and that is faith alone, wholly apart from works. James is speaking in his epistle about the proof that can be seen before men, which is works as the visible evidence of faith. Now, who do we need to be seen by as justified? God, of course, and that requires faith just as Paul states. You can't get into heaven without faith because without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6)
The reason I say this is an important topic is because there are a great deal of people who do think they can be saved, or justified, by their works even today. Nearly all parts of life teaches us you can't get something for nothing, but this is that one exception. We need to tell people, you can't earn this freedom, you can't do anything to earn salvation. Believing in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead - alive today at the right hand of God the Father. That is the gospel of grace; that is what Paul preached every day throughout Asia, Macedonia, Galatia and those other parts of the world. No one will get to heaven by keeping the commandments, no one will get to heaven by being a "good person". But we have to tell people, because what's frightening is that there are countless numbers of people in this world today that think they will, and that is just for the ones that even believe there's a higher power to answer to, or that there is an afterlife at all. Only faith can save us. Yes, we should have works as believers, but our works are the evidence of our faith, not the cause of our salvation.
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