Housechurching, Day 3
Today, for our housechurching, we continued our study of Romans 2 and 3. We began by re-discussing what the churches in Rome that Paul was writing to were like. There was a disagreement over who was better, the Jewish Christians or the Gentile Christians. There was disagreement over if everyone needed to follow the Old Testament Law.
We then began by reading Romans 2:17-29. We focused a lot on Verses 19-20. From the Message Bible, "I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God's revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you?"
There is danger in assuming that we are "there" to guide others. Today, we discussed the Pharisees and how Jesus called them blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch. We run the danger of taking on the attitude of the Pharisees when we feel we are there to guide others.
We then got into Chapter 3: "So what difference does it make who's a Jew and who isn't, who has been trained in God's ways and who hasn't. As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference - but not the difference so many have assumed. First, there's the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God's revelation, these Holy Scriptures. So, what if, in the course of doing that, some of those Jews abandoned their posts? God didn't abandon them. Do you think their faithlessness cancels out His faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it. God keeps His word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says them same" (Romans 3:1-4a).
We discussed the importance of doing what God has called us to do. The Jewish people were chosen to write and preserve the Scripture. We then discussed Gentiles in the Old Testament, Rahab and Ruth in particular, that were also chosen. We discussed that God does not show favoritism. He loves us all. He created races and nationalities because He loves that diversity. It is important. I asked Nathanael, whose blue morning glories just bloomed yesterday, if his blue morning glories are better than his purple ones or his white ones because they are different. He told me no. I told him it is the same way with people. We're all different, but none of us are more important than anyone else. God created us all beautiful and has a plan for all of us.
We then discussed Romans 3:5-4:25, that we should not take advantage of God's grace. Grace does not mean we should take sin lightly. God always forgives, but we must be truly sorry for what we have done wrong. And, most importantly, it is by the grace of God through Jesus that we are forgiven. Jesus makes the difference. "God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in Him sets us in the clear" (Romans 4:25). We are saved by grace through faith alone. No amount of good works can save us. God took that burden upon Himself.
We then began by reading Romans 2:17-29. We focused a lot on Verses 19-20. From the Message Bible, "I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God's revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you?"
There is danger in assuming that we are "there" to guide others. Today, we discussed the Pharisees and how Jesus called them blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch. We run the danger of taking on the attitude of the Pharisees when we feel we are there to guide others.
We then got into Chapter 3: "So what difference does it make who's a Jew and who isn't, who has been trained in God's ways and who hasn't. As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference - but not the difference so many have assumed. First, there's the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God's revelation, these Holy Scriptures. So, what if, in the course of doing that, some of those Jews abandoned their posts? God didn't abandon them. Do you think their faithlessness cancels out His faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it. God keeps His word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says them same" (Romans 3:1-4a).
We discussed the importance of doing what God has called us to do. The Jewish people were chosen to write and preserve the Scripture. We then discussed Gentiles in the Old Testament, Rahab and Ruth in particular, that were also chosen. We discussed that God does not show favoritism. He loves us all. He created races and nationalities because He loves that diversity. It is important. I asked Nathanael, whose blue morning glories just bloomed yesterday, if his blue morning glories are better than his purple ones or his white ones because they are different. He told me no. I told him it is the same way with people. We're all different, but none of us are more important than anyone else. God created us all beautiful and has a plan for all of us.
We then discussed Romans 3:5-4:25, that we should not take advantage of God's grace. Grace does not mean we should take sin lightly. God always forgives, but we must be truly sorry for what we have done wrong. And, most importantly, it is by the grace of God through Jesus that we are forgiven. Jesus makes the difference. "God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in Him sets us in the clear" (Romans 4:25). We are saved by grace through faith alone. No amount of good works can save us. God took that burden upon Himself.
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