I just finished reading the book of Romans, which is one of my favorite books in the Bible. There are so many verses and passages that are relevant and practical, deep and hope-filled...so good, I could practically highlight the whole thing with my pink marker.
This book explains God's love, His law, His grace, the reason for Jesus' sacrifice, the significance of faith in His sacrifice, urging Christians to truly love others, and to not put stumbling blocks in front of other believers, but to live without self-condemnation. Each chapter is so rich in wisdom and instruction, its difficult for me to just pick out one subject to expound upon. I can't talk about just one thing without going into the next thing. This book is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and I'm quite unable to bring any of my thoughts to completion, even to myself!
Let me just try and take a passage that is quite intriguing, check it out:
"For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit; but as for me, I am bound to the old nature, sold to sin as a slave. I don't understand my own behavior--I don't do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate! Now if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am agreeing that the Torah is good. But now it is no longer 'the real me' doing it, but the sin housed inside me. For I know that there is nothing good housed inside me--that is, inside my old nature. I can want what is good, but I can't do it! For I don't do the good I want; instead, the evil that I don't want is what I do! But if I am doing what 'the real me' doesn't want, it is no longer 'the real me' doing it but the sin housed inside me. So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse 'torah,' that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me! For in my inner self I completely agree with God's Torah; but in my various parts, I see a different 'torah,' one that battles with the Torah in my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin's 'torah,' which is operating in my various parts. What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from this body bound for death? Thanks be to God [, he will]!--through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord!" (Romans 7:14-24, Complete Jewish Bible)
Before you get lost in translation (literally), notice this is from the Complete Jewish Bible translation. Where it says "Torah" it means "Law," referring to the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Uncapitalized, it is referring not to Moses' law, but generic law or principle. I have been reading this translation of the Bible paralleled with the NIV. I particularly liked reading this passage in a different translation because it helped me to understand what Paul is really saying here, and it applies to every person on the planet.
We all have a "sin housed inside" of us. This is the sin nature we were born with. But God's law is written inside of each of our hearts. Everyone has a conscience that knows right from wrong. (See Romans 2:14-15). But knowing right from wrong doesn't always stop us from doing the wrong thing. Sometimes we go against our conscience on purpose. Other times, when all we want to do is the right thing, we go against our conscience....unconsciously.
But--Thanks be to God, who will rescue me from this body bound for death through Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah, our Lord!
I'd better stop there, but I'd encourage you to read the whole book of Romans. Each of the subjects it covers flow together so well, I find that if I have questions as I read, my questions are answered in the next portion. Additionally, it is very fundamentally helpful in understanding the link between Jews and Christians.
I pray blessings for you as you seek God through studying His word!
This book explains God's love, His law, His grace, the reason for Jesus' sacrifice, the significance of faith in His sacrifice, urging Christians to truly love others, and to not put stumbling blocks in front of other believers, but to live without self-condemnation. Each chapter is so rich in wisdom and instruction, its difficult for me to just pick out one subject to expound upon. I can't talk about just one thing without going into the next thing. This book is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and I'm quite unable to bring any of my thoughts to completion, even to myself!
Let me just try and take a passage that is quite intriguing, check it out:
"For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit; but as for me, I am bound to the old nature, sold to sin as a slave. I don't understand my own behavior--I don't do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate! Now if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am agreeing that the Torah is good. But now it is no longer 'the real me' doing it, but the sin housed inside me. For I know that there is nothing good housed inside me--that is, inside my old nature. I can want what is good, but I can't do it! For I don't do the good I want; instead, the evil that I don't want is what I do! But if I am doing what 'the real me' doesn't want, it is no longer 'the real me' doing it but the sin housed inside me. So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse 'torah,' that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me! For in my inner self I completely agree with God's Torah; but in my various parts, I see a different 'torah,' one that battles with the Torah in my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin's 'torah,' which is operating in my various parts. What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from this body bound for death? Thanks be to God [, he will]!--through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord!" (Romans 7:14-24, Complete Jewish Bible)
Before you get lost in translation (literally), notice this is from the Complete Jewish Bible translation. Where it says "Torah" it means "Law," referring to the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Uncapitalized, it is referring not to Moses' law, but generic law or principle. I have been reading this translation of the Bible paralleled with the NIV. I particularly liked reading this passage in a different translation because it helped me to understand what Paul is really saying here, and it applies to every person on the planet.
We all have a "sin housed inside" of us. This is the sin nature we were born with. But God's law is written inside of each of our hearts. Everyone has a conscience that knows right from wrong. (See Romans 2:14-15). But knowing right from wrong doesn't always stop us from doing the wrong thing. Sometimes we go against our conscience on purpose. Other times, when all we want to do is the right thing, we go against our conscience....unconsciously.
But--Thanks be to God, who will rescue me from this body bound for death through Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah, our Lord!
I'd better stop there, but I'd encourage you to read the whole book of Romans. Each of the subjects it covers flow together so well, I find that if I have questions as I read, my questions are answered in the next portion. Additionally, it is very fundamentally helpful in understanding the link between Jews and Christians.
I pray blessings for you as you seek God through studying His word!