Reflections in Romans, 3:1-8

Romans 3:1-8

I. What's the point? (1-2)
II. What about my faithfulness? (3-4)
III. What about my unrighteousness? (5-8)

Summary/Insight:
In the previous passage, the Jews were all about their religious beliefs and Paul was correcting their thinking that it should be about the circumcision of the heart. So then, what's the point of being a Jew or physically circumcised? Is there any advantage or value to it? Yes - it is the very words of God. Just because we don't understand the purpose behind God's commands doesn't mean there's no value to be found in them.

All is not based on our faithfulness (Praise God because I am so inconsistent!), but rather on His faithfulness. Because we know His character and that we can trust His word, that He is constant and unchanging, we know He is faithful and we can trust Him because that who He is and it's not contingent on our behavior. *QUIT STRIVING* None of us are worthy. Jesus died for each one of our sins. Don't compare what you see of others with how you live your life. You don't know what goes on in their hearts or thoughts. Only God knows those places of each one of us, but we all need Him and His saving grace.

No matter how I try, I don't know that I can ever be completely honest, not even with myself. There is always something or someone to protect. BUT GOD IS TRUTH.

We deserve his wrath. If anything, we should be lead to repentance and to confess to God all the places we see how messed up we are and thank Him for not destroying us!

Application Questions:
I. What commands do I need to re-evaluate that God has given me? What areas of my heart need to be softened and circumcised?

II. What ways do I need to recognized God's faithfulness and my lack of faithfulness? How does this lead me to prayer and thanksgiving?

III. What areas of sin patterns and unrighteousness do I need to identify in my own life? How do these allow me to see the punishment I truly deserve? How does this lead me to worship and praise?

Reflections in Romans, 2:17-29

Before I get into what I got out of this one, I just have to say that I forgot how loaded Romans is. There is SO much meat in the text. This passage alone has so much depth to it and could go so deep into really looking into ourselves and our motives vs our hearts.

Romans 2:17-29

I. Jews take pride in the law (2:17-20)
II. Jews attitude is  "Do as I say, not as I do" (2:21-24)

III. Jews are taught about outward appearance vs heart condition (2:25-29)

Summary/my insights:
The Jews are puffed up with pride in their knowledge, in their religion and their appearance of wanting to teach others. The Jews are reprimanded in Paul's letter for not practicing what they preach, thus dishonoring God and turning others away from God. (sound familiar Christians?) The Jews are corrected in their thinking that just because they are physically circumcised and have the law, that's not an automatic "in". If the Gentiles observe the law and are not physically circumcised, people will regard them as Jews for observing the law. It's about the heart which is led by the Spirit, not the outward appearance.

Application Questions:
I. Am I depending on my knowledge of God or a relationship with God? Will you ask God to help yourself be honest and go deeper in the question? What is truly the source that is powering me? Who or What is guiding me? God? Fears, doubts, worries, lack of trust? Worries? Stress? Feelings? [I think it can be different for different situations - the real struggle is to give it ALL over to God, relinquish control. Have I mentioned that I'm a control freak?]

II. Am I practicing what I say I believe in? What am I saying to others that I'm not following myself? What do others say about God because of my actions and words? 

III. How does my outward behavior conflict with what's on my heart (good or bad)? Where are there some things that are done with the wrong motive behind them? Where am I seeking man's approval instead of God's?