Romans Study: Chapters 1-2

Chapter links: Study Summary, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, God, Questions.

Romans Chapter 1 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

Return to the Chapter Overviews in Romans with this link.

links to sentences in this chapter:

C1-S1 (Verse 1-7), C1-S2 (Verse 8), C1-S3 (Verse 9-10), C1-S4 (Verse 11-12), C1-S5 (Verse 13), C1-S6 (Verse 14), C1-S7 (Verse 15), C1-S8 (Verse 16), C1-S9 (Verse 17), C1-S10 (Verse 18-19), C1-S11 (Verse 20-21), C1-S12 (Verse 22-23), C1-S13 (Verse 24-25), C1-S14 (Verse 25), C1-S15 (Verse 26-27), C1-S16 (Verse 28-32)'.

Our chapter theme is: 'Foundation'.

Everything in this epistle is built upon the power and authority which is identified in the opening sentence. That is: the power and authority of God and of the word of God, and of the God appointed man who was the true apostle to the Gentiles (highest human authority and ambassador for Heaven). Many people lie and claim to have the authority that Paul had, but they can not do the miracles done by Paul nor can they produce the God specified requirements to prove that they are a true apostle. In our sentence, Paul states that he is a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. The critics can not do the miracles done by Jesus Christ nor can they resurrect themselves from the dead. (And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead). Therefore, when they dispute doctrines which are in this epistle, they prove themselves to be liars and servants of Satan because they do not have the power, nor the authority which is required to dispute anything in this epistle.

In the first sentence, Paul introduces himself as the man used by God to write this epistle and gives his authority to speak for God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which is based upon scripture. (Proper doctrine is always based upon scripture.) He then says that this epistle was written for obedience to the faith among all nations and to those people who were called of Jesus Christ to be saints. (Notice that this is not written to preachers only but the 'person in the pew'.) He also said that his desire was to impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye (each and every one of you personally) may be established. In order to do this he would preach the gospel of Christ, which is preached unto salvation to every one that believeth. Lots of people claim to believe God's Word. This is actually increasing the spiritual life in the saved by causing them to mature spiritually.

Lots of people claim to believe God's Word. However, Paul tells us that proof is in our actions and those people who really don't believe prove their lack of faith by their actions and receive the wrath of God. God judges our actions, our motivations behind those actions, and if those motivations are from our heart. Those who really don't believe prove their lack of faith by their actions and receive the wrath of God. The chapter ends with the last two sentences telling us how to identify people who did not like to retain God in their knowledge.

In addition, a lot of people make the mistake of believing that many of these sentences only identify lost people. However, as the detail notes point out, these sentences also apply to saved people who did not like to retain God in their knowledge. These sentences also lead directly into the next chapter where Paul specifically deals with people who claim to be saved while living for Hell. This first chapter shows these things in general and is foundational to all that Paul teaches throughout this epistle.

Paul was called to be an apostle ('the highest human authority in the church'). The epistle of Romans was written to those people who were called of Jesus Christ to be saints. The gospel of Christ is preached unto salvation to every one that believeth. Those who really don't believe prove their lack of faith by their actions and receive the wrath of God. Many people claim to be saved and to be Christians but the real proof is in their actions, their motivations behind those actions, and God's judgment of our actions and motivations (from our heart). Among other things, this epistle (along with other epistles) teach us that there are saved people who do not live up to the Biblical definition of Christian. Therefore, just because someone who does not live up to the Biblical definition of Christian, that does not prove that they are lost. In fact, God's judgment in this life is more often a sign of a saved, but disobedient, child of God. And, God tries to correct His children with mercy before He uses punishment.

Moving on, being saved also does not guarantee all of the blessings of God, as Paul teaches in this epistle. We must fulfil God's requirements (not the requirements of religion), if we want to receive God's conditional blessings. This first chapter shows these things in general and is foundational to all that Paul teaches throughout this epistle.

The most used non-prepositional word in this chapter is God with 22 occurrences. (Please see This table for all of the verses within Romans which refer to God.) the second and third most used non-prepositional words in this chapter are Christ and faith with 6 occurrences each. Then comes Jesus with 4 occurrences. Thus, we have a strong indication that the theme of this chapter is God, the Son of God and our faith.

Below are summaries of each sentence and, below them, is a chapter summary based upon the sentence summary. After 1:16 all of the rest of the verses in this chapter talk about God. Please follow the link to see that table of the references to God. Below is a sentence-by-sentence outline of this chapter. It is the foundation of this entire epistle.

1:1-7 is a single sentence which opens this epistle. It tells us that it was written by Paul To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. It also tells us that this epistle is based upon scripture and has the power and authority of God backing it. Not only were the readers called to be saints but it tells us that Paul was a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. We are to be saints in the same way that Paul was an apostle and we are to be a servant in the same way as Paul was. Paul tells us some additional things about the Son of God and that God gives us grace and our position as saved people for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. That is, we are expected to respond to our salvation with obedience to the faith among all nations and with bringing glory to his name. As Paul will detail later, we are not to act like the lost while claiming to be saved.

Please notice that this sentence covers seven (7) verses. A sentence is the expression of a single thought. Devil motivated men chopped the word of God. into verses in order to encourage people to take parts of God’s word out of context like Satan did while tempting Jesus. If someone verifies that what they want to preach matches the message of the entire sentence, and matches the context, then there is no problem with preaching on part of a sentence. However, if someone preaches a message based upon verses which are taken out of context, then they are using the way of Satan to preach doctrinal error.

In addition to the other things found in this opening sentence, we find four (4) different combinations of the roles of the Son of God. Each of those references tell us different doctrinal truths about our relationship with the Son of God. This is consistent with what is found everywhere in the Bible with different roles of the Son of God teaching us different doctrines about our relationship with Him. Thus, the people who read one role in the word of God, and teach based upon a different role, are teaching doctrinal error.
1:8 tells us that Paul thank God for their testimony, not just an empty profession. It is critical that we back our claimed beliefs by the way that we live. Our living what we claim to believe is one of the best ways to encourage a true pastor from God.
1:9-10 tells us that Paul says that he wanted to go to them for a long time, and prayed for the opportunity but did not because he was waiting for it to be in God's will. It is important that God’s people pray for each other but it is also important that God’s people wait until God gives the OK before they do anything. When God says 'wait' or 'no', we can always pray for people and situations.
1:11-12 says, that Paul wanted this that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift and that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Two of the main purposes, of a saved person’s life, should be helping others to mature spiritually and encouraging other saved people in the true faith toward God.
1:13 says, that Paul was prevented from making the trip. Sometimes we need to testify that we can not do what we want to do. While God controls everything in the life of a saved person, God allows Satan to cause us trouble so that we can prove that we trust and obey God regardless of the circumstances of life
1:14 says, that Paul was a debtor (for having received grace from God after preaching) to all kinds of men. It is easy to look at what we do for others and think that they owe us. However, Paul wrote that he owed the people ministered to because God gave him greater everlasting rewards in Heaven. Paul ended up with a spiritual profit, which is why he said that he was a debtor.
1:15 says, that Paul was ready to preach the gospel at Rome. The detail Study tells us what Paul did to prepare for this ministry. That is an example to all who would do a ministry.
1:16 says, that Paul preached gospel of Christ, which is the same as other Biblical gospels but with a different emphasis. Please see to the Word Study on Gospels, which explains the 11 different Gospels in the Bible. Please also see the additional notes in the Lord Jesus Christ Study and the relational Prepositions Study about what is taught about our ongoing personal relationship with Christ.
1:17 says, that the righteousness of God [is] revealed in the gospel of Christ. God saves us so that he can change us and display His "righteousness" in our life.
1:18-19 is a single sentence that says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. This is a direct contrast with the prior sentence. And, our sentence makes it clear that men who do ungodliness and unrighteousness choose to do so against the truth that God reveals to them.
1:20-21 is a single sentence that explains how (For) the wrath of God is revealed (prior sentence). Basically, men choose to ignore revealed truth and choose the lie to satisfy a sinful flesh.
1:22-23 is a single sentence where Paul tells us that ungodly and unrighteous men were Professing themselves to be wise but they became fools and engaged in idolatry. Thus, we see that idolatry results from sinful pride.
1:24-25 tells us God's response to these men was to dishonour their own bodies between themselves and lifted man, and other creatures, above God. While this dishonour their own bodies includes sodomy, it is not limited to it. We also see that the reaction of unclean people is greater idolatry. .
1:26-27 tells us God's response to that increased idolatry was that God removed His control and then these people turned to vile affections which include sodomy and other sex acts which are against nature. The result of these sins was that they received in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. This means that a lot of sickness and inherited physical problems are due to sin affecting our flesh.
1:28-32 tells us God's reaction to men who did not like to retain God in their knowledge was to give them over to a reprobate mind. These verses list several sins which are evidence of a reprobate mind. It also tells us that people who do these sins are worthy of death, even though they don't get it. Finally, our sentence and chapter end with telling us that people who do these sins have pleasure in them that do them, (those sins). That means that they encourage others to join them in their sins. .For example, sodomites can not reproduce physically. So, they try to get the government to force people to accept their going into schools and teaching the children, from other people, to accept their sinful lifestyle .

So, we see in this opening chapter that a clear distinction is drawn between those that serve Jesus Christ and God the Father and those who serve self or others who fight against God. We also see the judgment that God brings upon those who do not serve Him. While most people put the second half of Romans 1 down as talking about the lost, and therefore ignore it as applying to the saved, it is written about those who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Unfortunately, many who claim to be saved also fit this category.

In addition, to what these sentences literally tell us, they show us how to build a ministry. Please consider the following application that is based upon what these sentences tell us.

C1-S1 We are to base our ministry on scripture, with a primary purpose of revealing Jesus Christ and stick to the authority and position that God gives us.
C1-S2 thank God for those people whom He gives to you for ministry.
C1-S3 Go after the people every way that you can.
C1-S4 Seek to impart unto (them) some spiritual gift
C1-S5 Seek to have further fruit through their introducing you to their friends.
C1-S6 Keep your attitude that you are a debtor to everyone that you minister to because you receive greater eternal rewards than any cost to you due to the ministry.
C1-S7 Be always ready to preach the gospel.
C1-S8 Never be ashamed of the ministry.
C1-S9 Always seek to increase peoples' faith so that they have increased righteousness.
C1-S10 Warn the sinner about God's wrath.
C1-S11 Show people how foolish it is to go against the truth of God.
C1-S12 Warn people that refusing the witness of God and turning to idolatry makes a person a Biblical fool. It also warns us that these people will be idolaters. Therefore, we need to be very careful about the claimed of 'experts' who tell us their thoughts about God without backing their claims from the Bible.
C1-S13 Warn that when people do that then God removes His restraints which allows them to fulfill their lusts and dishonour their own bodies between themselves, which results in idolatry.
C1-S15 Warn that the idolatry leads to sodomy and other sex acts which are against mature, and those result in personal physical destruction.
C1-S16 Warns that continuously rejecting God's truth leads to a reprobate mind, which does not work right, and that causes people to do things which leads other people to turn against them even while they try to get other people to do their sins with them.

One outline for this chapter (from Treasure of Scripture Knowledge) is:

1:1-8: Paul commends his calling to the Romans.
1:9-15: and his desire to come to them.
1:16-17: What his gospel is.
1:18-20: God is angry with sin.
1:21-32: What were the sins of the gentiles.

C1-S1 (Verse 1-7) Paul opens this epistle by immediately pointing people to God as the ultimate authority for all that he says.

The salutation and purpose of this epistle.

Equivalent Section: Paul identifies himself as the author and what he is writing about and the authority behind his epistle.

First Step: Paul identifies himself, the basis of his authority and the general subject of his epistle.

Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God ,
(See Below),
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;.

Second Step: Why we need to pay attention to this epistle.

And declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead:.

Equivalent Section: Paul identifies the authority behind his epistle.

By whom we have received grace and apostleship,
for obedience to the faith among all nations,
for his name:.

Equivalent Section: Paul identifies why they are receiving this epistle.

Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:.

Equivalent Section: Paul identifies who is receiving this epistle.

To all that be in Rome,
beloved of God ,
called to be saints:.

Equivalent Section: Paul identifies the expected result of this epistle.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father,
and the Lord Jesus Christ..

Below is the part of the sentence from the parenthesis.

(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,).

Please see the Message called Called to be Saints. This epistle is the basic doctrine for all saved people. As that message explains, this is why God saves anyone. Anyone who claims to be saved while refusing to answer that call has a life which testifies that God wasted His salvation on them.

There are several doctrinal errors that people teach which they claim are based upon ohis epistle. One of the main sources of error is when people ignore the context of the verses that they quote as their source text. Another major source of error is using a method to interpret the Bible which does not come from God for the purpose of interpretation. (If it comes from God for a different purpose then we will have doctrinal error when we try to use the wrong way to interpret our Bible.) If the reader has read the high-level contextual analysis of this epistle provided here, it should be obvious how much of what Paul says (Later in this epistle) is based upon earlier statements within this epistle. As such, this opening sentence is foundational to the entire epistle and is, therefore, very important to understand properly if proper understanding of later statements within this epistle is to be achieved.

One simple test, to see if someone has bad doctrine (at least until they learn better), is to ask them how they interpret one of the first 7 verses of this epistle. verses are OK for the application (preaching, etc) of the Bible but are wrong for interpretation. As explained in the papers under Hermey, God tells us to use sentences when interpreting. Someone who does not interpret by sentences is either ignorant of the command of God, or is deliberately disobedient. Either way, they are passing on doctrinal error as God's truth and will probably not like a lot that is said in this book Study.

We will start the analysis of this sentence with whom the epistle is written to and then go to the other Equivalent Sections of this sentence. This epistle was written to people who are beloved of God, called to be saints. We might not live up to the phrase beloved of God, but this epistle tells us the things that God expects to add to our lives so that we become of beloved of God. The functional definition, of the word beloved, is: 'be and loved, from love. Belove, as a verb, is not used. Loved; greatly loved; dear to the heart'. It is absolute foolishness for someone to claim that they are beloved of God, because they have some 'positional salvation'. It is also foolishness for people to claim that they don't need God to add things to their life after their initial profession because everyone who loves another also tries to add things to make that other person's life better. This foolishness becomes especially evident because such people actively support devils with their lifestyle and refuse to obey what God tells them to do in this epistle. The things that they do brings God's judgment and the commandments which they refuse to obey would avoid judgment and provide blessings.

In addition, to being beloved of God, our opening sentence tells us that this epistle is written to people who are called to be saints. The functional definition, of the word saint, is: 'a spiritually mature saved person who is actively involved in the ministry of the church'. We might not live up to the name of saints, but this epistle tells us the things that God expects of us so that He can make us into saints. Please also see the note for 1:6 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details on Paul's use of this word in this particular Equivalent Section of this sentence and how it relates to Paul's call in the first verse.

In the first part of this sentence we read that Paul was called to be an apostle who was separated unto the gospel. In our sentence we see that we are also the called which means we are also expected to be a servant of Jesus Christ and separated (from the world and sin) unto the gospel. While we may not be an apostle, we are called to fill a position within God's church. The functional definition is: 'A person who has a position where they are expected to performs tasks that are stated, implied or desired by another person'. 1Corinthians 12 lists several other offices in the church and we are called to fill some such office within the church. We also read in this same sentence (in the next Equivalent Section) that we are called to be saints and that is dealt with in more detail in the note for 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ. In 2:17 we read about those who were called a Jew but did not live up to their calling. We can expect no better if we do not live up to our calling. In 4:17 we read about God calleth those things which be not as though they were, which are the things that we are to have faith about and we already noted that our calling included obedience to the faith. 7:3 tells us that a woman is called an adulteress when she doesn't keep her covenant agreement and James 4:4 says, that we are adulterers and adulteresses when we don't keep our covenant agreement and fulfill our calling. Then 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good if we fulfill our calling and 8:30 adds that when we fulfill our calling God will justify and glorify His called. 9:7, 9:11 and 9:24-26 all tell us that not all are called and the blessings only go to those who are called. 10:12 tells us that God is rich unto all that call upon him. 10:13 tells us this is how we get the covenant agreement called salvation and 10:14 tells us that part of our covenant agreement is to take the offer of the same to others. God will bless us for making this covenant agreement that is identified in this epistle as a calling, but as we have seen in this note, we had better keep our part of the calling. Finally 11:29 tells us For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Once we make this covenant agreement called salvation, we have it for all eternity, including God's expectation that we will keep our part of the agreement. In truth, becoming the also the called of Jesus Christ makes us saved with eternal responsibilities to keep our part of the covenant agreement which is to let God change us to be like His Son and to let God work through our life to reach others (Ephesians 2:10). He does all of the work and we get the credit but God will never take away our free will. Therefore, we have to allow Him to do these things in our life.

It has been noted that this first sentence is foundational for the entire epistle. We see, with just the word called, how that word and doctrine is carried through the entire epistle and how details provided later qualify what is said here. That truth is really more than what many people realize and I have not gone off on some unrelated thought process but have shown how I stayed within this epistle. And, what I have shown with this word is different from what many believe and preach. Therefore, it is critical that we consider the context if we wish to avoid doctrinal error.

Returning to our sentence we are that in addition to being servant of Jesus Christ and being called to be an apostle, Paul was also separated unto the gospel of God. He was separated when he got saved and stopped killing saved people like his religion demanded. But God does not take one thing away without giving another (better) in replacement. in this case, God gave Paul the gospel of God. Many people will say that they preach the gospel but will have a real problem if you tell them that there are 11 different gospel in the Bible and ask them which one they preach. This sentence uses the gospel of God while other places in Romans use other gospel. The gospel of God is used here because this is the foundational sentence of this epistle and the gospel of God is foundational to all other gospel in the Bible except the Other Gospel which comes from the Devil. Please see the Word Study on Gospel to understand this critical subject which comes up 13 times in this epistle. Please also see the Gospel Flowchart to understand the relationship between various gospel within the Bible.

Returning (once more) to our sentence and moving on to another Equivalent Section, we read about the expected results of this epistle, but it is (again) foolishness for someone to claim they have something 'positionally' when the Bible (especially in this epistle) clearly teaches that the claimed blessing is only given through an ongoing relationship with the Son of God. in this sentence we see a promise for Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ given to people who are beloved of God, called to be saints. However, those qualifiers require our obedience and are not just the result of a 'positional salvation'. (Please see the note for 1:7 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details on this.) We also see that each and every one of us personally (ye) are to be the called of Jesus Christ. (Please see the note for 1:6 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details on this. Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for more verses which use of with a role of God. Please follow the link provided to see this unique usage of words within the Bible. Please also see the explanation at the top of the page that is reached By this link.) In both parts of this opening sentence we see that God expects certain things from us (obedience, etc) in order for Him to give us the blessings that are found within this epistle.

The difference between these two Equivalent Sections of our opening sentence is the inclusion of Lord when it is talking about the Grace...and peace that we (to you) can expect to receive and the exclusion of Lord when it is talking about how each and every one of us personally (ye) are called to obedience to the faith. The functional definition, of the word peace, is: 'In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind'. Notice that the third Equivalent Section above starts with Among whom and it refers back to the second Equivalent Section. There, we are told that we receive grace and positions (the equivalent of apostleship) for (here's why) obedience to the faith among all nations and for his name. That is: Paul received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name and we receive grace and (our position in the church). In exchange for these things, God expecting us to respond with obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. We don't get grace for dragging his name through the slime of a sinful lifestyle while claiming 'positional salvation'. Our sentence says that we receive these blessings from God for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. The functional definition, of the word receive, is: 'To take, as a thing offered or sent; to accept'. In addition, please see the note for Matthew 10:41, which explains that in order to truly receive a person, we must receive their character as our own. This is obviously different than 'claiming' something from God. In addition, the people who are claiming 'positional salvation' are not producing obedience to the faith among all nations. If we don't give God His expected results, He doesn't give us the blessing no matter what some religion or preacher claims.

Continuing backwards through what this sentence tells us, we read that God's Son Jesus Christ our Lord was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. The functional definition of the word power is: 'The primary sense of the verb is to strain, to exert force. 1. In a philosophical sense, the faculty of doing or performing anything; the faculty of moving or of producing a change in something; ability or strength. Power might be physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, religious or of some other nature'.) Notice that He was declared...by the resurrection from the dead. The God of the Bible believes in 'put up or shut up'. Lots of people want us to believe what they say when they disagree with what the Bible literally says. Let them put up their own resurrection from the dead before they demand that we consider their opinions to be on the level with what God wrote. Romans 6:16 tells us Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? If we accept these people's opinion in place of what God wrote then we are choosing of sin unto death. Look again at our part of this sentence which tells us that He was declared to be the Son of God with power. If others can't match His power then they need to shut up. We also know that this part tells us that he demonstrated this power and that it was according to the spirit of holiness. That is the spirit that this first sentence is telling us that we are called to receive and let live through our life (that is seen by the rest of the world) in order that God can show that we belong to Jesus Christ and so that He can make us to be saints. Please note that this spirit of holiness has a lowercase spirit. That means it is not God's Holy Spirit and the same spirit is supposed to be in us. Again, this fits with our becoming sons of God as explained in the notes for 1:3 and 1:4 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Finally we come to the first Equivalent Section of this sentence where Paul identifies himself as the author of this epistle and identifies the basis of his authority to write these things and gives the general subject of his epistle. Here we see Paul use Jesus Christ. We also see him use Son and Jesus Christ our Lord. In other parts we see him use Son of God and Jesus Christ and Lord Jesus Christ. In every case where we see different names (or combinations of names) used we also see a different relationship described that exists between the Son of God and the believer. (Please see the various notes for this sentence within the Lord Jesus Christ Study for the details of these relationships). That is, this sentence shows that the Bible deliberately uses different names for different roles and the rights, responsibilities and relationships that are associated with each role.

We have seen that every Equivalent Section of this sentence eliminates any claim that this epistle promises us things because we are 'positionally saved'. (That is, every Equivalent Section of this sentence tells us that true Biblical salvation is active in our lives and not some 'positional' thing that allows us to mock God by living in sin while expecting to go to a mansion in heaven.) the Studies on this site interpret well over 4,000 verses in context and the grammar of each and every sentence has been considered. With every colon in every one of these sentences considered and available as evidence, I can confidently say that the Bible consistently uses colons for equivalency. Since this sentence is divided into several Equivalent Sections by colons, proper interpretation demands equivalency between the various Sections. A major understanding of the equivalency in this sentence is an active faith and a denial of 'positional salvation' that allows people to live a life that mocks God. (Review the other Equivalent Sections if you don't remember them or don't believe me.)

We also see Paul use Son in the First Equivalent Section of this sentence because Paul is telling us that Jesus Christ our Lord is both Son of God and Son of man. Again, please see the note for 1:3 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. Paul also uses Jesus Christ our Lord because lots of people claim to be saved by Jesus Christ but want to argue with His commandments. So the very first thing that Paul wants us to understand is what He is also our Lord and there is no arguing with His commandments. In addition, Paul uses all of these names and combinations of names in this opening sentence because it is the foundation for the entire epistle and he is going to cover all of these roles and our relationships due to these roles within this epistle.

Having covered (in a general way) the rest of this sentence, we are left with the included part of this sentence which is a qualifier of the gospel of God. There are 11 different gospels mentioned in the Bible and they are covered by the Study which is reached with the link provided. The gospel of God is the basic gospel and other gospel are applications of it (with the exception of the other gospel that comes from the devil). Paul also tells us that the gospel of God was promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures. (Please see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Events in the New Testament about promises made in the New Testament outside of the Gospels.)

All through this epistle we see Paul quoting these scriptures as the basis of his claims and true preachers of God do the same thing. in this sentence we see scriptures called holy because they are a picture of a holy God. The functional definition, of the word prophet, is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. The functional definition, of the word holy, is: 'Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections'. The functional definition, of the word scripture, is: 'the books of the Old and New Testament; the Bible. the word is used either in the singular or plural number, to denote the sacred writings or divine oracles, called sacred or holy, as proceeding from God and containing sacred doctrines and precepts'.

The gospel of God presents 'the good now of salvation, sanctification and an ongoing personal relationship with God by using the witness of God found in nature'. This 'salvation, sanctification and an ongoing personal relationship with God' still requires us accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord. The basics of the true Gospel do not change. Only the way that the true Gospel is presented changes. And, our sentence tells us that God's prophets in the holy scriptures (Old Testament) used witnesses other than quoting scripture. With that in mind, we can look at the Old Testament for these promises from God. And, the document at this link: (Christ in the Old Testament), gives many Old Testament references to Messiah / Christ. The doctrine found in that document is not 100% correct. However, all prophecy and parables use symbolic language to teach spiritual truths using physical things as teaching aids. And, the true interpretation is only found when revealed by God's Holy Spirit. Therefore, do not get hung up on doctrinal differences but appreciate the work required to find these references. Study the references yourself for doctrine but also realize that the New Testament is built upon the Old Testament. Genesis through Malachi was not replaced, like some claim. Only the Religious part of the mosaic Law was replaced.

In our Fifth Equivalent Section we see the blessings that are offered to those saints who obey what is in this epistle. We find, essentially, this same phrase in: Romans 1:7; 1Corinthians 1:3; 2Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1Thessalonians 1:1; 2Thessalonians 1:2; 1Timothy 1:2; 2Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3; 2John 1:3. In the personal letters of 1Timothy 1:2; 2Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4 and 2John 1:3, we find mercy also added in. Please also see the notes at these links if you need more explanation of this phrase. As with the titles that Paul gives himself in the opening of his various letters, we also find some differences in the exact title of our Lord Jesus Christ within these opening sentences.

Please be sure to follow the links that are within the sentence outline above to find notes related to those words and to find links to other places where that word is used. When the links within our sentence lead to another Study, please also go to the top of the Study (or section within the Lord Jesus Christ Study) to get the definition, the particular application of this verse, and links to other verses with the same application. In particular, please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Apostle for the use of this word within the Bible. (Within Romans, forms of apostle are found in this sentence, 11:13, and 16:7.) It explains significant doctrinal concerns with the use of this word within this sentence. Please also see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Gospel. It also explains significant doctrinal concerns with the use of this word within this sentence. In addition, please see the note for This verse in the Word study on Spirit. Please also see the note for Romans 8:1 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word spirit.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:12 for links to where Paul is named within the Bible for links to every place where the phrase I Paul is used. Please also see the second half of the book called SbS-Preacher Missionaries about how God used Paul to show us how He uses a pastor / missionary to build the ministry. . We see Paul mentioned 163 times in the Bible but this is the only place in 1Timothy.

Please see the notes for Romans 14:4 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word servant along with a short note for each and the definition. The functional definition is: 'A person who has a position where they are expected to performs tasks that are stated, implied or desired by another person'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C7S27 and Ephesians C6S4 about the word servant. Please see the note for Romans 16:18 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word serve. The functional definition is: 'To work for; to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another'. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1-S2 about this word. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:17 about the word service. Please also see the note for Romans 14:4 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word servant along with the definition and a short note for each verse. Servant is dealt with separately from serve because one is the action verb and the other is the person who does the action.

The permutations of call in Romans are found 18 times in 17 verses (1:1, 1:6-7; 2:17; 4:17; 7:3; 8:28, 8:30; 9:7, 9:11, 9:24, 9:25, 9:26; 10:12, 10:13, 10:14; 11:29). Easton's Bible Dictionary defines the word call, as: '(1.) to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26). thus, men are said to "call upon the name of the Lord" (Ac 2:21; 7:59; 9:14; Ro 10:12; 1Co 1:2). (2.) God calls with respect to men when he designates them to some special office (Ex 31:2; Isa 22:20; Ac 13:2), and when he invites them to accept his offered grace (Mt 9:13; 11:28; 22:4). In the message of the gospel his call is addressed to all men, to Jews and Gentiles alike (Mt 28:19; Mr 16:15; Ro 9:24-25). But this universal call is not inseparably connected with salvation, although it leaves all to whom it comes inexcusable if they reject it (Joh 3:14-19; Mt 22:14). An effectual call is something more than the outward message of the word of God to men. It is internal, and is the result of the enlightening and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:14; Ac 26:18; Joh 6:44), effectually drawing men to Christ, and disposing and enabling them to receive the truth (Joh 6:45; Ac 16:14; Eph 1:17)'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S3 and 1Timothy 6:12 about this word. Please also see the notes for Romans 10:13; 2Thessalonians 3:1-LJC; Ephesians 5:8-LJC and 1John 4;14-LJC about the phrase call upon the Lord.

We find forms of the word separate occurring 97 times in 88 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 25:32; Luke 6:22; Acts 13:2; Acts 19:9; Romans 1:1; Romans 8:35; Romans 8:39; 2Corinthians 6:17; Galatians 1:15; Galatians 2:12; Hebrews 7:26; Jude 1:19. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines the word separate as: 'To disunite; to divide; to sever; to part, in almost any manner, either things naturally or casually joined. the parts of a solid substance may be separated by breaking, cutting or splitting, or by fusion, decomposition or natural dissolution. A compound body may be separated into its constituent parts. Friends may be separated by necessity, and must be separated by death. the prism separates the several kinds of colored rays. A riddle separates the chaff from the grain'. The water of separation was: 'Used for purification in cases of ceremonial defilement, without the re-application of blood. Nu 19:9-21'. The functional definition of the word separated is: 'Divided; parted; disunited; disconnected'. Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word separated as: 'In Israel, of the Physically Unclean and Diseased from the: Congregation: Le 13:5,21,33,46; Nu 5:3. Of Israel from the heathen, enjoined: Ex 33:16; Le 20:26; Nu 5:3. Examples of: Ezr 4:3; 6:21; Ne 9:2; 10:30; 13:3; Ps 119:115. From Evil Associations: the Duty of (Select Reading, Nu 33. 51-56): Nu 33:51-56; Isa 52:11; Joh 15:19; 17:16; Ac 2:40; 2Co 6:17; Eph 5:11; 2Th 3:6. Final Separation of the Righteous and the Wicked: Mt 13:30,49; 24:40; 25:32,46; Lu 16:26; 17:34; Re 22:15. Fate of Saints from False Professors, in the Church: Mt 18:17; Ro 16:17; 1Co 5:11; 2Th 3:6; 1Ti 6:5; 2Ti 3:5; 2Jo 1:10. Of the Clean and Unclean things in their use: Le 10:10; 11:47; 20:25; Eze 22:26. The Place of, Without the Camp: Ex 29:14; 33:7; Le 4:12,21; 6:11; 13:46; Nu 5:3; 12:14; 15:35; 19:3,9; De 23:12; Heb 13:11'.

Please see the notes for Romans C4S15; Galatians C3-S15; 1Timothy 4:8 and Titus 1:2 about the word promise. Those notes have a considerable discussion about the promises of God. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: 'a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act'. Please also see the note for Galatians 4:28 for links to every place in the Bible where we find forms of the word children occurring with forms of the word promise. Please also see the Section on Promises in the Doctrinal Studies called SignificantGospel Events and Significant New Testament Events.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 about the word prophet. The worldly definition is: 'One that foretells future events; a predicter; a foreteller'. However, John the Baptist was a prophet and he told no future event. Therefore, the true Biblical definition is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please also see the Study called Jude; false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

Please use the link in the sentence above and see the notes for Romans C8S1; Galatians C6S8 and Hebrews 8:10-LJC about the word Spirit. The functional definition is: 'An intelligent being from the spiritual reality which is a super-set of the physical reality'. As seen in the summary part of the Study on Spirit, 'We are made spiritually alive when God's spirit quickens our spirit'. That study also provides links to many more verses which teach the same doctrine. Please use his link for links to every usage in the Bible where we find the phrase Spirit of the Lord. Please see the note for Romans C11S13 about the phrase spirit of slumber. Please see the note for Galatians 6:1 in Word Study on Spirit for links to every place where we find the word spiritual. Please see the notes for Romans C8S40; Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers. Please see the note for 1Peter C1S11 about the phrase spiritual verses physical. Please see the notes for Word Study on Spirit; Romans C14S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the phrase unclean spirits. Please see the note for please see the Word Study on Holy Ghost for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost.

Please see the notes for Romans 7:12; 1Corinthians C3S17; Philippians 1:3-7 and Colossians C1S6 about the word holy. The functional definition is: 'Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions'. Please see the Word Study on Holy Ghost for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost. Please also see the note for 1John C2S25 about the phrase Holy One.

Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word scripture and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. The functional definition, of the word scripture, is: 'the books of the Old and New Testament; the Bible. the word is used either in the singular or plural number, to denote the sacred writings or divine oracles, called sacred or holy, as proceeding from God and containing sacred doctrines and precepts'.

We find forms of the word Concern occurring 246 times in 223 verses of the Bible, 62 times in the New Testament and, in Romans in: 1:3; 9:5; 9:27; 11:28 and 16:16. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'ppr. Pertaining to; regarding; having relation to. The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. Numbers 10. I have accepted thee concerning this thing. Genesis 19. This word has been considered a preposition, but most improperly; concerning, when so called, refers to a verb, sentence or proposition; as in the first example, the word applies to the preceding affirmation. the Lord hath spoken good, which speaking good is concerning Israel. Concerning, in this case, refers to the first clause of the sentence'.

Please see the note for Galatians C3-S17 about the word seed. The functional definition for this word is: 'Webster's 1828 dictionary defines seed as: 'SEED, n. 1. the substance, animal or vegetable, which nature prepares for the reproduction and conservation of the species. the seeds of plants are a deciduous part, containing the rudiments of a new vegetable. In some cases, the seeds constitute the fruit or valuable part of plants, as in the case of wheat and other esculent grain; sometimes the seeds are inclosed in fruit, as in apples and melons. When applied to animal matter, it has no plural. 2. that from which anything springs; first principle; original; as the seeds of virtue or vice. 3. Principle of production. Praise of great acts he scatters as a seed. Waller. 4. Progeny; offspring; children; descendants; as the seed of Abraham; the seed of David. in this sense, the word is applied to one person, or to any number collectively, and admits of the plural form; but rarely used in the plural. 5. Race; generation; birth. Of mortal seed they were not held. Waller.
SEED, v. i. 1. to grow to maturity, so as to produce seed. Maiz will not seed in a cool climate. 2. to shed the seed.
SEED, v. t. to sow; to sprinkle with seed, which germinates and takes root'.

King David has a special place in the Bible and in Jewish history. Amoung other things, he wrote most of the Book of Psalms. Please see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the house of David. Please see the verses in the New Testament about Jesus being the Son of David.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1 about the word accord. The functional definition for this word is: 'Agreeing; harmonizing when two notes are in a music chord, they move together, up or down, to the next note'. Please also see the note for Psalms 119:23 about the phrase according to works.

Please see the note for Romans C8S1 about the word flesh. The functional definition is: 'a particular part of the body of man and animals'. Please also see the note for 8:8 for the difference between walk after the flesh and in the flesh. Please see the note for 8:8 for the difference between walk after the flesh and in the flesh.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:11 about the word declare. The functional definition is: 'Made known; told explicitly; avowed; exhibited; manifested; published; proclaimed; recited'.

Please see the note for Romans 13:1 which has links to sentences within Romans which deal with power. It also has the definition from Webster's 1828 and from a couple of other commentaries which provide sub-divisions of the use of the word power within the Bible. The functional definition is: ' the primary sense of the verb is to strain, to exert force. 1. In a philosophical sense, the faculty of doing or performing anything; the faculty of moving or of producing a change in something; ability or strength. Power might be physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, religious or of some other nature'.

Please see the notes for Romans 14:9 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word rose / rise along with a definition. The functional definition is: ' to get up; to leave the place of sleep or rest or death'. Please also see the note for Colossians 2S7 about this word. Please also see the note for Mark 10:1 about the words arise / arose. The functional definition for the word arose. is: 'The past tense of the verb, to arise'. The functional definition for the word arise / arose. is: 'To ascend, mount up or move to a higher place; as, vapors arise from humid places'. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S32 and John 6:39 about the word raise and see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. The functional definition for this word is: 'Bringing dead people back to life as opposed to a belief in reincarnation which says that the same spirit is given a new physical body in this physical reality. This is one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the Gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Co 15:14). In addition, there are times when this word is used for something being lifted higher physically, but even then the Bible reference often has a symbolic spiritual meaning in addition to the physical meaning.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please also see the note for John 20:2-LJC about the phrase risen Jesus is Lord. Please also see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Christ. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Jesus. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection Section within the Time Sequence of Gospel Events Study.

Please see the notes for Romans C6S4; 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20 and Colossians C1S4 about the words dead / death / die the functional definition is: 'an ongoing process of corruption which starts at conception and continues until the body is completely destroyed. Physical death is used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the corrupted body. Spiritual death is also used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the presence of God. When the Bible uses death for these events, it assumes that the reader understands that the one-time-event is the pinnacle of an ongoing process. Within the Bible, death is to be understood to be an ongoing process, even while highlighting the ultimate point of victory for the process'. Please also see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive.

Please see the notes for Romans 14:1 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word receive along with a short note for each and the definition from Webster's 1828.) the functional definition, of the word receive, is: 'To take, as a thing offered or sent; to accept'. In addition, please see the note for Matthew 10:41, which explains that in order to truly receive a person, we must receive their character as our own.

The Bible uses grace 170 times in 159 verses. Please see the notes for Romans 4:4 which has links to where Romans uses grace. Please also see the notes for Romans C4S5; Romans C4S17; Galatians 1:1 and Ephesians C1S2 about the word grace. The word grace is usually presented as 'God's riches at Christ Expense'. However, that obviously does not fit in James 1:11. So while that is the main application within the Bible, the true definition is: 'that which makes the source look good'. We are given God's grace for the expressed purpose of making God look good. please see the notes for Galatians C5S4 and Galatians C6S18 about the phrase grace through Christ.

Please also see the note for Philippians 2:12 about the word obey. The functional definition is: 'To comply with the commands, orders or instructions of a superior, or with the requirements of law, moral, political or municipal; to do that which is commanded or required, or to forbear doing that which is prohibited'. Please see the note for Romans 6:12 which has links to where Romans talks about obedience and disobedience. It also has links to where the New Testament talks about reign. In that sentence we are told to not obey the reign of sin. Please see the note for 1:1-2 about obey / obedience. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians C2S9 about the word obedience. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the children of disobedience. Please also see the note for Romans C1S16 about the word disobedient. Please also see the note for Romans C1S16 about the phrase disobedient to parents. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C6S12 about the word disobedience. The functional definition is: 'Neglecting or refusing to obey; omitting to do what is commanded, or doing what is prohibited; refractory; not observant of duty or rules prescribed by authority'.

Please see the note for Romans 3:27 about the word faith. That note has many links to many other notes which deal with this doctrine in different ways. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S3; 2Corinthians C1S17; Galatians C3S27; Ephesians 6:23-LJC; Philippians 1:25-26 and 2Timothy C1S2 about the word faith. The functional definition is: 'an action word that is based upon a belief in a promise found within the Bible with the action dictated by the Bible and the understanding that our action does not force God to act nor determines when or how God acts but proves that of our own free will we are giving God permission to act in and through our life to do what He promised within His Word'. Please also see the notes for Colossians 1:1 and Titus 1:1 about the word faithful. The functional definition is: 'Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion. Full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy. being true to oneself, to one's nature, to any promise given, and to any trust committed'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 3:1-LJC about Christ Jesus is faithful. Please also see the notes for Romans 4 and James 2:21-LJC about Abraham's faith. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1S2 about the phrase faith: unfeigned. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:3 about the word feign. Please also see the note for Romans C10S12 about the phrase faith makes us not ashamed. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S29 about the phrase justification by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about Law and faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about live / walk by faith. Please see the note for James 2:14 for links to every verse in the New Testament where the words faith and works contained within the same verse.

We find forms of the word nation occurring 481 times in 438 verses of the Bible, 68 times in 65 verses of the New Testament and, in Romans in: 1:5; 4:17; 4:18; 10:19 and 16:26. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: '1. A body of people inhabiting the same country, or united under the same sovereign or government; as the English nation; the French nation. It often happens that many nations are subject to one government; in which case, the word nation usually denotes a body of people speaking the same language, or a body that has formerly been under a distinct government, but has been conquered, or incorporated with a larger nation. thus, the empire of Russia comprehends many nations, as did formerly the Roman and Persian empires. Nation, as its etymology imports, originally denoted a family or race of men descended from a common progenitor, like tribe, but by emigration, conquest and intermixture of men of different families, this distinction is in most countries lost'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word nation as: 'Sins of: Isa 30:1-2 Chastised: Isa 14:26-27; Jer 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Eze 2:3-5; 39:23-24; Da 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Ho 7:12; Joe 1; Am 9:9; Zep 3:6,8. Perish: Ps 9:17; Isa 60:12. National adversity, prayer in: Jg 21:2-4; 2Ch 7:13-14; Ps 74; Joe 2:12. Lamented: Ezr 9; Ne 1:4-11; Jer 6:14; 8:11. Prayer for: Ps 85:1-7; La 2:20-22; 5; Da 9:3-21. Involved in sins of rulers: Ge 20:4,9; 2Sa 24:10-17; 1Ch 21:7-17. Involved in the sins of other individuals, as Achan: Jos 7:1,11-26. Peace of: Job 34:29; Ps 33:12; 89:15-18. Promises of peace to: Le 26:6; 1Ki 2:33; 2Ki 20:19; 1Ch 22:9; Ps 29:11; 46:9; 72:3,7; 128:6; Isa 2:4; 14:4-7; 60:17-18; 65:25; Jer 30:10; 50:34; Eze 34:25-28; Ho 2:18; Mic 4:3-4; Zec 1:11; 3:10; 8:4-5; 9:10; 14:11. Prayer for peace: Jer 29:7; 1Ti 2:1-2. Peace given by God: Jos 21:44; 1Ch 22:18; 23:25; Ps 147:13-14; Ec 3:8; Isa 45:7. Instances of national peace: Jos 14:15; Jg 3:11,30; 1Ki 4:24-25. Righteousness exalts: Pr 14:34'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word national sins as: 'Pervade all ranks: Isa 1:5; Jer 5:1-5; 6:13. Often caused and encouraged by rulers: 1Ki 12:26-33; 14:16; 2Ch 21:11-13; Pr 29:12. Often caused by prosperity: De 32:15; Ne 9:28; Jer 48:11; Eze 16:49; 28:5. DEFILE: the land: Le 18:25; Nu 35:33-34. The people: Le 18:24; Eze 14:11. National worship: Isa 1:10-15; Am 5:21-22. Aggravated by privileges: Isa 5:4-7; Eze 20:11-13; Am 2:4; 3:1-2. Lead the heathen to blaspheme: Eze 36:20,23. Are a reproach to a people: Pr 14:34. SHOULD BE: Repented of: Jer 18:8; Jon 3:5. Mourned over: Joe 2:12. Confessed: Le 26:40; De 30:2; Jg 10:10; 1Ki 8:47-48. Turned from: Isa 1:16; Ho 14:1-2. Saints especially mourn over: Ps 119:136; Eze 9:4. MINISTERS SHOULD: Mourn over: Eze 10:6; Jer 13:17; Eze 6:11; Joe 2:17. Testify against: Isa 30:8; 58:1; Eze 2:3-5; 22:2; Jon 1:2. Try to turn the people from: Jer 23:22. Pray for forgiveness of: Ex 32:31-32. National prayer rejected on account of: Isa 1:15; 59:2. National worship rejected on account of: Isa 1:10-14; Jer 6:19; 7:9-14. Cause the withdrawal of privileges: La 2:9; Am 8:11; Mt 23:37-39. Bring down national judgments: Mt 23:35; 27:25. Denunciations against: Isa 1:24; 30:1; Jer 5:9; 6:27-30. Punishment for: Isa 3:8; Jer 12:17; 25:12; Eze 28:7-10. Punishment for, averted on repentance: Jg 10:15-16; 2Ch 12:6-7. Exemplified: Sodom and Gomorrah, Ge 18:20; 2Pe 2:6. Children of Israel, Ex 16:8; 32:31. Nations of Canaan, De 9:4. Kingdom of Israel, 2Ki 17:8-12; Ho 4:1-2. Kingdom of Judah, 2Ki 17:19; Isa 1:2-7. Moab, Jer 48:29-30. Babylon, Jer 51:6,13,52. Tyre, Eze 28:2. Nineveh, Na 3:1'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word nation as: 'Duty to: (General References to): Ezr 7:26; Pr 24:21; Ec 8:2; Mt 17:27; 22:21; Ro 13:1; Tit 3:1; 1Pe 2:13-14. Loyalty to: (examples of): 2Sa 10:12; 1Ki 11:21; 1Ch 19:13; Ne 1:4; 2:3; Ps 137:1; Isa 66:10. Peace of: (The Obligation to Preserve Peace): Mr 9:50; Ro 12:18; 14:19; Heb 12:14. Foretold by the prophets: Isa 2:4; 9:7; 11:9; 65:25; Ho 2:18; Mic 4:4; Zec 9:10. Periods of Peace in the History of Israel: Jos 11:23; 14:15; 21:44; 1Ki 4:24; 5:4; 1Ch 22:9; 2Ch 14:6. Spiritual.: the Righteous Cultivate the Spirit of: Ec 10:4; Ro 12:18; Tit 1:6; Heb 12:14; Jas 3:17. Rebellion against: De 17:12; Ezr 7:26; 10:8; Ro 13:2; Jude 1:8. Righteousness of: (the blessings of): Pr 11:11; 14:34; 16:12; 25:5; 28:2; 29:4,14; Isa 16:5; 32:16; 33:5; 54:14. Sins of: Nu 21:7; Jg 10:10; 1Sa 7:6; Ezr 9:6; Ne 1:6; Isa 59:12; Jer 8:14; 14:7; Da 9:5. ThE NATION: (Select Readings): Ps 137; Ro 13. MISCELLANEOus tPICS RELATING TO, Government, Kings, Rulers, etc.: CIVIC DUTIES: General References to: Ezr 7:26; Pr 24:21; Ec 8:2; Mt 17:27; 22:21; Ro 13:1; Tit 3:1; 1Pe 2:13-14. ToHonour Rulers: Ex 22:28; 1Sa 24:6; Ec 10:20; Ac 23:5; Ro 13:1; 1Pe 2:17; Jude 1:8. CIVIC RIGHTEOUSNESS, the blessings of: Pr 11:11; 14:34; 16:12; 25:5; 28:2; 29:4,14; Isa 16:5; 32:16; 33:5; 54:14. PATRIOTISM, examples of: 2Sa 10:12; 1Ki 11:21; 1Ch 19:13; Ne 1:4; 2:3; Ps 137:1; Isa 66:10. PAYMEN't OF TAXES (tribute): General References to: 2Ch 17:11; Es 10:1; Mt 17:24; 22:17; Ro 13:6. Examples of: Ge 41:34; 47:26; 1Sa 8:15; 2Ki 23:35; Ne 5:4; Mt 17:24. CIVIL LIBERTY, general references to: Le 25:10; Isa 9:4; 10:27; 14:25; Jer 34:8; 1Co 7:21. CIVIL STRIFE, general references to: 2Ch 15:6; Jer 51:46; Mr 13:7; Lu 21:10-11. KINGS: Coronations of: 1Sa 11:15; 2Sa 5:3; 1Ki 12:1,20; 2Ki 11:12; 2Ch 23:11. Decrees of: Ezr 5:13; 6:1; 7:21; Es 2:8; 3:15; 8:14; Da 2:13; 3:10,29; 6:26; Jon 3:7; Lu 2:1. Favour of: Pr 16:15; 19:12; 29:26; Mt 24:45. Promises of: 1Ki 1:30; Es 5:6; 7:2; 9:12; Mr 6:22. Sceptres of: Ge 49:10; Nu 24:17; Es 4:11; Isa 14:5; Heb 1:8. Thrones of: 1Ki 10:18; 22:10; 2Ki 11:19; Ne 3:7; Es 5:1; Jon 3:6; Ac 12:21. Wrath of: Pr 16:14; 19:12; 20:2; Ec 10:4; Da 2:12; 3:13. Of Israel and Judah.: See Israel. RULERS: Wisdom and Integrity Essential to: Ge 41:33; Ex 18:21; De 1:13; 16:18; Pr 24:23; 25:2; 31:4. Duties of: De 17:16; 2Sa 23:3; 2Ch 19:6; Ps 2:10-11; Pr 16:12; 20:28; 29:4,14. Warnings to: De 27:19; Ne 5:7; Ps 110:5; Isa 1:23; 3:14; 10:1; 28:14; Eze 22:27; 28:2; 45:9; Ho 5:10; Mic 3:1; 7:3. Examples of Honour Rendered to: Ge 41:43; 1Sa 10:24; 2Sa 19:15; 1Ki 8:66; Da 3:9; Ac 26:2. Rebuked by the Prophets and Messengers of God: 1Sa 15:23; 2Sa 12:7; 1Ki 14:7; 16:1; 18:18; 21:20; 2Ki 3:13; 2Ch 12:5; 16:9; 26:18; Da 5:23; Mr 6:18; Ac 23:3: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION: General References to: Ge 6:5; Job 15:16; Ps 14:3; Isa 1:6; 59:3; 64:6; Jer 16:12; Mic 7:3; Mt 23:27; Mr 7:21; Ro 1:24; 1Pe 2:12. Evil Times: Ge 6:12; 1Ki 19:10; Ps 12:1; 14:1; Isa 57:1; 59:14; Jer 5:1; Mic 7:2; Eph 5:16; 2Ti 3:1-2; 4:3. The Prevalence of Violence: Ge 6:13; Job 24:2; Ps 55:9; 73:6; Pr 4:17; Isa 59:6; Jer 6:7; Eze 8:17; Am 3:10; Mic 2:2; 6:12. BRIBERY: Condemned: Ex 23:8; Ps 26:10; Pr 17:23; Isa 1:23; 5:23; 33:15; Am 5:12. Examples of: Jg 16:5; 1Sa 8:3; 1Ki 15:19; Es 3:9; Mt 28:12; Mr 14:11; Ac 8:18. CRIMES AGAINS't thE NATION: Assassination: Jg 3:21; 2Sa 3:27; 4:6; 20:10; 2Ki 12:21; 19:37. Rebellion: De 17:12; Ezr 7:26; 10:8; Ro 13:2; Jude 1:8. Treason: 2Sa 15:10; 1Ki 16:20; 2Ki 11:14; 15:14; 2Ch 22:10; Es 2:21. PUNISHMENT: Banishment: 2Sa 14:13; Ezr 7:26; Ac 18:2. Beating: De 25:3; Mt 21:35; Mr 13:9; Ac 5:40; 16:22; 21:32; 2Co 11:25. Beheading: Mt 14:10; Ac 12:2; 7Re 20:4. Burning: Ge 38:24; Le 20:14; 21:9; Da 3:6. Confiscation of Property: 2Sa 16:4; 1Ki 21:16; Ezr 7:26; 10:8; Es 8:1. Exposure to Wild Beasts: Da 6:16; 1Co 15:32. Hanging: Ge 40:22; De 21:23; Jos 8:29; 10:26; 2Sa 21:9; Ezr 6:11; Es 7:9; Ga 3:13. Hard Labour: Ex 1:11-14; Jos 9:27; Jg 16:21. Scourging: Mt 27:26; Mr 15:15; Joh 19:1; Ac 22:24. Stoning: Laws Concerning: Ex 19:13; Le 20:2; 24:14; De 13:10; 17:5; 22:24. Examples of: Nu 14:10; Jos 7:25; 1Ki 12:18; 21:13; 2Ch 24:21; Joh 10:31; Ac 7:59; 14:19. Stripes: Number limited to Mosaic Law: De 25:3; 2Co 11:24. Examples of Stripes endured for Righteousness Sake: Isa 53:5; Ac 16:23; 2Co 6:5; 11:24; 1Pe 2:24. Imprisonment.: INSTRUMENTS OF JUDGMEN't sent against sinful nation: De 28:50; Jg 3:12; 1Ki 11:14; Isa 5:26; 7:18; Jer 5:15; 6:22; 51:20; Lu 19:43. AMBASSADORS: Nu 20:14; 21:21; Jos 9:4; 2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 5:1; 20:2; 2Ki 14:8; 16:7; Eze 17:15. CENSUS TAKEN, of the Israelites: Nu 1:2; 26:2; 2Sa 24:2; 1Ch 21:1; Lu 2:1'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S1 and Philippians 2:9-11 about the word name. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S4 about the phrase the name. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where the phrase in the name. occurs along with links to where similar phrases occur in the New Testament. The functional definition is: 'by way of the power associated with the name'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S4 about the phrase the name. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:14-LJC about the phrase the name of Christ.

Please see the note for Acts 2:10 about Rome. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'the famous capital of the ancient world, is situated on the Tiber at a distance of about 15 miles from its mouth. the "seven hills,"
Re 17:9: which formed the nucleus of the ancient city stand on the left bank. On the opposite side of the river rises the far higher side of the Janiculum. Here from very early times was a fortress with a suburb beneath it extending to the river. Modern Rome lies to the north of the ancient city, covering with its principal portion the plain to the north of the seven hills, once known as the Campus Martius, and on the opposite bank extending over the low ground beneath the Vatican to the north of the ancient Janiculum. Rome is not mentioned in the Bible except in the books of Maccabees and in three books of the New Testament, viz., the Acts, the Epistle to the Romans and the Second Epistle to Timothy.
1. Jewish inhabitants. the conquests of Pompey seem to have given rise to the first settlement of Jews at Rome. the Jewish king Aristobulus and his son formed part of Pompey's triumph, and many Jewish captives and immigrants were brought to Rome at that time. A special district was assigned to them, not on the site of the modern Ghetto, between the Capitol and the island of the Tiber, but across the Tiber. Many of these Jews were made freedmen. Julius Caesar showed them some kindness; they were favored also by Augustus, and by Tiberius during the latter part of his reign. It is chiefly in connection with St. Paul's history that Rome comes before us in the Bible. In illustration of that history it may be useful to give some account of Rome in the time of Nero, the "Caesar" to whom St. Paul appealed, and in whose reign he suffered martyrdom.
2. the city in Paul's time. --The city at that time must be imagined as a large and irregular mass of buildings unprotected by an outer wall. It had long outgrown the old Servian wall; but the limits of the suburbs cannot be exactly defined. Neither the nature of the buildings nor the configuration of the ground was such as to give a striking appearance to the city viewed from without. "Ancient Rome had neither cupola nor camyanile," and the hills, never lofty or imposing, would present, when covered with the buildings and streets of a huge city, a confused appearance like the hills of modern London, to which they have sometimes been compared. the visit of St. Paul lies between two famous epochs in the history of the city, viz, its restoration by Augustus and its restoration by Nero. the boast of Augustus is well known, "that he found the city of brick, and left it of marble." Some parts of the city, especially the forum and Campus Martius, must have presented a magnificent appearance, of which Niebur's "Lectures on Roman History," ii. 177, will give a general idea; but many of the principal buildings which attract the attention of modern travellers in ancient Rome were not yet built. the streets were generally narrow and winding, flanked by densely crowded lodging-houses (insulae) of enormous height. Augustus found it necessary to limit their height to 70 feet. St, Paul's first visit to Rome took place before the Neronian conflagration but even after the restoration of the city which followed upon that event, many of the old evils continued. the population of the city has been variously estimated. Probably Gibbon's estimate of 1,200,000 is nearest to the truth. One half of the population consisted, in all probability, of slaves. the larger part of the remainder consisted of pauper citizens supported in idleness by the miserable system of public gratuities. there appears to have been no middle class, and no free industrial population. Side by side with the wretched classes just mentioned was the comparatively small body of the wealthy nobility, of whose luxury and profligacy we learn so much from the heathen writers of the time, Such was the population which St. Paul would find at Rome at the time of his visit. We learn from the Acts of the Apostles that he was detained at Rome for "two whole years," "dwelling in his own hired house with a soldier that kept him,"
Ac 28:16,30: to whom apparently, according to Roman custom, he was hound with a chain.
Ac 28:20; Eph 6:20; Phm 1:13: Here he preached to all that came to him, no man forbidding him.
Ac 28:30-31: It is generally believed that on his "appeal to Caesar" he was acquitted, and after some time spent in freedom, was a second time imprisoned at Rome. Five of his epistles, viz., those to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, that to Philemon, and the Second Epistle to Timothy, were in all probability written from Rome, the latter shortly before his death
2Ti 4:6: the others during his first imprisonment. It is universally believed that he suffered martyrdom at Rome.
3. the localities in and about Rome especially connected with the life of Paul are-- (1) the Appian Way, by which he approached Rome.
Ac 28:15
(2) "The palace," Or "Caesar's court" (praetorium,)
Phm 1:13: this may mean either the great camp of the Praetorian guards which Tiberius established outside the walls on the northeast of the city, or, as seems more probable, a barrack attached to the imperial residence on the Palatine. there is no sufficient proof that the word "praetorium" was ever used to designate the emperors palace, though it is used for the official residence of a Roman governor.
Joh 18:28; Ac 23:35: the mention of "Caesar's household,"
Phm 1:25: confirms the notion that St. Paul's residence was in the immediate neighborhood of the emperor's house on the Palatine. (3) the connection of other localities at home with St. Paul's name rests only on traditions of more or less probability. We may mention especially-- (4) the Mamertine prison, of Tullianum, built by Ancus Martius near the forum. It still exists beneath the church of St. Giuseppe dei Falegnami. It is said that St. Peter and St. Paul were fellow prisoners here for nine months. this is not the place to discuss the question whether St. Peter was ever at Rome. It may be sufficient to state that though there is no evidence of such a visit in the New Testament, unless Babylon in
1Pe 5:13: is a mystical name for Rome yet early testimony and the universal belief of the early Church seems sufficient to establish the fact of his having suffered martyrdom there. [PETER] the story, however, of the imprisonment in the Mamertine prison seems inconsistent with
See Peter : 2Ti 4:11
(5) the chapel on the Ostian road which marks the spot where the two apostles are said to, have separated on their way to martyrdom. (6)The supposed scene of St. Paul's martyrdom, viz., the church of St. Paolo alle tre fontane on the Ostian road. to these may be added -- (7) the supposed scene of St. Peter's martyrdom, viz., the church of St. Pietro in Montorio, on the Janiculum. (8) the chapel Domine que Vadis, on the Aypian road,the scene of the beautiful legend of our Lord's appearance to St. Peter as he was escaping from martyrdom. (9) the places where the bodies of the two apostles, after having been deposited first in the catacombs, are supposed to have been finally buried --that of St. Paul by the Ostian road, that of St. Peter beneath the dome of the famous Basilica which bears his name. We may add, as sites unquestionably connected with the Roman Christians of the apostolic age-- (10) the gardens of Nero in the Vatican. Not far from the spot where St. Peter's now stands. Here Christians, wrapped in the skins of beasts, were torn to pieces by dogs, or, clothed in inflammable robes, were burnt to serve as torches during the midnight games. Others were crucified. (11) the Catacombs. these subterranean galleries, commonly from 8 to 10 feet in height and from 4 to 6 in width, and extending for miles, especially in the neighborhood of the old Appian and Nomentan Ways, were unquestionably used as places of refuge, of worship and of burial by the early Christians. the earliest dated inscription in the catacombs is A.D. 71. Nothing is known of the first founder of the Christian Church at Rome. Christianity may, perhaps, have been introduced into the city not long after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost by the "strangers of Rome, who were then at Jerusalem,
Ac 2:10: It is clear that there were many Christians at Rome before St. Paul visited the city.
Ro 1:8,13,15; 15:20: the names of twenty-four Christians at Rome are given in the salutations at the end of the Epistle to the Romans. Linus, who is mentioned
2Ti 4:21: and Clement, Phil 4:3 are supposed to have succeeded St. Peter as bishops of Rome'.

Please see the note for 9:25 for links to every place that this epistle uses the word beloved. The functional definition is: 'be and loved, from love. Belove, as a verb, is not used. Loved; greatly loved; dear to the heart'. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:39-LJC; Galatians C5-S14; Philippians 1:9-11; love in 1John and 2John 1:3-LJC about the word love. Please see the note for 1John C3S26 about the phrase love one another. Please see the note for 1John C4S13 about the phrase perfect love. The true Biblical doctrine of this word is very complex since it is a character trait of God. That said, a simple functional definition is: 'Doing what brings the greatest ultimate good to another being without any consideration of cost to self and not consideration of any response by the other and a willingness to even bring short-term pain if that is what is required in order to bring the ultimate long-tern good'.

Please see the note for Romans 16:2 which has links to everywhere that the New Testament uses any form of the word saint along with a definition. The functional definition is: 'a spiritually mature saved person who is actively involved in the ministry of the church'. Please also see the Message called Spiritual Maturity Levels according to the Bible in order to understand the difference between a saint and other saved people.

Please see the note for Romans 12:18 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word peace along with a short note for each and the definition from Webster's 1828. The functional definition is: 'In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind'. Please also see the notes for Galatians C1-S1 and Jude 1:1 about this word. Please also see the notes for Philippians 4:7 and Colossians 3:15 about the phrase peace of God. Please also see the notes for Romans 10:15 and Hebrews 12:14-LJC about the phrase peace with God. Please also see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Events in the New Testament about promises made in the New Testament outside of the Gospels. Our sentence promises us grace and peace, if we fulfill God's call to be saints, which means that we must obey the commandments of our epistle all of our life so that we become 'completely spiritually matuew': (saints). Our epistle also promised the New Testament in the Old Testament.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Php 1:1. a servant. Ro 1:9; 15:16; 16:18; Joh 12:26; 13:14-16; 15:15,20; Ac 27:23; 2Co 4:5; Ga 1:10; Php 1:1; 2:11; 3:6-7; Tit 1:1; Jas 1:1; 2Pe 1:1; Jude 1:1; Re 1:1; 22:6,9 called. Ro 1:5; 11:13; Ac 9:15; 22:14-15,21; 26:16-18; 1Co 1:1; 9:1,16-18; 15:8-10; 2Co 1:1; 11:5; 12:11; Ga 1:1,11-17; Eph 1:1; 3:5-7; 4:11; Col 1:1,25; 1Ti 1:1,11-12; 2:7; 2Ti 1:11; Tit 1:1; Heb 5:4 separated. Le 20:24-26; Nu 16:9-10; De 10:8; 1Ch 23:13; Isa 49:1; Jer 1:5; Ac 13:2-4; Ga 1:15; 1Ti 1:15-16; Heb 7:26 the gospel. Ro 1:9,16; 15:16,29; 16:25; Mr 16:15-16; Lu 2:10-11; Ac 20:24; Eph 1:13; 1Th 2:2; 2Th 2:13-14; 1Ti 1:11 exp: 1Th 2:9.
Which. Lu 24:26-27; Ac 10:43; 26:6; Tit 1:2 by. Ro 3:21 the holy. Ro 3:2 exp: 2Ti 3:15; Re 22:6.
his Son. Ro 1:9; 8:2-3,29-32; Ps 2:7; Mt 3:17; 26:63; 27:43; Lu 1:35; Joh 1:34,49; 3:16-18,35-36; 5:25; 10:30,36; 20:28,31; Ac 3:13; 8:37; 9:20; 1Co 1:9; Ga 4:4; Col 1:13-15; 1Th 1:10; 1Jo 1:3; 3:8,23; 4:9-10,15; 5:1,5,10-13,20; Re 2:18 which. 2Sa 7:12-16; Ps 89:36-37; Isa 9:6-7; Jer 23:5-6; 33:15-17,26; Am 9:11; Mt 1:1,6,16,20-23; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 22:42-45; Lu 1:31-33,69; 2:4-6; Joh 7:42; Ac 2:30; 13:22-23; 2Ti 2:8 according. Ro 8:3; 9:5; Ge 3:15; Joh 1:14; Ga 4:4; 1Ti 3:16; 1Jo 4:2-3; 2Jo 1:7 General references. exp: Ge 9:9; Ps 89:4.
declared. Gr. determined. The Son. Ro 1:3; Joh 2:18-21; Ac 2:24,32; 3:15; 4:10-12; 5:30-32; 13:33-35; 17:31; 2Co 13:4; Eph 1:19-23; Heb 5:5-6; Re 1:18 exp: Lu 1:32; Joh 9:35; 2Co 1:19; Re 2:18. according. Lu 18:31-33; 24:26-27; Heb 9:14; 1Pe 1:11; 2Pe 1:21; Re 19:10 General references. exp: Ps 89:4; Ac 10:40.
we have. Ro 12:3; 15:15-16; Joh 1:16; 1Co 15:10; 2Co 3:5-6; Ga 1:15-16; Eph 3:2-9; 1Ti 1:11-12 apostleship. Ac 1:25; 1Co 9:2; Ga 2:8-9 for obedience to the faith. or, to the obedience of faith. Ro 15:18-19; 16:26; Ac 6:7; 2Co 10:4-6; Heb 5:9 among. Ro 3:29 for his name. Mal 1:11,14; Ac 15:14; Eph 1:6,12; 1Pe 2:9-10
are ye also. Eph 1:11; Col 1:6,21 the called. Ro 8:28-30; 9:24; 1Co 1:9; Ga 1:6; 1Th 2:12; 2Th 2:14; 2Ti 1:9; Heb 3:1; 1Pe 2:9,21; 2Pe 1:10; Re 17:14
To all. Ac 15:23; 1Co 1:2; 2Co 1:1; Php 1:1; Col 1:2; Jas 1:1; 1Pe 1:1-2; Jude 1:1; Re 2:1,8,12,18,29; 3:1,7,14,22 beloved. Ro 9:25; De 33:12; Ps 60:5; Song 5:1; Col 3:12; 1Ti 6:2 exp: 2Th 2:13. called. Ro 1:6; 1Co 1:2; Col 3:15; 1Th 4:7; 1Pe 1:15; 2Pe 1:3 Grace. 1Co 1:3-9; 2Co 1:2; Ga 1:3; Eph 1:2; Php 1:2; Col 1:2; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:2; 1Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:3; 1Pe 1:2; 2Pe 1:2; 2Jo 1:3; Jude 1:2; Re 1:4-5 exp: 1Ti 6:21; 2Ti 4:22. peace. Ro 5:1 exp: Ezr 4:17; Da 4:1; Ga 6:16; Eph 6:23; 1Pe 5:14. God. Mt 5:16; 6:8-9; Joh 20:17; Ga 1:4; Php 4:20; 1Th 1:3; 2Th 1:1; 1Jo 3:1 exp: 1Th 4:7. and the Lord. Ac 7:59-60; 1Co 16:23; 2Co 12:8-10; 13:14; Ga 6:18; Eph 6:23-24; Php 4:13,23; 1Th 3:11-13; 5:28; 2Th 2:16-17; 3:16,18; 2Ti 4:22; Phm 1:25; Re 22:21 General references. exp: Nu 6:23; 1Co 1:3; 2Co 1:2; Eph 1:2; Php 1:2; 1Th 5:28; 2Th 1:2; Phm 1:3; Heb 13:25; Jude 1:2; Re 22:21.'.

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C1-S2 (Verse 8) Paul thanked God for their testimony, not just an empty profession.

First,
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all,
that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world..

Please use This link to see the 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' found within the Bible along with links to where the Bible uses those titles. The title in this sentence is heir of the world.

As Paul often does, he opens this epistle with thanks to God, ends it with praise and several places, throughout the epistle, he also gives to thank and praise God. This is the First thing that Paul does after he identified the source, recipients and purpose of the epistle. Many of us could profit by following Paul's example and starting every new thing that we do with praise to God and by saturating everything with praise to God. When I personally determined to pray regularly for God to reveal what He wanted me to praise His name for every Wednesday service, then my personal relationship with the Son improved dramatically. I also found that while I still had many 'bad' things happen in my life, my life wasn't out of control but I was learning how to put my life into His control. My spiritual gift isn't wisdom (it is understanding) and someone with the spiritual gift of wisdom could reveal far more ways that praise of God helps our life. However, I can personally say that praising God at every opportunity that we have results in blessings beyond my ability to describe.

The second thing to note here is that Paul thanked God for you all and he follows that statement with the main reason for his praise. A lot of people want praise and want other to be thankful for them when they do nothing to be thankful for or when the problems that they cause far outweigh the good that they do. Also, people get upset if we don't credit the good they do in a totally unrelated area when we are speaking about a specific area. Forexample, Paul is praising God because your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

A rich person can give enormous amounts of money to the poor so that people think well of them. While they should get commendations for their civic actions, such actions don't deserve praise to God, especially if they make their money in some sinful way. So when we praise God for something we want to be careful and make sure that God was truly behind the action before we start crediting Him with something that may not be His work. While some people may think this is OK, I have seen more than one time where someone wrongly credited God with some action that appeared to be good. Later it was revealed that there was some evil attached to that action and God ended up being blamed for the attached evil because He was first credited with the good that He really didn't motivate.

in this case, Paul said that God motivated their faith that is spoken of throughout the whole world. True Biblical faith starts with a promise of God that is found in the word of God. Then the person makes sure that they know what the word of God tells them are all of the requirements for receiving that promise of God. This requires Praying for wisdom (James 1:5; 3:14-18) from God with the heart purpose of living what God reveals to us (James 3:13). Then we obey all of the requirements for receiving that promise of God that the Spirit of God reveals to us through the word of God. This obedience must be nothing wavering (James 1:6-8). One recent year I started the year by praying that God would help me give 40% of my gross pay to His work. I had an accident that put me out of work for three months. My rental property was damaged and I lost over $10,000.00 on it during the year. I finished the year with over $10,000.00 given to God's work that I could not write off on my taxes in that year. (No, I did not receive money from any source than pay.) I believe that is an example of what James means by nothing wavering (James 1:6-8). And, just in case anyone misunderstands, I could not possibly have done this on my own and unless God helps me to do the same in the future, I may never be able to repeat that type of giving. However, when God does provide the means we need to give Him the glory.

Returning to our sentence, we see that Paul didn't just thank God for their faith but he thanked God for you all. God gives spiritual gifts to people and then gives the people to the church. Two people might have the same gift but they will use it in different ways and it is not just the gift but the way that the person uses it that is important to the church. Remember that this epistle is not about a bunch of spiritual 'positional' things that we receive from God but about the witness that God gets in this world when His people live the faith that they claim to have. When we look at Chapter 16 we see that the majority of it is a salute to individuals that were part of this you all. Supposedly, it was at least as dangerous to travel at that time as it is to travel in the worst spots of this world today. It is certainly always more dangerous for a single woman to travel than it is for a man. Yet Phebe our sister delivered this letter when there is no reason to believe that she had any idea that the letter which she was delivering would end up as part of the word of God. Further, 16:2 tells us that she was a business woman (therefore single since she didn't work through a husband) and used the results of her business to be a succourer of many, and of myself also. If we read through these names in Chapter 16 we find many women and non-preachers. In fact, in Acts 11 we read about the church at Antioch being started by non-preachers and it isn't until Acts 11:22 that the apostles in Jerusalem sent a preacher to the church that was already there. The early church didn't believe in sending only preachers as missionaries, like we do today, and they had far greater success with their missions program. They also didn't tell people that God expected them to stay in their home church and that God would move them only to a place where He already established a church to 'baby' them. The early church, as we see in this epistle, expected people to mature spiritually and to personally obey the 'great commission'. in this verse we see Paul thanking God for many non-preacher missionaries who personally went the center of a pagan empire and even into Caesar's house to take the gospel to the gates of Hell on Earth.

Finally, Paul gave his thanks through Jesus Christ. Lost people don't praise God for the missionary work of others and newly saved people don't either. Only saved people who have spiritually matured after their initial profession give God this type of thanks. And, the more spiritually mature a person is, the more they really mean such thanks. It was through Jesus Christ that Paul learned to give this praise and it was through Jesus Christ that these missionaries saw their need to do the job. But more than anything else, it is only through Jesus Christ that any of us have access to God the Father. Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for more verses which use through with a role of God. Please follow the link provided to see this unique usage of words within the Bible. Please also see the explanation at the top of the page that is reached By this link.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about the word thank. The functional definition is: ' to express gratitude for a favor; to make acknowledgments to one for kindness bestowed'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about the phrase giving of thanks. Paul says thanks to God here, in 1:21; 6:17; 7:25; 14:6 and 16:4.

Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for more verses which use the word through with a role of God. Please follow the link provided to see this unique usage of words within the Bible. Please also see the explanation at the top of the page that is reached By this link. The functional definition is: 'the relationship is a barrier until we enter it on one side and come out on the other side of the relationship in order to receive the blessings'.

Please see the note for Romans 11:1 about the phrase I say. The functional definition is: 'Uttering in articulate sounds or words; speaking; telling; relating; reciting'. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:1 about the word sayings (plural). Please also see the notes for Romans C15S15 and 2Corinthians 2:17 about the word speak. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word speech. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. The words speaketh and saith mean that the person 'keeps on keeping on doing the saying'.

Please see the note for Mark 10:52 about the word whole. The functional definition for this word is: 'All; total; containing the total amount or number, or the entire thing; Complete; entire; not defective or imperfect'.

Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word world and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for 1Timothy 1:15; 2Timothy C1S5; 1Corinthians C1S19 and World in 1John about the word world. The functional definition is: 'The world is not the earth but is all of the people in the earth and often is used for the majority opinion / thought process. that opinion / thought process is the result of lost people thinking that they know better than God does and believe Satan's lie'. Please also see the note for John 9:5 about the phrase light of the world.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I thank. Ro 6:17 exp: Php 1:3; 2Ti 1:3. Through. Eph 3:21; 5:20; Php 1:11; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5; 4:11 that your. Ro 16:19; 1Th 1:8-9 the whole. Mt 24:14; Lu 2:1; Ac 11:28 exp: Re 16:14. General references. exp: Mr 13:10; 1Th 1:2; Phm 1:4.'.

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C1-S3 (Verse 9-10) Paul could call God as his witness for his prayers because he served God with my spirit.

First Step: Paul had enough concern for these missionaries to pray for them without ceasing.

For God is my witness,
whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son,
that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;.

Second Step: Paul's prayer request was to go to them within the will of God.

Making request,
if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you..

As we saw back in the note for 1:3, Paul is using Son for Jesus Christ our Lord. The gospel of his Son that is mentioned in this verse is the 'good news God's Son can give us His character and, thereby, make us into the sons of God'. The only other place in the New Testament that we see Son combined with gospel is Mark 1:1. This is basically the same gospel as the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ only it is emphasizing how He reveals the character of God the Father within each and every role that He has. We get this interpretation because the Bible only uses son for a person who has received, and lives, the same character as their father. Forexample, Paul led many people to salvation and trained several preachers but there are only 3 men that he called son. Thus, this phrase has this special meaning which is explained more in the This verse in the Word Study on Gospel.

Part of our rights / responsibilities within the gospel is regular communication (prayer with listening) with God. That is why Paul claimed that his serving God allowed him to call God as a witness of those things that he prayed for on a regular basis (without ceasing). Paul wanted to come to them but he was willing to go only under certain conditions. He wanted a prosperous journey by the will of God. If God didn't approve it, his journey would not be prosperous. When we do God's will but do it the wrong way or at the wrong time or with the wrong person or with any other error involved, we lose some of the blessings of God. Many people believe (I am not sure one way or another) that Paul was out of the will of God when he went to Jerusalem the last time. God still got Paul to Rome, but they argue that Paul would have still gone to Rome, and possibly further, if he hadn't insisted upon going to Jerusalem first. I try to avoid judging what God does in the lives of others, but I can say that the logic expressed has certainly been true in my personal life. I can say that what Paul expresses here is certainly true. If we pray and wait for God's direction in every aspect of our service, we will be more prosperous than if we try to serve God in our own way.

Notice that Paul expresses his prayer in two Steps. First he prays for them and their needs. Then, as a separate item, he prays to be able to visit them. That way he leaves God the option of saying 'Yes' to one prayer and saying 'No' to the other. Regardless of how God answered this prayer for Paul, he is our example of how to serve God in our spirit. As mentioned in the Word Study on Spirit, we can at least pray for our missionaries and seek to visit them to encourage them. If this is too much for us, how will we prove to our God that we served Him in our spirit when we face Him in judgment? (When Paul calls God as his witness he is reminding us that we will all face the judgment of God for how we serve Him. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Please see the note for Hebrews 11:4 about the word witness. The functional definition is: 'someone who is qualified to testify in court and is available to do so if the court requests'. Please also see the notes for 2Corinthians 13:1 and Colossians C3S13 about the phrase two or three witnesses.

Please see the note for Romans 16:18 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word serve. The functional definition is: 'To work for; to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another'. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1-S2 about this word. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:17 about the word service. Please also see the note for Romans 14:4 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word servant along with the definition and a short note for each verse. Servant is dealt with separately from serve because one is the action verb and the other is the person who does the action. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C7S27 and Ephesians C6S4 about the word servant.

Please see the note for 1Thessalonians 1:2 about the word mention. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to put in mind; L. moneo and mind. A hint; a suggestion; a brief notice or remark expressed in words or writing; used chiefly after make. Make no mention of other gods. Josh.23. I will make mention of thy righteousness. Ps.71. Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. Rom.1.
MEN'TION, v.t. to speak; to name; to utter a brief remark; to state a particular fact, or to express it in writing. It is applied to something thrown in or added incidentally in a discourse or writing, and thus differs from the sense of relate, recite, and narrate. I mentioned to him a fact that fell under my own observation. In the course of conversation, that circumstance was mentioned. I will mention the loving-kindness of the Lord. Is.63.'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 10:2 about the word cease. The functional definition is: 'To stop moving, acting or speaking; to leave of; to give over'.

Please see the note for Matthew 28:19 about the words alway / always. The functional definition for this word is: 'Perpetually; throughout all time; as, God is always the same. 2. Continually; without variation. the word "always" (plural) is used for several never ending continuances'.

Please see the note for Romans 15:30-32 for links to sentences within Romans which have a form of the word pray. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians C1S6 and the Doctrinal Study on Prayer about the word pray. The functional definition is: 'In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness. 1. In worship, a solemn address to the Supreme Being, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God's glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits'. Please also see the message called: Paul's Prayer Requests, along with other Messages on prayer.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:6 about the word request. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where We find this word along with a definition.

Please see the note for Luke 5:18 about the word means (plural). The functional definition for this word is: 'Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word might. The functional definition for this word is: 'Having great power and able to accomplish things which most people can not do'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Romans 1:10; Romans 1:13; Romans 3:4; Romans 3:26; Romans 4:11; Romans 4:16; Romans 4:18; Romans 5:20; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:6; Romans 7:13; Romans 8:4; Romans 8:29; Romans 9:11; Romans 9:17; Romans 9:23; Romans 10:1; Romans 11:14; Romans 11:19; Romans 11:32; Romans 14:9; Romans 15:4; Romans 15:9; Romans 15:16; Romans 15:19. Please also see the note for Revelation 4:8-LJC about the phrase Almighty.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 16:2 about the word prosper. The functional definition is: 'To favor; to render successful'.

Please see the note for Titus 2:13 about the word journey. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) A day's journey in the East is from 16 to 20 miles (Nu 11:31). (2.) A sabbath-day's journey is 2,000 paces or yards from the city walls (Ac 1:12). According to Jewish tradition, it was the distance one might travel without violating the law of Ex 16:29. (See sabbath.)'.

The meaning of the word wilt, does not match what is found in a man-written dictionary. The true Biblical meaning is: 'The will applied at a lifestyle level. That is: a decision of will which does not change throughout the life.'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 2:15 about the phrase will of God. That note has links to every place in the Bible where we find this phrase along with notes on each reference. In particular, that note explains that the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God are not three different levels of the will of God but, in fact, are three attributes of the single will of God. As that note explains, there is only one will of God for each circumstance in life but we receive variable rewards or punishment based upon how well we obey the will of God or how much we disobey the will of God. Please also see the Message called The Will of God for the application of these verses in the life of the believer.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'God. Ro 9:1; Job 16:19; 2Co 1:23; 11:10-11,31; Ga 1:20; Php 1:8; 1Th 2:5-10; 1Ti 2:7 whom. Ac 27:23; Php 2:22; Col 1:28-29; 2Ti 1:3 with. or, in. Joh 4:23-24; Ac 19:21; 1Co 14:14-15; Php 3:3 exp: 2Ti 1:3. The. Mr 1:1; Ac 3:26; 1Jo 5:9-12 that. 1Sa 12:23; Lu 18:1; Ac 12:5; Eph 6:18; 1Th 3:10; 5:17; 2Ti 1:3 I make. Eph 1:16-19; 3:14-21; Php 1:4,9-11; Col 1:9-13; 1Th 1:2; Phm 1:4 General references. exp: 1Th 1:2.
request. Ro 15:22-24,30-32; Php 4:6; 1Th 2:18; 3:10-11; Phm 1:22; Heb 13:19 a prosperous. Ac 19:21; 27-28 by the will. Ac 18:21; 21:14; 1Co 4:19; Jas 4:15'.

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C1-S4 (Verse 11-12) Why Paul prayed for these missionaries without ceasing.

First Step: He wanted to impart unto you some spiritual gift.

For I long to see you,
that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift,
to the end ye may be established;.

Second Step: He would be comforted together with you.

That is,
that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me..

This sentence starts with For and tells us why Paul prayed for these missionaries without ceasing. It gives us two steps where Paul gave a spiritual gift and received comfort in response. It is expected by God that we will comfort those people who provide for us any Paul teaches that fact later in this epistle. This is only the fourth sentence and the third mention of spirit. Please see the note for This verse in the Word Study on Spirit for the significant note that deals with the concept of a spiritual gift. As that note points out, a spiritual gift is given so that we each personally (ye) may be established. This is what it takes to face the problems of life with full assurance of help from our Lord.

Please note that this sentence says that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Everyone wants to be comforted and encouraged. One of the best ways to do that for a preacher, teacher, parent or other type of mentor is to let them know that you got the hard learned lesson that they are trying to pass on so that you can get it easier than they had to learn it. Paul suffered a lot to learn the lessons, including about faith, that he passed on. He expected to be comforted and encouraged by seeing their faith in action and expected to comfort and encourage them by showing his faith in action.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S9; 2Corinthians 2:17 and Colossians C1S6 about the word see / sight. The functional definition is: 'The act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view. this word is often used symbolically for spiritual understanding'.

We find forms of the word impart in: Job 39:17; Luke 3:11; Romans 1:11; 1Thessalonians 2:8. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to divide; from pars, a part. 1. to give, grant or communicate; to bestow on another a share or portion of something; as, to impart a portion of provisions to the poor. 2. to grant; to give; to confer; as, to impart honor or favor. 3. to communicate the knowledge of something; to make known; to show by words or tokens'.

In addition, to the references within the note above, please also see the notes for Romans C8S1; Galatians C6S8; Hebrews 8:10-LJC about the word Spirit. Please also see the note for 1Peter C1S11 about the spiritual verses physical. Please also see the notes for Romans C8S40 and Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. Please also see this note for links to every usage in the Bible for the phrase spirit of the Lord. Please also see the note for Romans C11S13 about the phrase spirit of slumber.

Please also see the note for Romans 5:12-18 for an extensive note on how the Bible uses the word gift along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links to every usage within Romans and a small note on each usage. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C12S4. The functional definition is: 'something given from one person to another without compensation; a donation. It is applicable to anything movable or immovable'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:15 about the word end. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines end as: 'in Heb 13:7, is the rendering of the unusual Greek word ekbasin, meaning "outcome", i.e., death. It occurs only elsewhere in 1Co 10:13, where it is rendered "escape."'.

Please see the note for Matthew 18:16 about the word establish. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '1. to set and fix firmly or unalterably; to settle permanently. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant. Gen.17. 2. to found permanently; to erect and fix or settle; as, to establish a colony or an empire. 3. to enact or decree by authority and for permanence; to ordain; to appoint; as, to establish laws, regulations, institutions, rules, ordinances, etc. 4. to settle or fix; to confirm; as, to establish a person, society or corporation, in possessions or privileges. 5. to make firm; to confirm; to ratify what has been previously set or made. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law. Rom.3. 6. to settle or fix what is wavering, doubtful or weak; to confirm. So were the churches established in the faith. Acts.16. Tothe end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness. l thess.3. 7. to confirm; to fulfill; to make good. Establish thy word to thy servant. Ps.119. 8. to set up in the place of another and confirm. Who go about to establish their own righteousness. Rom.10.'. Please also see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word stablish and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for 1Thessalonians 3:13; 2Thessalonians 2:17; 3:3 and James 5:8-LJC about this word. The functional definition is: 'To fix; to settle in a state for permanence; to make firm. In lieu of this, establish is now always used'.

Please see the notes for Philippians 2:1 and 2Corinthians C1S2 about the word comfort. Romans 15:30-32 which is the only other place in Romans where any form of the word comfort is used. That note explains the use of this word within Romans. The functional definition is: 'To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven'.

We find forms of the word mutual only in this sentence. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Reciprocal; interchanged , each acting in return or correspondence to the other; given and received. Mutual love is that which is entertained by two persons each for the other; mutual advantage is that which is conferred by one person or another,and received by him in return. So we say, mutual assistance, mutual aversion.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I long. Ro 15:23,32; Ge 31:30; 2Sa 13:39; 23:15; 2Co 9:14; Php 1:8; 2:26; 4:1 that. Ro 15:29; Ac 8:15-19; 19:6; 1Co 12:1-11; 2Co 11:4; Ga 3:2-5; Eph 4:8-12 exp: 2Co 1:15. Tothe. Ro 16:25; 2Ch 20:20; Ac 16:5; 2Co 1:21; 1Th 3:2,13; 2Th 2:17; 3:3; Heb 13:9; 1Pe 5:10,12; 2Pe 1:12; 3:17-18 General references. exp: Ro 15:29.
that I may. Ro 15:24,32; Ac 11:23; 2Co 2:1-3; 7:4-7,13; 1Th 2:17-20; 3:7-10; 2Ti 1:4; 2Jo 1:4; 3Jo 1:3-4 with you. or, in you. by the mutual. Eph 4:5; Tit 1:4; 2Pe 1:1; Jude 1:3 General references. exp: Ro 15:29.'.

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C1-S5 (Verse 13) Assurance from Paul.

What Paul tried to do.

Now I would not have you ignorant,
brethren,
that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you,
(See Below),
that I might have some fruit among you also,
even as among other Gentiles..

Paul could not do what he tried.

(but was let hitherto).

This sentence starts with Now to let us know that it is based upon the prior sentence. The word ignorant means 'lacking knowledge'. Therefore, Paul is filling in knowledge that might cause a misunderstanding if it is missing. The word let is a word which has changed meaning in common usage but not in the Bible usage and is an example where ignorance of Bible definitions, combined with usage of common human definitions, causes doctrinal error. Today, most people think of let as meaning 'allow'. However, in the Bible, let is the action verb used in creation (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 20, 22, 24, 26). While that would seem to match a definition of 'allow', just 'allowing' these things to happen would not cause Creation. In addition, this sentence uses let for 'prevent in a forceful way'. in this sentence Paul was forcefully separated from the people in Romeans one of the results of let in Creation was a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. Therefore, the true Biblical meaning of let is 'the power used in Creation which causes something to happen or not happen'.

Paul uses brethren here because he is writing this letter to his spiritual brethren and is explaining things that require a personal relationship to God in order to spiritually understand.

Having dealt with these definitions we can see that, in this sentence, Paul was telling them that he had tried to come to them but was absolutely kept separate from them. When we consider this sentence with the prior we see a concern which resulted in a consistent prayer life when nothing else was possible. This is what senior saints should be doing when they can no longer do more. In addition, science is finally catching up with the Bible and telling us that one of the main ways to prevent dementia is keeping our minds active in ways which include meditation. Meditation is part of our prayer life and part of how we are to study our Bible.

We also see here that Paul said that the reason he wanted to visit them was that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. He felt that he did not have spiritual fruit and yet it can be argued that this epistle has resulted in more spiritual fruit than any other epistle of the Bible. Thus, we see a way for senior saints to have spiritual fruit besides praying and that is writing God directed letters of encouragement and instruction to younger saints. Yes we can call on them phone, but we can pray more over a letter and perfect the wording in it and the recipient can read it more than once and be blessed more than once.

It should be obvious that fruit is the end result of a long process. As many preacher has noted: 'We are not to judge people but we are to be fruit inspectors.' Paul is near the end of his life and has all of the spiritual lessons that he has learned the hard way. In our sentence Paul is saying that he wants to pass on the results of that long hard life so that others can learn, and receive the blessings, without going through all that Paul did in order to learn what he did. We are fools when we refuse to learn from the hard knocks of someone else's life.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S42 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about the word ignorant. The functional definition for this word is: 'lacking knowledge'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C6S10 and Galatians C1-S1 about the word brother. Please see the note for Romans C12-S8 about the word brotherly. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C2S1 and Galatians C1-S1 about the word brethren. The functional definition is: 'plu. of brother. It is used almost exclusively in solemn and scriptural language, in the place of brothers'. Romans uses brethren or brother or sister in: 1:13; 7:1, 7:4; 8:12, 8:29; 9:3; 10:1; 11:25; 12:1; 14:10; 14:10; 14:13; 14:15; 14:21; 15:15; 15:15, 15:30; 16:1; 16:14; 16:15;16:17 and 16:23.

We find forms of the word oftentimes in: Job 33:29; Ecclesiastes 7:22; Luke 8:29; Romans 1:13; 2Corinthians 8:22; Hebrews 10:11. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'adv. of'ntimes. often and times. Frequently; often; many'.

Please see the note for Matthew 26:8 about the word purpose. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '1. that which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure or exertion. We believe the Supreme Being created intelligent beings for some benevolent and glorious purpose, and if so, how glorious and benevolent must be his purpose in the plan of redemption! the ambition of men is generally directed to one of two purposes, or to both; the acquisition of wealth or of power. We build houses for the purpose of shelter; we labor for the purpose of subsistence. 2. Intention; design. this sense, however, is hardly to be distinguished from the former; as purpose always includes the end in view. Every purpose is established by counsel. Prov.20. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Eph.1. 3. End; effect; consequence, good or bad. What good purpose will this answer? We sometimes labor to no purpose. Men often employ their time, talents and money for very evil purposes. Towhat purpose is this waste? Matt.26. 4. Instance; example. Not in use. 5. Conversation. Not in use. Of purpose, on purpose, with previous design; with the mind directed to that object. On purpose is more generally used, but the true phrase is of purpose.
PUR'POSE,v.t. to intend; to design; to resolve; to determine on some end or object to be accomplished. I have purposed it, I will also do it. Is.46. Eph.3. Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem. Acts. 19.'.

We find forms of the word fruit 325 times in 289 verses of the Bible, 98 times in 87 verses of the New Testament, and, within Romans, in this verse; 6:21; 6:22; 7:4; 7:5; 8:23; 11:16; 15:28 and 16:5. (Please see those notes for more details on how fruit is used in Romans.) Webster's 1828 dictionary defines fruit as: 'n. L. fructus. the Latin word is the participle of fruor, contracted from frugor, or frucor, to use, to take the profit of. 1. In a general sense, whatever the earth produces for the nourishment of animals, or for clothing or profit. Among the fruits of the earth are included not only corn of all kinds, but grass, cotton, flax, grapes and all cultivated plants. in this comprehensive sense, the word is generally used in the plural. 2. In a more limited sense, the produce of a tree or other plant; the last production for the propagation or multiplication of its kind; the seed of plants, or the part that contains the seeds; as wheat, rye, oats, apples, quinces, pears, cherries, acorns, melons, etc. 3. In botany, the seed of a plant, or the seed with the pericarp. 4. Production; that which is produced. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Eph. 5. 5. the produce of animals; offspring; young; as the fruit of the womb, of the loins, of the body. 6. Effect or consequence. They shall eat the fruit of their doings. Is. 3. 7. Advantage; profit; good derived. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Rom 6. 8. Production, effect or consequence; in an ill sense; as the fruits of sin; the fruits of intemperance. FRUIT, v.i. to produce fruit. Not well authorized'. The functional definition for this word is: 'The word is used symbolically for effect or consequence. It is new life or the offspring of any type of life'. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11 and James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C8S21 about the word firstfruits.

Please see the note for Romans 15:15-16 for links to all of the places in Romans where any forms of the word Gentile is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and notes from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'. Please also see the note for Galatians C2-S4 about this word.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Now. Ro 11:25; 1Co 10:1; 12:1; 2Co 1:8; 1Th 4:13 that oftentimes. Ro 15:23-28; Ac 19:21; 2Co 1:15-16 but. Ro 15:22; Ac 16:6-7; 1Th 1:8; 2:18; 2Th 2:7 that I. Isa 27:6; Joh 4:36; 12:24; 15:16; Col 1:6; Php 4:17 among. or, in. even. Ro 15:18-20; Ac 14:27; 15:12; 21:19; 1Co 9:2; 2Co 2:14; 10:13-16; 1Th 1:9-10; 2:13-14; 2Ti 4:17'.

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C1-S6 (Verse 14) The Biblical results of fruit.

First Step: Recognize the type of people where God has given us fruit.

I am debtor both to the Greeks,
and to the Barbarians;.

Second Step: Recognize the type of thinking where God has given us fruit.

both to the wise,
and to the unwise..

Some of us can reach certain types of people and not reach other types of people. As much as Paul loved the Jews they did not respond well to his message. Therefore, he did not go to the people he wanted to go to but went where God gave him fruit. Part of our being effective for God is recognizing where God gives us fruit. Paul saw results in all non-Jewish cultures from the cultured Greeks through the uncultured Barbarians. He also saw results from those people who used their brains (wise) and among those people who believed whatever their favorite 'expert' said (unwise). Since he was spending his life seeking Godly fruit, and since the people in Rome were the type of people where he had experienced Godly fruit, Paul says I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also in his next sentence.

But before we move onto that sentence we need to consider a truth found here. Paul had Roman citizenship and an expensive education and other things which indicate that he could have had a relative 'good life'. Yet he says I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. in Philippians 4:12. We see that the result of his being abased and of his being hungry and of his suffering need is that he considered himself to be a debtor to the people who caused these conditions. That is because his conditions were physical but his reward was spiritual. Thus, we see the basic attitude that we need to have when we try to do the things found in this epistle.

Please see the note for 8:12 which has links to every verse in the Bible which use debt and provides a dictionary definition. The functional definition is: 'Indebted; obliged to'. Please also see the note for Romans 13:8 which has links to every place in the Bible that deal with the word owe and provides the definition from Webster's 1828.

Please see the note for Colossians 3:9-11 which has links to every place in the Bible that the word Greek is used. The functional definition is: 'A Jew who spoke Greek and is a foreign Jew opposed to a home Jew who dwelt in Palestine'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 14:11 for links to every place in the Bible which uses any form of barbarian. The functional definition is: 'An uncivilized person. A cruel, savage, brutal man; one destitute of pity or humanity'.

We find forms of the word unwise only in: Deuteronomy 32:6; Hosea 13:13; Romans 1:14; Ephesians 5:17. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '1. Not wise; not choosing the best means for the end; defective in wisdom; as an unwise man; unwise kings. 2. Not dictated by wisdom; not adapted to the end; as unwise measures.'.

Please see the note for Romans 16:19 which has links to where this epistle talks about forms of the word wise. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about this word. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wisdom. The functional definition, of the word wise, is: ' the right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them'. In addition, the phrase no wise means: 'no amount of wisdom can accomplish the task'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'debtor. Ro 8:12; 13:8 (Gr) Ac 9:15; 13:2-4; 22:21; 26:17-18; 1Co 9:16-23; 2Ti 2:10 Greeks. Ac 28:4; 1Co 14:11; Col 3:11 both to. Ro 1:22; 11:25; 12:16; 16:19; Mt 11:25; Lu 10:21; 1Co 1:19-22; 2:13; 3:18; 9:16; 2Co 10:12; 11:19; Eph 5:15-17; Jas 3:17-18 to the unwise. Pr 1:22; 8:5; Isa 35:8; 1Co 14:16,23-24; Tit 3:3'.

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C1-S7 (Verse 15) The results of Godly preparation.

So,
as much as in me is,
I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also..

Paul starts this sentence with So, which means that it is a result of prior sentences. The preparations that we see Paul saying that he made were:

He was a saved servant of Jesus Christ (sentence 1)
He realized that he was called (sentence 1)
He was separated unto the gospel of God [separated from sin, flesh and the world so that God could work through his life to present the gospel] (sentence 1)
He concentrated on talking about [Concerning] God's Son Jesus Christ our Lord (sentence 1)
He based his statements upon scripture [which was made of the seed of David...And declared to be the Son of God with power] (sentence 1)
He followed the spirit of holiness (sentence 1)
He received grace and the gifts God gave him even knowing that they came with responsibilities (sentence 1)
He followed and taught obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name (sentence 1)
He sought to spread Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ (sentence 1)
He praised others for their faith (sentence 2)
He stayed aware that God is my witness [he will be judged] (sentence 3)
He served with my spirit in the gospel of his Son [not in the flesh or by religious rules] (sentence 3)
He made mention of you (the people he was trying to reach) always in my prayers (sentence 3)
He made decisions by the will of God (sentence 3)
He sought to impart unto you some spiritual gift [not physical or religious] (sentence 4)
He sought to make sure that each of them [ye] personally may be established (sentence 4)
He sought to build up the mutual faith both of you and me (sentence 4)
He sought to educate [I would not have you ignorant] (sentence 5)
He sought spiritual fruit (sentence 5)
He went where God blessed his efforts [even as among other Gentiles] (sentence 5)
He realized his spiritual profit [I am debtor] (sentence 6)
He reached to all who would listen [to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise] (sentence 6)

After he prepared he did not stop there. Notice that Paul says as much as in me is, am ready... What he was ready for was to preach the gospel. That is explained in the This sentence in the Word Study on Gospel. Please see that note as it explains things with consideration of context that some people would not consider. As a result, the explanation might surprise some people. Please also notice that the next four sentences start with the word For. That means that there are four very important reasons why all of this preparation was required. In particular, Paul gives two results of following the true gospel and two results of following doctrinal error that is taught by religions which preach a false gospel.

Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in Romans that uses any form of the word preach and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S1; Galatians C1-S4 and 2Timothy 4:1-LJC about the word preach. The functional definition is: 'To pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a subject, or from a text of Scripture. the purpose of preaching is to get people to obey God's word'. Please also see the note for Romans C10S17 about the word preacher.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'so. Ro 12:18; 1Ki 8:18; Mr 14:8; 2Co 8:12 I. Isa 6:8; Mt 9:38; Joh 4:34; Ac 21:13; 1Co 9:17; 2Co 10:15-16'.

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C1-S8 (Verse 16) Paul's first reason to be ready to preach the gospel.

Equivalent Section: What Paul is not ashamed of.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

First Step: How it works.

for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;.

Second Step: Who it works on.

to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek..

Please look at the This verse within the Word Study on Gospel. It gives a very important explanation of the doctrine found within the context of this verse and the prior verse. It explains what is unique to the gospel of Christ. It also directs the reader to the general note for the Gospel of Your Salvation which explains the relationship between these two Biblical gospels (the Gospel of Your Salvation and the gospel of Christ). Since the Bible says they are different, and yet many people are confused and think there is no difference, this is an important concept to have when trying to understand the doctrine contained within the epistle to the Romans.

Basically, the Gospel of Your Salvation (prior verse) and the gospel of Christ (This verse) cover the same information but with two different emphasis. The Gospel of Your Salvation mentions, but downplays, our ongoing personal relationship with Christ while emphasizing how to start that relationship. It is used to lead the lost to an initial profession. The gospel of Christ mentions, but downplays, what led to our initial profession while emphasizing how to build our personal relationship with Christ and how we are to mature spiritually as a result of that salvation. In Matthew 1:21 we read ...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. In James 5:20 we read Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. thus, we see two places which teach us that this being saved affects our life right now. There are other verses in the Bible which teach the same thing, but these two examples came up quickly.

Since our salvation is supposed to change our current life in this flesh, we can understand that the power of God unto salvation is the power of God that changes our current life in the flesh and causes us to stop our sinning. Our current sentence says that this power of God is the gospel of Christ. In John 1:12 we read But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:. Notice that John says that it is after (received is past tense) someone receives God's life that they must become (power to become is future tense) the sons of God. Again, our sentence tells us that this power to change our current life after our profession comes through the gospel of Christ. In addition, we need to notice the next sentence which is connected to this sentence by starting with For therein. Please read that sentence and related note which tell us about the gospel of Christ.

The changed life in the flesh is what lost people see which causes them to believe that the same power of God can change their personal lives and save them from the consequences of sin, which are seen in this life as well as in eternity. This change is for God's glory and our good, which is why Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

We see two For in our sentence. The first says that that the gospel of Christ, and this entire sentence, is why Paul was ready to preach the gospel to you (general usage = everyone in Rome) that are at Rome also (prior sentence). Our second for tells us that the changed life is why the gospel of Christ was a strong witness which allowed Paul to effectively preach the Gospel of Your Salvation to lost people in Rome. Thus, we see cascading results with the end result (saved from consequences of sin while in this life) helping to spread the gospel and bring more people into this process which produces cascading results.

Please note that our sentence tells us that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Thus, we see the promise of salvation but that promise requires someone to believeth ('have an ongoing lifestyle of belief which changes their life'). This 'have an ongoing lifestyle ' requires the ongoing ministry of Christ in order for the person to truly fulfill the Biblical requirement of believeth. (Please see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Events in the New Testament about promises made in the New Testament outside of the Gospels.)

The only part of this sentence not yet discussed is to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. While there is quite a bit more significance than I can explain at this time, I can provide a basic explanation. In Matthew 15:24 we read that Jesus said ...I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Thus, the gospel was offered to the Jews before it was offered to the Greeks. We also see that the Apostles, and all first church members, were Jews. Finally, the change that the gospel brought to people's lives was first seen in Jews such as Paul. Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for more verses which use of with a role of God. Please follow the link provided to see this unique usage of words within the Bible. Please also see the explanation at the top of the page that is reached By this link.

Please see the notes for Romans C5S2 about the word ashamed. The functional definition for this word is: 'effected by shame; abashed or confused by guilt or a conviction of some criminal action or indecorous conduct, or by the exposure of some gross errors or misconduct, which the person is conscious must be wrong, and which tends to impair his honor or reputation'. Please also see the note for Romans C10S12 about the phrase faith makes us not ashamed. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 6:7 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word shame. The functional definition is: 'A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt, or of having done something which injures reputation; or by of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. Shame is particularly excited by the disclosure of actions which, in the view of men, are mean and degrading. Hence it is often or always manifested by a downcast look or by blushes, called confusion of face'. Please see the note for Romans C5S2 which has a discussion of the Biblical use of shame along with links to several other verses. Basically, if God has to make us ashamed then it will probably be at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10-11) and that shame will last for eternity.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:19-20 for links to every place in that epistle where we find the word salvation along with definitions from three different dictionaries and links from other commentators. In Romans, the word salvation is used in our current sentence; 10:10; 11:11 and 13:11. The functional definition is: 'to exclude. When used spiritually, it means to exclude from the damned by having God's life in you. When used physically, it means to exclude from what is endangering physical life'. As we see in the Bible and in this epistle, our continuing spiritual growth, and our sanctification is part of true Biblical salvation. Please see the note for Main Menu item for Salvation about the word save. Please also see the notes for 2Thessalonians 2:13-LJC and Hebrews 12:2-LJC about the phrase salvation through sanctification. Please also see the note for John 8:30 about the phrase non-saving belief Please also see verses in the New Testament. Summary on the name / role of Saviour. Please also see the note for James 1:21 about the phrase save your soul.

Please see the note for Romans 10:14 for links to every place in Romans that uses any form of the word believe. The functional definition is: 'To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, or upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by other circumstances, than personal knowledge. When we believe upon the authority of another, we always put confidence in his veracity'. In addition, the difference between a 'head belief' and a true 'heart belief' is that a true 'heart belief' causes a person to act upon what they claim to believe. Further, the word believeth is: 'an ongoing lifestyle heart based belief'. Any so-called belief, which does not result in a changed life is only a 'head belief' and does not receive the promised blessings of a true Biblical belief. In the Bible, belief is contrasted with unbelief. Please see the note for Romans 3:3 for links to every place in Romans that uses any form of unbelief. Please also see the note for Romans C3S5 and Hebrews 3:7-12 about the word unbelief. Please also see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief changes life. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:26-LJC and John 20:31-LJC about the phrase believe in Jesus / Christ. Please also see the note for John 6:40 about the phrase believe on. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where we find forms of this phrase along with an explanation of the usage. Please also see the note for Romans C4S21 about the phrase belief (true) requires us to do.

Please see the note for Galatians C2-S9 about the word Jew. The functional definition is: 'a contraction of Judas or Judah. A Hebrew or Israelite'. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I am. Ps 40:9-10; 71:15-16; 119:46; Mr 8:38; Lu 9:26; 1Co 2:2; 2Ti 1:8,12,16; 1Pe 4:16 the gospel. Ro 15:19,29; Lu 2:10-11; 1Co 9:12,18; 2Co 2:12; 4:4 (Gr) 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:7; 1Ti 1:11 exp: Ro 1:1; 2Co 10:14; Eph 1:13; Php 1:27. Forit is. Ro 10:17; Ps 110:2; Isa 53:1; Jer 23:29; 1Co 1:18-24; 2:4; 14:24-25; 15:2; 2Co 2:14-16; 10:4-5; Col 1:5-6; 1Th 1:5-6; 2:13; Heb 4:12 to every. Ro 4:11 to the Jew. Ro 2:9 General references. exp: Ro 3:29; 1Co 4:20.'.

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C1-S9 (Verse 17) Paul's second reason to be ready to preach the gospel.

Equivalent Section: Conclusion from scripture.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:.

Equivalent Section: Quote of scripture.

as it is written,
The just shall live by faith..

This sentence starts with For therein, which means that in there (the Gospel of Christ in the Prior sentence) is the reason (For) that the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. In order for anything to be from faith to faith it has to be going between two saved people who have faith. The righteousness of God (is) revealed when His saved people obey Him and let Christ live through their life. God's people are convinced to do this, and shown how to do this with the gospel of Christ. The righteousness of God can not be revealed unless God's people obey His commands by faith. People can talk about their faith all day long but unless it changes how they live in a visible manner, their so-called 'faith' can not be revealed. That is the conclusion from the scripture reference that is in our Second Equivalent Section. Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in Romans that uses any form of the word reveal and provides the definition from Webster's 1828.

The Second Equivalent Section is quoting Habakkuk 2:4 where he said that the phrase came directly from God in a vision. in this vision God warned the watchman upon the tower to watch for the fulfillment of the vision that might be a long time coming but which would surely come. The vision was one of destruction for the religious man who was drunk with wine and filled with pride because he kept religious rules and believed that God had no choice but to bless him. The combination of our sentences tell us that the gospel of Christ is to keep God's people living by faith and avoiding the error, and punishment, that comes from following religious rules that fill people with pride and allow them to live in sin.

We see a similar thing in the other places that Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in the New Testament. In Galatians 3:11 we find this quote in a sentence which equates it to But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God. As explained in the notes of that Book Study, this entire chapter of Galatians is the main scriptural references to support the message of the entire epistle. That message was that they had made a serious doctrinal error by leaving faith to follow the religious rules that the Judiziers preached based upon the Mosaic Law. Paul also talked about rebuking Peter to his face in front of the whole church. Peter repented and was used by God. However, as explained several places on this site, the saved people in the Jerusalem Church refused to repent of this error. Eventually, as Habakkuk prophesied, the judgment of God came and the Roman Army not only killed everyone preaching this error, but they killed all of their families, friends, followers, people who got in the way, and they tore down the Temple so that keeping the religious rules of the Mosaic Law was no longer possible. Of course, the Jews still preach that people must keep their religious rules and the fact that the requirements of the Mosaic law are now impossible only poses a minor incontinence to religious rules.

We also see this verse quoted in Hebrews 10:34. This is the chapter in Hebrews that tells us that Jesus Christ made a much better sacrifice than offered by the Leviticus priests under the Mosaic Law. As a result, He gave us a better covenant which includes things like let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (Hebrews 10:24) and For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remained no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27). The quote of Habakkuk is in the conclusion of the chapter where the author says that the people who obey the things found in the gospel of Christ are the people who live by faith and are among the people who believe to the saving of the soul. However, the author of Hebrews also concludes that the people who return to keeping religious rules for sanctification after they are saved are them who draw back unto perdition. So once more we see a distinction made between people who trust in religious rules for sanctification and those who prove that they live by faith by following the ongoing personal relationship with God which is taught in the gospel of Christ. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:7 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word live along with the definition from Webster's 1828. God is the true source of all life and each of these sentences use life to tell us that we need to be more like God.

We need to keep in mind that we are still in the first chapter of Romans, which is foundational to this entire epistle of doctrine. Part of a foundation to a true doctrine is the conclusion that we must live the doctrine that we claim to believe. We must remember that we will be judged for our works because there prove what we really believe. The words out of our mouth are used to prove us to be a liar when our walk does not match our talk. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging.

The note for Romans 1:18-19 provides links to the 50 times in 41 verses of this epistle that forms of the word righteous are used. Please also see the notes for Romans C1S10 and Galatians C2-S16 about the word righteous / righteousness. The functional definition is: 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11; James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C4S7 about the phrase imputeth righteousness. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:5 and Romans C1S16 about the word unrighteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness. The note for Romans 1:29 is part of the summary of chapter 1. That note provides the definition from Webster's 1828 and shows the relationship between unrighteousness and several other sins.

Please see the note for Romans 15:15-16 which has links to every place in Romans where forms of the word write are used. Please also see the notes for Romans C15S13; 2Corinthians 1:13-14; Galatians C3-S12 and John 20:31-LJC for the same word. Please also see the note for Romans 3:9-11; the Study called Prove and Ephesians C1S3 which has links to every place in Romans that uses the phrase it is written along with other info on that phrase. Please also see the note for Romans 4:23-25 which has a good sized note about doctrine related to the word written.

The exact word of just is only used in 5 verses of Romans. Please see the note for 7:12 which has links to those verses and for the Webster's 1828 definition. Please also see the notes for Galatians 2:16-LJC and 2Peter 2:9-LJC which also talk about the same word. Part of the definition from Webster's 1828 is: 'Conformed to rules of justice; doing equal justice'. The just are people who have been justified. The popular religious definition is: 'made just as if I never sinned'. However, when we study the word justify in the Bible, we see that that definition is not adequate because true Biblical justification includes having the righteousness of Jesus Christ added to our spiritual legal record. Therefore, the true Biblical definition of justification is: 'having the sins on my legal record in heaven blotted out and replaced by the righteousness from Jesus Christ'. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S29 about the phrase justification by faith. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:9-LJC about the word unjust.

Please see the note for Romans 14:7 about the words life / live. That note has links to every place in Romans where we find these words along with lots of links to many other notes which deal with this doctrine, and the full definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for Galatians C2-S14 and Philippians 1:21 about the word live. Please also see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20 and Life in 1John about the word life. All life comes from God and the Bible acknowledges the difference between different forms of life. In particular, we see that we are born with physical life but that we must be saved in order to have true spiritual life. Those people who do not receive God's true spiritual life will spend eternity in the lake of fire with devils. Please also see the note for Colossians C3S4 about the phrase Christ lives through us. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase live / walk by faith. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. Please also see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief changes life. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. please also see the notes for Hebrews 1:8-LJC and Philippians 1:27-LJC about the phrase life everlasting.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'For therein. Ro 3:21 from faith. Ro 3:3 the just. Hab 2:4; Joh 3:36; Ga 3:11; Php 3:9; Heb 10:38; 11:6-7'.

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C1-S10 (Verse 18-19) Paul's third reason to be ready to preach the gospel.

First Step: God revealed His wrath to the world.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who hold the truth in unrighteousness;.

Second Step: God proved that he had already made His truth manifest in them.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;.

Third Step: conclude why they received the wrath of God.

for God hath shewed it unto them..

As the title of this sentence says, this is the third of four reasons why Paul was ready to preach the gospel. Notice that we are told that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and not against the men themselves. This matches the saying of 'Love the sinner and hate the sin'. We see that the sin done is to hold the truth in unrighteousness. This error was dealt with by Jesus in Mark 4:12. Think of the religious leaders who accused Jesus of doing miracles by the power of the devil. In addition, hink about what is called the 'Unforgivable Sin' based upon Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-29 and Luke 12:10.

We see in the Word Study on Truth that righteousness can be defined as 'doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time and for the right reason'. As explained there, these people could be 'doing the right thing the wrong way' or 'doing the wrong thing the right way' or 'doing the wrong thing the wrong way'. Further, while people like to use this verse to describe lost people, there is nothing to keep it from also being applied to saved people except an unrighteous heart in the saved person.

Notice that ungodliness and unrighteousness are two separate words which are joined by an and. Since they are different words in the Bible they must have different definitions. Beyond that, the way that they are combined within this sentence shows that they have different meaning within this sentence. The functional definition of the word ungodly is: 'A lost person whose lifestyle shows that they are lost and have nothing to do with obeying and trusting God'. The functional definition of the word unrighteous is: 'not righteous' which is not 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. In addition, we have other Biblical categories of people which get confused with these two categories. Forexample, the just are saved and live lives which prove their salvation. the ungodly are lost and live lives which prove that they are lost. the unjust claim to be saved but live lives which seem to prove that they are lost. We are to deal with the unjust by telling them that their lives seem to prove that they are lost but we are not to judge them as lost because that is the providence of our Lord.

Therefore, while the ungodly refers to lost people, unrighteousness is dealing more with people who claim to be saved while living for the flesh, the world and the devil.

That brings us back to out sentence. Our First Step does not say that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of lost men but it is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of all men. In addition, this is contrasted against the righteousness of God, which is revealed by the gospel of Christ according to the two prior sentences. Therefore, when a saved person refuses to obey the gospel of Christ, they are holding the truth in unrighteousness and inviting the wrath of God which could prove that their actions is a sin unto death. Please remember that this sentence is in the foundational chapter of the epistle written to provide the doctrine which should bring spiritual maturity to all saved people. Finding ways to excuse our ignoring the instructions in this epistle is exactly what lost religious people do.

Please note that some promises, such as found in our sentence, do not promise good things. It is utter foolishness to 'claim' the Biblical promises of good things while also rejecting the Biblical promises of bad things. Yet, many people do that and end up receiving the wrath which is promised in this sentence because such of a belief is literally holding the truth in unrighteousness. Please also see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Events in the New Testament about promises made in the New Testament outside of the Gospels.

Our Second Equivalent Section starts with Because. This 'provides an effect where the cause is in the past'. Because is a compound word which is created by combining cause and being. The current and future wrath of God is revealed with the cause being that which may be known of God is manifest in them. (This phrase is explained more in the next sentence.) We have seen that the Bible uses manifest for 'revealed completely to all senses and to our reasoning process'. God removed any excuse that any man might have for claiming that he did not know that there is a God. All cultures, no matter how primitive, recognize and worship one or more gods. We have seen several places in the Bible, and heard stories from missionaries, which let us know that if someone really seeks the true God and doesn't just accepted the first devil to claim the be god, the true God will reveal himself to that person one way or another. This question of 'What about the guy in Africa who never heard the gospel?' is unrighteousness attacking the character of God in an attempt to excuse their own rejection of the gospel which they obviously heard before asking that foolish question. Before the wrath of God comes on anyone, God makes positive that He is manifest to them.

This leaves us with the only possible conclusion, which Paul states in our third Equivalent Section. God not only made Himself manifest to all men but God also shewed the consequence of ignoring Him to all men. All people who are not lying must admit that they have a very real fear of the unknown and of what comes after death. While many will claim to have no fear of the judgment of God, the actions of their life prove them to be a liar. The only people who went to their death singing were people who were convinced that they had a personal relationship with their God and were also convinced that death was only the door they had to go through in order to receive their reward.

Please see the notes for Romans C4S16; Galatians C5S20; Ephesians C4S11 and Colossians C3S6 about the word wrath. The functional definition is: 'Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation'. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the phrase children of wrath.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S10 about the word reveal. The functional definition is: 'an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen'. Please also see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in Romans that uses any form of the word reveal and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S33; 2Corinthians 12:1 about the word revelation.

heaven occurs 583 times in 551 verses of the Bible and 256 times in 238 verses of the New Testament, but within Romans it is only used here and in one other verse. Thus, heaven is not a major doctrinal concern of this epistle.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:9-11 about the word heaven. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) Definitions. the phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Ge 1:1; Jer 23:24; Ac 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) the firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Ge 2:19; 7:3,23; Ps 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (La 4:19), etc. (b) the starry heavens (De 17:3; Jer 8:2; Mt 24:29). (c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (De 10:14; 1Ki 8:27; Ps 115:16; 148:4; 2Co 12:2). (2.) Meaning of words in the original, (a) the usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is shamayim, a plural form meaning "heights," "elevations" (Ge 1:1; 2:1). (b) the Hebrew word marom is also used (Ps 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim, "high places," "heights." (c) Heb galgal, literally a "wheel," is rendered "heaven" in Ps 77:18 (R.V., "whirlwind"). (d) Heb shahak, rendered "sky" (De 33:26; Job 37:18; Ps 18:11), plural "clouds" (Job 35:5; 36:28; Ps 68:34, marg. "heavens"), means probably the firmament. (e) Heb rakia is closely connected with (d), and is rendered "firmamentum" in the Vulgate, whence our "firmament" (Ge 1:6; De 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse. (3.) Metaphorical meaning of term. Isa 14:13-14; "doors of heaven" (Ps 78:23); heaven "shut" (1Ki 8:35); "opened" (Eze 1:1). (See 1Ch 21:16.) (4.) Spiritual meaning. the place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits. (a) Christ calls it his "Father's house" (Joh 14:2). (b) It is called "paradise" (Lu 23:43; 2Co 12:4; Re 2:7). (c) "The heavenly Jerusalem" (Ga 4:1; 6:18; Heb 12:22; Re 3:12). (d) the "kingdom of heaven" (Mt 25:1; Jas 2:5). (e) the "eternal kingdom" (2Pe 1:11). (f) the "eternal inheritance" (1Pe 1:4; Heb 9:15). (g) the "better country" (Heb 11:14,16). (h) the blessed are said to "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and to be "in Abraham's bosom" (Lu 16:22; Mt 8:11); to "reign with Christ" (2Ti 2:12). In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of "life everlasting," "an eternal weight of glory" (2Co 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2Co 5:1-2) and from the society of the wicked (2Ti 4:18), bliss without termination, the "fulness of joy" for ever (Lu 20:36; 2Co 4:16,18; 1Pe 1:4; 5:10; 1Jo 3:2). the believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a "place", a place "prepared" for them (Joh 14:2)'. Please also see the notes for Hebrews 12:2-LJC and Laying up Treasure in heaven about the phrase treasure in heaven. Please also see the note for 1Peter 1:2-LJC about the phrase heaven, things in. Please also see the note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

Please see the note for Romans 4:5 to find links to every place where the Bible uses forms of the word ungodly . The functional definition of the word ungodly is: 'A lost person whose lifestyle shows that they are lost and have nothing to do with obeying and trusting God'. In addition, please see the note for 2Peter 2:9-LJC about the word ungodly . Further, please see the notes for 2Corinthians 11:2 and 2Peter 2:9-LJC about the word Godly. Finally, please see the note for 5:8 which explains the parallel between this sentence and that sentence.

Forms of righteousness can be found 50 times in 41 verses of this epistle alone (1:17, 19, 29; 2:5, 8, 26; 3:5, 10, 21, 22, 25, 26; 4:3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 22; 5:7, 17, 18, 19, 21; 6:13, 16, 18, 19, 20; 8:4, 10; 9:14, 28, 30, 31; 10:3, 4, 5, 6, 10; 14:17). While I did not take the time to write up a word study on this time at this time, I did look at all of these sentences / verses. If the reader just looks at these verses / sentences they will see that our salvation requires us to stop doing the unrighteousness of sin, to allow our Lord Jesus Christ to do His righteousness through our life and that refusing to allow this change to our life is a sin unto death.

The note for Romans 3:5 provides links to every verse which uses the word unrighteousness along with a small note on each verse. There are 535 verses which use forms of the word righteous in addition to those which use unrighteous. The note for Romans 1:29 is part of the summary of chapter 1. That note provides the definition from Webster's 1828 and shows the relationship between unrighteousness and several other sins. Please also see the notes for Romans C1S10 and Galatians C2-S16 about the word righteous / righteousness. The functional definition is: 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11; James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C4S7 about the phrase imputeth righteousness. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:5 and Romans C1S16 about the word unrighteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness.

Please see the note for Luke 24:15 about the word holden. The the the word held is the past-tense form of the word hold. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: 'v.t. pret.held; pp. held. Holden is obsolete in elegant writing. Gr. to hold or restrain; Heb. to hold or contain. 1. to stop; to confine; to restrain from escape; to keep fast; to retain. It rarely or never signifies the first act of seizing or falling on, but the act of retaining a thing when seized or confined. to grasp, is to seize, or to keep fast in the hand; hold coincides with grasp in the latter sense, but not in the former. We hold a horse by means of a bridle. An anchor holds a ship in her station. 2. to embrace and confine, with bearing or lifting. We hold an orange in the hand, or a child in the arms. 3. to connect; to keep from separation. The loops held one curtain to another. Ex.36. 4. to maintain, as an opinion. He holds the doctrine of justification by free grace. 5. to consider; to regard; to think; to judge, that is, to have in the mind. I hold him but a fool. The Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain. Ex.20. 6. to contain, or to have capacity to receive and contain. Here is an empty basket that holds two bushels. this empty cask holds thirty gallons. the church holds two thousand people. 7. to retain within itself; to keep from running or flowing out. A vessel with holes in its bottom will not hold fluids. They have hewed them out broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jer.2. 8. to defend; to keep possession; to maintain. We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of empire. 9. to have; as, to hold a place, office or title. 10. to have or possess by title; as,he held his lands of the king. the estate is held by copy of court-roll. 11. to refrain; to stop; to restrain; to withhold. Hold your laughter. Hold your tongue. Death! what do'st? O, hold thy blow. 12. to keep; as, hold your peace. 13. to fix; to confine; to compel to observe or fulfill; as, to hold one to his promise. 14. to confine; to restrain from motion. The Most High--held still the flood till they had passed. 2 Esdras. 15. to confine; to bind; in a legal or moral sense. He is held to perform his covenants. 16. to maintain; to retain; to continue. But still he held his purpose to depart. 17. to keep in continuance or practice. And Night and Chaos, ancestors of nature, hold Eternal anarchy. 18. to continue; to keep; to prosecute or carry on. Seed-time and harvest,heat and hoary-frost, Shall hold their course. 19. to have in session; as, to hold a court or parliament; to hold a council. 20. to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to hold a feast. 21. to maintain; to sustain; to have in use or exercise; as, to hold an argument or debate. 22. to sustain; to support. Thy right hand shall hold me. Ps.139. 23. to carry; to wield. They all hold swords, being expert in war. Cant.3. 24. to maintain; to observe in practice. Ye hold the traditions of men. Mark 7. 25. to last; to endure. the provisions will hold us, till we arrive in port. So we say, the provisions will last us; but the phrase is elliptical for will hold or last for us, the verb being intransitive. Tohold forth, to offer; to exhibit; to propose. Observe the connection of ideas in the propositions which books hold forth and pretend to teach. 1. to reach forth; to put forward to view. Tohold in, to restrain; to curb; to govern by the bridle. 1. to restrain in general; to check; to repress. Tohold off, to keep at a distance. Tohold on, to continue or proceed in; as, to hold on a course. Tohold out, to extend; to stretch forth. The king held out to Esther the golden scepter.Esther 5. 1. to propose; to offer. Fortune holds out these to you as rewards. 2. to continue to do or suffer. He cannot long hold out these pangs'. Please see the note for Colossians 2:18-19 about the word hold. The functional definition is: 'Stopping; confining; restraining; keeping; retaining; adhering; maintaining, etc'.

Please see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. The functional definition is: 'provides a effect where the effect and effect are both in the past'.

Please see the note for Romans 10:19 for links to every place in Romans where forms of the word know is used. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S11; Galatians C3-S9 and know in 1John about the word know. The functional definition is: 'A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; and the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement between various truths and acts. Within the Biblical usage is the knowledge that comes only from personal intimate experience'. Please see the notes for 2Peter 1:2-LJC; 2Peter 2:20-LJC and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word knowledge. Please see the note for Romans C11S4 about the word foreknow. Please see the note for Romans C6S5 about the phrase Know ye not. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C16S17 about the word acknowledge. There are different levels of knowledge which can vary based upon their source, how the knowledge is obtained and more. True Biblical knowledge includes the most intimate and personal type of knowledge which comes from personal experience.

Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word manifest and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S20; Romans C16S33; 1John-Manifest. The functional definition is: 'revealed in this world every possible way'.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S8 about the word shew. The word shew is the Biblical spelling for the word show. The functional definition, of the word show, is: 'To exhibit or present to the view of others'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the wrath. Ro 4:15 ungodliness. Ro 5:6 unrighteousness. Ro 6:13 who hold. Ro 1:19,28,32; 2:3,15-23; Lu 12:46-47; Joh 3:19-21; Ac 24:24-25; 2Th 2:10; 1Ti 4:1-2
that which. Ro 1:20; Ps 19:1-6; Isa 40:26; Jer 10:10-13; Ac 14:16; 17:23-30 in them. or, to them. ForGod. Joh 1:9 General references. exp: Isa 40:21.'.

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C1-S11 (Verse 20-21) Paul's fourth reason to be ready to preach the gospel.

Equivalent Section: God revealed Himself.

First Step: God revealed His power.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead;.

Second Step: God removes all excuses.

so that they are without excuse:.

Equivalent Section: People deliberately rejected the revelation of God.

First Step: they rejected the proper relationship with God.

Because that,
when they knew God ,
they glorified him not as God ,
neither were thankful;.

Second Step: their heart rejected the recognition of God.

but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened..

This sentence is Paul's fourth reason to be ready to preach the gospel and also gives a more detailed explanation of his claim in the prior sentence where he said Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. This sentence tells us how God shewed things about himself to all men and made them manifest. Forexample, how God made the sun is still an invisible thing....from the creation of the world (Genesis 1; Psalm 8:3-4; 33:6-9; 104:5; 119:90). However, the sun is clearly seen and is such a show of Godly power that some men have worshipped it as a god (Deuteronomy 4:19). In addition, it is undeniable by all men that the sun is beyond the power of men to control, much less make. Therefore, as Paul says in his first phrase, the eternal power and Godhead is understood by the things that are made, which includes men (Genesis 21:33; Deuteronomy 33:27; Job 12:7-9; Psalms 19:1-6; 90:2; Isaiah 26:4; 40:26; Jeremiah 5:22).

Since God revealed His power so clearly to all men, Paul is obviously correct when he says they are without excuse. Men who try to claim that 'they don't know if there is a God' (they claim to be an 'agnostic') are obviously lying to themselves and are truly without excuse. As we see Paul clearly explain in his First Equivalent Section, God revealed Himself and their excuse will not work at the judgment seat of God. Since that excuse won't work there, Paul is ready to preach the gospel to those people who truly want to be ready when they go to the judgment seat of God.

While going through the details of the First Equivalent Section I was reminded of a fool who I met while witnessing on the street. He was also a good example of the Second Equivalent Section. He was in his seventies and had obvious health issues but insisted that before he died that men would find the cure to all health issues, find a way to reverse aging and make it so universally available that even someone living is a ghetto on welfare, like he was, would receive this treatment. It didn't matter what I told him about how medically impossible his dream was. He also refuses to believe that people in power would deny this thing to someone that they felt was a drain on resources. This fellow is one of the best examples that I can think of who embodied Paul's claim that men became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

We see in the First Step of the Second Equivalent Section that men got this way Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. Pastor Traxler had over 34 years in the ministry when he said that he has become pretty much convinced that one of the worst sins that men do is to refuse to be thankful. Even saved people spend much of their life seeking things they don't have instead of thanking God for what they do have. However, if you talk to an unthankful person, they ask what they have to be thankful about because they can's see anything to be thankful for. Their mind has been blinded.

Psalm 115:5 and Psalm 135:16 talk about idols and how they see not. Our verse says that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God and when men don't glorify God they turn to idols and have as hard of a time seeing what God does as their idols have. All of Psalms was written to help us glorify God and see the things that He did for men so that we can be thankful in our own heart. I've had over a dozen operations in my life. On more than one of those occasions doctors and others have told me that they could see God's hand in my healing. When I visit people in the hospital I tell them that there are two things that work for me. I glorify and thank God for the position I am in and I witness for Him. If nothing else, we can always thank God for the chance to witness to people in a way that we would not have if we weren't in the hospital.

Our sentence says that these people refused to glorify God as God, neither were thankful and the result was that they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. John 3:19 tells us that this attitude is what is the condemnation. Genesis 6:5-6 tells us that this attitude and action was why God brought the flood. 2Kings 17:15 tells us that this attitude was why the Jews went into captivity. God's people are warned about it in Deuteronomy 28:29; Psalm 81:12; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 2:5; 10:3-8; 10:14; 16:19; Hosea 2:8; Habakkuk 1:15-16; Romans 11:10 and 2Timothy 3:2. Further, God's people are warned that they are to change from being this way to giving God proper glory in Psalm 50:23; 86:9; Luke 17:15-18; Romans 15:9; Ephesians 4:17-19; 1Peter 1:18 and 1Peter 2:9.

Obviously, one of the best ways to avoid becoming a fool is to keep a thankful heart that is full of God's light. This is what God's people are warned to do within our current sentence.

We find forms of the word invisible only in: Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:15-16; 1Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'That cannot be seen; imperceptible by the sight. Millions of stars, invisible to the naked eye, may be seen by the telescope. He endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Heb.11'. The Bible uses this word only for God and spiritual things. Please also see the note for 1:9-17 for links to every place in the Bible where we find any form of the word visible. The functional definition is: 'Perceivable by the eye; that can be seen'.

We find forms of the word creation in: Mark 10:6; Mark 13:19; Romans 1:20; Romans 8:22; 2Peter 3:4; Revelation 3:14. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Science and revelation being from the same God cannot be mutually opposed. But either, or both, may be misinterpreted; and there have been as many false interpretations of the book of nature as of revelation. As the Copernican theory was ultimately found not to militate against, but to harmonize with, Scripture, when the language of the latter was better understood; so no real scientific discovery ever since has been found adverse to full belief in revelation, when the latter has been better understood. the full knowledge of both has ever advanced side by side. the Bible, having not scientific but religious truth for its object, speaks in phenomenal language, which in part even the scientific have to do, as in the phrases sunrise and sunset. Creation, in the strict sense of the first origination of being out of nothing, does not come within the scope of science.
It is by the Bible alone, and through faith we understand that the worlds were framed (fitly formed) by the word of God, so that not (as, from the analogy of things reproduced from previously existing and visible materials, one naturally would suppose) out of things which appear hath that which is seen been made" (Heb 11:3). No human being was witness of creation (Job 38:4). Geology traces ages ascending backward, marked by animal and vegetable existence, less and less highly organized the further back we go; but at last comes to a point beyond which it has no light, and I must fall back on revelation and faith for information. "In the beginning God created" the world, "the heaven and the earth" (Ge 1:1): "In the beginning the Word WAS" (Joh 1:1). Bara', "created," used of creating (1) the universe; (2) the sea monsters whose vastness causes amazement at God's power; (3) man, in the image of God (Ge 1:27).
Everywhere else God "makes" ('asah), as from an already created material, the firmament, sun and stars, and the brute (Ge 1:7,16,25), or "forms" (yaatsar) beasts out of the ground (Ge 2:19), and "builds up" (Ge 2:22 margin) the woman of the rib from man. the three verbs occur together (Isa 43:7). Bara' is confined to GOD's acts; the other two verbs are used also of man's acts. though bara' extends to other acts of God besides the original creation, it is only in a secondary application, without reference to preexisting materials; still, except in the original creation, they are not excluded. Moreover, the contextual "in the beginning" can only mean an absolute beginning, in contrast to the previous nonexistence of the world and sole existence of the Creator.
This creation of all things out of nothing distinguishes the Bible from all pagan cosmogonies and philosophical speculations, which make matter eternal. the Creator's mode of "creating" is not revealed, but simply the fact, that it was by the putting forth of His will. Two narratives of creation, the latter (Ge 2:4, etc.) the supplement to the former (Genesis 1-2:), appear at the forefront as the basis of the Bible revelation. that in Ge 2:4, etc., evidently continues and recapitulates that in Genesis 1-2:3, in order to prepare the way for the account of paradise and man's fall. the first gives a clear summary of creation, man included, down to the sabbath rest from creation. the second concentrates attention on man. Accordingly, in the first Elohim (from 'alah "strong"), the name for the mighty God of creation in general, appears. In the second Jehovah (Yahweh, the personal God in covenant relation to man, the unchanging "I AM."
To mark the identity of this personal Jehovah with the Elohim of the previous part, the two, the personal and the generic names, are joined, Jehovah-Elohim "the Lord God." the mighty Elohim who created all things is also the Jehovah, who from the days of paradise down to the days of Moses, the writer of the pentateuch, has been in personal and unchangeable covenant relation with His people. Moreover, Jehovah, being derived from hawah, the Syriac and Chaldee for the Hebrew hayah "to be," must have come down from a time prior to the separation of the Hebrew from the Aramaeans, i.e., prior to Abraham (for Syriac was soon after quite distinct from Hebrew, Ge 31:47). the accounts of creation and of the construction of the tabernacle resemble each other (the world being God's great tabernacle, Psalm 19); the general plan first (Genesis 1), then the actual creation of the first pair, Eden, etc., next.
Scripture's design being to unfold redemption, only so much of the natural world is set forth as is needed for that design. Genesis 1 is not so much a full narrative of details as a revelation of the scheme in the Creator's mind, the archetype of the actual (Ge 2:4-5; Gesenius, Targum, and Syriac). "Now no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprouted forth, for the Lord God had not caused it to ram," etc. the earth already had brought forth grass (Ge 1:11); but no cultivated land and no vegetables fit for man's use existed yet; "plant," "field," "grew," do not occur in Genesis 1. In the pattern of the tabernacle shown on the mount the description begins with the furniture of the tabernacle, then goes on to the priests, and ends with the sabbatical law. So, in creation, the process begins with the lower creatures, plants, and animals, then, man, creation's priest, Eden, and lastly the sabbath.
Ge 1:1 teaches the religious truth needed for a right knowledge of God, that the world is not eternal, that God created it in the beginning; when that beginning was it does not state. But the high antiquity of the earth is expressly taught in Ps 90:2, where God's formation of "the earth" in general is distinguished from that of "the (Hebrew tebel) habitable world," Greek oikoumenee (Ps 102:25; Pr 8:22). Geology shows that creation occupied immense ages, but that man's creation was its closing act and at a comparatively recent date. Two views are held as to Genesis 1: the one that between Gen.1:1 and Gen.1:2 intervened the vast geological periods, and that these are undescribed in Genesis 1; and that Ge 1:2 describes the chaotic state which succeeded the last geological period before the earth's preparation for man; and that the description of the six days refers to this preparation.
If the seventh day sabbath in Ge 2:2 be an ordinary day, then the six days must be ordinary days and this view is favored. But geology seems to oppose any such state of the earth intervening between the preceding age and that of man's creation as could be described as" without form (desolate) and void." No universal convulsion (IF these words are to be pressed literally) separates the present orders of life from those preceding. No one series of stratified rocks is void of traces of life. thus, we seem led to the conclusion (2) that the stage in the earth's progress when it became surrounded with chaotic waters (how long after "the beginning" we know not), described in Ge 1:2, is that which existed before the arrangement of its surface took place. (But see below.) the sabbath of God is described in Hebrew 3-4, as not yet ended; it will last until He who sitteth on the throne shall say, "Behold I make all things new."
God's creating this dark and desolate state of the earth was not in vain, but that in due time it might be "inhabited" (Isa 45:18). It was no "fortuitous concourse of atoms," or "laws of nature" acting independently of the continually active divine will of their Author. "The Spirit of God" as the Giver of life "brooded ('moved') upon the waters." then began organic life, at first in the lower types. Sir W. Jones (Asiatic Researches) states that the Indian philosophers similarly believed (doubtless from the primitive tradition) that water was the first element and work of the creative power. "The waters are called Nara, since they are the offspring of Nera or Iwara, and thence was Narayana named, because His first moving was upon them. thAT WHICH IS (the exact meaning of the I AM or JEHOVAH), the invisible Cause eternal, self-existing, but unperceived, is Brahma."
This address of Menu, Brahma's son, to the sages who consulted him concerning the formation of the world, evidently corresponds with the revelation in Genesis. then God said "Let there be light," and there was light. Light was first in a diffused state. It is not a separate, distinct body in itself, but caused by undulations of ether propagated through space with inconceivable rapidity. Hence it is not said God created, but God commanded it to be. Scientifically the Bible distinguishes between "light" ('or), Ge 1:3-5, and the light hearing "luminaries" (me'orot), Ge 1:14-18. Much of the preexisting light diffused through space on the fourth day gathered round the sun's body (compare Job 38:19). Still, through the incandescent photosphere that enwraps the sun we catch glimpses of the orb itself by the spots visible on it.
"Day" is used often for a long period, with a beginning and' close, like morning and evening (Ge 49:27; De 33:12). As the prophetic "days" at the close (Da 12:11-12), so the historical "days" at the beginning of the Bible seem to be not literal but "days of the Lord"; compare Ps 90:4, "a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday," and 2Pe 3:8, "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." Psalm 104 is an inspired commentary on the history of creation in Genesis 1; compare the account in Ps 104:8; Pr 8:25-28, of the upheaval of mountains from beneath the waters and depression of valleys, whereby land was severed from sea; just as we still find traces (sea shells, etc.) of their former submersion on the highest mountains.
The special phrase in the Hebrew for the first day, "one day". [or "day one"] marks it as a day unique, just as the day that shall usher in the millennium is called" one (extraordinary and unique) day" (Zec 14:7). the seventh day is not described as the previous six, "it was evening, it was morning," because the Lord's sabbath extends over the whole present order of things, eventuating in the "sabbath rest that remaineth for the people of God" (Heb 4:9 margin). the Creator entered into the sabbath rest when He ceased from material creation, to carry on the new and spiritual creation in man (2Co 5:17; Heb 4:10). Yet God's sabbath is not an idle one: "My Father worketh hitherto," namely, upholding all creation. Compare Jesus' "day" (Joh 9:4; 5:17); man's present short-day-sabbath is a type of God's and the saints' saboatism.
The proportion of the seventh day to the previous six, of whatever length it and they be, is the ground of our seventh-day sabbath. forthe "firmament" (Ge 1:6) translated "the (air) expanse," or sky overhead which supports the clouds or" waters above the heavens." Air, involved in the creation of the expanse, was the second necessity after light. Light was needed for the crystallization of inorganic forms and the molecular arrangement of the mineral matter of rocks. Light and air are needed for even the lowest types of life. Hugh Miller identifies the first day's work with the azoic period; the second day with the silurian or palaeozoic; the third day with the carboniferous; the fourth day with the permian and triassic; the fifth day with the oolitic or cretaceous, the period when, the air and the waters having been previously prepared, the waters brought forth in swarms insects, fish, and monstrous reptiles of sea and land, and fowl flew in the air; the sixth day with the tertiary, which saw first the higher animals, the land mammalia, and lastly MAN.
Plants appear before animals in Genesis 1. Geology does not directly as yet confirm this; but it may hereafter; the cellular structure of the earlier plants was not favorable to their preservation. Moreover, dependent as animals are on vegetation, it must have preceded them. Traces of life are found in the laurentian and certainly in the cambrian strata, the former the oldest rocks, whereas animal creation seemingly does not appear until the fifth day in Ge 1:20-22. But "fish" (dag) is omitted in the fifth day; an omission the more remarkable, as "fish" occurs (Ge 1:26,28) as among the animals over which God gave man dominion. the creation of fish long previously is therefore assumed, not stated. the tannin, from tanan "to stretch, and romesheth, from raamas "to trample" ("whales" and" every living creature that moveth," Ge 1:21), answer to the sauri and and allied reptiles occurring in the rocks precisely at the point assigned them by Moses.
The narrative in Genesis does not assert simultaneous creation of all the plants on the third day, and of reptiles and birds on the fifth, and of mammals on the sixth day; the divine command and its fulfillment are narrated as distinct. What Moses narrates is, not the first appearance of each class, but the time when each came into remarkable development and prominence. the simplicity and brevity of the narrative exclude the noting of the creation of the primeval types which passed out of existence ages before man appeared. God ordered His own work on a system of law, and from time to time supplied new forces, or gave new directions to existing forces; not that He changed His design, or found His original plan defective. He contemplated the interference from the first, but did not introduce them until their time was come. In the theory of the correlation of forces, electricity, galvanism, chemical action, gravitation, light and heat, are various manifestations of the same thing, called force or energy.
Light is not a material substance, but a mode of motion, undulations of ether propagated with inconceivable velocity. Accurately Moses writes, not God made light, but said on the first day Let light be. But why at the first, before organisms needing light existed? Because, to call forth light was to call into action FORCE in its various manifestations. Matter and force are the two elements out of which visible creation is formed. Matter was already made, but it remained chaotic (Ge 1:2) until force in the form of "light" was evolved. then gravitation would begin, light and heat would permeate the mass, elementary substances which chemistry reveals would be developed, and the whole would move toward the center of gravity. the great nebula of Orion illustrates the state of the solar system when light first appeared.
God's dividing the light from the darkness, and calling the light Day and the darkness Night, is the Mosaic phrase which marks His communicating rotatory motion to the mass, so that the earth revolved on its axis, from whence now results the division of day and night; a result however not then ensuing until the sun concentrated the diffused light in itself on the fourth day, when accordingly again the division of day and night is mentioned. Laplace's nebular hypothesis is possible only by supplying what revelation supplies, namely, God's interposition to impart force and rotation to matter. the nebulae in Orion and Argo represent the state of our system on the first appearance of light; there are changes passing over nebulae, some in the purely gaseous stage, others (as the nebula Draco) in transition, others in incipient central condensation.
The 118 Andromeda nebula assumes a lenticular form resulting from rapid rotation, the mass being ready to break up into separate worlds. All the motions of the bodies of our solar system are from W. to E., proving that their motions have a common origin, all at one time existing as a single mass revolving in the same direction. Uranus' satellites alone on the outer verge of our system retrograde, having been acted upon by some disturbing force. Bode's law of planetary distances ceases beyond Uranus, and does not hold good in Neptune. the figure of the earth is that naturally assumed by a plastic mass revolving about its axis; also its traces of intense heat accord with the nebular theory as modified by revelation; also the sun's state as a nebulous star which has not yet gathered up the whole of the original nebula.
At the beginning of thE SECOND DAY the earth had become separated from the gradually condensing mass of the solar system, and formed into a sphere. the "waters" mean the fluid mass of what afterward was divided into solid, fluid, and gas. the sorting of them was the work of the second day. Hydrogen and nitrogen in an incandescent state compose mainly many nebulae, as the spectroscope shows. God's introduction of OXYGEN into active operation produced air and water in our earth, which before the second day had consisted of a fused heterogeneous mass. Almost half of the earth's crust consists of oxygen, which enters into the composition of every rock and metallic ore. Chemical action therefore must have been most intense during the whole second day. By it the waters above the firmament were separated from that molten mass under the firmament which subsequently consolidated into rocks and ores.
Probably all the water, strictly so-called, floated above, in the condition in which Jupiter now appears. His apparent surface is crossed by alternating belts of light and shade, due to vast masses of steam ejected forcibly from the body of the fiery planet. His atmosphere being of vast depth (7,850 miles), the rotatory velocity of its upper portions is much greater than that of the planet's surface; hence the steam arranges itself in belts parallel to its equator. the eight greater planets are divided into two groups of four by the intervening belt of minor planets. the two groups differ much; but the members of each differ little in density, size, and length of day; the moon is the only satellite of the inner group; the outer has 17 satellites. the steam of the earth floating at the second day's commencement would soon lose its heat by radiation into space, and would descend to the surface as rain.
So the nucleus would gradually cool, and solids be formed, as granite, from the heat, moisture, and enormous pressure; and the globe internally molten would have a solid crust, covered all round with water, and surrounded by an atmosphere denser and more complex and extensive than now. the laurentian is the earliest sedimentary rock, 200,000 square miles N. of the Lawrence; the lower laurentian has been displaced from its original horizontal position before the upper was deposited above it. at this point is the first trace of upheaval and subsidence; here the Creator's interposition is marked, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear," the first work of thE thIRD DAY.
The first appearance of life is not noted in Genesis In the laurentian rock the first traces of life appear, a lowly organization akin to the foraminifera, the individuals being connected together as in varieties of coral. In the cambrian, the next rocks, ripple marks occur showing that those rocks (the Harlech grit) formed a sea beach. the silurian, deposited in the bed of a sea, and the old red sandstone, afresh water formation, come next. then the carboniferous, with the coal measures above, testifying to an uniformly high temperature (since coal is found in far N. latitudes), a moist atmosphere, and an enormous terrestrial vegetation. this answers to God's command on the third day, "Let the earth sprout sprouts ('the herb seeding seed,'" and the fruit trees yielding fruit, etc. the majority of the vegetation then was cryptogamous, having only spores which only contain the germ; but seeds contain the germ and nourishment for it.
No traces of grasses are found. the first of the three classes in God's words is the cryptogamous or seedless, the other are seedbearers. Not the first beginnings, but the extraordinary development, of vegetable life is here marked. the cryptogams thrive best in an atmosphere such as then existed, in which light was diffused rather than concentrated in the sun, and in which the atmosphere was full of moisture. they absorbed and decomposed the excess of carbonic acid, and so purified the atmosphere. the great heat was derived from other sources than the sun, perhaps from the interior of the earth.
On thE FOURTH DAY the concentration of light and heat in the sun was so far completed that he became the luminary of the system which heretofore had derived its light and heat from other sources; possibly the light now in the sun had existed as a nebulous ring warming the planets within it, as the nebula ring in Lyra; or as diffused luminous matter, filling a space which included the earth's orbit. the system's light is not even yet wholly concentrated into the sun, but a vast chromosphere or ring of light surrounds his disc. Enormous volumes of hydrogen are ejected from it, and rotate on their axis as a cyclone.
A corona, like the nebula in 4,373, extends beyond the chromosphere, reaching from 400,000 to 1,800,000 miles beyond the sun; besides gaseous hydrogen the corona contains solid or fluid particles giving a spectrum with dark lines indicating matter capable of reflecting light. the zodiacal light is thought to be a faint extension of the corona. the fourth day work was the concentration of light into the sun, "God made two luminaries" (light bearers, marking the distinction between them and light itself). the permian and triassic rocks, of which the magnesian limestone and the new red sandstone are chief representatives in England, answer to the fourth day. the earliest saurian fossils occur in very small numbers, and the first traces of mammalia, namely, small marsupials. Old forms pass away, and the barrenness of new forms of life answers to the Mosaic silence as to new forms of life on the fourth day. the great-sized sauri and characterize the lias and oolite and chalk, answering exactly to Moses' account of thE FIFTH DAY.
The mammalia, the rodentia, and mustelidae, predominating in the tertiary period, answer to Moses' account of thE SIXTH DAY. However, in favor of the six days being ordinary days, D'Orbigny maintains that a gulf of darkness and death must have intervened between the tertiary strata and our present fauna and flora; for that not a single species, vegetable or animal, is common to the tertiary and the human periods. Dr. Pusey (Daniel, preface, 19) thinks that the condition of the earth "without form and void" was such as God, who made all things "very good," never created (Ge 1:2); then for an undefined period (Ge 1:3) "the Spirit of God was brooding (Hebrew) upon the face of the waters" of the dark and disordered "deep." then followed successive action in God's remodeling the earth for man's habitation. Possibly the order of Creation of the whole world in six vast periods, called "days," was repeated in six literal days in preparing the earth for man, its noblest occupant, "the minister and interpreter of nature" (Bacon).
Natural selection, and sexual selection, the causes conjectured lately as accounting for change of species, are inadequate; for in each individual the concurrence of many contingent causes through ages is needed for producing the result. the probabilities against this concurrence in any one case are enormous, and in a large number of cases are out of the question. Such causes do not account for the development of a new organ, as mammary glands; or for the case of man, in whom intellectual superiority is accompanied by loss of physical power. No one case is known of natural or sexual selection altering species, and man's molding of breeds to his mind has never been carried beyond narrow limits. the plan of creation is progressive development modified by continual superintendence and occasional interpositions of the Creator, just at the points where they were required to make the theory of Darwin possible.
God's "breathing into man the breath of lives" marks that while his body is allied to lower animals his moral and intellectual qualities come directly from above. the facts of observation confirm Genesis, and prove that these never could have been developed by natural or sexual selection, or the struggle for life out of lower organizations. Man's moral and intellectual superiority, while he is physically inferior, distinguishes his creation from that of all below him. (Condensed from Ackland's Story of Creation.) Unless one abnormal variety in a species furnished both a male and a female of the new kind, the new species would cease. Even if both were produced simultaneously, unless intermixture with the original species were secured, hybrids would result, and these do not propagate. No trace in all the strata of geology occurs of intermediate links between species.
Cuvier's principle of final causes and conditions of existence requires the coordination of each being so as to render the total possible. Every organized being has an entire system of its own, all the parts of which mutually correspond and combine by reciprocal action to the same end; no one can change in one part without a corresponding change in its other members. thus, if the viscera be fitted only for digesting recent fish, the jaws must be constructed for devouring, the claws for seizing and tearing prey, the teeth for dividing its flesh, the limbs for pursuing and overtaking it, the org and of sense for discovering it far off, and the brain for such instincts as will enable it to plot for its prey. the Assyrian tradition of creation, discovered by G. Smith, agrees with the Bible rather than with Berosus.
The fall of an evil angel is described; the creation by the gods out of chaos (over which a goddess Tisglat, the Greek thalassa, "sea," presides) in successive stages; its being pronounced good by the gods; its culmination in the creation of man with the faculty of speech; man's original innocence, temptation, fall, and curse. there is however an elaborate lengthening of details (e.g. the deity's long address to the newly-created man on his duties, privileges, and glory), and an introduction of gods many, which contrasts with the sublime simplicity and divine brevity of the inspired record. the Bible account of the primeval tradition, in its reticence of all details save what subserve the end s of a moral and spiritual revelation, is just what man would never have given except by inspiration. the Assyrian account is uninspired man's expansion and dilution of the original history; at the same time confirming remarkably the true story. the general harmony in the, order of plants, animals, and man, between Scripture and science is strikingly confirmatory of revelation. Geology and Scripture agree:
(1) that the material world had a "beginning" the flora and fauna advancing progressively from the less perfect to the more perfect. the Greeks and Latins mark the orderly formation of the universe by expressing "order" and "world" by the same term, kosmos, mundus. Furthermore, revelation states the scientific truth that God "hangeth the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7). the mention of the northern hemisphere here, and the southern hemisphere (Job 9:9), "the chambers of the S.," hints plainly at the globular form of the earth;
(2) that fire ("light") and water were two great agents of the mighty changes on the earth (Ge 1:3,9; Ps 104:2-3,6-9); the connection of light and heat is admitted, the sun's light being now known to come from its photosphere of incandescent hydrogen;
(3) that continents were formed under the ocean (Ge 1:9-10; Ps 104:6-9; 24:2, "He founded it above (not upon) the seas"; Ps 136:6);
(4) that creation was not sudden, but progressive;
(5) that man was the last created (no fossil remains of man are found), that his appearance is comparatively recent.
Man is the crowning apex of creation; all the previous steps described are preparations for, and so silent prophecies of, his advent. Man is the summary of all preceding organizations; hence his brain in the embryo passes through the successive types of the fish's, reptile's, and mammal's brain. Geology gives no support to the theory that every species grew out of some species less perfect, the lower animal developing into the higher, the stronger surviving the weaker in the struggle for existence, and by the law of "natural selection" assuming those members which it needed for its development. there is no unbroken chain of continuity. New forms appear on the stage of life, having no close affinity to the old. the marvelous instinct of the working bee has not grown by cultivation and successive inheritance. It does not inherit its cell building or honey making power from its parents; for the drone and queen bee do neither.
It does not transmit it to its offspring, for it has none. Man degenerates indeed to an almost brutish state. But, as such, the race becomes enfeebled and dies out; whereas the domesticated animal which reverts to the wild state becomes stronger and more fruitful. this proves that the wild state is natural to the brutes, the civilized to man. Civilization never conics to savages from themselves, but from without; almost all barbarous races have traditions of having sprung from ancestors more powerful and enlightened than themselves. Man retains in a rudimentary form certain muscles and org and which are fully developed in the quadrumana (apes, etc.); the tail is a remarkable instance. But man's development has taken the form most disadvantageous (in the Darwinian view) in the struggle of life. His body unclothed, slowness of foot, lack of power in teeth, hands, and feet compared with many brutes, bluntness of smell and sight, put him at an immense disadvantage in the struggle for life.
"Man must have had human proportions of mind before he could afford to lose bestial proportions of body" (Duke of Argyll, Good Words, April 1868). Specific centers for the creation of many animals and plants are generally now supposed, since each species is confined to a certain habitat. Probably, those specific centers which are very far from man's primitive home were the scene of the creation of animals going on during the six days, simultaneously with the creation of the animals in the region of Adam's paradise. No clear proof of pre-Adamite man exists. If such yet be found, no physiological reason can forbid the Scripture view that God, after having formed the body of Adam on the highest type of human form," breathed into his nostrils the breath of life," so that man thenceforward "became a living soul;" thus he is distinct from the brute, of which it is not said that God so breathed into them, but only that they have body and "living soul" (Ge 1:20-21); man, besides "body and soul," has "spirit" (1Th 5:23; Ec 3:21).
The unity of the human species is a fundamental principle of the Bible scheme of redemption (De 32:8; Mt 19:4; Ac 17:26; Ro 5:14,19; 1Co 15:22). the differences of races, though hard to explain on the supposition of their unity, are not so hard as it is to account, on the opposite theory, for the close affinities, physical, intellectual, and moral, of all the human family. the germs of various characteristics were doubtless originally implanted in man by the Creator, to be manifested as the race progressed, in order to diffuse man over the earth of which he was the appointed lord under God (Ge 1:28). the subsequent confusion of tongues at (See BABEL was not at random, but a systematic distribution of languages in connection with corresponding varieties of characteristics, for the purpose of a systematic distribution of the human race, as Ge 10:5,20,31 proves.
The several varieties of race are gradually shaded off from one another, so that there is no alternative between the extremely improbable theory of eleven distinct species (!) and the Bible statement of only one. All men have reason and articulate speech; general words used by all prove in all the power of abstract reasoning; the absence of the former proves the absence of the latter, in beasts. All have the sense of responsibility to unseen powers; all are capable of being Christianized and civilized. All are reducible to one original ideal type, to which the Indo European comes nearest. the cubic contents of the skull of the lowest savage is 82 inches; the highest is 94; the gorilla is only 30.
Man alone walks erect; the negro's skull, unlike the ape's, is as perfectly balanced on the vertebral column as the European's skull. the lowest savage has more brain than he needs for the few wants of his crude life. Man brought death upon himself by sin (Ro 5:12; 1Co 15:21; Ge 2:17; 3:19). But he did not entail death on the animal world according to any scripture; and geology proves the death of whole races of animals before man. that the lower creaturely world has a connection with man in its common present subjection to "vanity" (i.e. failure as yet of their designed end), and its future emancipation into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, appears from Ro 8:18-28. Man's fall is only a segment of a wider circle of evil which began with Satan and his angels' previous fall.'. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '"In the beginning" God created, i.e., called into being, all things out of nothing. this creative act on the part of God was absolutely free, and for infinitely wise reasons. the cause of all things exists only in the will of God. the work of creation is attributed (1) to the Godhead (Ge 1:1,26); (2) to the Father (1Co 8:6); (3) to the Son (Joh 1:3; Col 1:16-17); (4) to the Holy Spirit (Ge 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps 104:30). the fact that he is the Creator distinguishes Jehovah as the true God (Isa 37:16; 40:12-13; 54:5; Ps 96:5; Jer 10:11-12). the one great end in the work of creation is the manifestation of the glory of the Creator (Col 1:16; Re 4:11; Ro 11:36). God's works, equally with God's word, are a revelation from him; and between the teachings of the one and those of the other, when rightly understood, there can be no contradiction.
Traditions of the creation, disfigured by corruptions, are found among the records of ancient Eastern nations. (See Accad.) A peculiar interest belongs to the traditions of the Accadians, the primitive inhabitants of the plains of Lower Mesopotamia. these within the last few years have been brought to light in the tablets and cylinders which have been rescued from the long-buried palaces and temples of Assyria. they bear a remarkable resemblance to the record of Genesis.'. The functional definition for this word is: 'The entire physical reality'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word creation as: 'Beginning of: Ge 1:1. History of : Ge 1; 2.'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word creation as: 'The formation of things which had no previous existence: Ro 4:17; Heb 11:3. EFFECTED: By God: Ge 1:1; 2:4-5. By Christ: Joh 1:3,10. By the Holy Ghost: Job 26:13; Ps 104:30. By the command of God: Ps 33:9; Heb 11:3. In the beginning: Ge 1:1; Mt 24:21. In six days: Ex 20:11; 31:17. According to God's purpose: Ps 135:6. ForGod's pleasure: Pr 16:4; Re 4:11. ForChrist: Col 1:16. By faith we believe, to be God's work: Heb 11:3. ORDER OF: First day, making light and dividing it from darkness: Ge 1:3-5; 2Co 4:6. Second day, making the firmament or atmosphere, and separating the waters: Ge 1:6-8. Third day, separating the land from the water, and making it fruitful: Ge 1:9-13. Fourth day, placing the sun, moon, and stars to give light, etc: Ge 1:14-19. Fifth day, making birds, insects, and fishes: Ge 1:20-23. Sixth day, making beasts of the earth, and man: Ge 1:24,28. God rested from, on the seventh day: Ge 2:2-3. Approved of by God: Ge 1:31. A subject of joy to angels: Job 38:7. EXHIBITS: the deity of God: Ro 1:20. The power of God: Isa 40:26,28. The glory and handiwork of God: Ps 19:1. The wisdom of God: Ps 104:24; 136:5. The goodness of God: Ps 33:5. God as the sole object of worship: Isa 45:16,18. Glorifies God: Ps 145:10; 148:5. God to be praised for: Ne 9:6; Ps 146:5-6. Leads to confidence: Ps 124:8; 146:5-6. Insignificance of man seen from: Ps 8:3-4. Groaneth because of sin: Ro 8:22. ILLUSTRATIVE OF: the new birth: 2Co 5:17; Eph 2:10. Daily renewal of saints: Ps 51:10; Eph 4:24. Renewal of the earth: Isa 65:17; 2Pe 3:11,13'.

Please see the note for Colossians 1:9-17 about the word create. Please see the note for Colossians C1S3 about the word creature.

Please see the note for Mark 8:25 about the words clear / clearly. The functional definition for the word clear is: 'Open; free from obstruction; as a clear plat of ground; the way is clear'. The functional definition for the word clearly is: 'adv. 1. Plainly; evidently; fully; as, the fact is clearly proved. 2. Without obstruction; luminously; as, to shine clearly. 3. With clear discernment; as, to understand clearly. 4. Without entanglement, or confusion. 5. Plainly; honestly; candidly. Deal clearly and impartially with yourselves. 6. Without reserve, evasion or subterfuge'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C14S2 about the word understand. The functional definition for this word is: 'under and stand. the sense is to support or hold in the mind. 1. to have just and adequate ideas of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration. 2. to have the same ideas as the person who speaks, or the ideas which a person intends to communicate'. Please see the note for Matthew 13:14 about the word understood. The functional definition for this word is: 'The past tense of understand'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:17-18 about the word eternal. The functional definition is: 'Without beginning or end of existence'. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:19 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word excuse. The functional definition of it is: 'To pardon; to free from the imputation of fault or blame; to acquit of guilt'. As seen within our sentence, God does not accept our excuses.

Please see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. The functional definition is: 'provides a effect where the effect and effect are both in the past'.

Please see the note for Romans 15:17 which has links to where this epistle talks about glory. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about the word glory. The functional definition is: 'Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour, dignity of God; of the mind or heart; Splendour, brightness, majesty of Jehovah , the infinite perfections of God'. Please also see the note for Matthew 17:1 about the phrase Jesus Christ return in glory. Think about the 'Mount of transfiguration'. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines glory as: '(Heb kabhod; Gr. doxa). (1.) Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour (Ps 49:12); glory (Ge 31:1; Mt 4:8; Re 21:24,26). (2.) Honour, dignity (1Ki 3:13; Heb 2:7; 1Pe 1:24); of God (Ps 19:1; 29:1); of the mind or heart (Ge 49:6; Ps 7:5; Ac 2:46).

(3.) Splendour, brightness, majesty (Ge 45:13; Isa 4:5; Ac 22:11; 2Co 3:7); of Jehovah (Isa 59:19; 60:1; 2Th 1:9).

(4.) the glorious moral attributes, the infinite perfections of God (Isa 40:5; Ac 7:2; Ro 1:23; 9:23; Eph 1:12). Jesus is the "brightness of the Father's glory" (Heb 1:3; Joh 1:14; 2:11).

(5.) the bliss of heaven (Ro 2:7,10; 5:2; 8:18; Heb 2:10; 1Pe 5:1,10).

(6.) the phrase "Give glory to God" (Jos 7:19; Jer 13:16) is a Hebrew idiom meaning, "Confess your sins." the words of the Jews to the blind man, "Give God the praise" (Joh 9:24), are an adjuration to confess. they are equivalent to, "Confess that you are an impostor," "Give God the glory by speaking the truth;" for they denied that a miracle had been wrought'. The note in Romans provides the full definition from Webster's 1828 along with links from other commentators.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S1 and Galatians C2-S16 about the word vain. The functional definition is: 'Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance. The best Biblical example is a sepulcher that is painted white on the outside but is full of a dead man's bones'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:51 about the word imagination. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'The power or faculty of the mind by which it conceives and forms ideas of things communicated to it by the org and of sense. Imagination I understand to be the representation of an individual thought. Our simple apprehension of corporeal objects, if present, is sense; if absent, is imagination conception. Imagination, in its proper sense, signifies a lively conception of objects of sight. It is distinguished from conception, as a part from a whole. The business of conception is to present us with an exact transcript of what we have felt or perceived. But we have also a power of modifying our conceptions, by combining the parts of different ones so as to form new wholes of our own creation. I shall employ the word imagination to express this power. I apprehend this to be the proper sense of the word, if imagination be the power which gives birth to the productions of the poet and the painter. We would define imagination to be the will working on the materials of memory; not satisfied with following the order prescribed by nature, or suggested by accident, it selects the parts of different conceptions, or objects of memory, to form a whole more pleasing, more terrible, or more awful, than has ever been presented in the ordinary course of nature. The two latter definitions give the true sense of the word, as now understood. 1. Conception; image in the mind; idea. Sometimes despair darkens all her imaginations. His imaginations were often as just as they were bold and strong. 2. Contrivance; scheme formed in the mind; device. Thou hast seen all their vengeance, and all their imaginations against me. Lam.3. 3. Conceit; an unsolid or fanciful opinion. We are apt to think that space, in itself, is actually boundless; to which imagination, the idea of space of itself leads us. 4. First motion or purpose of the mind. Gen.6.'. Please also see the note for Acts 4:25 about the word imagine.

Please see the note for Titus 3:3 about the word foolish. The functional definition is: 'Void of understanding or sound judgment; weak in intellect; applied to general character'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 11:16 about the word fool. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase condemnation of fools.

Please see the note for 10:6 for links to every verse in Romans which uses heart. Please also see the notes for 2Corinthians C2S4 and Colossians C2S1. The functional definition is: 'Our heart controls the same things as our soul only where the soul deals with the long term the heart deals with the short term and we control our heart directly while the soul is the accumulated actions of our heart. Both are the way we think (mind), the way we emotionally respond to circumstances (emotions) and the method we use to make decisions (will)'. Please also see the note for Galatians C6S6 about the phrase LORD looketh on the heart. Please also see the note for Ephesians C4S8 about the phrase wicked heart.

Please see the note for Romans 13:12; John 8:12 about the word darkness. The functional definition for this word is: 'lack of spiritual light and guidance from God'. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Besides the references to physical light as existing distinct from the sun, and then emanating from the sun as the great light-bearer, the term is mainly used in scripture in a moral sense. Light from God is His word revealing Himself, and not only making manifest the dangers here, but acting as a lamp in showing the true path. Ps 119:105. the Psalmist asked Jehovah to lift upon him the light of His countenance (Ps 4:6), and declared that Jehovah Himself was his light, Ps 27:1. As natural light brings vigour and health to the body, so the light of God gives cheerfulness and strength to the soul'. Please also see the notes for Light and Darkness in 1John; Romans C13S15 and Hebrews 12:18-24 about the phrase light and darkness.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'For the. Joh 1:18; Col 1:15; 1Ti 1:17; 6:16; Heb 11:27 from the. Ro 1:19; De 4:19; Job 31:26-28; Ps 8:3; 33:6-9; 104:5,31; 119:90; 139:13; 148:8-12; Mt 5:45 even his. Ro 16:26; Ge 21:33; De 33:27; Ps 90:2; Isa 9:6; 26:4; 40:26; 1Ti 1:17; Heb 9:14 Godhead. Ac 17:29; Col 2:9 so that they are. or, that they may be. Ro 2:1,15; Joh 15:22 without. Ac 22:1 (Gr) General references. exp: Isa 40:21; Jas 4:17.
when. Ro 1:19,28; Joh 3:19 they glorified. Ro 15:9; Ps 50:23; 86:9; Ho 2:8; Hab 1:15-16; Lu 17:15-18; 2Ti 3:2; Re 14:7; 15:4 but became. Ge 6:5; 8:21; 2Ki 17:15; Ps 81:12; Ec 7:29; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 2:5; 10:3-8,14-15; 16:19; Eph 4:17-18; 1Pe 1:18 their foolish. Ro 11:10; De 28:29; Isa 60:2; Ac 26:18; 1Pe 2:9 General references. exp: Ps 94:11; Isa 40:21; Jer 33:18; Jas 4:17.'.

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C1-S12 (Verse 22-23) How to become a Biblical fool.

Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,
and to birds,
and fourfooted beasts,
and creeping things..

This sentence through the end of this chapter tell us the end results of men who start out being unthankful to God and not wanting to worship and glorify God. (Please see the note for Word Study on Worship for more details.) Such men end up turning their backs on God and turning to ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. From there we see the results found in the remainder of this chapter. Yet when people are warned about these results of being unthankful and of refusing to worship they turn sullen and refuse to observe for themselves what is evident all around them. Hopefully, the reader will prayerfully consider the results that Paul reports in these sentences. Also, please note that in Romans 11:25 we are told, within this epistle, For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits... We also receive a similar warning in 12:16 and 16:19.

The first three chapters of 1Corinthians gives us much more details about how the wisdom of man is opposed to the wisdom of God. In particular, 1Corinthians 1:19-21 and 3:18-19 come to mind. We also have the Old Testament telling us the same things in places like Proverbs 25:14; 26:12; Isaiah 47:10; Jeremiah 8:8 and 10:14. When we see the judgment that God brought upon His people for idolatry we have to wonder about the thinking of people today who fill their houses with statues of 'saints' and of 'Mary' and then deny that they are idolaters. But even beyond these people, the world is full of people who claim to be wise and yet who worship a person or thing that can not help them. It just proves the sating that 'Religion is the opiate of the masses'. Many people use religion to turn their brain off, and rot it while it makes them feel good. The amazing thing is that they will use their brains for other things and not get angry when challenged in these other things but react with anger when challenged about their religion.

We see further instructions in the New Testament such as Matthew 7:24-25 where the difference, that Jesus made, between the wise saved man and the foolish saved man was if he doeth these sayings of mine or doeth them not. In Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21 we see the prayer of Jesus where He prayed I thank thee, of Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. In 2Corinthians 10:12; 2Corinthians 11:19; Ephesians 5:15; 2Timothy 3:15 and James 3:13, we are instructed in how to be Biblically wise. Since many places in the Bible tell us that God is only wise, those instructions all tell us to get wisdom from God.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 9:12-14 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word profess along with the definition from Webster's 1828. The functional definition of it is: 'Open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment of one's sentiments or belief; as professions of friendship or sincerity; a profession of faith or religion.'

Please see the note for Romans 16:19 which has links to where this epistle talks about forms of the word wise. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about this word. Please also see the note for Romans 1:14 about the word unwise. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wisdom. The functional definition, of the word wise, is: ' the right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them'. In addition, the phrase no wise means: 'no amount of wisdom can accomplish the task'.

We find forms of the word uncorruptible in: Romans 1:23; Titus 2:7. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'a. that cannot be corrupted. But incorruptible is the word now used.'. We find forms of the word incorruptible in: 1Corinthians 9:25; 1Corinthians 15:42; 1Corinthians 15:50; 1Corinthians 15:52; 1Corinthians 15:53; 1Corinthians 15:54; 1Peter 1:4; 1Peter 1:23. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'a. 1. that cannot corrupt or decay; not admitting of corruption. thus gold, glass, mercury, etc., are incorruptible. Spirits are supposed to be incorruptible. Our bodies shall be changed into incorruptible and immortal substances. 2. that cannot be bribed; inflexibly just and upright'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C9S36 about the word corrupt. The functional definition is: 'To change from a sound to a putrid or putrescent state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which accompanied by a fetid smell'. It should be obvious that the word uncorruptness means the opposite and doing all that is possible to avoid any part of the word corrupt.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:3-4 about the word image. The functional definition is: 'A representation or similitude of any person or thing, formed of any substance. People today like to take pictures of themselves, which is an image and no matter how good that image is, it does not match the original being. Man was made in the image of God but can not match God.'.

Please also see the note for Mark 4:16-17 about the word likewise. The functional definition for this word is: 'adv. like and wise. In like manner; also; moreover; too. forhe seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Ps. 49'. Please also see the note for Romans 15:5-6 about the word likeminded. Please also see the note for Matthew 7:24-25 about the word liken. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:5-8 about the word likeness.

Please see the note for Luke 9:58 about the word bird. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: '1. Properly, a chicken, the young of fowls, and hence a small fowl. 2. In modern use, any fowl or flying animal. It is remarkable that a nation should lay aside the use of the proper generic name of flying animals, and substitute the name of the young of those animals, as the generic term. the fact is precisely what it would be to make lamb, the generic name of sheep,or colt, that of the equine genus.'.

Please see the note for Acts 7:42 about the word beast. The functional definition for this word is: 'Any animal that is not man. Sometimes it means quadrupeds, and not creeping things'.

Please see the note for 2Timothy 3:6 about the word creep. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: '1. to move with the belly on the ground, or the surface of any other body, as a worm or serpent without legs, or as many insects with feet and very short legs; to crawl. 2. to move along the ground, or on the surface of any other body, in growth, as a vine; to grow along. 3. to move slowly, feebly or timorously; as an old or infirm man, who creeps about his chamber. 4. to move slowly and insensibly, as time. Tomorrow, and to morrow, and to morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day. 5. to move secretly; to move so as to escape detection, or prevent suspicion. of this sort are they who creep into houses, and lead away captive silly women. 2 Timothy 3. 6. to steal in; to move forward unheard and unseen; to come or enter unexpectedly or unobserved; as, some error has crept into the copy of a history. 7. to move or behave with servility; to fawn'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ro 11:25; Pr 25:14; 26:12; Isa 47:10; Jer 8:8-9; 10:14; Mt 6:23; 1Co 1:19-21; 3:18-19 exp: Ps 94:11; Lu 11:35.
changed. Ro 1:25; Ps 106:20; Jer 2:11 an image. De 4:15-18; 5:8; Ps 115:5-8; 135:15-18; Isa 40:18,26; 44:13; Eze 8:10; Ac 17:29; 1Co 12:2; 1Pe 4:3; Re 9:20 General references. exp: Ge 19:5; Ex 20:4.'.

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C1-S13 (Verse 24-25) The results of idolatry are seen wherever we look.

Equivalent Section: people do things to hurt their own bodies.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts,
to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:.

Equivalent Section: people justify lies including claiming that a creature is greater than they are.

Who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,
who is blessed for ever..

This sentence starts with Wherefore and tells us the results (fore) that we can see wherever we look. When we read the phrase dishonour their own bodies between themselves, most people think of sexual perversions (Leviticus 18:22). This is a valid application of the phrase, but not the only one. Think of all of the tattoos and body piercings and other things that people do to prove how 'tough' they are.

The First Equivalent Section is easily understood with the warning that our sinful nature wants us to include some behaviours that probable need to be excluded here (Romans 1:27; 6:12; 1Corinthians 6:13-18; 1Thessalonians 4:4-5; 2Timothy 2:20-22). The other thing to keep in mind is that the Bible uses uncleanness for moral sins where we violate our personal relationship with God. Remember that we already saw that these people started out by being unthankful and by refusing to worship and glorify God. These are moral sins of our personal heart and they lead to God also (giving us) up to uncleanness through the lusts of (our) own hearts. We are well reminded of Proverbs 4:23 (Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.) and other places in the Bible where we are warned to be careful about this constant danger to us all.

In the Second Equivalent Section we see what people did in their own heart which led to the outward signs which are mentioned in the First Equivalent Section. We see two specific things mentioned which are separated by the word and. The first is that they changed the truth of God into a lie. In the Word Study on Truth we see that the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the personification of God's Truth. Since He is God, refusing to worship requires men to turn from the personification of God to a lie. The reaction of people, when we tell them that their statues of 'saints' and of 'Mary' are idols, has already been mentioned. However, we need to keep in mind the point brought out in the This sentence in the Word Study on Truth. That is, when men preach something that does not exactly match what is found in the Bible, and they make excuses to continue with their error after it has been pointed out to them, they have done the same sin in their heart. Remember, we already saw that this all starts with a sin of the heart where we are unthankful and refuse to worship. So, what is our reaction to God using another person to correct our doctrine?

In the Word Study on Worship, we find this sentence in the Worship-Applications under 'Worship can be given to things/beings other than God. This ALWAYS results in punishment and often the punishment is put upon the children and followers of those who worship any being other than the God of the Bible'. Under that summary point are well over 50 other verses which teach the same thing. Therefore, this is not something that is easily overlooked. When we worship we recognize that the thing which is worshipped is greater than ourselves. God wants us to reserve worship to Him because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). We also see in 2Corinthians 4:4 that the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. While that verse is specifically talking about the lost, the same blindness can happen to the saved who refuse to mature spiritually by refusing to obey the Gospel of Christ. Thus, it all keeps coming back to our own heart and our personal relationship with God. As the note for Romans 11:7 shows us, they were blinded because they deliberately shut down their God given brain and refused to see the evidence that God gave them because they were trusting what their religious leaders told them. Please see that note for links to several places in the Bible where we are told about the consequences of this type of deliberate mental blindness.

Please see the note for Romans intro about the word wherefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the wherefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the wherefore and seen wherever you look'.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 5:5 and Philippians 4:15 about the word give. The functional definition is: 'Bestowing; confering; imparting; granting; delivering'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word given. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:7 about the word giver.

Please see the notes for Galatians C5S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the word uncleanness. The note for Galatians has the definition from Webster's 1828 dictionary. The note for Colossians has the definition from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, which explains all of the Greek words which are translated to this word. The functional definition is: 'the ongoing corruption from associating with devils and following their error'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 9:13-14 about the word unclean. Please also see the notes for Word Study on Spirit; Romans C14S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the phrase unclean spirits. Please also see the note for James 4:8 about the word cleanse.

Please see the note for Romans C13S17 about the word lust. It has links to every place in Romans where this word is found, the full definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Although lust is usually a sin, the Bible tells us that God's Holy Spirit lusts. Therefore, when this type of motivation is directed at the things of God it is not sin. The functional definition is: 'To desire eagerly; to long; with after'. Please also see the note for Galatians C5-S18 about the word lust.

Please see the note for Romans C12S8 about the word dishonour. The functional definition is: 'to take away the esteem due or paid to worth'. Please also see the note for Romans C12S8 about the word honour.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S30; 1Corinthians C6S20; Ephesians 4:5-LJC and Colossians C1S4 about the word body. The functional definition is: 'The frame of an animal; the material substance of an animal, in distinction from the living principle of beasts, and the soul of man'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C3S1 and Colossians C1S6 about the phrase body of Christ.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S15 about the word liar. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'an intentional violation of the truth. Lies are emphatically condemned in Scripture (Joh 8:44; 1Ti 1:9-10; Re 21:27; 22:15). Mention is made of the lies told by good men, as by Abraham (Ge 12:12-13; 20:2), Isaac (Ge 26:7), and Jacob ([ge 27:24|); also by the Hebrew midwives (Ex 1:15-19), by Michal (1Sa 19:14), and by David (1Sa 20:6). (See Ananias.)'. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines liar as: 'n. from lie. 1. A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who declares to another as a fact what he knows to be not true, and with an intention to deceive him. the uttering of falsehood by mistake, and without an intention to deceive, does not constitute one a liar. 2. One who denies Christ. 1John 2'.

Please see the note for Romans 16:18 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word serve. The functional definition is: 'To work for; to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another'. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1-S2 about this word. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:17 about the word service. Please also see the note for Romans 14:4 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word servant along with the definition and a short note for each verse. Servant is dealt with separately from serve because one is the action verb and the other is the person who does the action. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:4 for links to every verse, in Romans, which uses the word servant along with a short note for each and the definition. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C7S27 and Ephesians C6S4 about the word servant.

Please see the note for Colossians 1:9-17 about the word creature. The functional definition is: 'That which is created; every being besides the Creator, or every thing not self-existent. the sun, moon and stars; the earth, animals, plants, light, darkness, air, water, etc., are the creatures of God'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:19 about the word Creator. Please also see the note for Romans 1:20-21 about the word creation. Please also see the note for Colossians 1:9-17 about the word create. Please also see the note for Revelation 4:11-LJC about the phrase God created us. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 10:9-LJC about the phrase new creatures.

Please use This link to see the 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' found within the Bible along with links to where the Bible uses those titles. This title is Creator.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S9; 1Corinthians C10S13 and Galatians C3-S10 about the word bless. In particular, please see the note for Galatians which explains why the commonly accepted dictionary definition is wrong. The functional definition is: 'receiving, or wishing another to receive, the spiritual good from God which produces spiritual joy even while it might make us less happy in the flesh'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'God. Ps 81:11-12; Ho 4:17-18; Mt 15:14; Ac 7:42; 14:16; 17:29-30; Eph 4:18; 2Th 2:10-12 through the lusts. Ro 6:12 to dishonour. 1Co 6:13,18; 1Th 4:4; 2Ti 2:20-22 between. Ro 1:27; Le 18:22 General references. exp: Ge 19:5,7.
changed. Ro 1:23 the truth. Ro 1:18; 1Th 1:9; 1Jo 5:20 into a lie. Isa 44:20; Jer 10:14-15; 13:25; 16:19; Am 2:4; Joh 2:8; Hab 2:18 the creature. Ro 1:23; Mt 6:24; 10:37; 2Ti 3:4; 1Jo 2:15-16 more. or, rather. who is. Ro 9:5; Ps 72:19; 145:1-2; 2Co 11:31; Eph 3:21; 1Ti 1:11,17'.

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C1-S14 (Verse 25) Amen.

This Amen provides the second saying that is needed to let us know that the doctrine of the prior sentence is something that all saved are to accept. Please also see the note for Revelation 3:14 because we are told that a title for our Lord Jesus Christ is: the Amen. Please also see the Significant Gospel Events for this, and other, Minor Titles of the Son of God.

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C1-S15 (Verse 26-27) The result of the prior two sentences.

Equivalent Section: Summary.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:.

Equivalent Section: Detail evidence against women.

for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:.

Equivalent Section: Detail evidence against men.

First Step: Men did sins of lust.

And likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust one toward another;.

Second Step: Men received the consequence of sins of lust.

men with men working that which is unseemly,
and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet..

This sentence starts with For this cause and tells us that the reason (cause) that God gave them up unto vile affections is that they Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image... We find the Bible telling us about these sins (in the Old Testament), without really going into details in Genesis 19:5 (Sodom); Leviticus 18:22-25; Deuteronomy 23:17 (Law); Deuteronomy 25:3 (vile attitude); Judges 19:22-20:48 (destruction of Benjamin); 1Samuel 3:13 (judgment of Eli's sons); 1Samuel 15:9 (Saul's error with Agag); 2Samuel 1:21 (treatment of Saul after his death); Job 18:3 (accusation against Job by religious); Job 40:4 (Job's opinion of self in the sight of God); Psalms 32:5 (rise of the wicked); Psalms 15:4 (who God's people are to contemn); Isaiah 32:5-6 (truth in Millennium); Jeremiah 15:19 (God's instructions to Jeremiah) Jeremiah 29:17 (God's judgment of His people);Lamentations 1:11 (Jeremiah's opinion of self);Daniel 11:21 (prophecy of future kings); Nahum 1:15 (God's opinion of the idolater); Nahum 3:5-6 (God's judgment of Nineveh). In the New Testament we see in revile as well as vile in Matthew 5:11 (how lost will treat saved); Matthew 27:39 (false accusation against Jesus while on cross); Mark 15:32 (false accusation against Jesus while on cross); John 9:28 (Pharisees against man healed by Jesus); Acts 23:4 (accusation against Paul); this sentence; 1Corinthians 4:11-13 (treatment of apostles); 1Corinthians 6:9-10 (people who shall (not) inherit the kingdom of God); Philippians 3:21 (our current physical condition); James 2:2 (different judgments of people); 1Peter 2:21-24 (How Christ acted).

In particular, Leviticus 20:13 is part of God' Law and calls this sin an abomination with the penalty being: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Now, that is part of the Civil law which has been replaced, in the 'Church Age' with the command to obey the civil law of where we live. However, it is still called a vile sin by God and the Mosaic law was given for our admonition (1Corinthians 10:11). Therefore, we are to still consider it to be a vile sin and consider that our context says is the consequence of participating in this sin even during the 'Church Age'.

In addition, Jude 1:7 uses the judgment of this sin, visited on Sodom and Gomorrha, as one of several examples of how God judges vile sin, even during the 'Church Age'. Therefore, as part of the opening chapter in this epistle of the 'Basic doctrine to obey in the Church Age', we need to be aware of the consequence of doing sin even if we are children of God.

Please see the note for Philippians 3:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where we find the word vile along with a definition.

We see all throughout the Bible where God relates judgment to the underlying sin. We also see it in real life. Forexample, men pervert God's Word and feel free to change it and God has the Supreme Court doing the same thing to our Constitution. We put Biblical antichrists in our pulpit and people call the current president 'an antichrist', no matter which political party he comes from. Our churches are full of members who are there only for what they can get out of it and take no responsibility for the rest of the church and the members of our legislature act the same.

Thus, we see in the Bible and in real life that God relates the punishment to the sin. Where men pervert the image of God on a personal basis, God has them pervert the image of man on a personal basis. Our First Equivalent Section tells us that God made them to love being perverted and degraded and we see this in the movies and reports of sexual perversions. Where the world likes to talk about these things in detail (Ephesians 5:12), they pretend to be holy and spiritual while refusing to talk about how God uses physical life to picture spiritual life. God uses terms like seed and being born and we have the parable of Mark 4:26-29 telling of observable steps in the process from planting the seed to harvest. Yet for all of that religious men deny that there are observable steps between our receiving the spiritual seed of God (Bible) and our reaping heaven. As a result, religious men insist upon a doctrine which declares people to be born again the instant that they 'receive the seed'. We have doctrinal error because we will not speak in detail about what God speaks about in detail. Yet we will speak in detail about the perversions of ungodly men and women. Notice in our sentence God names these sins, provides only enough detail to remove doubt about what He is saying, and goes no further into details. God does not provide any further details about women than what we find in our Second Equivalent Section.

Thus, the first thing that I am pointing out with this sentence is a general error in how we treat the word of God and related things in General. We should go into detail when God does and not go into detail when God refuses to do so. When we insist upon doing otherwise we are following a 'hyper-spiritual' doctrine that comes from a devil.

We do see a little more detail in our third Equivalent Section. However, notice that the Bible does not go into more details about their sins but does goes into more detail about the judgment by God and how that judgment relates to their sin. Paul writes that they received...that...which was meet. Men define meet as 'come together' but the Biblical meaning of the word is 'come together and match in every area'. This (basically) says what I said earlier in this note about God matching the judgment of sin to the underlying sin. The head doctor of Canada was fired for speaking a medical fact which was proven to be statistically true. This perverted lifestyle is the most disease ridden lifestyle there is. It makes the life expectancies of someone with first-world medicine to be less than the typical person with third-world medicine. Their choose a sin that obviously goes against nature, as seen from a scientific view only. They can not reproduce this way yet they claim that they received their nature through an inherited reproduction. What they inherited is a spiritual sin nature, like we all did, and claim that the spiritual forced the unnatural physical reaction while denying their own responsibility for choosing sin.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians C2S5 about the word cause. The functional definition is: 'A suit or action in court; any legal process which a party institutes to obtain his demand, or by which he seeks his right or his supposed right'. Please also see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because.

Please see the note for Philippians 3:20-21 about the word vile. The functional definition is: 'Base; mean; worthless; despicable'.

Please see the note for C4-S16 for links to every place that the Bible uses the words affect or effect along with the definitions from Webster's 1828 and an explanation of the difference between these two words. The functional definition for the word affect is: 'Cause a change'.

Please see the note for Galatians C4-S2 about the word woman. Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'It is evident from scripture that women were anciently held in much more honour and esteem in Eastern countries than they are now. Solomon, speaking of women, said that such as his soul sought for he did not find one in a thousand. Ec 7:28. this tells of fallen human nature; but the true thought of woman is that she is the glory of the man, his true helpmeet. this is fulfilled in the relationship of the church to Christ. In the N.T. the true place of the woman in subjection to the man is plainly stated, as indicated in creation; and in the assembly the woman is to be silent, and not to teach. Her bearing and deportment are expressive of what she learns as taught of Christ. 1Co 11:3-15; 14:34-35; 1Ti 2:11. 12. Nevertheless women were greatly honoured in ministering to the Lord, and are accredited as helping on the work of the Lord in the gospel and among the saints. Lu 8:2-3; 23:27,55-56; Ro 16:1,3,6; Php 4:2-3; 2Jo 1:10.'. Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words. Please also see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where the word natural is used.

Please see the note for Matthew 7:24-25 about the word liken. The functional definition for this word is: 'To compare; to represent as resembling or similar. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, that built his house on a rock. Matt. 6'. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:5-8 about the word likeness. Please also see the note for Mark 4:16-17 about the word likewise. Please also see the note for Romans 15:5-6 about the word likeminded

Please see the note for Luke 24:32 about the word burn. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'The primary sense is, to rage, to act with violent excitement. 1. to consume with fire; to reduce to ashes by the action of heat or fire; frequently with up; as, to burn up wood. 2. to expel the volatile parts and reduce to charcoal by fire; as, to burn wood into coal. Hence, in popular language, to burn a kiln of wood, is to char the wood. 3. to cleanse of soot by burning; to inflame; as, to burn a chimney; an extensive use of the word. 4. to harden in the fire; to bake or harden by heat; as, to burn bricks or a brick kiln. 5. to scorch; to affect by heat; as, to burn the clothes or the legs by the fire; to burn meat or bread in cookery. 6. to injure by fire; to affect the flesh by heat. 7. to dry up or dissipate; with up; as, to burn up tears. 8. to dry excessively; to cause to wither by heat; as, the sun burns the grass or plants. 9. to heat or inflame; to affect with excessive stimulus; as, ardent spirits burn the stomach. 10. to affect with heat in cookery, so as to give the food a disagreeable taste. Hence the phrase burnt to. 11. to calcine with heat or fire; to expel the volatile matter from substances, so that they are easily pulverized; as, to burn oyster shells, or lime-stone. 12. to affect with excess of heat; as, the fever burns a patient. 13. to subject to the action of fire; to heat or dry; as, to burn colors. Toburn up, to consume entirely by fire. Toburn out, to burn till the fuel is all consumed.
BURN, v.i. to be on fire; to flame; as, the mount burned with fire. 1. to shine; to sparkle. O prince! O wherefore burn your eyes? 2. to be inflamed with passion or desire; as, to burn with anger or love. 3. to act with destructive violence, as fire. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? 4. to be in commotion; to rage with destructive violence. The groan still deepens and the combat burns. 5. to be heated; to be in a glow; as, the face burns. 6. to be affected with a sensation of heat, pain or acidity; as, the heart burns. 7. to feel excess of heat; as, the flesh burns by a fire; a patient burns with a fever. Toburn out, to burn till the fuel is exhausted and the fire ceases.
BURN, n. A hurt or injury of the flesh caused by the action of fire. 1. the operation of burning or baking, as in brickmaking; as, they have a good burn.'.

Please see the notes for Romans C9S8; 1Corinthians C3S13; Galatians C2-S10 and Philippians 1:1 about the word works. Please see the note for Romans C3S27 about the phrase law of works. Please see the note for Philippians 3:2 about the phrase evil workers. Please see the note for Romans C11S10 about the phrase works are seen of men. Please see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. The basic Biblical definition of work is: 'to move, or to labor'.

Please see the note for Romans C11S14 about the word recompence. The functional definition is: ' to compensate; to make return of an equivalent for anything given, done or suffered; as, to recompense a person for services, for fidelity or for sacrifices of time, for loss or damages'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 9:7-10 about the word error. The functional definition is: 'A wandering or deviation from the truth; a mistake in judgment, by which men assent to or believe what is not true'. Please note: while an error is not necessarily a sin, it still requires an offering to make up for it.

We find forms of the word meet occurring 139 times in 134 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament in: Matthew 3:8; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 15:26; Matthew 25:1; Matthew 25:6; Mark 7:27; Mark 14:13; Luke 14:31; Luke 15:32; Luke 22:10; John 12:13; Acts 26:20; Acts 28:15; Romans 1:27; 1Corinthians 15:9; 1Corinthians 16:4; Philippians 1:7; Colossians 1:12; 1Thessalonians 4:17; 2Thessalonians 1:3; 2Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 6:7; 2Peter 1:13. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Fit; suitable; proper; qualified; convenient; adapted, as to a use or purpose. Ye shall pass over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. Deut.3. It was meet that we should make merry--Luke 15. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Matt.3.
MEET, v.t. pret. and pp. met. Gr. with. 1. to come together, approaching in opposite or different directions; to come face to face; as, to meet a man in the road. His daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances. Judges 11. 2. to come together in any place; as, we met many strangers at the levee. 3. to come together in hostility; to encounter. the armies met on the plains of Pharsalia. 4. to encounter unexpectedly. 5. to come together in extension; to come in contact; to join. the line A meets the line B and forms an angle. 6. to come to; to find; to light on; to receive. the good man meets his reward; the criminal in due time meets the punishment he deserves. Of vice or virtue, whether blest or curst, Which meets contempt, or which compassion first. MEET, v.i. to come together or to approach near, or into company with. How pleasant it is for friends to meet on the road; still more pleasant to meet in a foreign country. 1. to come together in hostility; to encounter. the armies met at Waterloo, and decided the fate of Buonaparte. 2. to assemble; to congregate. the council met at 10 o'clock. the legislature will meet on the first Wednesday in the month. 3. to come together by being extended; to come in contact; to join. Two converging lines will meet in a point. Tomeet with; to light on; to find; to come to; often with the sense of an unexpected event. We met with manythings worthy of observation. 1. to join; to unite in company. Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us. 2. to suffer unexpectedly; as, to meet with a fall; to meet with a loss. 3. to encounter; to engage in opposition. Royal mistress, Prepare to meet with more than brutal fury From the fierce prince. 4. to obviate; a Latinism. Tomeet half way, to approach from an equal distance and meet; metaphorically, to make mutual and equal concessions, each party renouncing some pretensions'. The functional definition is: 'touching all the way around like one plastic pail fits into another of the same type'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'gave them. Ro 1:24 vile. Ge 19:5; Le 18:22-28; De 23:17-18; Jg 19:22; 1Co 6:9; Eph 4:19; 5:12; 1Ti 1:10; Jude 1:7,10 General references. exp: Ge 19:5; Le 18:22; 20:13.
that recompence. Ro 1:23-24 General references. exp: Ge 19:5; Le 18:22; 20:13.'.

Home Start of Page Start of Chapter

C1-S16 (Verse 28-32) Conclusion about fundamental sin.

Equivalent Section: the progression of sin.

First Step: Men refused right thoughts about God and God judged.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind,
to do those things which are not convenient;.

Second Step: Filled with sin attitudes.

Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication,
wickedness,
covetousness,
maliciousness;.

Third Step: Taking sin actions.

full of envy,
murder,
debate,
deceit,
malignity;.

Fourth Step: Spreading sin to others.

whisperers,
Backbiters,
haters of God ,
despiteful,
proud,
boasters,
inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents,
Without understanding,
covenantbreakers,
without natural affection,
implacable,
unmerciful:.

Equivalent Section: the results of sin.

Who knowing the judgment of God ,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them..

This sentence is the conclusion to our Foundational Chapter for this epistle on doctrine. We saw that Paul started out telling us a lot about God by using several names for God and the Son of God. He also started out by telling us about the gospel and the fact that one of the main jobs of saved people is to take the gospel to all men. The gospel tells us about God and how we can be like God. First, we must receive God's life in salvation but then we must nurture that Godly life within our life so that we become like God in all that we do. This nurturing after salvation comes through the Gospel of Christ. It teaches us obedience to the faith among all nations and allows us to reveal the righteousness of God...from faith to faith. Paul also warned us that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. It was pointed out that saved men could also hold the truth in unrighteousness and would receive the same judgment from God as lost men. Now in our concluding sentence we are told how men progress from the grace that God offers to the judgment of God and we are told what that judgment is.

Lots of people have been led to believe that the things said in the last two sentences of this chapter apply only to lost people. However, if we honestly examine the Second Equivalent Section of this sentence we find a different reality. The first phrase of this Section says Who knowing the judgment of God. God's people, who are supposed to read God's Word, certainly should know the judgment of God far more than a lost person who does not read God's Word and probably never read more than a few misquotes by liars or possibly a tract. But if we go onto our second phrase it becomes even harder to deny that this sentence applies to some saved people. The second phrase starts out with they which commit such things. The such things are the things of the First Equivalent Section of this sentence. Only a liar would try to claim that NO saved people are guilty of those sins. In fact, a fully honest person would have to admit that many people struggle with many of these sins, especially if the following definitions are honestly considered. The true saving grace for saved people is when they refuse to have pleasure in them that do them (these sins) but who confess the sins (when they do these sins) and seek God's help to stop doing them. (Please also see the note for Romans 15:1 which has links to every place in Romans where forms of the word please are used.) However, in the process of claiming to be seeking God's help, the honest saved person needs to agree with God's Word and admit that they which commit such things are worthy of death. Please see the note for Romans 6:2 which has links to sentences within Romans which deal with death. That note also provides the Webster's 1828 definition and the true Biblical doctrine. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Having dealt with the Second Equivalent Section of our sentence, let us turn to the more detained First Equivalent Section which has several Steps in it. Hopefully, the reader can see the progression within the titles of these Steps and how those titles show the progression of sin. With the assumption that further explanation is not needed, we will continue to the phrases under each Step title and show how those phrases support the title for the Step.

The title of our First Step is 'Men refused right thoughts about God and God judged'. James 4:17 tells us Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Our first phrase in this Step is And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. No honest reader can deny that retain God in their knowledge is a good thing to do. Therefore, according to James, these people sinned by not retaining God in their knowledge.

Starting from C1S10 we read about how the wrath of God is revealed... Having the wrath of God come on you would not be considered to be convenient by most people. Therefore, deliberately doing those things which are not convenient, and which result in having the wrath of God come on you, could easily be argued to be the result of a reprobate mind. In fact, it would be very hard to honestly deny this relationship. Therefore, since out First Step says that these things (which an honest person must admit exist) are the result of someone not liking to retain God in their knowledge, we have something that can be verified. Interview the people who obviously match the prior sentence and see how many of them honestly have retained the God of the Bible in their knowledge. Give them a multiple choice test about the character of the God they believe in and see how many choose popular religious beliefs over what the Bible actually says. The results should strongly show the truth of our First Step in that the people who ended up matching the prior sentence also match this First Step. Yes, there are people who match this First Step and do not match the prior sentence, but they should take this truth as a warning that they are heading towards matching the people of the prior sentence unless they start actively seeking to retain God in their knowledge. [Please see the note for Romans 11:34 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word mind along with a note which points out many of the things that the Bible tells us about our mind.]

Thus, our First Step is matched by many 'good Godly people' who have not yet reached the end result but are on the path. In addition, our next Chapter is based upon this chapter and it starts out dealing with the religious man who is on the path to the wrath of God but who is also in denial because he has not yet received the undeniable wrath of God. The honest person will admit that they can be on the path, but not yet at the end of the path, and examine these steps to see if their life matches these Steps. Further, since the First Step is matched by many 'good Godly people', the honest person will remove that qualifier from consideration when they examine themselves.

In the Steps below, the dictionary definitions come from Webster's 1828.

Our Second Step is titled 'Filled with sin attitudes'. Our phrase starts out with Being filled with all. (Please also see the note for Romans 15:13 which is the only other place in Romans where any forms of the word fill is used.) One person might not have all forms of these attitudes, but someone within the group has each and the word all is used so that people can't claim that their version is OK while someone else's version is sin. The word Being is an ongoing verb of existence. These people's existence is being filled, which means that more and more of their life is consumed by these sin attitudes and will continue until they attitude controls all of their life or they get right with God so that God can remove the sin attitude. These attitudes listed by Paul are:

unrighteousness: 'Injustice; a violation of the divine law, or of the plain principles of justice and equity; wickedness. Unrighteousness may consist of a single unjust act, but more generally, when applied to persons, it denotes an habitual course of wickedness. Every transgression of the law is unrighteousness'. Notice the phrases like 'habitual course' in the dictionary definition which indicate an ongoing attitude. The note for Romans 3:5 provides links to every verse which uses the word unrighteousness along with a small note on each verse. There are 535 verses which use forms of the word righteous in addition to those which use unrighteous. The note for 1:18-19 provides links to the 50 times in 41 verses of this epistle that forms of the word righteous are used. Please also see the note for Galatians C2-S16 about the word righteous / righteousness. The functional definition is: 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11; James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C4S7 about the phrase imputeth righteousness. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:5 and Romans C1S16 about the word unrighteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness. The note for Romans 1:29 is part of the summary of chapter 1. That note provides the definition from Webster's 1828 and shows the relationship between unrighteousness and several other sins.
fornication: This word is used 44 times in the Bible with 39 of those times being in the New Testament and 12 of those being in Revelation. This is the only usage within this epistle. One of the most important aspects of this sin, is that it includes a spiritual sin and is not limited to a physical act. Most religious definitions leave out the spiritual part of this sin and, thereby, use the method of Satan to reduce what people believe this sin is to be less than the truth. The true Biblical definition is: 'A violation of a sanctified relationship. It includes all wrongful sex which includes the emotional and mental aspects. However, it also goes beyond sex since giving worship to anyone other than God is spiritual fornication thus, while all sexual sin is fornication, fornication is not limited to sexual sin but also includes other violations of a sanctified relationship.' please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C5S1; Galatians C5S20 and Ephesians C5S2 about the word fornication. Those notes provide further information on this sin.
wickedness: 'Departure from the rules of the divine law; evil disposition or practices; immorality; crime; sin; sinfulness; corrupt manners Wickedness generally signifies evil practices. What wickedness is this that is done among you? Judges 20. But wickedness expresses also the corrupt dispositions of the heart. Their inward part is very wickedness. Psalm 5. In heart ye work wickedness. Psalm 58'. Please note the plural in phrases like 'evil practices'. Once more we see an ongoing attitude behind multiple acts. This word is used 471 times in the Bible. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 5:8 for links to related verses as provided by other commentators.
covetousness: '1. A strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; usually in a bad sense, and applied to an inordinate desire of wealth or avarice. Out of the heart proceedeth covetousness. Mark 7. Mortify your members--and covetousness which is idolatry. Colossians 3. 2. Strong desire; eagerness'. Please see the note for Romans 13:9 which has links to sentences within Romans which deal with covet and provides more of an explanation.
maliciousness: 'The quality of being malicious; extreme enmity or disposition to injure; malignity'. These definition words are all ongoing attitude words. This word is used 41 times in the Bible with 23 of those times being in the New Testament. It is a continual sin throughout men's history and, therefore, is basic to our sin nature. We do see it used in a positive way but only when we apply this attitude and action towards spiritual gifts from God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 5:7-8 for links to every place in the Bible which uses any form of malice.

As seen in the definitions from Webster's 1828 dictionary, each of the things mentioned in our Second Step are sinful attitudes. In our First Step we stopped being positive. Now in this Step we become negative. In the next Step we will act upon that negative attitude and in our Final Step we will get others to also act upon the negative sinful attitudes. This progression should be understood. Therefore, let's move unto the next set of sins and look at them in a quick detailed manner.

Our third Step is titled 'Taking sin actions'. Notice that these words start with full of. The filling has completed enough to spill over into our physical life. The actions listed are:

envy: 'to see against, that is, to look with enmity. 1. to feel uneasiness, mortification or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to repine at another's prosperity; to fret or grieve one's self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account. Envy not thou the oppressor. Prov.3. Whoever envies another, confesses his superiority. 2. to grudge; to withhold maliciously'. While the words in this definition all indicate action done internal to the body, they are definite actions which can sicken, and even kill, the body. Envy is used 35 times in the Bible with 19 of those times being in the New Testament. It is a continual sin throughout men's history and, therefore, is basic to our sin nature. Matthew 27:18 tells us this is the underlying sin which motivated the religious rulers to crucify our Lord. This is definitely a sin to avoid. Please also see the note for Romans 13:13 which has links to every verse in the Bible which uses a form of the word envy along with divisions of this word by commentators.
murder: 'The act of unlawfully killing a human being with premeditated malice, by a person of sound mind. to constitute murder in law, the person killing another must be of sound mind or in possession of his reason, and the act must be done with malice pretense, aforethought or premeditated; but malice may be implied, as well as express'. Here we see a human definition because this is a human dictionary. In the Bible use of the word, the determination of someone having a 'sound mind' is left to God and, therefore, is not part of the definition which we apply. Murder is used 43 times in the Bible with 22 of those times being in the New Testament. This sentence is the only place in Romans where this word is used. Please see the note for 6:2 for the Biblical doctrine on death and for links to every sentence within Romans which uses some form of the word die, of the word death, or of the word kill. It is a continual sin throughout men's history and, therefore, is basic to our sin nature. Jesus said that this sin from out of the heart in Matthew 15:19 and Mark 7:21. In Matthew 19:18 it is the first sin mentioned by Jesus for us to quit when asked Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?. We also read in 1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. While the Bible says much more, these references should be sufficient for a basic understanding of this word.
debate: 'Dispute; argue; discuss'. These are verbal action words. This word is used only 4 times in the Bible and is used for 'verbal fighting'. This word can be found in Proverbs 25:9; Isaiah 27:8; Isaiah 58:4; this verse and 2Corinthians 12:20.
deceit: 'Similar to fraud. Fraud is a legal term that specifies a violation of a law. Deceit is action verb which attempts to achieve the same harm as fraud but also encompasses actions which may not violate the letter of the law.' Deceit is used 71 times in the Bible but only 11 of those times being in the New Testament with Romans 3:13 being a quote of the Old Testament. Please also see Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19; Mark 7:22; 2Corinthians 4:2; 2Corinthians 11:13; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 2:8; 1Thessalonians 2:3 and Hebrews 3:13. Please also see the note for Matthew 13:22 for further references to this word.
malignity: 'Extreme enmity, or evil dispositions of heart towards another; malice without provocation, or malevolence with baseness of heart; deep rooted spite. 1. Virulence; destructive tendency; as the malignity of an ulcer or disease. 2. Extreme evilness of nature; as the malignity of fraud. 3. Extreme sinfulness; enormity or heinousness; as the malignity of sin'. This sentence is the only place in the Bible where this word is used. Once more we see action words which are motivated by a sinful attitude.

Notice that each of the words in our third Step encompass action, even if that action is mainly internal. Now in our last Step we turn the action outward and involve others. Our Fourth Step is titled 'Spreading sin to others'. The sins we see listed here are:

whisperers: '1. One who whispers. 2. A tattler; one who tells secrets; a conveyer of intelligence secretly. 3. A backbiter; one who slanders secretly. Proverbs 16'. Notice that this word requires more than one person. It requires a speaker and a listener, which means it is spreading the sin, just like our Step title says. This word is only found in 2Samuel 12:19; Psalm 41:7; Proverb 16:28; Isaiah 29:4; this verse and 2Corinthians 121:20. Please notice that the dictionary equates this word to backbiter, which our verse lists as a separate sin. Once more we see the problem with using men's dictionaries for more than a general idea of what the Bible is saying. While these two sins are similar and convey the same general action, the detailed specifics are different. therefore, we can use something like the Webster's 1828 for general knowledge but not for detail specifics.
Backbiters: 'One who slanders, calumniates or speaks ill of the absent'. Notice that this word requires more than one person. It requires a speaker and a listener, which means it is spreading the sin, just like our Step title says. Forms of this word are found in 4 verses: Psalm 15:3; Proverb 25:38; this verse and 2Corinthians 12:20. Our main definition comes from Psalm 15:3 which says He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. that entire Psalm pretty much explains the person who is the opposite of a backbiter.
haters of God: 'One that hates. An enemy to God, and hater of all good'. Hate and God are used together 19 times in the Bible. In the Bible, we find that God hates sin and that the sinners who hate God love a devil. If the reader looks up these verses they will find that haters of God do not stew in their hate but it drives them to actively try to destroy all love of God and all people who love God.
despiteful: 'Full of spite; malicious; malignant; as a despiteful enemy. Hater of God, despiteful, proud, boasters'. Once more we see the dictionary equating two different Bible words and our sentence uses them both as different sins. In the 8 places where this word is used we find:
- Ezekiel 25:6 tells us that God destroyed the Ammonites because they treated their relatives despitefully. The Ammonites were descendants of Lot.
- Ezekiel 25:15 tells us that God did the same to the Philistines Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred.
- Ezekiel 36:5 tells us that God had Ezekiel prophecy against Gentiles who sought to destroy Israel with despiteful minds. The remembered the judgment that God brought and blamed God's people for actions that God did through them.
- Matthew 5:44 tells us But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;.
- Luke 6:28 tells us Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you..
- Acts 14:5 tells us about unbelieving Jews trying to Kill Paul for preaching the gospel. They continued to peruse Paul, and get others to do the same, until Paul's head was cut off and Jerusalem was destroyed.
- Our current sentence groups these people with several other kinds of ungodly people.
- Hebrews 10:29 warns of God's judgment upon saved people who hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
proud: '1. Having inordinate self-esteem; possessing a high or unreasonable conceit of one's own excellence, either of body or mind. A man may be proud of his person, of his talents, of his accomplishments or of his achievements. He may be proud of anything to which he bears some relation. He may be proud of his country, his government, his equipage, or of whatever may, by association, gratify his esteem of himself. He may even be proud of his religion or of his church. He conceives that anything excellent or valuable, in which he has a share, or to which he stands related, contributes to his own importance, and this conception exalts his opinion of himself. Proud is followed by of, before the object, supra. 2. Arrogant; haughty; supercilious. A foe so proud will not the weaker seek. 3. Daring; presumptuous. 4. Lofty of mien; grand of person; as a proud steed. 5. Grand, lofty; splendid; magnificent. Storms of stones from the proud temple's height. 6. Ostentatious; grand; as proud titles. 7. Splendid; exhibiting grandeur and distinction; exciting pride; as a proud day for Rome. 8. Excited by the animal appetite; applied particularly to the female of the canine species. 9. Fungous; as proud flesh'.
boasters: forms of this word occur 39 times in the Bible and 24 times in the New Testament. Please see the note for 3:27 for the occurrences. While many claim that all boasting is wrong, what the Bible actually says is that all boasting about anything but God is wrong. The Bible actually encourages us to boast about the things that God does.
inventors of evil things: 'One who finds out something new; one who contrives and produces anything not before existing; a contriver of new things which are intended to perform an evil purpose.'. Invent is used 8 times in the Bible and with the exception of Proverbs 8:12, it is used in connection with war. Please see the note for Romans 7:19 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word evil along with the Webster's 1828 definition of the word evil. The functional definition is: 'Both the source and consequence of things which people consider to be really really bad. The source and / or result can be natural or spiritual or any combination thereof. However, even what seems to be a natural source can actually be caused by a devil, especially when the recipient is a child of God. In all cases the result is deliberately intended and caused, which is what separates evil from the accidental'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:15 about the word evildoer. Please also note the conincidence between the Devil and the word evil since the Devil is the source of much evil. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:2 about the phrase evil workers. Please also see the note for Hebrews 4:12 about the phrase evil heart.
disobedient to parents: 'Neglecting or refusing to obey; omitting to do what is commanded, or doing what is prohibited; refractory; not observant of duty or rules prescribed by authority; as children disobedient to parents; citizens disobedient to the laws. I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Acts 26. 2. Not yielding to exciting force or power. Medicines used unnecessarily contribute to shorten life, by sooner rendering peculiar parts of the system disobedient to stimuli'. Forms of this word occur 14 times in the Bible and 31 times in the New Testament. This sin is obviously much more significant in the New Testament. Much has been, and is, preached on this sin, so I will not go into it except for one minor note. Ephesians 6:2-3 tells us Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. this is a quote of one of the '10 Commandments' and is one of the significant points that Jesus disputed with the religious leaders over. Please see the note for Romans 6:12 which has links to where Romans talks about obedience and disobedience. It also has links to where the New Testament talks about reign. In that sentence we are told to not obey the reign of sin. Please see the note for Colossians 3:20 which has links to every place in the Bible that the word parents is used along with links from other commentators. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines parent as: '1. A father or mother; he or she that produces young. the duties of parents to their children are to maintain, protect and educate them. When parents are wanting in authority, children are wanting in duty. 2. that which produces; cause; source. Idleness is the parent of vice. Regular industry is the parent of sobriety.'
Without understanding: please see the note for 1Corinthians C14S2 about the word understand. The functional definition is: 'to support or hold in the mind'. This word occurs 266 times in the Bible and 58 times in the New Testament. Forall that the Bible says about it, it is misunderstood by God's people. Understanding is a type of wisdom and yet there is a type of Godly wisdom which is possible even while not having Godly understanding. Proverbs 3:9 tells us The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. there are several well-known preachers who founded a great work but it did not last long past their death because they failed to establish their work. They had the Godly wisdom that I mentioned without having the Godly understanding. In addition, to problems like these, we have worldly understanding which disputes with Godly understanding. I realize that what I have claimed here could take an entire book to explain, and even then most people would not 'Get It'. Therefore I will not try but will move on.
covenantbreakers: this is the true Biblical definition of adultery. Please see the Word Study on Adultery for more details.
without natural affection: Affection is defined with several things which do not match the Bible usage. The note for Colossians 3:2 does a good job of explaining the Biblical usage of this phrase. (Please see it.) In addition, the note for Colossians 3:5 tells us how to deal with inordinate affection. (Please also see it.) this phrase is talking about what God put into nature, which means it occurs in all people. Thus, these people have destroyed the affection that God gives to all people. The note for 2Tiimothy 3:3 explains why Paul tells the preacher and church from such turn away. We find affection is used in : 1Chronicles 29:3; this verse; 2Corinthians 7:15; Colossians 3:2; Colossians 3:5 and 2Tiimothy 3:3. Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words. Please also see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where the word natural is used. Please see the note for C4-S16 for links to every place that the Bible uses the words affect or effect along with the definitions from Webster's 1828 and an explanation of the difference between these two words. The functional definition for the word affect is: 'Cause a change'.
implacable: 'from place, to applease. 1. Not to be appleased; that can not be pacified and rendered peaceable; inexorable; stubborn or constant in enmity; as an implacable prince. 2. Not to be appleased or subdued; as implacable anger; implacable enmity, malice or revenge'. This word is used only in this verse. The commentary from Barnes is probably the best I found. It says 'This word properly denotes those who will not be reconciled where there is a quarrel; or who pursue the offender with unyielding revenge. It denotes an unforgiving temper; and was doubtless common among the ancients, as it is among all heathen people. the aborigines of this country have given the most striking manifestation of this that the world has known. It is well-known that, among them, neither time nor distance will obliterate the memory of an offence; and that the avenger will pursue the offender over hills and streams, and through heat or snow, happy if he may at last, though at the expiration of years, bury the tomahawk in the head of his victim, though it may be at the expense of his own life. See Robertson's America, book iv.lxxiii--xxxi'.
unmerciful: '1. Not merciful; cruel; inhuman to such beings as are in one's power; not disposed to spare or forgive. 2. Unconscionable; exorbitant; as unmerciful demands'. This word only occurs here but forms of mercy can be found 361 times in the Bible. Mercy is one of the main attributes of God and one He wants His children to display. These people are refusing to honor their covenant of salvation.

The notes and references for most of the words within this sentence are above. Below are notes for words which were not covered earlier.

Please see the note for 2Timothy C3S4 about the word reprobate. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'that which is rejected on account of its own worthlessness (Jer 6:30; Heb 6:8; Gr. adokimos, "rejected"). this word is also used with reference to persons cast away or rejected because they have failed to make use of opportunities offered them (1Co 9:27; 2Co 13:5-7)'.

Please see the notes for Romans C11-S37; Romans C12-S2 and 2Corinthians C1S9 about the word mind. The functional definition is: 'Mind signifies properly intention, a reaching or inclining forward to an object, from the primary sense of extending, stretching or inclining, or advancing eagerly, pushing or setting forward, whence the Greek sense of the word includes intention; purpose; design'. Please also see the notes for Romans 11:20; 1Timothy 6:17 and 2Timothy 3:4 about not being highminded. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:5-8 for links to every place in the Bible where we find the words mind and Jesus used together. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 2:16 about the mind of Christ.

Please see the note for Philemon 1:8 about the word convenient. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Fit; suitable; proper; adapted to use or to wants; commodious; followed by to or for; usually by for. Some arts are peculiarly convenient to particular nations. Feed me with food convenient for me. Proverbs 30'.

Please see the note for Romans C15S11 about the word fill. The functional definition is: 'to press; to crowd; to stuff'.

Please see the notes for Romans C2S2 and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word judgment. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S16 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; 1Corinthians 1:10 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the word judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C4S5 about the phrase we are to judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the note for Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase judgment by us. Please also see the Section called: 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' in the Doctrinal Study called: Significant Gospel Events.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word commit. The functional definition is: ' to give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust'.

Please see the note for Luke 8:14 about the word pleasure. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'PLEASURE, n. plezh'ur. 1. the gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish or happiness produced by enjoyment or the expectation of good; opposed to pain. We receive pleasure from the indulgence of appetite; from the view of a beautiful landscape; from the harmony of sounds; from agreeable society; from the expectation of seeing an absent friend; from the prospect of gain or success of any kind. Pleasure, bodily and mental, carnal and spiritual, constitutes the whole of positive happiness, as pain constitutes the whole of misery. Pleasure is properly positive excitement of the passions or the mind; but we give the name also to the absence of excitement, when that excitement is painful; as when we cease to labor, or repose after fatigue, or when the mind is tranquilized after anxiety or agitation. Pleasure is susceptible of increase to any degree; but the word when unqualified, expresses less excitement or happiness than delight or joy. 2. Sensual or sexual gratification. 3. Approbation. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people. Ps. 147. and 149. 4. What the will dictates or prefers; will; choice; purpose; intention; command; as, use your pleasure. Cyrus, he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure. Is.44. My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Is.46. 5. A favor; that which Please s. Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul. Acts.25. 6. Arbitrary will or choice. He can vary his scheme at pleasure.' please also see the notes for 2Timothy 2:4 and Galatians 1:10-LJC about the word please. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C10S2 about the phrase well pleased.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'as they did. Ro 1:18,21; Job 21:14-15; Pr 1:7,22,29; 5:12-13; 17:16; Jer 4:22; 9:6; Ho 4:6; Ac 17:23,32; Ro 8:7-8; 1Co 15:34; 2Co 4:4-6; 10:5; 2Th 1:8; 2:10-12; 2Pe 3:5 retain. or, acknowledge. a reprobate mind. or, a mind void of judgment. Jer 6:30; 2Co 13:5-7; 2Ti 3:8; Tit 1:16 not convenient. Eph 5:4; Phm 1:8 General references. exp: Ex 7:13; Isa 40:21; Mt 24:39; Joh 1:5.
filled. Ro 3:10 whisperers. Ps 41:7; Pr 16:28; 26:20; 2Co 12:20Backbiters. Pr 25:23 haters. Ro 8:7-8; Nu 10:35; De 7:10; 2Ch 19:2; Ps 81:15; Pr 8:36; Joh 7:7; 15:23-24; Tit 3:3 boasters. Ro 2:17,23; 3:27; 1Ki 20:11; 2Ch 25:19; Ps 10:3; 49:6; 52:1; 94:4; 97:7; Ac 5:36; 2Co 10:15; 2Th 2:4; Jas 3:5; 4:16; 2Pe 2:18; Jude 1:16 exp: 2Ti 3:2. inventors. Ps 99:8; 106:39; Ec 7:29 disobedient. De 21:18-21; 27:16; Pr 30:17; Eze 22:7; Mt 16:21; 15:4; Lu 21:16; 2Ti 3:2 exp: 1Ti 1:9. General references. exp: Pr 24:8.
Without understanding. Ro 1:20-21; 3:11; Pr 18:2; Isa 27:11; Jer 4:22; Mt 15:16 covenant-breakers. 2Ki 18:14-37; Isa 33:8; 2Ti 3:3 without natural affection. or, unsociable. General references. exp: Ge 45:14.
knowing. Ro 1:18,21; 2:1-5,21-23 worthy. Ro 6:21 have pleasure in them. or, consent with them. Ps 50:18; Ho 7:3; Mr 14:10-11 General references. exp: Ho 7:3; Jas 4:17.'.

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Romans Chapter 2 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

Return to the Chapter Overviews in Romans with this link.

links to sentences in this chapter:

C2-S1 (Verse 1), C2-S2 (Verse 2), C2-S3 (Verse 3), C2-S4 (Verse 4), C2-S5 (Verse 5-11), C2-S6 (Verse 12-16), C2-S7 (Verse 17-20), C2-S8 (Verse 21), C2-S9 (Verse 21), C2-S10 (Verse 22), C2-S11 (Verse 22), C2-S12 (Verse 23), C2-S13 (Verse 24), C2-S14 (Verse 25), C2-S15 (Verse 26), C2-S16 (Verse 27), C2-S17 (Verse 28-29)'.

Our chapter theme is: 'Don't be a Hypocrite'.

Paul starts his second chapter with Therefore thou art inexcusable, of man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

The Therefore tells us that Chapter 2 is based upon Chapter 1. (Please see the explanation of connecting words at the start of this Study.) Paul then goes on to explain how God...will render to every man according to his deeds and no excuse from religion will get someone an exemption from God's just judgment that applies to all men the same way. Paul asks one of his many questions when he writes Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? (Please follow This link to all of the Questions that Paul asks in this epistle.) Being a religious leader and teacher does not exempt us from the consequence of sin but increases those consequences. Paul concludes this chapter with a statement that a true relationship with God is not in the flesh but is of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.

The conclusion of our chapter is: For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Romans 2:13). The religious man who claims to know the will and the word of God while doing sin will be judged just like the sinner who doesn't claim to know the will and the word of God. For there is no respect of persons with God (Romans 2:11).

The most used non-prepositional word in this chapter is Law with 21 occurrences. The second most used non-prepositional word in this chapter is God with 11 occurrences. The third most used non-prepositional word in this chapter is man with 7 occurrences. Then comes circumcision with 6 occurrences. This chapter teaches us about how God deals with man through His Law.

2:1 says, that we are inexcusable, of man, whosoever thou art that judgest based upon what was said in chapter 1. When we judge another person, we prove that we know that what they did was wrong. Then, when we do the same thing, we do it deliberately where the other person might be able to claim ignorance. That does not make their sin wrong, just less offensive than the deliberate sin..
2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. Some religions claim that God will weigh our ‘good deeds’ against our ‘bad deeds’ using the religious claims of what is 'good' or 'bad'. However, our sentence says that God will measure our deeds against “truth” and “truth” is defined by “the word of God”.
2:3 says, 'Hello!! Is the brain connected?' If you condemn based upon God's judgment and then do what you condemn, you prove that you are deliberately sinning and flagrantly daring God to judge you! No one will escape the judgment of God.
2:4 says, Are you despising God's goodness and forbearance which is supposed to lead to repentance? Our refusal to truly Biblically “repent” proves that we despise (hold at low esteem) the "goodness and forbearance" of God.
2:5-11 is a single sentence which says that God will render to every man according to his deeds, regardless of any relationship claimed because there is no respect of persons with God. We will reap good things only if we do good things and if we sow sin, we will reap Tribulation and anguish, even if we are saved and going to the Judgment Seat of Christ (Please see the notes for Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10-11). An important truth that many people miss is that God deals with us on a personal level through His roles as “Jesus” and Christ. However, God ignores personal considerations when he deals with us through His role as “Lord”. And, God uses His role as “Lord” for anything dealing with law, government and judgment. Therefore, even though we have an ongoing personal relationship with God, that relationship will be ignored when we are judged.
2:12-16 is a complex single sentence which contains a separate sentence within the included part. It says that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ under whatever legal system they are under (with or without Mosaic Law). However, regardless of the Law used for judgment, those liars who are hearers of the law and not doers of the law will be condemned while the doers of the law shall be justified. Paul also includes the evidence that God will judge this way. . Our sentence also tells us that God put a conscience in everyone to let them know what is right and wrong. Therefore, no person can claim that God never let them know about future judgment..
2:17-20 is a single sentence which says that the Jews made their boast of God and considered themselves to be an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes. .
2:21-24 is a series of questions which show how ridiculous it is for the Jews to do the very sins that they condemn in Gentiles. (Please follow this link to all of the Questions that Paul asks in this epistle.) this series is concluded with: "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written." they claim to be the best representatives of God and, yet, lead a life of sin. This causes others to conclude that God approves of their sin and God is blamed (the name of God is blasphemed) for their sin.
2:25 says, that circumcision verily profiteth but only for those that keep the Law but those that break the Law are treated line they were of the uncircumcision. In our epistle and especially in this chapter, the word "circumcision" is used symbolically for keeping religious rules. And, the phrase "the law" is used for the commandments of God. Therefore, our sentence tells us that keeping religious rules " profiteth", but only if doing so also keeps God’s commandments.
2:26 says, that those of the uncircumcision who keep the Law are treated as if they were the circumcision. That is: people who are not part of your religion and don’t keep your religious rules, but who do obey God’s commandments, are judged by God as being righteous (his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision).
2:27 says, those of the uncircumcision who keep the Law will judge those of the circumcision who do not keep the Law. We are warned that we are judged by the truly righteous when we brag about our religious rules while living a life of sin.
2:28-29 is a single sentence which says being a Jew and of the circumcision is judged by the heart and obedience and not by what is outward in the flesh.

One outline for this chapter (from Treasure of Scripture Knowledge) is:

2:1-5: No excuse for sin..
2:6-13: No escape from judgment.
2:14-16: Gentiles cannot.
2:17-29: nor Jews.

C2-S1 (Verse 1) We are inexcusable, of man, whosoever thou art that judgest based upon what was said in chapter 1.

Equivalent Section: Results of wrong judgment.

Therefore thou art inexcusable,
O man,
whosoever thou art that judgest:.

Equivalent Section: Actions of wrong judgment.

First Step: Judge another person.

for wherein thou judgest another,
thou condemnest thyself;.

Second Step: Do the same thing.

for thou that judgest doest the same things..

This sentence starts with Therefore, which means it is a direct result of the prior sentence and chapter. The prior chapter is foundational to all of Romans and made the distinction between the sinner and the saved person whose life reflects the character and influence of God. In the last sentence we read about the attitudes and actions of people who did not like to retain God in their knowledge. The sentence concluded with Who knowing the judgment of God...not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Now in this sentence we read where Paul says to the religious man for thou that judgest doest the same things. It should be obvious that there is some disconnect here. The disconnect is that the religious man thinks that his religion makes him righteous and removes any condemnation of sin. However, when we looked at the details of the prior sentence we saw many sins listed that people do even after they claim to be saved. Thus, we eliminate the claim that being religious prevents someone from doing the sin. Further, Paul's argument in this chapter, which is based upon this opening sentence, proves the same thing in much more detail and scriptural basis. In addition, the Bible tells us (essentially) the same thing in other places such as the direct commandment of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5 and Luke 6:37 (judge not Judge not, that ye be not judged forwith what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.) that is: we will be treated like we treat others. Other Biblical verses include 2Samuel 12:5-7 (David's judgment of his own sin); Psalms 50:16-20 (God's judgment of the wicked); Matthew 23:29-31 (Jesus judgment of scribes and Pharisees); Luke 19:22 (Jesus judgment of saved man who did nothing to serve God); John 8:7-9 (Jesus protecting woman caught in adultery); James 4:11 (do the law, don't judge the law).

Once the religious man is forced to admit that religion does not keep us from doing the actions of sin, they next claim that their actions don't matter because God removes the consequence of sin. Paul gets further into that argument in chapter 6 but what we find right here in this sentence is that another person has a consequence of sin in that the religious person judged them. There may be varying degrees of consequence attached to being judged, but there is not 'no consequence' or the person doing the judging would not bother with it. Since there is some level of consequence, and there is no way to know if the person being judged is religious or not, there remains the possible consequence to a religious person of being judged by another person for their sin. Therefore, religion does not remove all of the consequences of sin and, as Paul shows throughout the remainder of this epistle, religion does not remove any consequence of sin.

So now we have the religious person who can do the sins of the prior sentence and suffer the consequences of doing those sins trying to claim that there are no consequences due to their religion. All that they succeed in doing is proving that they are a liar. If anyone takes a serious look at the sins mentioned in the prior sentence they would have to conclude that just about everyone who claims to be religious has experienced doing at least one of those sins after they claimed to be religious. Therefore, we can see the basis for Paul's claim in his last phrase which says thou that judgest doest the same things. Since this phrase starts with for, it provides the basis which supports the rest of this sentence. That is: since all religious people are guilty of the last phrase, they are guilty of the whole sentence any time that they meet the condition of thou judgest another.

The thou is 'you personally' and the experience of consequences for personal sin is personal. Therefore, they can not deny knowledge that came because of personal experience. If the person did not judgest another, then they might have been able to claim that they did not know that the thing was sin. However, judging proves knowledge of the sin and of the consequence for the sin. Having proven such knowledge, anyone who then does the same sin is undeniably doing the sin with foreknowledge. Thus, we see Paul's opening phrase of thou art inexcusable.

Please see the note for Romans intro about the word therefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the therefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the therefore and only seen there'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:19 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word excuse. The functional definition of the word excuse is: 'To pardon; to free from the imputation of fault or blame; to acquit of guilt'. Since our sentence actually uses the word inexcusable, the functional definition of it is: 'There is no way possible to receive a pardon'. This sentence is the only place in the word of God where We find this word.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also see the notes for Romans C2S2 and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word judgment. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S16 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; 1Corinthians 1:10 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the word judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C4S5 about the phrase we are to judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the note for Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase judgment by us. Please also see the Section called: 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' in the Doctrinal Study called: Significant Gospel Events.

Please also see the note for 8:1 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about condemn. Every place in this epistle where some form of the word condemn is used, it is God's people who are condemned. As pointed out in that note, condemn is a legal action which is separate from enforcing the consequence of the condemnation. in this sentence we see that God's people condemn themselves by doing the thing that they prove they know is wrong. They prove this by condemning others. However, later in this epistle we are told how to get right with God before He has to bring the consequence upon us. Every place in this epistle where some form of the word condemn is used, it is God's people who are condemned. The functional definition is: 'the judicial act of declaring one guilty, and dooming him to punishment'. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase condemnation of fools.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Therefore. Ro 1:18-20 O man. Ro 2:3; 9:20; 1Co 7:16; Jas 2:20 whosoever. Ro 2:26-27; 2Sa 12:5-7; Ps 50:16-20; Mt 7:1-5; 23:29-31; Lu 6:37; 19:22; Joh 8:7-9; Jas 4:11 for thou that. Ro 2:3,21-23 General references. exp: Mt 7:1; Lu 10:14.'.

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C2-S2 (Verse 2) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

This sentence starts with But, which means it has the same subject as the prior sentence while going in a different direction. The subject of the prior sentence was judgest and the subject of this sentence is judgment. Thus, we see that the subject of both sentences is the same. However, where the prior sentence talked about the religious person judging, the one doing the judging in this sentence is God. Further, we see that the basis (is according to) of judgment in this sentence is truth. (Please see the note for This sentence in the Word Study on Truth.) However, the basis of judgment in the prior sentence was the religious rules that the religious man personally held to at the time of his judgment. One thing that we all know is that the religious beliefs of people change over time. However, God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) and, as pointed out in the Word Study on Truth, God's truth does not change because it is based upon the personal character of a never-changing God.

in this sentence and the prior sentence the person being judged is them which commit such things (the sins of the last couple of sentences in chapter 1). However, the consequence of the judgment is different for each sentence because the person doing the judgment, and their power to enforce their judgment, is totally different. In the remainder of this chapter Paul explains that no one, including the religious person, has an excuse that lets them deliberately sin and avoid the consequences of judgment by God. Since this truth is so absolute, Paul starts his sentence with we are sure.

Within this epistle we find forms of judgment in 1:28-32; 2:1, 2, 3, 5, 12, 16, 27; 3:4, 6, 7, 20; 5:16, 18, 11:33; 14:3, 4, 10, 13. Further, we see indirect references to judgment in 1:9; 2:15, 23, 26; 3:8, 19; 8:16, 23; 9:1; 13:9. In addition, the note for 3:6 for references outside of this epistle where the Bible talks about judging. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:9-11 about the word judgment. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S16 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; 1Corinthians 1:10 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the word judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C4S5 about the phrase we are to judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the note for Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase judgment by us. Please also see the Section called: 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' in the Doctrinal Study called: Significant Gospel Events.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word commit. The functional definition is: ' to give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'judgment. Ro 2:5; 3:4-5; 9:14; Ge 18:25; Job 34:17-19,23; Ps 9:4,7-8; 11:5-7; 36:5-6; 96:13; 98:9; 145:17; Isa 45:19,21; Jer 12:1; Eze 18:25,29; Da 4:37; Zep 3:5; Ac 17:31; 2Th 1:5-10; Re 15:3-4; 16:5; 19:2 exp: Isa 28:17; Joh 16:11. General references. exp: Mt 7:1.'.

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C2-S3 (Verse 3) Additional consideration of judging.

And thinkest thou this,
O man,
that judgest them which do such things,
and doest the same,
that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?.

My comment in the Overview, for this sentence is: 'Hello!! Is the brain connected? ' If you condemn based upon God's judgment and then do what you condemn, you prove that you are deliberately sinning and flagrantly daring God to judge you!

Please note that the st of the word thinkest means that this person 'keeps on keeping on thinking this thing' and does it in spite of opposing evidence. The saying goes 'There are no so deaf as those who will not hear and non so blind as those who will not see'. Jesus dealt with people who closed their mind several times in the Gospels an one of the simplest ways to find those incidents is to search for the phrase hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:43; Mark 4:9; Mark 4:23; Mark 7:16; Luke 8:8; Luke 14:35; Revelation 2:7 Revelation 2:11 Revelation 2:17 Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6; Revelation 3:13; Revelation 3:22; Revelation 13:9). Please notice how many references are also in Revelation, which means that the problem has not gone away and will not go away.

Pretty much all of the people with this problem are people who are religious, like our chapter is dealing with. They have been taught a religious 'truth' that is actually doctrinal error. Most people do not know how to verify their religious 'truth' against what the Bible actually says and even less are motivated to find out how to do so. That is being lazy and such people will reap the results of being a Biblical fool.

Hopefully the reader is aware that the Bible link that is on every page of this site will bring up the 1611-KJV Bible in 4 formats: Verse, Chapter, Sentence and Punctuation. These 4 formats are study aids. They all contain the same text but that text is presented in different formats because the different formats affect how our minds perceive the text presented.

The Verse format is what people are used to and what they expect to see today. However, divisions by Chapter and Verse were added to the Bible (reportedly in the 1400s) and are not part of what God promised to preserve. This format also leads to a lot of the doctrinal error which God's people believe. Please see the papers at the Hermey link for details and evidence of this claim. One simple example of the problems with this division is that the split between Acts 21 and Acts 22 is in the middle of a sentence and God does not make those types of errors. Therefore, this familiar and loved format leads to some of the problems that we currently see in the doctrine of God's people.

The second format is by Chapter. When first written, the books of the Bible had no divisions but were written like a letter or ordinary book were written. While dividing by chapters still adds some divisions, it presents the Bible in a format similar to how it was originally written while still giving a way for readers to deal with it in parts which our mind can handle easier than handling the non-divided format. The main advantage of the Chapter format is that it makes it easier to get an overview. We all have heard the saying 'Can't see the forest for the trees' when someone is overwhelmed by details. The other formats make it so easy to pick up details that getting an overview can become difficult and there are times that we need to see the continuity that God put into His word. That continuity is where the comment on this sentence came from. If we read all that Paul has said in this epistle from the beginning, as it would have been written, we see a flow where Paul is presenting one thing after another to show the wrong thinking of religious people who believe their position allows them to sin. With an overview the question arises as to how much evidence do these people need? However, it also reveals God's longsuffering in that God will provide as much as any of us need so long as we are honestly trying to understand His message.

While the Chapter format provides an overview, the Sentence and Punctuation formats provide more details. Sometimes we do need to look at the trees within a forest and sometimes we need to look at what is happening within a tree. As explained on the Hermey page, God tells us to study His Word in sentences. In addition, God said that He would preserve every word and every jot and title (punctuation) of His Word. All throughout this site is evidence of the definition of words and the use of punctuation making a difference in doctrine. That is why these Book Studies use the Punctuation format to deal with details of what is said. The difference between the Punctuation format found at the Bible link and what is found in these Book Studies is that a computer program was written to generate the Punctuation format and I personally updated the comments for each sentence found within these Book Studies. (Compare the sentence divisions found in this Study to what is found in the Punctuation format to see what I am writing about.)

Having dealt with that side note, I will now return to the sentence at hand.

The most important thing to notice in our sentence is the face that the action verbs, which tell what the subject person is doing, are all lifestyle action verbs. Please note that the st of the word thinkest means that this person 'keeps on keeping on thinking this thing'. Now notice the th of the words judgest and doest which means that this person 'keeps on keeping on doing these action verbs'. Now notice that this person is comparing his lifestyle action to the one-time action of someone else. We see the action of the other person in the phrase them which do such things and the word do is a one-time action which Paul deliberately contrasts with the doest that is also within our sentence.

With this understanding of the differences in mind-sets and of the actions done by the two different people whom our sentence is dealing with, we can now consider how our sentence fits within the context.

This sentence starts with the word And, which links it to the prior sentences. Hopefully the reader is already seeing evidence to support my contention that this epistle is written one sentence upon another and one chapter upon another and that when this structure and continuity is ignored doctrinal error results. In the first sentence of this chapter Paul started out with Therefore thou art inexcusable and the prior sentence was started by the connecting word of But. The Therefore which started the first sentence and the But which started the prior sentence and the And which starts this sentence all make these sentences a conclusion of what was said in chapter 1 and, in particular, what was said in the last two sentences of chapter 1. There we saw sins listed that the honest person must admit are done by religious people sometimes. That's why Paul said they personally (thou) are inexcusable if they claim to have never done any of these sins. Now Paul is dealing with the thought that religion removes the consequence of sin.

Paul gets into more detail further in this chapter, such as in 2 sentences where he says For there is no respect of persons with God. However, here he is dealing in a more general way and trying to make us see that any thought along these lines is ridiculous and the result of sinful thinking. Original Sin (Genesis 3) was when man believed the lie of the devil that we could be as gods if they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As a result of Original Sin, the religious person thinks that God has to accept their thoughts as greater than what He wrote. God's response was to bring death upon all men. No religious person can honestly claim that he is more righteous than Adam was and those who do make that claim only prove that they are fools who don't think correctly.

Since Adam didn't escape judgment, our religion won't let us escape judgment. Since Paul has already shown that we are all guilty of at least some of the sins listed, and since the judgment by the religious person shows that they know that these sins are wrong and deserves punishment, and since their own judgment shows that they know judgment is given to them which do such things and religious position doesn't matter, and since Adam was punished and all people since Adam die, only a fool could believe that thou shalt escape the judgment of God. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

This sentence refers us back to Paul's last sentence of chapter 1 (1:28-32) where he told us Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death. Not only do we have that sentence but we have other places in the Bible which teach the same thing. In 2Samuel 10 we have the story of king David trying to comfort the new king of Ammon on his father's death because the old king had been kind to David. Upon the advice of his men, the new king insulted the messengers from David and brought war upon his people. In Job 35 Elihu rebuked Job and ended up needing Job to pray for God to forgive Elihu. In Psalms 50 God rebukes the wicked amongst His people who live lives of sin while praising God. God promises judgment unless they repent. In Psalms 56 David prays for God to bring judgment upon wicked people who believe that they will not be judged by God. In Proverbs 11:21 we are told that the wicked shall not be unpunished even though they do the same acts as the saved. Salvation is based upon a relationship, not upon our acts. (Our acts bring reward or punishment, not salvation.) In Proverbs 16:5 we read the same thing about Every one that is proud in heart. In Ezekiel 17:11-21 we read of God's judgment upon the last king of Judah for making a covenant with the king of Babylon and then breaking that covenant and, thereby, bringing judgment upon God's people. In Matthew 23:27-36 Jesus proclaims the judgment upon the scribes and Pharisees because they were hypocrites. In Matthew 26:51 Jesus rebuked Peter for cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest. We are to wait for God to being judgment and not do it ourselves. In 1Thessalonians 5:1-3 we read about the future judgment upon people who reject the rule of the Lord. In Hebrews 2:3 we read How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation... All through the Bible we read where God expects His children to live lives which show God's true character. In Hebrews 12:22-26 we are warned See that ye refuse not him that speaketh (Jesus the mediator of the new covenant). Thus, we see that what is said here matches many other places in the Bible.

Please see the note for Philippians 3:4-6 about the word think. The functional definition is: 'To have the mind occupied on some subject; to have ideas, or to revolve ideas in the mind'.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the note for Matthew 23:33 about the word escape. The functional definition for this word is: 'To flee fRomans avoid; to get out of the way; to shun; to obtain security from; to pass without harm; as, to escape danger'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'thinkest. 2Sa 10:3; Job 35:2; Ps 50:21; Mt 26:53 O man. Ro 2:1; Da 10:19; Lu 12:14; 22:58,60 that thou shalt. Ro 1:32; Ps 56:7; Pr 11:21; 16:5; Eze 17:15,18; Mt 23:33; 1Th 5:3; Heb 2:3; 12:25'.

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C2-S4 (Verse 4) Are you despising God's goodness and forbearance which is supposed to lead to repentance?

First Step: Show the fool what he is doing.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering;.

Second Step: Give him an 'out'.

not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?.

This sentence starts with Or, which means it is offering an alternative explanation to the explanation offered in the prior sentence. That is, it offers another possible way that the religious man can prove that he is being foolish. All of these sentences in chapter 2 are connected since they all start with connecting words. All of these sentences are part of Paul's explanation for starting the chapter with Therefore thou art inexcusable. The Therefore makes all of these sentences a direct result of the prior chapter, especially the last 2 sentences where Paul showed that even the religious man is guilty of some of the sins listed at some times in his life after becoming religious. Paul has eliminated one excuse after another and left the religious man with the possibility of admitting that he personally (thou) despisest...the riches of his (God's) goodness and forbearance and longsuffering. That is an extremely dangerous thing to do and the religious person should know how dangerous such an act would be. Paul is not trying to be mean but he is trying to make these religious fools see how foolish they are being so that they will turn from foolishness to wisdom. Paul does leave them an 'out' in the Second Step of this question and that is where he is trying to lead these people so that he can help them. You can't help someone until they acknowledge their need for help. That is what Paul has been trying to do to the religious fool.

There are 114 verses in the Bible and 26 verses in the New Testament which use forms of despise the first use is when Hagar despised Sarah and was sent out into the desert to die. In the New Testament, significant uses of despise include Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 where Jesus tld us No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Another is in Luke 10:16 and 1Thessalonians 4:8 which tell us He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. We also have Luke 18:9 which deals with the people like those that Paul is talking to in this chapter and says And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. We also see this warning against our having the same attitude applied to us in Romans 14:3. Hebrews 10:28 says, He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: while Hebrews 12:5 warns us ...My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:. Finally, Jude 1:8 speaks about people who are equated to those in Sodom and Gomorrah and says Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.. Thus, we can see the results of this attitude and action. The reason why can be seen in the definition from Webster's 1828, which is '1. to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. 1. Else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Matt. 6. 2. to abhor.'

Treating God this way is bad enough, but Paul points out that this sin would be after receiving the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering. The word forbearance means that when we were ignorant of our sin God did not hit us upside the head and make us aware of our sin but put up with it like the mother of an infant puts up with the mess made by her baby. In addition, the word longsuffering means that when we became aware of our sin, but could not stop it, God still did not punish us. In addition, to pointing out how God reacted, Paul makes sure that the person knows that they are doing this personally (not just part of a religious group) by using thou. Even though we are personally mistreating God, He still puts up with it because God is good. This is one of the basic characteristics of God and the Bible makes it clear that the only things which are good are things which come from God. Sinful men, of course, consider themselves to be good even when they are not acting like God. This is one of God's traits that we are to display in our currently life. Thus, we see that God may be putting off our just punishment, but that does not mean it will not come eventually, especially if we continue in our sin.

God gives us His goodness until it becomes obvious that we will not respond. God sends us messengers and, if we do not respond, then He starts giving us light punishments to get our attention. If we do not respond then God does one of two different things. Hebrews 12:7-8 says, If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. If our spiritual Mommy is the church and our true spiritual Daddy is the Devil then God leaves us alone in our sin and may even harden our heart so that we never truly repent and get saved. Even those who are not hardened by God have a harder time repenting each time they refuse to repent. However, if our spiritual Mommy is the church and our true spiritual Daddy is God then He is going to increase the consequences of our sin until we either truly repent or we do the sin unto death (Acts 5; Romans 5:12-22; 6:16; 6:23; 8:2; 15:56; James 1:5; 1John 5:16; 1John 5:17).

Anyone who could read all of this and then act like the people that Paul is describing must have shut off their brain and are going through life as a fool. God lets fools continue into Hell but saves those people who wake up and truly repent, as Paul's last phrase suggests that the religious person do. That is: they should get to know...the goodness of God. In the Bible, knowledge is personal and intimate and is the result of experience. (First use is Genesis 3:7, which says And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.) All through these verses we have seen Paul use personal words like thou and know because the religious person believes that his non-personal religious acts will get him what God only gives through a personal relationship. And that leads us to the difference between true Biblical repentance and the religious perversion of it.

This site has dealt with repentance before. Religion defines it as 'turn 180 degrees'. However, true Biblical repentance is always turning to God (2Peter 3:9). When we 'turn 180 degrees' we change our actions to be the opposite of what they used to be so that men can see a change in our actions. The relationship between men is horizontal while the relationship with God is vertical. True Biblical repentance is turning 90 degrees upward from our horizontal view. A person can truly Biblically repent and there be no change that is seen in their outward actions. This happens when we stop doing an action because some religion demands it, such as going to church, and start doing it as part of a personal relationship with God. True Biblical repentance is what Paul has been leading the religious person to.

We dealt with the word despise earlier in this note. Our sentence says that this person personally (thou) despisest ('keeps on keeping on despising') God and God's character traits. This is a lifestyle type of sin.

Please see the notes for Romans 11:33 and Colossians C1S6 for links to every place in the New Testament where the word riches is used along with the full definition from Webster's 1828. The functional definition is: 'Wealth; opulence; affluence; possessions of land, good or money in abundance'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S2 about the word enriched.

Please also see the note for Romans 11:22 for links to every place in the New Testament where the word goodness is used and see the note for Romans 7:12 for links to every place in Romans where the word good is used. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 5:10 about the word good. The functional definition is: 'what comes from God'. Please also see the note for Mark 2:28-LJC about the phrase Good Friday.

Please see the note for Romans 3:21-26 which is the only other place in Romans which uses the word forbearance. Please see the note for Romans 15:1 which has links to sentences within Romans which have a form of the word bear (verb) along with a working definition of the word. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:11 about the word forbearing. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines Forbearing as: 'ppr. 1. Ceasing; pausing; withholding from action; exercising patience and indulgence. 2. a. Patient; long suffering.
FORBEARING, n. A ceasing or restraining from action; patience; long suffering'. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines forbearance as: '1. the act of avoiding, shunning or omitting; either the cessation or intermission of an act commenced, or a withholding from beginning an act. Liberty is the power of doing or forbearing an action, according as the doing or forbearance has a preference in the mind. the forbearance of sin is followed with satisfaction of mind. 2. Command of temper; restraint of passions. 3. the exercise of patience; long suffering; indulgence towards those who injure us; lenity; delay of resentment or punishment'.

Please also see the note for Romans 8:18 which has the definition of suffer and explains that we are to suffer with him (Christ). We also see this in Paul's use of longsuffering. We find this word used in 17 verses including this one and Romans 9:22. (Please see the note for Romans 9:22 which has links to every verse which uses longsuffering along with a short note on each verse.) Further, Galatians 5:22 tells us that this is a fruit of the Spirit. Most of the other verses tell us that God is longsuffering or tell the saved to be longsuffering. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines longsuffering as: 'Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked. The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness. Ex. 34'.

Please see the note for Mark 13:11 about the word lead (verb). The functional definition for this word is: 'To guide by the hand; to guide or conduct by showing the way; to direct'.

Please see the note for Romans 11:29 for links to every place in the Bible where the word repentance is used. The functional definition is: 'A turning away from the attitudes and actions of sin and turning towards God and accepting His attitudes and actions about sin'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'despisest. Ro 6:1,15; Ps 10:11; Ec 8:11; Jer 7:10; Eze 12:22-23; Mt 24:48-49; 2Pe 3:3 riches. Ro 9:23; 10:12; 11:33; Ps 86:5; 104:24; Eph 1:7,18; 2:4,7; 3:8,16; Php 4:19; Col 1:27; 2:2; 1Ti 6:17; Tit 3:4-6 forbearance. Ro 3:25; 9:22; Ex 34:6; Nu 14:18; Ps 78:38; 86:15; Isa 30:18; 63:7-10; Jon 4:2; 1Ti 1:16; 1Pe 3:20 goodness. Job 33:27-30; Ps 130:3-4; Isa 30:18; Jer 3:12-13,22-23; Eze 16:63; Ho 3:5; Lu 15:17-19; 19:5-8; 2Pe 3:9,15; Re 3:20 exp: Eph 5:9. General references. exp: Jer 34:11; Lu 8:6.'.

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C2-S5 (Verse 5-11) Results of God's judgment of all people.

Equivalent Section: God's judgment of fools who refuse to obey God's truth.

First Step: Warning of judgment.

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;.

Second Step: Basis of judgment given.

Who will render to every man according to his deeds:.

Equivalent Section: God's judgment of people who obey God's truth.

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:.

Equivalent Section: Results of God's judgment.

First Step: Results of God's judgment of disobedient.

But unto them that are contentious,
and do not obey the truth,
but obey unrighteousness,
indignation and wrath,
Tribulation and anguish,
upon every soul of man that doeth evil,
of the Jew first,
and also of the Gentile;.

Second Step: Results of God's judgment of the obedient.

But glory,
honour,
and peace,
to every man that worketh good,
to the Jew first,
and also to the Gentile:.

Equivalent Section: Why: quote of scripture.

For there is no respect of persons with God..

Verse 5-11 is a single sentence which says that God will render to every man according to his deeds, regardless of any relationship claimed because there is no respect of persons with God. We will reap good things only if we do good things and if we sow sin, we will reap Tribulation and anguish, even if we are saved and going to the Judgment Seat of Christ (Please see the notes for Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10-11).

That is the summary of this sentence in the epistle and chapter overview. Hopefully, the following detail examination of this sentence will show the reader the truth of this summary.

in this complex sentence Paul says the same thing twice. He says it two different ways, but says the same message twice. That makes it the basis for doctrine. The message is that God judges fools and disobedient one way and wise obedient people another way because God's rule of judgment is that He will render to every man according to his deeds and there is no respect of persons with God. (We see this same doctrine expressed in Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:17; 16:19; 2Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19; Psalms 82:1-2; Matthew 22:16; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:11, 25; James 2:4, 9; 1Peter 1:17.) (In addition, there are several other verses which support this doctrine listed in the note for Romans 1:12.) Please also see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Events in the New Testament about promises made in the New Testament outside of the Gospels.

The word render is defined as: 'Give all that is owed'. Notice (and the following detail will show this) that God's judgment is not based upon if you are lost or saved. Remember that this sentence starts with But, which attaches it to all of the other sentences in this chapter where Paul removed all claims of righteousness based upon religious position or acts. Further, this chapter is the direct result (Therefore) of the prior chapter and the last two sentences of that chapter where Paul showed us that we each did at least one of the sins listed since the time that we 'got saved' or 'became religious'. Therefore, we need to scrap any thoughts based upon those claims and concentrate on what is actually said in this sentence. Specifically, we need to believe God's word when it says that God will render to every man according to his deeds.

There is one more general thought which we need to keep in mind before delving into the specific of this sentence. in this sentence we read about those people who do not obey the truth. This sentence is in the Book Study on Truth under the point that says 'Truth is something that we do and not just something that we think about.' that point also says 'Men of truth conform their lives to the facts of reality (as presented by God) even when the consequences do not provide the greatest personal comfort or pleasure.' that point has more to say about what is seen throughout the Bible and provides links to almost 100 other verses which teach the same thing about God's truth. With that many places in the Bible teaching the same thing, this is not some unique doctrine of something that Paul made up or something that I am taking out of context with the rest of the Bible. I urge those readers who believe that this sentence does not apply to them because they are saved to prayerfully look at the other places in the Bible which can be found using the links provided.

So, in general this sentence is about judgment with two different results of that judgment and two different examples of each result of judgment but only one rule that judgment is based upon: did the person obey or not. Now, we move onto the details to see how the details of this sentence support these claims about what the sentence says in general.

Our First Equivalent Section has two Steps. The First Step warns of coming judgment and the Second Step specifies the rule used in that judgment. Our First Step starts with But and connects it (and this sentence) to the prior sentences which were talking about judgment. Notice that our first sentence says thou art that judgest thou judgest and thou that judgest. Also, our second and third sentences say the judgment of God while the third sentence adds in O man, that judgest. Meanwhile, our fourth sentence says leadeth thee to repentance (in order to avoid the consequence of judgment). Now in this sentence we read the righteous judgment of God along with several other words which tell of the results of judgment. Therefore, it should be easy to see that all of this is talking about judgment. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Given that this sentence is talking about the righteous judgment of God, the fact that it uses thy and thyself as the subject of the righteous judgment of God, means that this is very personal. I will not be judged for your deeds and you will not be judged for mine. The results of the righteous judgment of God, in this First Step, is wrath. The reason that wrath is the result is because of hardness and impenitent heart. But notice the time frame involved. This is not a one-time event in a life but something that someone treasurest up (Psalms 90:11; Nahum 1:6; Luke 12:45-47; Romans 1:18; Romans 6:17; 9:22; 10:16; 15:18; Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 10:27; 1Peter 1:17). They hid it and protected it over their life like it was some treasure and they did it against the day of...revelation of the righteous judgment of God. They did it because the wrath did not come upon them immediately and they were foolish enough to personally (thou) despise the forbearance and longsuffering of God. That is: they believed that since wrath did not come immediately that it would never come. Thus, over a lifetime we reveal our heart and God eliminates the excuse that 'It was only a one-time mistake!'

So, our First Step shows that the deeds that will be judged are those done over a lifetime which show they true nature of our heart. Liars try to claim that: You can't know their true heart' and that their deeds don't reveal their heart or that their deeds don't matter because God judges their heart or some similar error. However, our Second Step clearly says that God will render to every man according to his deeds. Add this Second Step to the First Step and we see that deeds done over a lifetime do reveal the heart and that by judging these deeds God is, in fact, judging the heart and He is using the visible evidence to do so. Therefore, we need to look at our own deeds done over our life if we want to truly know our own heart. Yes, Jeremiah 17:9 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?. However, that is because most people examine how their heart feels, which is the wrong way to examine it. Instead, as our sentence tells us to do, we need to look at the deeds it motivates us to do over a lifetime. God is the true source of all life and each of these sentences use life to tell us that we need to be more like God.

So, our First Equivalent Step tells us what the righteous judgment of God will render to the person with a hard and impenitent heart. Our Second Equivalent Step also tells us what the righteous judgment of God will render, but notice that these people are described as them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life (1Samuel 2:30; Psalms 15:2; 29:11; 37:37; 112:6-9; Proverbs 3:13; 4:7-9; 9:18; 11:18; John 12:26; Romans 5:1; 9:21-23; 14:17; 15:13; James 2:22; 3:13; 1Peter 1:7; 5:4). First, notice that these people are not making the hyper-spiritual claim that 'they are only motivated by their love of God'. This phrase specifically says that they seek and that they do it by patient continuance in well doing. Thus, we see that judgment is based upon a lifetime of deeds, just like the judgment of the First Equivalent Section. When we seek something it takes time and effort and when we get upset in any way we might not be feeling a whole lot of 'love' for the people involved (including God) but we keep at it. Thus, the evidence of these people's lives is that they by patient continuance in well doing seek even when they don't 'feel their love of God'.

Moving on we see that what they seek is for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. As explained in many other places on this site, we will receive glory and honour in eternity in direct proportion to the amount of glory and honour that our live gives to God while we are alive. In addition, this sentence does not say that they seek to 'show their love for God' but it says that what they seek is for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. Those are two totally different motivations. When we seek to give God glory and honour, we can often disappear from notice. However, when we seek to 'show our love for God' we remain in the spotlight. Thus, as mentioned earlier, the people talked about in this Equivalent Section are not those people who 'are only motivated by their love of God'.

Notice that our Second Equivalent Section says that these people seek immortality, eternal life in addition to glory and honour. As mentioned, they seek by patient continuance in well doing. These people are not resting upon a 'one-time profession' type of salvation but are actively involved in a salvation which is truly an ongoing lifelong personal relationship.

OK. We have seen two different Equivalent Sections and two different results of the righteous judgment of God because the deeds done over a lifetime by each group were different. Notice that nothing was said about their being saved or lost. God promises to cure us when we add to His word. So while a lot of religious people will be motivated to add that into this judgment, they are strongly advised against doing so. Such action, after being warned that it brings a curse from God, would reveal a personal hard and impenitent heart within someone who considers themselves to be saved.

Our third Equivalent Section is the largest in this sentence and encompasses the things said in the first two Equivalent Sections. They are joined in a single Equivalent Section to show that they are singular, even if they produce two different results. In deed, both results are in this single Equivalent Section.

Notice that both Steps in this Equivalent Section say the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. This specific particular distinction was more prevalent in the days of the early church. We still have the same spirit and attitudes, but today we would call them the 'religious' and the 'non-religious' or, even more so, the 'saved' and the 'lost'. 1Peter 4:17 tells us For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?. Thus, we see that the phrase the Jew first, and also of the Gentile can be applied as 'the saved and the lost' because, just like the Jews, the saved should know the Laws of God while the lost, just like the Gentiles, do not.

Within our third Equivalent Section we have two Steps with the First Step dealing with them that are contentious and the Second Step dealing with to every man that worketh good. Either people are standing around arguing or they are busy obeying. Now think about this. Outsiders don't stand around and argue about how some other group of people accomplish whatever they are trying to do. Only people within a group do that. Thus, this division is not between the lost and saved but between two groups of people who claim to be saved. Yes, the same divisions will be applied to the Gentile / 'lost', (as shown by the ending phrase of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile), but this Equivalent Section is dealing with the Jew / 'saved' in the details specifically to show that the righteous judgment of God is not based upon if we are saved or lost.

Within the First Step of the third Equivalent Section we see the people identified as them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness. We also see that they are identified as every soul of man that doeth evil. Thus, we can conclude that being contentious and not obeying the truth or obeying unrighteousness is doing evil according to God's judgment. Further, we see that the Bible says that they receive indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish. Once more I would remind the reader that the context of this Section is that it is said to the religious man who considers himself to be saved.

Our current sentence tells us that obeying unrighteousness is 'Both the source and consequence of things which people consider to be really really bad. The source and / or result can be natural or spiritual or any combination thereof. However, even what seems to be a natural source can actually be caused by a devil, especially when the recipient is a child of God. In all cases the result is deliberately intended and caused, which is what separates evil from the accidental.' (evil).

Moving on to our Second Step of the third Equivalent Section, we see the people identified as every man that worketh good. They are promised But glory, honour, and peace. Notice that this Step starts with But, which means it has the same subject as the First Step while going in a different direction. In addition, we see glory and honour in this Step and also in the Second Equivalent Section. We also see indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish in our First Step while we also see wrath in our First Equivalent Section. We also can match every man that worketh good, in our Second Step to them who by patient continuance in well doing in the Second Equivalent Section. Meanwhile, we can match them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness...every soul of man that doeth evil in our First Step to hardness and impenitent heart in the First Equivalent Section. With all of these matches we can see how this sentence says the same thing twice (but two different ways), which is the basis for doctrine that is to be believed and obeyed by all who are saved.

This leaves us with our Fourth Equivalent Section (For there is no respect of persons with God), which is a quote of: Deuteronomy 1:17; 2Samuel 14:14; 2Chronicles 19:7 and Proverbs 24:23-24. The same doctrine is taught in: Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:17; Deuteronomy 16:19; Job 34:19; Matthew 22:16; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Galatians 2:6; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; James 2:9 and 1Peter 1:17. If the reader looks at those verses, and the associated notes for verses found in the New Testament, they will see that the first three Equivalent Sections of this sentence really do match the other places where this phrase is found in the Bible.

Please see the note for Hebrews 3:13 about the word harden. The functional definition is: 'To make hard or more hard; to make firm or compact; to indurate; as, to harden iron or steel; to harden clay. o confirm in effrontery; to make impudent; as, to harden the face'.

This sentence is the only place in the Bible where we find forms of the word impenitent. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'One who does not repent; a hardened sinner'. Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word impenitent as: 'General scriptures concerning: Le 23:26-29; 26:21-24; De 29:19-21; 1Sa 15:23; Job 9:2,4; 24:13; 33:14; Ps 7:11,13; 10:3; 32:9; 50:17,21; 52:1,7; 58:3-5; 68:21; 78:8; 81:11-12; 82:5; 95:8; 106:24-25; 107:11-12; Pr 1:24-31; 11:3; 15:10,32; 19:16; 21:29; 26:11; 28:13-14; 29:1; Ec 8:11,13; Isa 26:10; 28:12; 32:9-11; 42:22-25; 46:12-13; 48:4,8; 57:11; 65:12,15; 66:4; Jer 2:25; 3:7-10; 5:21-24; 6:10,16-17,19; 7:13-34; 8:4-22; 11:8; 12:11; 13:15,17,27; 14:1-16; 15:6-7; 16:12; 17:23; 18:12; 19:15; 22:21; 25:4; 26:4-6; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14-17; 44:10,16-17; Eze 2:4-5; 3:1-11,19,26; 12:2; 20:8,13,21; 33:4-5,9; Da 9:13; Ho 4:17; 5:4; 7:13,15; 11:2,7; Zec 1:4; 7:4-14; Mal 2:2,17; Mt 11:16-24; 12:42,44; 13:15; 23:37-38; 24:38-39,48-51; 27:4,25; Mr 3:5; Lu 7:35; 10:13; 13:1-3,5,34; 16:31; Ac 7:51; Ro 2:4-5; 2Co 12:21; Heb 3:8; 12:17; Re 2:5,16,21-22; 3:3; 9:20-21; 16:9,21. Pharaoh: Ex 9:30,34; 10:27; 14:5-9. The Israelites : Nu 14:22-23; 2Ki 17:14; 2Ch 24:19; 36:16-17; Ne 9:16-17,29-30; Jer 36:31. Eli's sons: 1Sa 2:25. Amaziah: 2Ch 25:16. Manasseh: 2Ch 33:10. Amon: 2Ch 33:23. Zedekiah: 2Ch 36:12-13; Jer 37:2. Jehoiakim and his servants: Jer 36:22-24. Belshazzar: Da 5:22-23. The rich young man: Mt 19:22. '. Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word impenitent as: 'Warnings Against: Le 26:23; Pr 1:24; Ec 8:11; Jer 7:13; Ho 7:10; Am 4:6; Hag 2:17; Mt 11:20. Examples of: 2Ki 17:14; 2Ch 28:22; 33:23; Ne 9:29; Jer 6:15; Da 9:13; Lu 16:31; Re 9:21'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:7 about the word treasure. The functional definition is: 'Wealth accumulated; particularly, a stock or store of money in reserve'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 12:2-LJC about the phrase treasure in heaven. Please notice that our sentence uses the word treasurest, which means that these people 'keep on keeping on storing up the wrath of God against themselves'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:5 about the word day. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Le 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps 55:17). "The heat of the day" (1Sa 11:11; Ne 7:3) was at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Ge 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (La 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Jg 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mr 13:35). (See Watches.) the division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Da 3:6,15; 4:19; 5:5. this mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. the reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (Joh 11:9). The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Ge 2:4; Isa 22:5; Heb 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday, and in Isa 2:12; Ac 17:31; 2Ti 1:18, the great day of final judgment.'. The functional definition, of the phrase last day is: '(end of the) Church Age. However, in the life of the individual, it can be used for the day that he dies'. Please see the note for Hebrews 3:13 about the word today. The functional definition is: 'obey immediately'. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:55 about the word daily. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:6-LJC and 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of the Lord. Please also see the note for John 20:1 about the phrase first day of the week. Please also see the note for Mark 2:28-LJC about the phrase Good Friday. Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday.

Please see the notes for Romans C16S33 and 2Corinthians 12:1 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word revelation. The functional definition of it is: 'an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen'. Biblical prophecy is one of the most often used doctrines of the Bible that is perverted in order to try and justify doctrinal error. Please also see the note for Romans 16:25 which has links to where the word reveal is used in Romans and provides the definition from Webster's 1828 along with links from other commentators.

There are 535 verses which use forms of the word righteous in addition to those which use unrighteous. The note for Romans 1:18-19 provides links to the 50 times in 41 verses of this epistle that forms of the word righteous are used. Please also see the notes for Romans C1S10 and Galatians C2-S16 about the word righteous / righteousness. The functional definition is: 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11; James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C4S7 about the phrase imputeth righteousness. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:5 and Romans C1S16 about the word unrighteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness. The note for Romans 1:29 is part of the summary of chapter 1. That note provides the definition from Webster's 1828 and shows the relationship between unrighteousness and several other sins.

Please see the note for Romans 13:7 which has links to every verse in the New Testament which uses the word render along with definitions from two dictionaries and my own definition of 'Give all that is owed'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:12 about the word deed. The functional definition is: 'That which is done, acted or effected'.

Please see the note for Romans 12:10-13 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word patient along with the Webster's 1828 definition. The functional definition is: 'Having the quality of enduring evils without murmuring or fretfulness; sustaining afflictions of body or mind with fortitude, calmness or Christian submission to the divine will'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:25-26 about the word continue. The functional definition is: 'To remain in a state, or place; to abide for any time indefinitely'. Please also see the note for James 1:25 about the word continueth. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians 7:5 and 2Timothy 3:3 about the word incontinent.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C10S24 and The S and P's of 2Timothy 1 about the word seek. The functional definition is: ' to go after, and the primary sense is to advance, to press, to drive forward, as in the L. peto. 1. to go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for by going from place to place'.

Please see the note for Romans 12:10-13 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word honour along with the Webster's 1828 definition. The functional definition is: 'to give the esteem due or paid to worth'. Please also see the note for Romans C12S8 about the word dishonour. The functional definition is: 'to take away the esteem due or paid to worth'.

We find forms of the word immortality only in: Romans 2:7; 1Corinthians 15:53-54; 1Timothy 1:17; 1Timothy 6:16; 1Timothy 1:10. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'The quality of never ceasing to live or exist; exemption from death and annihilation; life destined to endure without end; as the immortality of the human soul. --Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim.1. 1. Exemption from oblivion. 2. Perpetuity; existence not limited; as the immortality of a corporation'. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'perpetuity of existence. the doctrine of immortality is taught in the Old Testament. It is plainly implied in the writings of Moses (Ge 5:22,24; 25:8; 37:35; 47:9; 49:29, comp. Heb 11:13-16; Ex 3:6, comp. Mt 22:23). It is more clearly and fully taught in the later books (Isa 14:9; Ps 17:15; 49:15; 73:24). It was thus a doctrine obviously well-known to the Jews. With the full revelation of the gospel this doctrine was "brought to light" (2Ti 1:10; 1Co 15; 2Co 5:1-6; 1Th 4:13-18)'. Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The deathless state which stands in contrast to the mortality of man, and which the 'mortal' will 'put on' when 'changed.' 1Co 15:53-54. God only has in Himself immortality, being the fountain and source of life for all things. 1Ti 6:16.In Ro 2:7 and 2Ti 1:10 the word is not 'immortality,' but 'incorruption.' the immortality of the soul is plainly revealed in scripture. God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul (Ge 2:7), which is quite different from anything said of a mere animal. the Lord, when showing the Sadducees that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, added "for all live unto or 'for' him (Lu 20:38), though as to the body they may have died'. Nave's Topical Bible provides links for this word as: 'General scriptures concerning Ge 5:24; 2Sa 12:23; 2Ki 2:11; Ne 9:5; Job 4:17-21; 14:13; Ps 16:10-11; 21:4; 22:26; 23:6; 31:5; 36:9; 37:18,27; 49:7-9,14-15; 73:26; 86:12; 102:4,25-28; 121:8; 133:3; 145:1-2; Pr 14:32; Ec 3:21; 12:7; Isa 14:9; 25:8; 26:19; 38:18-19; Eze 32:31; Da 12:2-3; Mt 10:28; 16:26; 19:16-17; 25:46; Mr 10:30; 12:26-27; Lu 9:25; 10:25-28; 20:36-38; Joh 3:14-16,36; 5:39-40; 6:39-40,44,47, 50-51,53-54,58; 10:28; 11:25-26; 14:19; 17:2-3; Ac 20:32; 23:8-9; 26:7-8,18; Ro 2:7; 6:22-23; 1Co 15:12-55; Ga 6:8; Col 1:5-6; 1Th 4:13-18; 5:10; 2Th 1:7-9; 2:16; 1Ti 4:8; 6:12,19; 2Ti 1:9-10; Tit 1:2; 3:7; Heb 9:15; 10:34; 11:5,10,13-16; 1Pe 1:3-5; 1Jo 2:17,25; 5:13; Jude 1:21; Re 1:7; 3:4; 22:5'. Thompson Chain Topics provides links for this word 'General References to: Lu 20:36; Joh 6:50; 8:51; 11:26; Ro 2:7; 1Co 15:53; 2Co 5:1; 1Th 4:17; 2Ti 1:10. Eternal Of the Soul: Ec 12:7; Mt 10:28; Lu 12:20; 1Co 15:54; Re 20:4'.

Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C15S48 about the word mortal. The functional definition is: 'subjection to death or the necessity of dying'

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians 11:16 and Philippians 1:15-17 for links to the 5 verses in the Bible which use the word contentious. The functional definition is: 'Strife; struggle; a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or injury; contest; quarrel'.

Please see the note for Mark 14:4 about the word indignation. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '1. Anger or extreme anger, mingled with contempt, disgust or abhorrence. When Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Esth.5. 2. the anger of a superior; extreme anger; particularly, the wrath of God against sinful men for their ingratitude and rebellion. 2 Kings.3. 3. the effects of anger; the dreadful effects of God's wrath; terrible judgments. Is.26. 4. Holy displeasure at one's self for sin. 2 Cor. 7'.

The note for Romans 5:3-5 provides links to every verse in the Bible which uses the word tribulation along with a small note on each verse. The functional definition is: 'Severe affliction; distresses of life; vexations. In Scripture, it often denotes the troubles and distresses which proceed from persecution'. Please also see the note for Romans C8S37 about this word.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 2:4 which has links to every place in the New Testament where we find the word anguish along with the definition. The functional definition is: 'To distress with extreme pain or grief'.

Please see the note for Romans 13:1 about the word soul. The functional definition is: 'The long-term result of the short-term actions of our heart in deciding how we will think, how we will act emotionally to circumstances of life and how we will decide the issues of life'. Please also see the note for James 1:21 about the phrase save your soul.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the note for Romans 7:19 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word evil along with the Webster's 1828 definition of the word evil. The functional definition is: 'Both the source and consequence of things which people consider to be really really bad. The source and / or result can be natural or spiritual or any combination thereof. However, even what seems to be a natural source can actually be caused by a devil, especially when the recipient is a child of God. In all cases the result is deliberately intended and caused, which is what separates evil from the accidental'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:15 about the word evildoer. Please also note the conincidence between the Devil and the word evil since the Devil is the source of much evil. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:2 about the phrase evil workers. Please also see the note for Hebrews 4:12 about the phrase evil heart.

Please see the note for Romans 7:12 for links to every place in Romans where the word good is used. The Functional definition for the word good, when dealing with the Bible, is: 'that which comes from God'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 5:10 about the word good. The functional definition is: 'what comes from God'. Please also see the note for Romans 11:22 for links to every place in the New Testament where the word goodness is used. Please also see the note for Mark 2:28-LJC about the phrase Good Friday.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:11 about the word respect. The functional definition is: ' to regard; to have regard to in design or purpose'. Please also see the notes for Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25 and 2:1 about the phrase no respecter of persons. Also explained in the notes for Romans 14:10-LJC; Romans C7S3 and Romans C10S13.

Please see the note for Mark 12:14 about the word person. The functional definition for this word is: 'An individual human being consisting of body, soul and spirit'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'But after. Ro 11:25 (margin) Ex 8:15; 14:17; De 2:30; Jos 11:20; 1Sa 6:6; 2Ch 30:8; 36:13; Ps 95:8; Pr 29:1; Isa 48:4; Eze 3:7; Da 5:20; Zec 7:11-12; Heb 3:13,15; 4:7 treasurest. Ro 9:22; De 32:34; Am 3:10; Jas 5:3 the day. Job 21:30; Pr 11:4; 2Pe 2:9; 3:7; Re 6:17 exp: Ex 32:34; 1Co 3:13. revelation. Ro 2:2-3; 1:18; Ec 12:14 General references. exp: Ex 7:13; 8:32; De 29:24; 32:34; Ps 9:8; 119:137; Isa 34:8; Jer 34:11; Eze 30:19; Ho 13:12; Lu 8:6.
General references. Ro 14:22; Job 34:11; Ps 62:12; Pr 24:2; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 17:10; 32:19; Eze 18:30; Mt 16:27; 25:34-46; 1Co 3:8; 4:5; 2Co 5:10; Ga 6:7-8; Re 2:23; 20:12; 22:12 exp: Ps 9:8; Ga 6:5.
patient. Ro 8:24-25; Job 17:9; Ps 27:14; 37:3,34; La 3:25-26; Mt 24:12-13; Lu 8:15; Joh 6:66-69; 1Co 15:58; Ga 6:9; 2Ti 4:7-8; Heb 6:12,15; 10:35-36; Jas 5:7-8; Re 2:10-11 exp: Ro 12:12. glory. Ro 8:18; 9:23; Joh 5:44; 2Co 4:16-18; Col 1:27; 1Pe 1:7-8; 4:13-14 exp: Ro 2:10. immortality. 1Co 15:53-54; 2Ti 1:10 eternal. Ro 6:23; 1Jo 2:25 exp: Mt 19:16; Mr 10:17; Heb 6:2. General references. exp: Le 26:3; Nu 29:25; De 11:27; Mt 24:13; Lu 21:19; Ga 6:5; 1Jo 2:25.
contentious. Pr 13:10; 1Co 11:16; 1Ti 6:3-4; Tit 3:9 and do not. Ro 1:18; 6:17; 10:16; 15:18; Job 24:13; Isa 50:10; 2Th 1:8; Heb 5:9; 11:8; 1Pe 3:1; 4:17 but obey. Joh 3:18-21; 2Th 2:10-12; Heb 3:12-13 indignation. Ro 9:22; Ps 90:11; Na 1:6; Heb 10:27; Re 14:10; 16:19 General references. exp: Ex 9:2; Le 26:3; De 11:28; Isa 34:8; Ga 6:5.
Tribulation. Pr 1:27-28; 2Th 1:6 soul. Eze 18:4; Mt 16:26 of the Jew. Ro 2:10; 1:16; 3:29-30; 4:9-12; 9:24; 10:12; 15:8-9; Am 3:2; Mt 11:20-24; Lu 2:30-32; 12:47-48; 24:47; Ac 3:26; 11:18; 13:26,46-47; 18:5-6; 20:21; 26:20; 28:17,28; Ga 2:15-16; 3:28; Eph 2:11-17; Col 3:11; 1Pe 4:17 Gentile. Gr. Greek. General references. exp: Le 26:3; De 11:28; Isa 34:8; Ga 6:5.
glory. Ro 2:7; 9:21,23; 1Sa 2:30; Ps 112:6-9; Pr 3:16-17; 4:7-9; 8:18; Lu 9:48; 12:37; Joh 12:26; 1Pe 1:7; 5:4 and peace. Ro 5:1; 8:6; 14:17; 15:13; Nu 6:26; Job 22:21; Ps 29:11; 37:37; Isa 26:12; 32:17; 48:18,22; 55:12; 57:19; Jer 33:6; Mt 10:13; Lu 1:79; 22:14; 19:42; Joh 14:27; 16:33; Ga 5:22; Php 4:7 to every. Ps 15:2; Pr 11:18; Isa 32:17; Ac 10:35; Ga 5:6; Jas 2:22; 3:13 Gentile. Gr. Greek. General references. exp: Le 26:3.
General references. De 10:17; 16:19; 2Ch 19:7; Job 34:19; Pr 24:23-24; Mt 22:16; Lu 20:21; Ac 10:34; Ga 2:6; 6:7-8; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1Pe 1:17'.

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C2-S6 (Verse 12-16) How God will judge us all.

Main Sentence: All will be judged by the standard they were given.

Equivalent Section: Judgment of people who are without the law.

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law:.

Equivalent Section: Judgment of people who are in the law.

and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(See Below);
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel..

Included Section: Everyone knows that God's Law judges our deeds.

Why the law is used to judge.

(For not the hearers of the law are just before God,
but the doers of the law shall be justified..

Why the law will justify some people.

Equivalent Section: People obeying a law can not be condemned by it just because they were not told it.

For when the Gentiles,
which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the law,
these,
having not the law,
are a law unto themselves:.

Equivalent Section: they obeyed the law God put in their hearts.

Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;).

This is a complex single sentence which contains a separate sentence within the included part. It says that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ under whatever legal system they are under (with or without Mosaic Law). However, regardless of the Law used for judgment, those liars who are hearers of the law and not doers of the law will be condemned while the doers of the law shall be justified. Paul also includes the evidence that God will judge this way. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify. According to our sentence, the people whom God has justified are called the just. The exact word of just is only used in 5 verses of Romans. Please see the note for 7:12 which has links to those verses and for the Webster's 1828 definition.

I am going to take a moment to explain a concept about translating between languages because there are a lot of people who have been taught error and are teaching doctrinal error based upon the wrong way to translate from one language to another. This complex sentence provides an excellent example.

A lot of people want to argue doctrine based upon how 'they translated the Greek', but they don't do the same thing with the Hebrew. Yet the rules for translating between languages remain the same regardless of the languages involved. If we have a problem with the translation from the Greek, we should also have problems with the translation from the Hebrew. When you get into the details of the argument you find that there is not a fight over the method used but over the documents that the English was translated from. You also find that the people wanting to argue with the 1611 KJV make claims based upon lies about the documents. Once they have established a question about the underlying documents, they then use that to justify using a wrong method of translation. Where a direct look at the methods involved would show the error, they distract people from their method by questioning the documents and slip in a wrong method while people aren't paying attention to that.

I won't go into the lies about the documents here but will deal with the problems with the methods used by most people who challenge the English 1611 KJV. The reader can do their own research if they want. John 8:44 tells us that Jesus said Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. When someone has to base their doctrine on lies they are not following God's Holy Spirit but following the devil. 1John 4:1 tells us Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. therefore, to believe someone who is following the lies of the devil is to follow a false prophet. There are a lot of people who claim to be an 'expert', or who claim to be using the conclusion of some 'expert', as the basis for challenging what our English 1611 KJV says. Their claimed 'expertise' is a lie and all of their conclusions are also lies since they are based upon a lie.

There are a couple of very simple tests that anyone can do. First, take one semester of any foreign language that you want and then go to a country which uses that language and see how much of an 'expert' you are. Realize that the training you had is probably at least as much as 90% of these self-proclaimed 'experts' had. When confronted, each that I have dealt with has insisted that they were an 'expert' because they agreed with some other better qualified 'expert'. This is the exact sin that Paul dealt with as the most important sin in 1Corinthians. Thus, we can eliminate the so-called 'experience' of most people who want to argue with the 1611 KJV. Of course, they will have fits because we have not eliminated the 'experience' of most of their so-called 'experts', so we will deal with them next.

Take the credentials of these so-called 'experts' and put them on a paper but change the languages to so-called 'language-1', 'language-2', etc. Change the names to 'person-1', 'person-2'. Include how much experience they have in speaking the language within a culture which uses it as a primary language. Then survey law firms which specialize in translating legal documents between languages. Ask them how many of these people they would hire to head up the translation of a complex legal document where the translation is guaranteed to be challenged in court. Consider the answers that you will (expect to) receive and realize that a soul is far more precious than anything fought over in man's courts. If they are not qualified to deal with documents in man's courts, they are not qualified to deal with God's Word.

Some will complain that I am being 'unfair'. God's word teaches us that the first thing we are to do is to eliminate the source of error. 'Fair' or 'unfair', I am obeying what God's Word says to do. God's Word also says a lot about foundations including Psalms 11:3 which says If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?. The foundation of our faith is an incorruptible word of God (1Peter 1:23). Only a fool would risk their soul, and the souls of their loved ones, on the methods of so-called 'experts' who can be disqualified this easily.

I am not going to go into the expertise of the translators of the 1611 KJV. Instead I will point out Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Chronicles 16:15; Psalms 12:7 and Psalms 105:8, which are only a few of the places where God promises that He will preserve His Word. Yes, there are God given reasons to go to another tongue, but it is not to 'correct' our English 1611 KJV or to claim that it has some 'problem verses'. Yes interpreters have very real problems but their problems are the result of their using the wrong method of interpretation or their failing to be diligent when they use a correct method. There are NO 'problem verses' in the English 1611 KJV.

Having said that, I have been paid more than once to translate between two languages and to write the rules of translation. Those languages were computer languages but every time that I have been challenged by a legitimate translator of human languages, they have agreed completely with the rules that I told them. One of the first rules is that that 'the message is what is to be translated from one language to another'. If a 'Table Lookup' worked for translation then we would all have language translators in our phones. There are lots of technical reasons why a 'Table Lookup' does not work, but one of the realities of proper language translation is found in our current sentence within the Bible. There are times that the translator has to add extra words to the translation so that the underlying meaning is translated and not just the surface words. The included part, that is within the parenthesis, is a critical part of proper language translation. It shows the danger of building doctrine based upon what is found in a 'Greek Dictionary'. While there is a whole lot more that can be said about this subject, I will put it aside and move on with one small bit of advice. Trust the Bible that your God gave you and stop listening to any devil follower who wants you to question what your God gave you in the English.

One of the main reasons that people challenge the 1611 KJV is the subject of this sentence. This sentence tells us how God judges and they, like the Jews in Paul's day, reject the message from God. The Jews trusted 'their interpretation of the Mosaic Law', and people today trust 'their interpretation of God's Law', and both go into error. What Paul is saying in this sentence are general principles that apply to any and all laws. Many examples of these principles are found throughout the Bible and they are always the same because the Bible is a picture of a never-changing God (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, when we look at the interpretation of this sentence, we need to consider it in context of this chapter, of the entire epistle, and in context of principles found throughout the Bible. The principles found here not only must match what is found within all of this context, but they must support all of the doctrine that is found in the remainder of this epistle because this epistle is built one chapter upon the prior and one sentence upon the prior.

What we are told by the included part of this sentence matches what is said in the main part of this sentence. However, the very people who Paul is trying to warn could twist the main part of this sentence and claim that it means something other than what was said, if the included part could be dismissed. People in the ministry have a saying of 'Working in the ministry would be great if it weren't for people!' Well, a similar thing could be said about translation. 'Working in language translation would be great if it weren't for the true meaning!' We will each stand before God and answer for the deeds done in our flesh including the influence we have on others. We will each personally answer for If we influence others to question the written word of God, like Satan did in the Garden, or if we influence people to trust the written word of God because of the God Who promised to preserve His Word. Having (hopefully) made clear that the included part of this (and all sentences) are critical to understanding the true meaning of the word of God, we will proceed to the details of what this sentence is saying.

We have already seen how Paul showed that people who claim they can live in sin and still go to heaven (meaning they can make a mockery of God and His Law), because they have some 'positional salvation', are fools. We have also seen that people who are relying upon some 'positional' attribute end up being prejudice and looking down their noses at people who don't have their 'positional' attribute. Since they are making excuses for their sins instead of dealing with them, they are going to be judged for those sins. That is what Paul is telling us in this sentence. Yes, the Jews had the Mosaic Law and the Gentiles didn't, but that only made a detail difference in how each was judged. It did not remove the fact that we will each be judged.

in this sentence, Paul tells us that one of the basic standards of God's judgment, which all men have, is their conscience. We read about the conscience in the included part of this sentence. Since religious people can't deny being given a conscience, they try to deny that it will be used when they face our Lord in judgment. Thus, they try to deny the truth found in the included part of this sentence so that they can deny that their own internal conscience witnessed to them of God's truth and will be used in their own personal judgment.

Conscience occurs 31 times in the New Testament but the reader should pay particular attention to 2Corinthians 4:2; 1Timothy 1:5; 1Timothy 4:1-2; Titus 1:15 and Hebrews 9:14. Basically, we all received a conscience and the witness from it can not be denied. Because of our conscience, we know the truth of Paul's statement that the righteous judgment of God requires Him to render to every man according to his deeds. Only a religious fool who has deliberately chosen lies over the witness of their own conscience and who is giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils and is Speaking lies in hypocrisy because they have their conscience seared with a hot iron (1Timothy 4:1-2) would deny the righteous judgment of God requires Him to render to every man according to his deeds. This should be evident to all men, just as it should be evident to all men that the only way that God could judge righteously is if there is no respect of persons with God. God gave us each a conscience and He will not accept any excuses for sin which denies the witness from our own internal conscience.

Having dealt with the basic truth of this sentence, let's look at the details. When dealing with a sentence which has parenthesis in it, we should always resolve what is within the parenthesis before trying to understand the outer sentence which uses what is within the parenthesis as a modifier. This is a basic rule for resolving equations that you should have learned in Algebra.

Within our parenthesis the first sentence should be clear without explanation. The basis of what God uses to judge us is what we do. We already were told this in 1:18, 21, 1:28, 1:32; 2:1, 2:3, 2:7, 2:8, 2:9 and twice within our current sentence. A lot of people today like to think 'That was those terrible Jews', but the fact is that our churches are full of people who just go to church and sit on their 'blessed assurance' and do not do anything in the ministry of God. They need to pray about this sentence, get off their 'blessed assurance', stop looking down their noses at Jews and other religious groups and do something in the ministry of God. Please notice that our sentence says For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law. This is part of the nature given to all men by God. Therefore, people who just go to church and sit on their 'blessed assurance' and do not do anything in the ministry of God are fighting against the nature that God gave to all people. Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words.

In our Second Sentence of the Included Part, we see that it ends with a semi-colon. That makes the entire Included Part the middle Step of the Second Equivalent Section within the outer sentence. Within our Second Sentence of the Included Part, we find two Equivalent Sections. The First Equivalent Section is titled 'People obeying a law can not be condemned by it just because they were not told it'. We have so many laws that even professional lawyers can't keep up with all of them and they specialize in just part of our laws. We have all heard 'Ignorance is no excuse under the law.' therefore, ignorance or knowledge does not make a person guilty or innocent. The only way that ignorance or knowledge matters is in how severe of a punishment a guilty person receives. Prior knowledge proves deliberate intent to violate the law and increases the punishment. It does not become an excuse that removes all punishment.

That said, what our Equivalent Section is telling us is that even though the Gentiles were not given the Mosaic Law, they still obeyed it. That proves that God put the same principles of the Mosaic Law into everyone's conscience. This truth is what our Second Equivalent Section states. Therefore, no one can claim that they did not know the Law of God and the religious person is doubly guilty since they have the witness of their conscience and the witness of their religious training. Further, both of these witnesses tell us what is found within the First Sentence of the Included Part. Thus, we can summarize the Included Part to say 'Everyone knows that God's Law judges our deeds'.

Now that we have resolved the Second Step of our outer sentence, we can look at the entire outer sentence. Again, we have two Equivalent Sections. Each Equivalent Section says how we shall be judged. The difference between the two Equivalent Sections is in the details but the results are the same. Our First Equivalent Section tells us that as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law because they still have the witness of their conscience even though they have not been taught God's law. We hear people all of the time say 'What about the person in Africa who never heard the gospel? God surely wouldn't send them to Hell just because they never heard the gospel!'. Of course, they use this as an excuse to say that they can't be judged for ignoring the gospel of God. First, people who make such a claim can not say that they never heard the gospel. Secondly, the Bible tells us that several times God has sent His witness throughout the World and any failure of one generation passing the message to the next generation belongs to the people who failed and not to God. Thirdly, as our sentence tells us, God put a conscience into each of us to be a witness. Therefore, as Paul said in the first sentence of this sentence, thou art inexcusable, of man. So, we see the truth of our First Equivalent Section which tells us as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law.

Our Second Equivalent Section tells us the same thing about those who are in the law. It has three Steps. People who are in the law are held responsible for what it says and excuses are ignored. Thus, our First Step is a simple statement of truth that all who are in the law should recognize. Sin is the transgression of the law (1John 3:4) and everyone knows that when we transgress the law, we shall be judged by the law.

Some people in the church make the mistake of believing that, because we are not under the Mosaic Law, that we are law-less. However, 3:27 tells us that we are under the law of faith. Likewise, 8:2 tells us that we are under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Further, common sense tells us that there are still rules of behaviour which implement the principles of law. Further, all saved have the indwelling Holy Spirit which teaches each of us that we are to 'stop our sinning' and let God work through our lives. (Please see the note for Word Study on Spirit for more details on this subject.) While many verses could be referenced, we will mention only a couple from Jesus (Luke 12:47; Matthew 11;22-24; Luke 10:12-15) and move on.

With that knowledge, we look at our Second Step, which was already covered in much detail within this note. It tells us that there is no excuse that will get us out of punishment for sin (the transgression of the law). In addition, the note for Romans 3:31 which has links to every place there the New Testament tells us about a law that applies to the saved during the Church Age.

Our third Step is covered (in detail) by the notes for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study and in the Word Study on Gospel. Basically, Jesus Christ is used here because the Son of God will use what he gave us as Jesus and what He gave us as Christ as the basis for how He will judge us. As Jesus, He showed us how to live in this weak human flesh while using the Power of the Holy Ghost. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) As Christ He shows us how to spiritually mature after our initial profession. (Please see the Summary in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for the name / role of Christ. Please also see the verses that use Christ.)

When Paul says my gospel in this verse, he is distinguishing the gospel which he received from the false gospel preached by other people. The Bible has several different gospels in it and they are all covered in the Word Study on Gospel and in the Gospel Flowchart.

The gospel that Paul mentions here is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This phrase says God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. So we are literally told that Jesus and Christ are involved in this gospel. Since all judgment is done by the Lord, (Please see the Summary in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for the name / role of Lord). Lord is also involved in this gospel. Thus, what we are to understand is that we will be judged by the Son of God using His role as Lord and that He will give reward or punishment based upon our level of obedience or disobedience to the personal commands given to each of us through His roles as Jesus and as Christ. As Jesus, He showed us how to act in the flesh using the power of the Holy Spirit. (Please see the Doctrinal Study called What Did Jesus Do?). As Christ, He deals with is spiritually and teaches us how to spiritually mature. The results of those lessons, in our personal lives, will be what is judged at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10).

Please see the note for Romans 7:20 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word sin along with a the Webster's 1828 definition and a shorter definition. The functional definition is: 'a violation of God's law'.

Please see the note for Romans 6:14 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word law along with a the Webster's 1828 definition. In addition, the note for Romans 3:31 which has links to every place there the New Testament tells us about a law that applies to the saved during the Church Age. in this sentence Paul is talking about the 'Mosaic Law'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C6S1; Galatians C2-S10 and Psalms 119 about the word law. The functional definition for this word is: 'the set of written or commonly understood rules for acceptable behavior and which can be used by a legal system for punishing offenders'. Please also see the note for Galatians 3:10 about the phrase book of the law. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S31 and 1Corinthians 9:21-LJC about the phrase kinds of laws that apply to us tday. Please also see the note for Romans C3S27 about the phrase law of works. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about the phrase law and faith. Please also see the note for Galatians C3S22 about the phrase Mosaic Law added. Please also see the note for Hebrews 10:28-29 about the phrase New Testament replaces only the religious part of the Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Hebrews 19:29-LJC about the phrase religious part of Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law. Forms of the word law are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 5:17; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 5:40; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 10:35; Matthew 11:13; Matthew 12:2; Matthew 12:4; Matthew 12:5; Matthew 12:10; Matthew 12:12; Matthew 14:4; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 20:15; Matthew 22:17,; Matthew 22:36; Matthew 22:40; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 27:6.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:15-16 and 2Corinthians 4:16 about the word perish. The functional definition is: 'To die; to lose life in any manner'.

Please see the note for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word secret and provides the definition from Webster's 1828. The functional definition is: 'hid; concealed from the notice or knowledge of all persons except the individual or individuals concerned'.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C12S14 and Galatians C3-S7 for links to every verse in Romans which uses hear. The functional definition is: 'Perceiving by the ear. This word is often used symbolically for hearing the spiritual message of the word of God, as sound. 1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded'. Please also see the note for Mark 4:9 about the phrase He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words. The functional definition is: 'The inherent qualities of a being manifested in the various characteristics which mark and display its existence'. Please also see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where the word natural is used.

Please see the note for 1Peter 2:6 about the word contain. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to hold. See Tenet, Tenure. 1. to hold, as a vessel; as, the vessel contains a gallon. Hence, to have capacity; to be able to hold; applied to an empty vessel. 2. to comprehend; to hold within specified limits. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. 1 Kings 8. 3. to comprehend; to comprise. the history of Livy contains a hundred and forty books. 4. to hold within limits prescribed; to restrain; to withhold from trespass or disorder. The Kings person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. Fear not, my Lord, we can contain ourselves. 5. to include. this article is not contained in the account. this number does not contain the article specified. 6. to inclose; as, this cover or envelop contains a letter.
CONTAIN, v.i. to live in continence or chastity. Arbuthnot and Pope. 1 Corinthi and 7'.

Please see the note for 9:1 for all of the New Testament verses, Webster's 1828 definition, and other Bible links related to how Romans used the word conscience. The functional definition is: 'Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them'.

Please see the note for Romans 15:1 which has links to sentences within Romans which have a form of the word bear (verb) along with a working definition of the word. The functional definition is: 'to carry a load over a period of time'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 11:4 about the word witness. The functional definition is: 'Testimony; attestation of a fact or event. The testimony must be acceptable in court'. Please also see the notes for 2Corinthians 13:1 and Colossians C3S13 about the phrase two or three witnesses.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word thought. The functional definition is: 'primarily the passive participle of think'.

Please see the note for Titus 2:3 about the word accuser. The functional definition is: 'To charge with, or declare to have committed a crime, either by plaint, or complaint, information, indictment, or impeachment; to charge with an offense against the laws, judicially or by a public process; as, to accuse one of a high crime or misdemeanor. Satan is the accuser of the brethren and false accusers are acting like Satan'.

Please see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of the Lord.

Our sentence literally tells us that God the Father will use Jesus Christ to judge all men because He has experienced being weak, tempted and all other things involved in being human while God the Father has not had that experience.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'For. Ro 2:14-15; 1:18-21,32; Eze 16:49-50; Mt 11:22,24; Lu 10:12-15; 12:47-48; Joh 19:11; Ac 17:30-31 in the law. Ro 2:16; 3:19-20; 4:15; 7:7-11; 8:3; De 27:26; 2Co 3:7-9; Ga 2:16-19; 3:10,22; Jas 2:10; Re 20:12-15
For not. Ro 2:25; De 4:1; 5:1; 6:3; 30:12-14; Eze 20:11; 33:30-33; Mt 7:21-27; Lu 8:21; Jas 1:22-25; 1Jo 2:29; 3:7 but the. Ro 3:20,23; 10:5; Lu 10:25-29; Ga 3:11-12 justified. Ro 3:30; 4:2-5; Ps 143:2; Lu 18:14; Ac 13:39; Ga 2:16; 5:4; Jas 2:21-25
which. Ro 2:12; 3:1-2; De 4:7; Ps 147:19-20; Ac 14:16; 17:30; Eph 2:12 do by. Ro 2:27; 1:19-20; 1Co 11:14; Php 4:8 are a law. Ro 2:12; 1:32
written. Ro 1:18-19 their conscience, etc. or, the conscience witnessing with them. Ro 9:1; Joh 8:9; Ac 23:1; 24:16; 2Co 1:12; 5:11; 1Ti 4:2; Tit 1:15 the mean while. or, between themselves. accusing. Ge 3:8-11; 20:5; 42:21-22; 1Ki 2:44; Job 27:6; Ec 7:22; 1Jo 3:19-21 General references. exp: Ac 24:16.
God. Ro 2:5; 3:6; 14:10-12; Ge 18:25; Ps 9:7-8; 50:6; 96:13; 98:9; Ec 3:17; 11:9; 12:14; Mt 16:27; 25:31-46; Lu 8:17; Joh 12:48; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 5:10; Heb 9:27; 1Pe 4:5; 2Pe 2:9; Re 20:11-15 exp: 1Co 5:13. by Jesus. Joh 5:22-29; Ac 10:42; 17:31; 2Ti 4:1,8 according. Ro 16:25; 1Ti 1:11; 2Ti 2:8 General references. exp: Ps 9:8; Ec 12:14; Lu 12:2; Joh 5:22.'.

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C2-S7 (Verse 17-20) Paul uses the Jew's boasting against them.

First Step: the Jews boasted about their ability in the Bible.

Behold,
thou art called a Jew,
and restest in the law,
and makest thy boast of God ,
And knowest his will,
and approvest the things that are more excellent,
being instructed out of the law;.

Second Step: the Jews boasted about their ability to teach others.

And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind,
a light of them which are in darkness,
An instructor of the foolish,
a teacher of babes,
which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law..

in this sentence Paul lists several of the common Jewish boasts about the Bible and their knowledge of God. Paul is going to turn this boasting against them in the next sentences. There are 'hyper-spiritual' people who say that we shouldn't mock people. But here we see the man of God doing it and in Proverbs 1:26 we read where God says I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;. There is much more in proverbs and other places which teaches that we are to mock braggers who are lying about their abilities. If we don't, they will continue and get others to do the same. When we do we discourage others from this sin and may get these people to stop.

I've done a similar thing in the past. Preachers have acted like the people in 1Corinthians 1:12 and claimed that people should believe them because they have an unction that non-preachers supposedly don't have. The truth is that 1John 2:20 says, that all saved have this unction, but that isn't what I used. I simply told them that if I could show them where the Bible says they were wrong, while I supposedly did not have this unction, then they could certainly use their unction and show me where the Bible says that I am wrong. None of those preachers who were preaching error has answered me yet. However, some people listened when I warned them to be careful of anything that preacher said and to be sure to check their claims against the Bible. That same action is what Paul is doing to preachers here.

Forms of the word blind occur 96 times in 87 verses of the Bible, 61 times in 56 verses of the New Testament and in this sentence; 11:7 and 11:25. As the note for 11:7 shows us, they were blinded because they deliberately shut down their God given brain and refused to see the evidence that God gave them because they were trusting what their religious leaders told them. Please see that note for links to several places in the Bible where we are told about the consequences of this type of deliberate mental blindness.

Notice that this sentence says that they had the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. That's like having the pattern for a suit but no suit to wear. They did not have what they boasted as having. They were warned about this behaviour in Jeremiah 7:4-10; Micah 3:11; Zephaniah 3:11; Luke 10:28; John 5:45; 7:18 and 8:45.

Please see the note for Colossians C2S3 about the word behold. The functional definition is: 'o fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to observe with care'.

Please see the note for Romans 1:1 about the word call. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines the word call, as: '(1.) to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26). thus, men are said to "call upon the name of the Lord" (Ac 2:21; 7:59; 9:14; Ro 10:12; 1Co 1:2). (2.) God calls with respect to men when he designates them to some special office (Ex 31:2; Isa 22:20; Ac 13:2), and when he invites them to accept his offered grace (Mt 9:13; 11:28; 22:4). In the message of the gospel his call is addressed to all men, to Jews and Gentiles alike (Mt 28:19; Mr 16:15; Ro 9:24-25). But this universal call is not inseparably connected with salvation, although it leaves all to whom it comes inexcusable if they reject it (Joh 3:14-19; Mt 22:14). An effectual call is something more than the outward message of the word of God to men. It is internal, and is the result of the enlightening and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:14; Ac 26:18; Joh 6:44), effectually drawing men to Christ, and disposing and enabling them to receive the truth (Joh 6:45; Ac 16:14; Eph 1:17)'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S3 and 1Timothy 6:12 about this word. Please also see the notes for Romans 10:13; 2Thessalonians 3:1-LJC; Ephesians 5:8-LJC and 1John 4;14-LJC about the phrase call upon the Lord.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 2:12-13 about the word rest. The functional definition is: 'Cessation of motion or action of any kind, and applicable to any body or being. Quiet; repose; a state free from motion or disturbance; a state of reconciliation to God'. Since our current sentence actually uses the word restest, Paul is saying that they 'keep on keeping on being assured of their reconciliation to God because of the Mosaic Law'.

Please see the note for 3:27 for the occurrences of the word boast. The functional definition is: 'To glory; to speak with laudable pride and ostentation of meritorious persons or things'. Many people say that we are to not boast about anything. However, the Bible actually teaches that we are to not boast about anything except for God working in and through the lives of His people. That's called giving God glory and we are to do that while devils try to tells us that such obedience is wrong. Please also see the notes for Romans C1S16 and Romans C3S21 about the word boasters.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:9-11 about the word approve. The functional definition is: 'To entertain a favorable opinion concerning. The Biblical and archaic use conveys a much stronger meaning and is equivalent to its use in legal formalities of today, "to approve a bill"'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:9-11 about the word excellent. The functional definition is: 'Being of great virtue or worth and distinguished for superior attainments'.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:12 about the word instruct. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where We find this word along with a definition and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'To teach; to inform the mind; to educate; to impart knowledge to one who was destitute of it'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:3-7 for links to every place in Philippians where we find forms of the word confident along with links from other commentators and a definition. This sentence is the only place in Romans where We find this word. The functional definition is: 'A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact'.

Please see the note for John 16:13 about the word guide. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'v.t. gide. 1. to lead or direct in a way; to conduct in a course or path; as, to guide an enemy or a traveler, who is not acquainted with the road or course. the meek will he guide in judgment. Ps.25. 2. to direct; to order. He will guide his affairs with discretion. Ps.112, 3. to influence; to give direction to. Men are guided by their interest, or supposed interest. 4. to instruct and direct. Let parents guide their children to virtue, dignity and happiness. 5. to direct; to regulate and manage; to superintend. I will that the younger women marry, bear children, and guide the house. 1 Tim.5.
GUIDE, n. 1. A person who leads or directs another in his way or course; a conductor. the army followed the guide. the traveler may be deceived by his guide. 2. One who directs another in his conduct or course of life. He will be our guide, even unto death. Ps.48. 3. A director; a regulator; that which leads or conducts. Experience is one of our best guides'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word blind. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Blind beggars are frequently mentioned (Mt 9:27; 12:22; 20:30; Joh 5:3). the blind are to be treated with compassion (Le 19:14; De 27:18). Blindness was sometimes a punishment for disobedience (1Sa 11:2; Jer 39:7), sometimes the effect of old age (Ge 27:1; 1Ki 14:4; 1Sa 4:15). Conquerors sometimes blinded their captives (2Ki 25:7; 1Sa 11:2). Blindness denotes ignorance as to spiritual things (Isa 6:10; 42:18-19; Mt 15:14; Eph 4:18). the opening of the eyes of the blind is peculiar to the Messiah (Isa 29:18). Elymas was smitten with blindness at Paul's word (Ac 13:11)'.

Symbolically, light is used to represent 'the influence of God' while darkness is used to represent 'the influence of Satan'. In general, we can say that light is: 'The spiritual gift from God that overcomes spiritual darkness from sin and Satan. Spiritual light allows us to see and understand things from God's view. Spiritual light allows us to see how to walk, work and live in this world in a Godly way.'

When we see light and darkness contrasted the first place that we should think of is Light and Darkness in 1John. (Please see the several notes at that link.) We also have all of the verses in the New Testament which have light and darkness in them (Matthew 4:16; Matthew 6:23; Matthew 10:27; Luke 1:79; Luke 11:34-35; Luke 12:3; John 1:5; John 3:19; Romans 13:12; John 8:12; John 12:35, 46; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:19; our current sentence; 1Corinthians 4:5; 2Corinthians 4:6; 6:14; Ephesians 5:8; 1Thessalonians 5:5; 1Peter 2:9; 1John 1:5; 1John 2:8-9). All of these verses teach the same basic thing but have differences in details. That is, we need to 'Stop our Sinning' (let us therefore cast off the works of darkness) and get into the spiritual war on God's side (, and let us put on the armour of light).

Please see the notes for Romans C13S15; 2Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians C5S6 about the word light. The functional definition is: 'The spiritual gift from God that overcomes spiritual darkness from sin and Satan. Spiritual light allows us to see and understand things from God's view. Spiritual light allows us to see how to walk, work and live in this world in a Godly way'. Every place in this Gospel where the word light is used, it is used symbolically for 'directions from God on how to live in this world'. In addition, John tells us that people who do not obey these 'directions from God' are living like lost people while people who are truly living like saved people do obey these 'directions from God'. Please see the notes for Light and Darkness in 1John; Romans C13S15; Hebrews 12:18-24 about the phrase light and darkness. Please see the note for John 11:9-LJC about the phrase Jesus is our light. Please see the note for Hebrews 6:4 about the word enlightened. The functional definition is: 'Rendered light; illuminated; instructed; informed; furnished with clear views'. Please see the note for Psalms 119:16 about the word delight. True delight is one of the effects of God's light.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S27 about the word teach. The functional definition is: 'To instruct; to inform; to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant'. Please also see the note for John 3:2 about the word teacher. Please also see the Study called False things According to the Bible about 'false teachers'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:41-42 about the word babe. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'used of children generally (Mt 11:25; 21:16; Lu 10:21; Ro 2:20). It is used also of those who are weak in Christian faith and knowledge (1Co 3:1; Heb 5:13; 1Pe 2:2). In Isa 3:4 the word "babes" refers to a succession of weak and wicked princes who reigned over Judah from the death of Josiah downward to the destruction of Jerusalem. '.

Please see the note for Galatians 4:19-20 for links to every place that the New Testament uses any form of the word form along with two different definitions, links from other commentators, and a discussion of all that is involved with the Biblical usage of this word. The Biblical usage entails far more detail than what most people realize. The functional definition for this word is: 'Made; shaped; molded; planned; arranged; combined; enacted; constituted'. Please also see the note for Romans 8:29 about the word conform. The functional definition for this word is: 'Take the same shape as the other thing'. Please also see the note for Romans C15S23 about the word perform. The functional definition for this word is: 'Do the actions as specified (obey the form of the command)'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 9:7-10 about the word reform. The functional definition for this word is: 'Change back to a prior form'. in this sentence, these people had the outward shape of a knowledgeable person but had no true knowledge nor understanding.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'thou art. Ro 2:28-29; 9:4-7; Ps 135:4; Isa 48:1-2; Mt 3:9; 8:11-12; Joh 8:33; 2Co 11:22; Ga 2:15; Eph 2:11; Php 3:3-7; Re 2:9; 3:1,9 restest. Ro 2:23; 9:4,32; Jer 7:4-10; Zep 3:11; Lu 10:28; Joh 5:45; 7:19; 9:28-29 makest. Isa 45:25; 48:2; Mic 3:11; Joh 8:41
knowest. De 4:8; Ne 9:13-14; Ps 147:19-20; Lu 12:47; Joh 13:17; 1Co 8:1-2; Jas 4:17 approvest the things that are more excellent. or, triest the things that differ. Php 1:10 (margin) 1Th 5:21; Heb 5:14 being instructed. Ro 15:4; Ps 19:8; 119:98-100,104-105,130; Pr 6:23; 2Ti 3:15-17
art confident. Pr 26:12; Isa 5:21; 56:10; Mt 6:23; 15:14; 23:16-26; Mr 10:15; Joh 7:46-49; 9:34,40-41; 1Co 3:18; 4:10; 8:1-2; Re 3:17-18 a light. Isa 49:6,9-10; Mt 4:16; 5:14; Lu 1:79; Ac 26:18; Php 2:15 General references. exp: Lu 11:35.
a teacher. Mt 11:25; 1Co 3:1; Heb 5:13; 1Pe 2:2 the form. Ro 6:17; 2Ti 1:13; 3:5; Tit 1:16 General references. exp: Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S8 (Verse 21) First question to show how ridiculous it is to do the very sins which we condemn.

Thou therefore which teachest another,
teachest thou not thyself?.

Please notice the Thou which starts this question. This makes it personal since Thou means 'you personally'. In addition, if the reader has paid attention to the action verbs of this chapter they would have noticed an abundance of verbs which speak about lifestyle s. Thus, this question needs to be considered as a question about our personal lifestyle , and the rest of the wording within this question also supports it being a question about a personal lifestyle . (The word teachest is speaking about a lifestyle that 'keeps on keeping on teaching'.)

Anyone who has ever done any amount of teaching knows that the best way to learn something in detail is to teach it to others. You have to think about your subject in new ways so that you can make others understand. Also, since different people think different ways, pupils ask questions that you didn't think of yourself. Producing an answer makes the teacher think of the subject a different way and that increases their own knowledge. There are probably more considerations that could be voiced. However, the principal is the same. It is absolutely ridiculous for someone to claim to be an experienced teacher and to not know the subject themselves. Paul is using their own claim to make them realize how foolish they are being. He is trying to get them to truly repent before they face God in judgment.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'therefore. Ps 50:16-21; Mt 23:3-12; Lu 4:23; 11:46; 12:47; 19:22; 1Co 9:27; Ga 6:13; Tit 2:1-7 General references. exp: Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S9 (Verse 21) Second question to show how ridiculous it is to do the very sins which we condemn.

thou that preachest a man should not steal,
dost thou steal?.

There is more to this question than it would appear on the surface. Malachi 3:8 says, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.. How many people tithe on their gross and complain about losing their benefits that they refuse to honor God for providing? Further, this does not just say tithe but it also says offerings. Now most people think about more money. However, Matthew 23:23 says, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.. Luke 11:42 says, something similar but uses judgment and the love of God. It is easy for some people to preach about money while they ignore their own failure to let Christ use the time of their life to love the unlovely in this world.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the note for Romans 13:9 for links to every place in the Bible where the word steal is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and further notes. The functional definition is: 'To take and carry away feloniously, as the personal goods of another'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'dost thou steal. Isa 56:11; Eze 22:12-13,27; Am 8:4-6; Mic 3:11; Mt 21:13; 23:14 General references. exp: Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S10 (Verse 22) Third question to show how ridiculous it is to do the very sins which we condemn.

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,
dost thou commit adultery?.

This question is dealt with in detail the This verse in the Word Study on Adultery. As shown in that Study, adultery is not just about sex but the violation of any part of a covenant agreement (spiritual contract). When the religious man sayest a man should not commit adultery, he uses the religious definition which concentrates on sex. We see this in John 8. However, when Paul asks dost thou commit adultery? he is using the true Biblical definition which is 'the violation of a covenant agreement (spiritual contract)'.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word commit. The functional definition is: ' to give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'adultery. Jer 5:7; 7:9-10; 9:2; Eze 22:11; Mt 12:39; 16:4; Jas 4:4 General references. exp: Le 18:20; Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S11 (Verse 22) Fourth question to show how ridiculous it is to do the very sins which we condemn.

thou that abhorrest idols,
dost thou commit sacrilege?.

Once more we see Paul pointing out how the religious man is against the outward visible evidence of sin (abhorrest idols) but (possibly) goes ahead and commits the underlying spiritual sin (dost thou commit sacrilege?). Webster's 1828 dictionary defines sacrilege as 'sacrilegium; sacer, sacred, and lego, to take or steal. The crime of violating or profaning sacred things; or the alienating to laymen or to common purposes what has been appropriated or consecrated to religious persons or uses'. Yes, there is a physical aspect but the important part, from God's perspective, is the spiritual aspect which the religious person often ignores. Consider Malachi 1:8 which says And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lameans sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.. Also consider Matthew 21:13 and Mark 11:17 and Luke 19:46 which say And he (Jesus) went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Most religious people ignore the true question in this sentence. The religious leaders then, and also many of today, did abhorrest idols. But then they lifted their religious traditions above the word of God to have none effect (Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13; Romans 4:14; Romans 9:6; 1Corinthians 1:17; Galatians 3:17). Therefore, the religious people of today, who condemn statues and icons of other religions, while refusing to let the word of God to correct their religious traditions, are guilty of this sentence.

Please see the note for Romans C12S7 about the word abhor. The functional definition is: 'To hate extremely, or with contempt; to loathe, detest or abominate'. Since our sentence uses the word abhorrest, we see that Paul is asking about a lifestyle one more time.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C8S1 about the word idol. The functional definition is: 'An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C5S8 about the word idolater. Please also see the note for Galatians C5S20 about the word idolatry.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word commit. The functional definition is: ' to give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust'.

This sentence is the only place in the Bible where we find the word sacrilege. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to take or steal. The crime of violating or profaning sacred things; or the alienating to laymen or to common purposes what has been appropriated or consecrated to religious persons or uses. And the hid treasures in her sacred tomb with sacrilege to dig'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for the word sacrilege as: '(Profaning holy things): forbidden: Le 19:8; 1Co 3:17; Tit 1:11; 1Pe 5:2. INSTANCES OF: Esau sells his birthright: Ge 25:33. Nadab and Abihu offer "strange" (unauthorized) fire: Le 10:1-7; Nu 3:4. Of Uzzah: 2Sa 6:6-7. Of Uzziah: 2Ch 26:16-21. Of Korah and his group: Nu 16:40. Of the people of Beth-shemesh: 1Sa 6:19. Of Ahaz: 2Ch 28:24. Of the money-exchangers in the temple: Mt 21:12-13; Lu 19:45; Joh 2:14-16. Of those who profaned the Lord's Supper:. 1Co 11:29'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for the word sacrilege as: 'Condemned: Le 19:8; Nu 18:32; Ro 2:22; 1Co 11:22. Examples of: Le 10:1; 1Sa 2:17; 6:19; 13:9; 2Sa 6:6; 2Ki 21:7; 25:13; 1Ch 13:9; 2Ch 24:7; 26:16; 28:24; Da 5:2; Mt 21:13; Ac 8:19. By Despoiling the Temple: 2Ki 12:18; 18:16; 2Ch 12:9; 16:2; 25:24; 28:21,24; 36:10'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'sacrilege. Mal 1:8,14; 3:8; Mr 11:17 General references. exp: Le 18:20; Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S12 (Verse 23) Fifth question to show how ridiculous it is to do the very sins which we condemn.

Thou that makest thy boast of the law,
through breaking the law dishonourest thou God ?.

This question is a broad general type of question which could have many examples found in scripture. It is the encompassing question to basically say 'Consider all of the other questions of the type just asked and consider the broad category of sin which those questions were an example of.' the next two sentences starts with For and gives general principles found in scripture which teach that God will judge His people who keep the letter of the Law while violating the spirit of the Law. And for those modern religious thinkers who believe we are no longer under any Law, I will refer you to the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) and to the law of faith (C3-S25).

With the New Testament, we were not made 'Lawless' but were removed from the religious portion of the Mosaic Law so that we could be put under the law of Christ. In addition, God's people from at least the time of Abraham have been under the law of faith and that law remained even when the religious part of the Mosaic Law was removed. Therefore, everyone should consider the spiritual principal of the next sentence as it still applies to God's people in the Church Age. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Please see the note for Matthew 5:19 about the word break. The functional definition for this word is: 'to violently cause to part'. Please also see the note for Luke 12:39 about the word broken. Please also see the note for Romans C11S21 about the phrase broken off.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that makest. Ro 2:17; 3:2; 9:4; Jer 8:8-9; Mt 19:17-20; Lu 10:26-29; 18:11; Joh 5:45; 9:28-29; Jas 1:22-27; 4:16-17 General references. exp: Lu 11:35.'.

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C2-S13 (Verse 24) Results of doing the very sins which we condemn.

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,
as it is written..

This sentence starts with For and gives us the reason for the general spiritual principal referred to in the prior sentence. That is: the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you because God's people 'keep the letter of the Law while violating the spirit of the Law'. when this sentence says as it is written it means that people today cause the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (lost people) in the same way (as) scripture tells us it was done in the past.

If we consider 2Samuel 12:13-14 (And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, the LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.), we see that there is consequences to our sin even when we repent and confess. The fact is that David himself pronounced judgment in 2Samuel 12:5-6 (And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.) We read about God killing 4 of David's sons:

the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David in 2Samuel 12:15-19
Amnon in 2Samuel 13:28-29
Absalom in 2Samuel 18:15
Adonijah in 1Kings 2:23-25

If the reader studies each of these stories they will find many similarities between David's sin and the sin done by each of these sons which resulted in their death. There was improper sex, rebellion against God's authority and, especially, an attempt to use the letter of the law to get around the spirit of the law.

Now in the New Testament we find the sin unto death is for the church age and is told about in Acts 5; 5:21; 5:16 and 1John 5:16-17. If the reader studies the context of each of these references, and reads the associated notes, they will find that in each case this sin unto death is because someone is doing a religious act while lying (or believing a lie) about the spiritual consequences of that act.

The next sentence also starts with For and provides the second reason for what Paul said in the prior sentence. That is: it gives a second reason why 'God will judge His people who keep the letter of the Law while violating the spirit of the Law'. There is a general precept within the Bible that I call a Biblical 'bridge'. The note for the next sentence explains that precept because the explanation fits that sentence better than it does this sentence. Please also read that note, especially if you have any questions about the Bible references and interpretation provided for this sentence.

Our sentence says as it is written, and we can see this phrase fulfilled with the similar teaching that is in Isaiah 52:5; Lamentations 2:15-16; Ezekiel 36:20-23; Matthew 18:7; 1Timothy 5:14; Titus 2:5, 8 and many other places within the Bible.

Please see the notes for Mark 2:6-7 and Colossians C3S6 about the word blasphemy. The functional definition is: 'bring God down to the level of man'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the name. Isa 52:5; La 2:15-16; Eze 36:20-23; Mt 18:7; 1Ti 5:14; 6:1; Tit 2:5,8 as it is written. 2Sa 12:14'.

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C2-S14 (Verse 25) The Law must be kept if it is to profit.

Equivalent Section: Religious acts profit when they are properly connected to the spiritual.

For circumcision verily profiteth,
if thou keep the law:.

Equivalent Section: Religious acts do not profit when they are not properly connected to the spiritual.

but if thou be a breaker of the law,
thy circumcision is made uncircumcision..

This sentence starts with For and provides the second reason for what Paul said in the second prior sentence. That is; this sentence gives a second reason why 'God will judge His people who keep the letter of the Law while violating the spirit of the Law'. Below I explain a Bible precept that is used in this sentence. After explaining the precept, I return and show how it applies to this sentence.

The Bible tells us about things that are purely spiritual such as it tells us about God and God is a spirit. There are many physical things that it tells us about. Then there are things which form a 'bridge' between the spiritual and the physical. A 'bridge' has three parts: the foundations which are within the ground on either side of the gap and the part which connects the two. Thus, a Biblical 'bridge' has a part that is spiritual, a part that is physical and a part that connects the two. When Satan tempted Jesus he quoted scripture but left out part of the scripture. 1John 4:1 tells us Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. One way to identify a false prophet is that he follows the spirit of Satan and quotes scripture while leaving out part. He will proclaim 'You can't deny that what I say is in the Bible' to distract from the context and critical things that he leaves out. In particular, Satan likes to get one of his ministers to proclaim one foundation of a Biblical 'bridge' and get another of his ministers to proclaim the other foundation of a Biblical 'bridge'. He then has each denounce the other for ignoring the part that he proclaims, and uses that denouncement to get people to believe that he is 'fighting for the truth'. People watching the fight don't notice that both are ignoring the connecting part of the Biblical 'bridge'. Thus, God's people get sucked into believing a False Doctrine and suffering the consequence. Those consequences can include death, which is why the Bible warns the church of a sin unto death. One of the main things that we need to be careful of is verifying everything that we hear preached against the Bible and taking extra care to verify that what was said matched the context and full Biblical meaning of any passage which is quoted.

Returning to our current sentence, we see that this sentence (and the prior) are giving reasons for a generic question which was asked to make the reader think about the spiritual principal that is behind all of the prior questions. That is, think about the true interpretation of all Biblical 'bridge' items and be careful of teachings which emphasizes one part of the bridge while ignoring the rest. Yes, the religious person can claim that he kept the part of the Biblical truth that he paid attention to, but the lost (Gentiles) will blaspheme the name of God because of the part of the Biblical truth which is ignored by the religious person. In addition, as taught in our current sentence, religious acts (circumcision) only profiteth...if thou keep the law. As has already been pointed out, the saved people have to keep the law (of Christ). In addition, both Equivalent Sections of this sentence use thou, which make this personal. As I have written elsewhere on this web site, I have personally had peace in a storm that was happening to all people around means I have had a personal storm while everyone around me had peace.

Within our sentence we have a colon followed by a but, and every case found so far has proven that the two sides of this combination are polar opposites, like the positive and negative of a picture. This rule holds true here also. The phrase if thou keep the law is the polar opposite of if thou be a breaker of the law. The phrase circumcision verily profiteth is the polar opposite of circumcision is made uncircumcision. Since they went through all of the effort to get circumcision and it became uncircumcision, the effort they expended becomes a net loss, which is the opposite of a profit. Therefore, we have the same truth told two different ways (from the positive perspective and from the negative perspective). Once more we see equivalency shown by the use of a colon and we have the two statements required in the Bible for the basis of doctrine. Religious acts done without the connection to the spiritual side of a Biblical 'bridge' item profiteth nothing and dishonourest God in a personal way.

Paul continues to deal with the concept of circumcision and uncircumcision through the remainder of this chapter and into the next chapter. This was a big dividing point at that time. We see the gospel of circumcision and the gospel of uncircumcision in Galatians 2:7 which is referring to Acts 15. As pointed out in the Word Study on Gospel, these two gospels only occur one time. This division is not the basis of doctrine. Indeed, religious divisions made by man, and not made by God, are never right even though God will put up with them until He teaches us better. As for this division, God had to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and the Church of Jerusalem to end this wrong division within His church. Thus, we should consider the possible consequences when we insist upon religious divisions. While we may not be divided by circumcision, we should apply the related lessons to any religious divisions which we are involved in.

Please see the note for 4:10 which has links to all places in Romans that use any form of circumcision or uncircumcision. The functional definition of the word circumcision is: 'the circumcised Jew but symbolically applies to all who rely on keeping religious rules to make them right with God'. The functional definition of the word uncircumcision is: 'the non-Jew but symbolically applies to all who rely on faith to make them right with God'.

Please see the note for Romans 15:27 for links to other place in Romans where the word verily is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and quotes from other commentators. The functional definition is: ' Really; truly; with great confidence. It was verily thought the enterprise would succeed'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S3 and 2Timothy C3S10 about the word profit. The functional definition is: 'to proceed forward, to advance'. Please also see the note for Matthew 25:30 about the word unprofitable. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '1. Bringing no profit; producing no gain beyond the labor, expenses and interest of capital; as unprofitable land; unprofitable stock; unprofitable employment. 2. Producing no improvement or advantage; useless; serving no purpose; as an unprofitable life; unprofitable study. Job. 15. 3. Not useful to others. 4. Misimproving talents; bringing no glory to God; as an unprofitable servant. Matt. 25'.

Please see the note for Matthew 28:3-4 about the word keeper. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'of anything. 1. One who retains in custody; one who has the care of a prison and the custody of prisoners. 2. One who has the care of a park or other inclosure, or the custody of beasts; as the keeper of a park, a pound, or of sheep. 3. One who has the care, custody or superintendence of anything. In Great Britain, the keeper of the great seal, is a lord by his office, and one of the privy council. All royal grants, commissions and charters pass through his hands. He is constituted lord-keeper by the delivery of the great seal. the keeper of the privy seal is also a lord by his office, and a member of the privy council.'. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 5:22 about the word keep. Please see the note for 1John about the phrase keep his commandments. The functional definition is: 'To hold; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose or part with; as, to keep a house or a farm; to keep anything in the memory, mind or heart. 2. to have in custody for security or preservation'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'circumcision. Ro 2:28-29; 3:1-2; 4:11-12; De 30:6; Jer 4:4; Ga 5:3-6; 6:15; Eph 2:11-12 exp: 1Co 7:19. but if. Ro 2:23; Jer 9:25-26; Ac 7:51'.

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C2-S15 (Verse 26) Law judges actions.

Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law,
shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?.

This sentenced says that those of the uncircumcision who keep the Law are treated as if they were the circumcision. This would seem obvious to anyone who is not using religion to turn off their brain. However, brain dead slaves of religious doctrine that matches the spirit of a devil will have fits with the conclusion which includes the next sentence.

Notice that this sentence starts with Therefore. That means it is a direct result of what Paul has just said in the preceding sentences. This sentence asks a conditional (if) question that is based upon what was already said. The condition specified is that a person keep the righteousness of the law. The Jews considered their circumcision to give them righteousness. Yet they had to acknowledge that there were Jews who had circumcision but were not righteous because there were criminals killed by the law and given lesser punishments. In addition, all through their history they had outsiders who came in and were judged righteous such as Ruth was. Now Paul has led them through irrefutable logic to show them that judgment is based upon deeds and not position. Therefore, the fact that someone was considered to be the uncircumcision really didn't matter. The phrase counted for circumcision means judged by God to be righteous. The Jews could not deny that God would judge anyone who kept the righteousness of the law to be righteous because to do otherwise would be to claim that God is unrighteous. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Please see the note for Romans 6:14 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word law along with a the Webster's 1828 definition. In addition, the note for Romans 3:31 which has links to every place there the New Testament tells us about a law that applies to the saved during the Church Age. In our sentence, the word law is used for the Mosaic Law.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C4S1 about the word account. The functional definition is: 'an entry in a book or on paper of things bought or sold, of payments, services etc., including the names of the parties to the transaction, date, and price or value of the thing'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Isa 56:6-7; Mt 8:11-12; 15:28; Ac 10:2-4,34-35; 11:3-18; 1Co 7:18-19; Php 3:3; Col 2:11'.

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C2-S16 (Verse 27) People who keep the Law will judge those who break it.

And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature,
if it fulfil the law,
judge thee,
who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?.

Now Paul is 'adding insult to injury' from the point of view of a self-righteous religious person. This sentence says those of the uncircumcision who keep the Law will judge those of the circumcision who do not keep the Law. This sentence is added unto the prior by starting with an And. It is part of the conclusion (Therefore) of the prior sentence. Here the Jews were convinced that they were far above the uncircumcision and now Paul proves that these 'lower' people will judge thee (them personally).

This sentence encompasses a Biblical truth which used to be better known than it is apparently known today. Matthew 12:41-42 says, The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. the queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.. 1Corinthians 6:3 says, Know ye not that we shall judge angels?. Simply put, men will be involved in the judgment of others and the more righteous will judge the less righteous. But If this principal is not enough, Paul gives us further reasons in the next sentence. Please see the notes for 2:2 and 3:6 which has links to where this epistle and the Bible talks about judging. Please also the note for 3:20 which has links to where this epistle talks about justify.

Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words. The functional definition is: 'The inherent qualities of a being manifested in the various characteristics which mark and display its existence: the aggregate of such qualities is what is termed its nature, and one class or order of being is thus distinguished from another'.& please also see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where the word natural is used.

Please see the note for Romans C15S11 about the word fulfill. The functional definition is: 'To accomplish; to perform; to complete; to answer in execution or event what has been foretold or promised; as, to fulfill a prophecy or prediction; to fulfill a promise'.

Please see the note for Romans 6:14 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word law along with a the Webster's 1828 definition. In addition, the note for Romans 3:31 which has links to every place there the New Testament tells us about a law that applies to the saved during the Church Age. In our sentence, the word law is used for the Mosaic Law.

The word letter only occurs in this sentence, the next sentence, and 7:6, within the book of Romans. In all three places of Romans, letter is used for 'the detailed portions of the law'.

Please see the note for 1John 3:4 about the word transgress. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'To pass over or beyond any limit; to surpass. 2. In a moral sense, to overpass any rule prescribed as the limit of duty; to break or violate a law, civil or moral. to transgress a divine law, is sin. Legislators should not transgress laws of their own making.
TRANSGRESS', v.i. to offend by violating a law; to sin. Chron 2'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'if it fulfil. Ro 8:4; 13:10; Mt 3:15; 5:17-20; Ac 13:22; Ga 5:14 judge. Eze 16:48-52; Mt 12:41-42; Heb 11:3 by the. Ro 2:20,29; 7:6-8; 2Co 3:6 General references. exp: Lu 10:14.'.

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C2-S17 (Verse 28-29) A true Jew is based upon the spirit, not on the outward characteristics.

Equivalent Section: the outward characteristics don't determine the person.

First Step: Jewishness is not outward.

For he is not a Jew,
which is one outwardly;.

Second Step: circumcision is not outward.

neither is that circumcision,
which is outward in the flesh:.

Equivalent Section: the inward characteristics do determine the person.

First Step: Jewishness is inward.

But he is a Jew,
which is one inwardly;.

Second Step: circumcision is that of the heart.

and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit,
and not in the letter;.

Third Step: Who we seek praise from shows our inward truth.

whose praise is not of men,
but of God..

In Isaiah 11:10, we read: And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.. In Amos 9:12, we read: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. In Zechariah 8:23, we read: Thus, saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. In these verses and many more Old Testament verses (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 54:3; Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 60:5; Isaiah 60:11; Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 61:6; Isaiah 61:9; Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 66:12; Isaiah 66:19; Jeremiah 16:19; Malachi 1:11; etc), we read that God planned to save the Gentiles. And, we also see that God did not plan to save people because of their birth but because of their faith and obedience to His Messiah / Christ. Therefore, the doctrine of this sentence is based upon an Old Testament doctrinal truth.

This sentence which says being a Jew and of the circumcision is judged by the heart and obedience and not by what is outward in the flesh. A lot of wars, problems with civil rights and other similar violence are due to people not understanding the principal in this sentence. We have a spirit that is attached to this flesh at conception and separated from it at death. We have a soul (mind will and emotions) which we develop during this life and which will go with our spirit at death. The outward flesh that religion puts so much emphasis on is discarded at death and is, therefore, the least important part of each of us.

The word Jew first appears in the Bible a short time before the captivity. It has been noted that any other people in history who have lost their home land and were dispersed like the Jews were have lost their identity and have been absorbed into other peoples and cultures. Foralmost 2,000 years the Jews hid not have a home land and even now most Jews are not in that home land. Yes, there are supposed to be certain physical characteristics (DNA, medical concerns, etc) that are unique to the Jew, but the Jews are mostly identified as a unique culture and religion. Therefore, in addition to this designation made by God, men make the same designation if for different reasons.

Paul deals with this concept about being a Jew versus other people in this chapter, the next chapter then leaves it alone until 9:22-24 where Paul shows that God extends mercy to the Jew and to the non-Jew alike for His own glory. Therefore, the reasons that the Jews made this distinction is ignored by God. Paul concludes his statements on the Jew, in this epistle, with 10:12 where he says For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him..

Remember the note earlier (C2-S13) about a Biblical 'bridge'? the emphasis on being an outward Jew is an emphasis on one foundation of a Biblical 'bridge' item. While the religious man of today may claim that he is not a Jew, the same principal applies to all people who try to distinguish their group based upon physical characteristics or religious activities. The opposite side of error are those religious people who emphasize the spiritual part only and deny the physical and deny the connecting parts of the Biblical 'bridge' items. These are the people who claim that they can do all of the sin in this flesh that they want and it makes no difference. Paul deals with those doctrinal errors in chapters 6-8. Thus, Paul deals with both partial-truth errors in this epistle. The main lesson of this chapter is in our Second Equivalent Section. We need to look at the inward characteristics which are that of the heart and in the spirit and which shows a person who seeks praise...of God and does not seek the praise of men.

This sentence tells us that circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit. The Word Study on Spirit covers every use of the word Spirit in the Bible, including the 33 times (in 26 verses) within Romans. Please see that Study for details. Please see the note for Romans 8:1 which has links to every verse, in Romans, which uses any form of the word spirit. This verse is one of several verses found under Man's Spirit for the point titled 'We are to commit (our) spirit to God because thou hast redeemed me. When we do that, God can stir our spirit to do His work. God gives us His Holy Spirit in the Church Age so that our spirit can do His work in response to His Spirit stirring our spirit.' True Biblical divisions are spiritual and not physical.

Our sentence uses the phrase outwardly for the physical part of us. Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:7 about the word outward. Please see the note for 2Corinthians 7:15 about the word inward.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 7:15 about the word inward. The functional definition is: 'Internal; interior; placed or being within; as the inward structure of the body. 2. Intimate; domestic; familiar. 3. Seated in the mind or soul'.

The word letter only occurs in the prior sentence, this sentence, and 7:6, within the book of Romans. In all three places of Romans, letter is used for 'the detailed portions of the law'.

Please see the note f1Corinthians C11S2 about the word praise. The functional definition is: ' Commendation bestowed on a person for his personal virtues or worthy actions, on meritorious actions themselves, or on anything valuable; approbation expressed in words or song'. Please also see the note for Romans C15S9 about the phrase praise the Lord.

Please see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'For he. Ro 9:6-8; Ps 73:1; Isa 1:9-15; 48:1-2; Ho 1:6-9; Mt 3:9; Joh 1:47; 8:37-39; Ga 6:15; Re 2:9 neither. Jer 9:26; Ro 4:10-12; 1Pe 3:21
which. 1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 29:17; Ps 45:13; Jer 4:14; Mt 23:25-28; Lu 11:39; 17:21; Joh 4:23; 1Pe 3:4 exp: Re 2:9. circumcision. De 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Col 2:11-12 exp: Ro 2:25; 1Co 7:19. spirit. Ro 2:27; 7:6; 14:17; Joh 3:5-8; 2Co 3:6; Php 3:3 whose. Joh 5:44; 12:43; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 10:18; 1Th 2:4; 1Pe 3:4'.

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