The spirit, likely The Holy Spirit, abounds in the words of the Epistle of Saint Paul The Apostle to the Romans—the holiness of his spirit—whom I serve in my spirit—spiritual grace unto you to strengthen you—and a matter of the heart in the spirit…
What does being spiritual mean?
Is just being spiritual a way to attain immortality—life forever?
Thoughts and comments intermixed with the words of Saint Paul The Apostle:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to Jew first and then to Greek. For in it the justice of God is revealed, from faith unto faith, as it is written, “He who is just lives by faith.”
Justification by faith—the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin.
Is belief enough? Are good works needed?
What does “live by faith” mean in today’s world?
Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle… among you also, as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. To Greeks and to foreigners, to learned and unlearned, I am a debtor…
No doubt Paul was a debtor after persecuting so many Christians earlier in his life.
Today, this would be like the equivalent of a comeback by Bernard Madoff to become the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Paul was in debt, Jesus made him realize that he owed society a great deal. Not only was Paul turned around but he ended up leading the pack in the right direction:
Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art who judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou dost condemn thyself. For thou who judgest dost the same things thyself.
The long version of those who live in glass houses should not throw stones:
Does thou not know that the goodness of God is meant to lead thee to repentance?
His love overwhelms us in so doing… and for good reason—there will be a Judgment Day:
…and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works. Life eternal indeed he will give to those who by patience in good works seek glory and honor and immortality… Tribulation and anguish shall be visited upon the soul of every man who works evil… But glory and honor and peace shall be awarded to everyone who does good…
The following is the insight into logic or the lack thereof… an association of two things does not imply a cause-and-effect relationship… and what is logical may or may not be heartfelt. Start with the heart:
For it is not they who hear the Law that are just in the sight of God; but it is they who follow the Law that will be justified. When the Gentiles who have no law do by nature what the Law prescribes, these having no law are a law unto themselves. They show the work of the Law written in their hearts. Their conscience bears witness to them, even when conflicting thoughts accuse or defend them. This will take place of the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the hidden secrets of men through Jesus Christ.
I did not know that the Gentiles had no law like the Jews and relied on doing things naturally?
We better find the hidden secrets in our life before God judges them even if they are secrets to us. Come out of our Sully Egos, Denial, Justification and Rationalization.
…a teacher of children, having in the Law the pattern of knowledge and truth. Thou therefore who teaches another, dost thou not teach thyself?
Yes we should all teach ourselves and who better to learn from than ourselves if we can get out of our selfish perspectives and see things objectively and honestly as they are. Most importantly our thoughts, our emotions, our words spoken, and our behavior. Always best to be and learn from the inside-out utilizing this opportunity to read, meditate and internalize The Spiritual Epistle of Saint Paul The Apostle to the Romans.
Day 136: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Spiritual Epistle of Saint Paul The Apostle to the Romans.
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Epistle of Saint Paul The Apostle to the Romans, Chapters 1-2.
Bible Notes:
Saint Paul in this letter gives the fullest explanation of his doctrine. In the first eleven chapters he explains that justification is through faith in Christ and not through the works of the Jewish Law. The last five chapters are directions for the conduct of a Christian life.
Romans Chapter 1: Greeting; Commendation and desire to visit them; Why he wishes to visit them; Theme of the epistle; The pagans adore idols; Punishment of idolaters.
Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle…
…his son… who was foreordained Son of God by an act of power in keeping with the holiness of his spirit, by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received the grace of apostleship to bring about obedience to faith among all the nations for his name’s sake…grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
First I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you… For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son… For I long to see you that I may impact some spiritual grace unto you to strengthen you…
…among you also, as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. To Greeks and to foreigners, to learned and unlearned, I am a debtor…
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to Jew first and then to Greek. For in it the justice of God is revealed, from faith unto faith, as it is written, “He who is just lives by faith.”
For since the creation of the world his (God’s) invisible attributes are clearly seen…
…these men who in wickedness hold back the truth of God… and their senseless minds have been darkened. For while professing to be wise, they have become fools… Therefore God has given them up in the lustful desires of their heart to uncleanliness, so that they dishonor their own bodies among themselves—they who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator… men with men doing shameless things and receiving in themselves the fitting recompense of their perversity… they have not understood that those who practise such things are deserving of death. And not only do they do these things, but they applaud others doing them.
Romans Chapter 2: All will be rewarded or punished; Gentiles to be judged by the natural law; The Jews transgress the Law; True circumcision.
Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art who judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou dost condemn thyself. For thou who judgest dost the same things thyself.
Does thou not know that the goodness of God is meant to lead thee to repentance?
…and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works. Life eternal indeed he will give to those who by patience in good works seek glory and honor and immortality… Tribulation and anguish shall be visited upon the soul of every man who works evil… But glory and honor and peace shall be awarded to everyone who does good…
For it is not they who hear the Law that are just in the sight of God; but it is they who follow the Law that will be justified. When the Gentiles who have no law do by nature what the Law prescribes, these having no law are a law unto themselves. They show the work of the Law written in their hearts. Their conscience bears witness to them, even when conflicting thoughts accuse or defend them. This will take place of the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the hidden secrets of men through Jesus Christ.
…a teacher of children, having in the Law the pattern of knowledge and truth. Thou therefore who teaches another, dost thou not teach thyself?
Circumcision, indeed, profits if thou keep the Law; but it thou be a transgressor of the Law, thy circumcision has become uncircumcision… but he is a Jew who is so inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter. His praise is not from men but from God.
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