Romans 4:1-11:24

In Romans Paul struggles with great theological issues.

Chapt. 5 Paul states we are justified by faith alone. We have faith in the grace received by the obedience of Jesus, who lived, died, and was resurrected so that all may receive forgiveness.

Chapt. 6 Resurrection is being raised to never die again. Christ also died to sin "so that you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." 6.11
"now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life."6.22

Chap. 8 Paul talks about living in Christ. "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." 8.6 "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption." 8.14-15 Paul continues to talk about the relationship between God and people. God's love is greater than our sin and confusion. "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs to deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." 8.26-27 "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 8.38-39
"So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy." 9.16

In Chapt. 10 Paul reminds us how important our part in sharing God's story is. For God wants all to be saved, but how can that happen without someone sharing Christ with them. We have been given an important job and need to participate in God's work for all people.

Paul begins Chapt. 11 with the question that always arises about Jews being saved. "has God rejected his people? By no means." 11.1 But Paul continues to assert that even Jews are no longer saved by the law. "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace." 11.6 He asserts that the Jews rejection of Jesus is part of God's plan of salvation for all people and reconciliation of the world. "I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved." 11.25b-26

Paul ends with a wonderful affirmation of God:
"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways.....For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen" 11.33,36

Reading Paul requires times and rereading. Although he can be challenging, he always ends with praise for God which reminds me of the Psalms. I'm glad for the punctuation marks of modern English which helps a little in the reading, but wonder how much the modern reader misses. Paul being the good Pharisee practiced debate with an issue which causes what may appear to be rambling, but like me I think Paul practices thinking on paper and out loud.