Romans

Romans is one of Paul's letters and focuses on spreading the good news.

Chapter two speaks about God's Righteous Judgment. I find this passage interesting simply because it is something we encounter everyday. We, as humans, judge one another. We have set up a government that contains judges to make the laws and enforce them. I've always wondered-even having worked in a court-how judges do what they do...People make mistakes. People are biased. The earth is unforgiving, but God is forgiving...It makes me think about what we were talking about in class today as the new testament being written in a way for heaven to come to earth, not for us to go to heaven...How does our government fit in?? This passage seems harsh, but it definitely fits the topic of hypocrisy-one of my pet peeves.

Chapter three first appeals to the value of being a Jew, but then goes back to no one is righteous. Then we see from the end of chapter three through chapter four the idea of faith playing a large role in salvation. I think that Romans 3: 23 is a verse that truly humbles a person and may be a verse that if more people took to heart could minimize racism. We see a form of racism between Jews and Gentiles in the bible. And essentially, this is what Paul is talking about. There is no difference. Both Jews and Gentiles, blacks and whites, are the same when it comes to measuring up to perfection.

Romans 5:8 is a verse that is dear to my heart. This to me is a summary of God's love for us. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is such an amazing thought. Despite my flaws, my sins, my imperfection- my king died for me. It reminds me of the song: "Amazing Love, how can it be?? That you my king would die for me..." I think of this song and I think of this verse-and together I summarize that God loved me so much...

Romans 9:21 discusses God as a potter. This analogy has been one I have been use to since I was little. There is a hymn that talks about giving yourself to the potter for Him to mold. This image of God fascinates me simply because I can see it happening. Just as we develop both physically and psychologically, we also develop spiritually...and in the beginning we're pretty much nothing-a big hump of clay. And as we draw closer to Him and allow His hands to touch our lives-or the clay, we mold into a form that is in His desire-His likeness. If you've ever seen pottery being made, this analogy really means a lot...

Romans 10:9 always strikes me as memorable-it is the plan to salvation. How much simpler can you state it?

Romans chapter 12 is one that discusses gifts and love and how to behave. At the end it says "Do not overcome evil by evul, but overcome evil with good." SO many times in my personal life I want to take revenge-specifically with my sister. I think this is a verse I should read daily to reflect on and to overcome our disagreements with love...Love is something that has become tainted in our society. Love has become more ofa lust-in general. People live together thinking they are in love, people marry simply because the guy got the girl pregnant....In verse 9 it states that Love must be sincere. I wish that we as a society could have more sincere love...

Romans as a whole is a chapter in the bible that many Christians quote as directions on "how to be a good Christian." I think this has some truth in it since Paul's letter is advising the different churches...