Study of Romans - 2

Romans 2-3

The first thing that has to be established about the Word, as we approach it to read and understand it, is the absolute authority of the Word. It comes from God; He conceived it; He spoke it to human authors, and they wrote it down, but the Word was created for eternity, not just for certain times or certain people or certain circumstances of mankind. When the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for saying He was the Son of God, He responded with this:

John 10:34–36 
   34) "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, You are gods'?
   35) "If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
   36) "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?”

Notice three things in these verses: 1) Scripture does not have human origin. It comes from God; 2) It cannot be broken; 3) The truth of God’s Word is eternal.

Ps 119:88, 89 
88)Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
89)Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

There are no contradictions in the Word of God. There are no mistakes. The world, especially today, questions the authority of the Bible, and of course, Satan is behind that attack. Satan will continue to attack that one thing—is the Word of God really from God. There is only one answer to that attack. Yes, the Word really is from God, the Word really is the law, and the Word really will last forever and always. If Satan can get you to doubt that reality, he will get you to travel the path you design, like Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way.”

We will not understand the Bible overnight. We will probably have questions into eternity, but what we know and what we discover, we can live by. Our human minds cannot comprehend all Truth at one time. Only the Holy Spirit reveals the Truth of God. The Bible is not the product of time, but of eternity. It contains the eternal mind and counsel of God. When time and mankind pass away, Scripture will last forever.

Matthew 24:35
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

Psalms 119:160 
The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

The only foundation for your life is the Word of God. During His sojourn on earth, Jesus answered every temptation with Scripture. Satan also knows Scripture and he accepts the authority of the Bible.

Matthew 5:17, 18
17)"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18)"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It’s about the size of a comma. The tittle is the little curl at the end of certain letters, smaller than a comma. Scripture is so accurate that not even a comma or a swirl at the end of a letter can be removed.

2 Timothy 3:16 
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Inspiration means “in-breathed.” God breathed His Word. Breath is what carries words. The Holy Spirit “in-breathed” God’s Word into the men who wrote it down.

2 Peter 1:20, 21
   20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
  21) for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

We are not allowed to interpret the Scriptures according to our will. They are holy. The Bible interprets the Bible. The accuracy of the Bible is unquestionable.

Psalms 12:6 
The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

2 Peter 3:1, 2, 15, 16 
   1) Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
  2) that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
  15) and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
  16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Scripture proves that not only the Old Testament prophets received God’s Word in order to write it down, but also the Holy Spirit acted the same way with the Apostles and with Paul. If we argue with God’s Word and twist it to mean what we want it to say, we do so to our own destruction. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is Scripture and is the eternal and complete will of God.  

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Month Two
Week One:
Romans 2:5–13
Week Two:
Romans 2:14–22
Week Three:
Romans 2:23–3:1
Week Four:
Romans 3:2–9
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Each week follow this format:
Day One:  Read assigned verses to yourself three times.
Day Two:  Read the verses out loud three times.
Day Three:  Copy the verses into a notebook.
Day Four:  Write the assigned verses in your own words.
Day Five:  Taking into consideration all the verses you’ve read up to now, ask the Lord to choose one verse that He wants you to meditate on. Take that verse, meditate on it every day, and let it transform you to be more like the image of Jesus.

• Each day of this month ask the Lord what He wants you to do for someone else. Then do it for Him.
• Keep a journal of what you’ve done in obedience and record the results.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the virtues of modern society?
2.  What are the vices of modern society?
3.  What are your good points?
4.  What are your weaknesses?
5. What measures can you take to transform your weaknesses into good points?