Friday 17 June 2016

Predestination in Romans

Paul hadn't yet been to Rome. The church at Rome had a mixed Jewish/Gentile congregation. Paul was passionate about seeing the correct Gospel-message established at Rome. So he wrote to them.

His theme was the Gospel: he proved his premise that salvation is by grace through faith regardless of ethnicity and without the works of the Law. Early chapters of Romans.

Then he anticipates certain questions, misconceptions and objections, and begins to deal with them one by one: e.g.,

Does the Old Testament, and Abraham support all this? Chapter 4,5

Doesn't it imply we can continue in sin? Chapter 6-8

Doesn't it imply God's promises to national Israel failed?

Doesn't it imply God had used national Israel unfairly? Chapter 9,10

Does it mean God has shut the door for Jews to be saved?

Was this really the scenario the Prophets had foreseen? Chapter 11.

Etc, etc.

If we don't identify the question Paul was answering, we could make his statements mean something he never said.

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