When I was a child in our house was a promise box. A small wooden box of small scrolls with bible promises in them. Often when I was in need of a dream that my life would be great I would go to the box get the tweezers and pull out a promise. If I didn’t like it or didn’t understand it I would put it back and do the best of three routine, hoping to pull put a good one!
I cannot remember a day in my life when I have not opened my Bible at some point. I would rather read it than any other book. If that comes across as boasting then I am happy to boast. One of the primary tasks of any Pastor is for them to lead their church into the reading of the Bible on a daily basis as part of their discipleship. Christians have the revelation of God! This makes us greatly privileged!
Let’s come to a few verses today:
So Paul has been saying that both Jews and Gentiles stand in the same place before God.
He knows the questions that this raises: Why be a Jew? Why be circumcised?
Are we not chosen anymore?
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (Romans 3 v 1-2)
His response is YES! The Jews have the Scriptures.
First of all … there doesn’t seem to be a second or third point. There is but it doesn’t come till much later in his letter. In chapter 9 Paul will speak of the other benefits of being a Jew: their adoption, the covenants and the law. It seems he gets side-tracked and wonderfully so.
First of all the Jews were given the task of writing down and preserving the revelation from God throughout the ages! They have what is our Old Testament. (The problem is they came to also believe their oral traditions are equal to the written revelation of God and that good works now outweigh the sacrificial system which is now not operational since the destruction of their Temple in AD70)
And so do we!
Of course there are promises that are appropriate only for the Jews but we have a Bible full of promises that apply to us! We also have promises in the New Testament, in letters like this one, Romans!
In this letter I wonder which amazing Bible declarations you know?!
(1: 16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
(3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
(5:1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
(5:8) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(6: 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Or do you remember these?
(8: 28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(10: 9) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
(10:13) Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
(11:29) for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
(12:2) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Why not choose one today (like my promise box) and meditate on it throughout the day?!
Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.
Missions Paul 