@sonship saidAre you so much against 'DOING' and KEEPING the commandments of God, that you will stoop to post such garbage? 'Have you no pride and no shame?
That good PART of man, though overcome by the sinning nature, is a restricting and breaking factor. It is a restriction somewhat arresting man's total decline into moral corruption.
Paul is stating here clearly that it is the DOERS of the Gods commands who are RIGHTEOUS. Hearers and those who simply profess faith are NOTHING. They are just chaf in the wind fit to be burned..
I appreciate the outline of the book of Romans in the Recovery Version.
https://www.biblesforamerica.org/
Romans 1:18 - 3:20 is under the heading of "Condemnation".
Then that is broken up into four subsections:
Romans 2:18-32 - "On Mankind in General"
Romans 2:1-16 - "On the Self-righteous Particularly"
Romans 2:17 - 3:8 - "On the Religious Specifically"
Romans 3:9-20 - "On All the World Totally"
This is a very good overview of 1:18 through 3:20. And in this section "On the Self-Righteous Particularly" Paul has this explanation of the work of the law written on the hearts of the nations. And their conscience with reasonings condemning or excusing their actions.
Paul's purpose is not to say any can justify themselves before God for eternal life.
If he meant that then in the next section on Justification (3:21 - 5:11) he would not have written:
" . . . the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ to all those who believe, for there is no distinction;
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." (verses 22-24) .
As to eternal redemption and eternal life Paul has included and not excluded the ones concerning which he previously said the work of the law was written on their consciences and they were in principle doers of the law.
"ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" includes all human beings with one exception - the Son of God, Jesus, the Redeemer, the One whose death and resurrection is for the justification of the ALL.
Below this Paul again writes in verse 27,28 - "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? That of works? No, but through the law of faith.
For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law." .
I have a good idea readers. Why not get your New Testament out and READ the book of Paul's letter to the Romans for yourself?
@Ghost-of-a-Duke
No, we can certainly pray read the word of God as an exercise of the praying spirit of man.
Prayer itself is like a salmon fish swimming against the current.
The pull of the world is AGAINST praying.
The CURRENT of the world is opposed to people praying.
It is all for people THINKING and THINKING and THINKING without a prayerful spirit to touch the spiritual realm. So the word of God is a fortifying way to strengthen the praying organ which needs to be exercised. And the Bible is full of people fortifying their prayer with the trustworthy words of God.
Jesus Himself, in His most desperate hour upon the cross united His crying out to His Father with His repeating the words of God.
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Luke 27:46)
He cried out the words of Psalm 22:1. When you can hardly find the words to express yourself, laying hold of the word of God helps to express your praying burden out to God.
You play a very dangerous game. The more you read the Bible the more your heart is hardened against God. This is dangerous.
The Bible even says the seeker of God would "praise His word" .
How do you praise without a mind to pray?
Praise is speaking forth for God, unto God, even speaking God our of your heart.
Psalm 56:4 - In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me. In God will I praise His word: in the LORD will I praise His word… The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.(v.4)
God and His word so one that the Psalmists praising of God is also his praising of God's WORD.
"Lord Jesus, Help me to praise Your word. In God, in the sphere of God, in the presence of God I praise You Lord. I praise even Your word."
I give some credit to where credit is due.
Brother Witness Lee (and others) who recommend praying with the word of God encourage believers to strengthened their spiritual roots with Jesus in an intimate and private way. Rather than discourage people to be tuned in to God only to follow THEM, they encourage Christians to strengthen their intimacy and private foundations in contacting God.
Shame on anyone saying to recommend people pray read is to seek to take advantage over them.
We are told by brother Jude to build up ourselves in the Holy Spirit praying.
"But you, beloved, building up yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20,21)
Using the living word of Scripture in prayer is a good way in building up your holy faith. It is only a dangerous practice to those wanting to obliterate any faith, tearing it down, and having contempt for God and His love.
However, certainly reading the Scripture with a right heart toward God is better than not doing so.
@sonship saidPray reading is the slippery slope to chanting, repetition and charlatan mumbo-jumbo.
@Ghost-of-a-Duke
No, we can certainly pray read the word of God as an exercise of the praying spirit of man.
Prayer itself is like a salmon fish swimming against the current.
The pull of the world is AGAINST praying.
The CURRENT of the world is opposed to people praying.
It is all for people THINKING and THINKING and THINKING without a prayerful spirit to ...[text shortened]... us game. The more you read the Bible the more your heart is hardened against God. This is dangerous.
@sonship saidThis is not a divine invitation to pray read scripture.
The Bible even says the seeker of God would "praise His word" .
@sonship saidWitness Lee said Christians were in an organization of Satan. Shame on him.
I give some credit to where credit is due.
Brother Witness Lee (and others) who recommend praying with the word of God encourage believers to strengthened their spiritual roots with Jesus in an intimate and private way. Rather than discourage people to be tuned in to God only to follow THEM, they encourage Christians to strengthen their intimacy and private foundat ...[text shortened]... d.
Shame on anyone saying to recommend people pray read is to seek to take advantage over them.
@sonship saidAnother tenuous link to scripture to support charlatan ideology.
We are told by brother Jude to build up ourselves in the Holy Spirit praying.
"But you, beloved, building up yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20,21)
Using the living word of Scripture in prayer is a good way in buil ...[text shortened]... However, certainly reading the Scripture with a right heart toward God is better than not doing so.
@sonship saidRegardless, at the end of most of these letters of Paul [if not all], Paul warns the very same Christian saints, who are saved by grace, justified by faith, sanctified by the blood of Christ who have the Holy Spirit, who are redeemed, who think they have eternal life [like you for example], that IF if they did not live righteously, there is no eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Only those who keep the commandments get eternal life..
I appreciate the outline of the book of Romans in the Recovery Version.
https://www.biblesforamerica.org/
Romans 1:18 - 3:20 is under the heading of "Condemnation".
Then that is broken up into four subsections:
Romans 2:18-32 - "On Mankind in General"
Romans 2:1-16 - "On the Self-righteous Particularly"
Ro ...[text shortened]... not get your New Testament out and READ the book of Paul's letter to the [b]Romans for yourself?
Christian Saints who live evil sinful lives and do not keep the commandments are destroyed, cast out and burned. You continue to lead the gullible astray.
Witness Lee said Christians were in an organization of Satan. Shame on him.
Is that a direct quote or second and third hand spin ?
Shame on you if you cannot produce a direct quote stating exactly what you just wrote.
- Christians were in an organization of Satan -
Your quotation for this and the location?
Let me see SOURCE and CONTEXT.
Regardless, at the end of most of these letters of Paul [if not all], Paul warns the very same Christian saints, who are saved by grace, justified by faith, sanctified by the blood of Christ who have the Holy Spirit, who are redeemed, who think they have eternal life [like you for example], that IF if they did not live righteously, there is no eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Only those who keep the commandments get eternal life..
I've pointed that out many times some lose the reward of the co-reigning in the kingdom.
In this little paragraph WHAT have you just said that I and others have said before?
Wait a minute. Correction: That believers who have eternal life might not have the reward of entering into the millennial kingdom.
THAT is what I have taught for years many times from Ephesians, Galatians, and First Corinthians..
YOU added that they lose the gift of eternal life.
YOU said that, not the New Testament.
The New Testament said certain believers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
And that is a temporary discipline until they are sanctified.
Folks, a person born again cannot be unborn again no matter how much Rajk999 doesn't understand this.