Questions about some verses

[ana811]

1) Rom 11: 17-22

Vs. 22 “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness Otherwise you too will be cut off.”



· Is Roman’s written to those who believe?

· How can one be cut off if they were never part of the body of Christ to begin with?

· How do you explain “provided you continue in his kindness” that sounds conditional



2) Hebrews 6: 4-6

-“For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit and have tasted the goodness of th word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding im up to contempt”



· “restore”- to bring back to or put back into a former or original state (Merriam Webster dictionary)

· “restore again to repentance”- if restore means to bring back into a former or original state…then to restore to repentance seems to mean that at one time they were in a state of repentance and how can you share in the Holy Spirit if you were not saved at one time?





3) James 2: 14-26

-vs 20-22

“Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by his works;”

vs 24 “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”



· Can someone please explain this? If our works don’t matter how can they play are part in justification and why does it say it is not by faith alone?



4) There are some other verses I have questions on, does anyone know of a good Bible commentary?

 

[pinkieposies]

There are some other verses I have questions on, does anyone know of a good Bible commentary?

A wonderful commentary is The Matthew Henry Commentary. The whole commentary can be found online at: http://www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC00000.HTM


There are some very useful explainations there, and I am sure you could find some good answers to all of the questions you have posted here.

God Bless,
Erin

 

[ana811]

Thank you Erin!

 

[pinkieposies]

Thank you Erin!

Your welcome! Sorry the link wasn't working there, but I fixed it!

I'm sure others will have some more comments to make about this. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

God Bless,
Erin

 

[Elderone]

Here are more links that should be useful:

http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment3/comm_index.htm

At the following cite you can download the OnLine Bible, numerous add-ons and commentaries which are helpful with Bible study, and all FREE:

http://www.onlinebible.net/

 

[heymikey80]

Let's see: Rom 11:17-22 is written particularly to Gentiles in the church. The church is those who've assembled. Paul's comparing them with the larger Jewish population, pointing out that the new group of Gentiles is similarly vulnerable to departing from the faith. Jewish people largely deviated from the faith of Abraham in Paul's perception (Rom 4). Gentiles as a group could do so as well, largely by taking pride in their new position.

If their pride of being in this new status before God obliterated the favor God shows them, then Gentiles with such a blinding pride would be no more receiving the Gospel of Christ than the Jewish people.

Hebrews 6:4-6 has different views on it, but people who were in partnership with the Spirit were not saved on that point alone. Baalam and Saul come to mind. Both had the Spirit, but there's no reason to consider them saved. Similarly, all the disciples were given Spiritual gifts to cast out unclean spirits and perform miraculous signs -- including Judas, who was pretty assuredly not saved.

Hebrews contains pervasive points about the importance of faith throughout the book, pouring it on with Heb 11 in the Hall of Fame of Faith. Yet in Heb 6:4-6 no mention is made of the person having faith. The Apostle points out that's the difference he expects of those he's writing to (6:12(,:9)).

To me the person has not believed, and so has not been justified. His repentance didn't extend to clinging to God in faith.

On to James 2:14-26. I think this passage makes more sense if you watch small English words slip by that are significant in Greek: the words "see" and "shown". James is pointing out that justification is made evident to others by the works that we do. We respond to God's justification by doing good works. So you observe that a person is being justified by that person's works, not by faith alone (that is, faith without works). You can see faith working. You can't see faith; you can see its works.