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Romans 9-11 Differences

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The topic of this paper is to look over the similarities and differences found between Romans 9-11, Galatians 4:21-31; 6:16, and 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. Considering that Romans, Galatians, and 1 Thessalonians are all written by Paul it is assumed that there will be many similarities found between the books studied. While it will be discussed later the similarities and differences of this book what first must be looked at is the occasion of Paul writing a letter to these various groups. By studying why Paul wrote to these people it will help shed light on the topics found in the books. In the book of Galatians Paul was writing to the Galatian people because the Judaizes were pushing the Gentiles to be circumcised and were claiming that Paul …show more content…

In all of the churches that Paul writes letters to it seems that he is addressing the fact that one or the other group believes that they are greater than the other group with then leads to tension in the church. Paul vetoes that idea by saying the both Gentiles and Jews are equal in God’s eyes. In Romans 1:16 Paul writes that the gospel is first for the Jews then for the Gentiles. In Romans 9 Paul shows his zeal for reaching those who do not know God. He says in 9:3 that he wishes himself dead so that many may know Christ. Now in 9:6 Paul states that not all of Israel is Israel and in 9:8 it says that it is not the natural children who are God’s children but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. Abraham received the promise from God that his descendants would come through his son. This son though was not Ishmael but Isaac. The same is with the people who Paul was going and preaching to. Some were Jews and others were Gentiles. Both could come to the promise if they believed through faith. Though the Jews had the law it became a stumbling block to them and that is why Paul says that not all descendants of Israel are Israel in Romans 9:6. Paul says that it not natural children that are God’s children but children of Abraham’s promise (Romans 9:8). Then Paul goes into his discussion …show more content…

God had created this olive tree and through Abraham he created this covenant with a promise which Abraham had faith in. Though Abraham had faith in God through his promise those who came after Abraham some did not. Israel did not Paul writes that because of their wicked ways God turned them over to wrath and destruction which is what they wanted. This can be seen throughout the book of the prophets where the people turn from God and therefore God hands them over to a foreign country till they cry out to God which in time he rescues them through a prophet. After this God hands them over for good but there is still a remnant that believes and comes back to Jerusalem to rebuild it. There was always a remnant chosen by grace and not by works as it says in Romans 11:5-6. Because Israel’s inability to recognize God’s righteousness God then allowed salvation to be brought to the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous in order to draw them back to God (Sumney, 2012). Now the olive tree mentioned in Romans 11 the branches broken off were those Jews that did not believe. Those that were grafted in from the wild olive branch were those of the Gentiles. Paul comforts those Jews who have broken off that they can still be grafted back into the tree. Though Paul warns those who have been grafted in not to boast over those who have been broken off because God has not spared those who were

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