B I B L E
S T U D Y
GOD'S WORD REDUCED TO FAITH
This page contains four specialized, and somewhat biased studies. The books
of Romans, Galations, Ephesians and Hebrews certainly contain other areas of
study. My study in faith and it's resulting salvation doesn't speak much to the
history of the times or writing. My study speaks very little about the so
called Lost Tribes of Israel, for whom Jesus was directly "sent."
Let me explain the method by which these books were studied.
- History: Who wrote, to whom, when, from where, for what purpose.
- Dividing the chapters into sentences, thoughts, etc
- Translating "key" words using Strong's
- "Trans-substitution": retaining the main ideas,reduce and paraphrase the
passage, substituting the "key" words, .
- Hi-lighting the main passage ideas, the chapter was reduced.
- Further reduction on the chapters, retaining the most essential ideas,
yielded a book reduction. Depending on the size of the book, this book
reduction went through as many as two more reductions to arrive at a Phrase.
I'm surely not going to include the complete studies here as they were put
together in class. Time and space prohibit that. I will include most of the
"key" words, some small side comment, and the chapter and book reductions.
Please let me remind you that this is a study. As such you will
have to get out your Bible, etc, and fit the key words into their
respective passages, and do your own first reduction and paraphrasing.
The importance of these studies is that they help widen our perspective;
something always to be sought. It is also important to confirm that
Faithing Saves. Maybe you've guessed by now that this is the
Operative Phrase in all four of these books. I hope that just because
I've told you the ending you won't put down the book. Stay and confirm your
faith. Faithing saves.
Please be patient while I fill out these pages.
Book list
This Is The Bible
ROMANS
CHAPTER 1
In preparation for the Romans study we looked up the following words in
Strong's, Funk and Wagnalls, Luther, and the Concordant Literal. I urge
you to do the same. These words are essential to understanding Paul's
faith-treatise to the Romans: Law, Sin, Grace, Gift, Faith, Righteousness,
Flesh, Spirit.
The key words out of all that were looked up for the first chapter:
- apostle=he that is sent
- gospel=good message
- wrath=reaching desire, excitement of mind, violent passion
- power=force-ability, might
- unseemly=an indecency
- fornication=harlotry, adultery, incest
- shewed=to render apparent, make manifest
- changed=make different
- exchanged=equivalent of ransom, in the room of
As an example, I'm including the passage reduction and paraphrasing for
the first chapter. Subsequent chapters will be left for you.
Passage reduction:
- vs 1-7 The good message of God, as prophesied, about Jesus, God's son,
who gave me grace and sent me; grace to you at Rome.
- vs 8-13 I thank God for you, and pray I might see you soon;
as I have tried to do
- vs 14-17 I want to tell you the Good News of Christ. It is a power that
saves, and reveals a righteousness of God when we do it.
- vs 18-25 God's wrath can be seen in the heavens. God made manifest the
knowledge of Himself to the unrighteous. The invisible things of God are
clearly seen in His creation(the heavens). But the unrighteous changed the
heavens to suit themselves, and worshipped the heavens rather than God.
- vs 26-32 God gave the sinners up to their desires.(see Deut 4:19)
Chapter reduction:
Faithing, as the Good News of Christ, is a power that saves. Although
God's mercy and wrath are portrayed in the
Zodiac, people worship the
stars, not God.
SIDE STUDY: vs 18-20. Original indicates ______(present) tense for
wrath, etc.
1-What is the "glory" of v.23?
2-How is the wrath revealed in v. 18?
3-What is the revealed wrath?
1-The manifestation of God in the heavens: v19 "that which may be known
of God"-God's plan of the ages, as told by the Zodiac.
2-In the Zodiac; which tells of the coming of Christ to defeat Satan, and
bring judgement to the earth/ungodly.
3-God's destruction of ungodliness.
CHAPTER 2
Key words for chapter two were:
- commit=to practise, perform repeatedly/habitually
- leadeth=to lead,to bring, drive, induce
- goodness=gentleness, good, kindness
- patient=cheerful endurance, constancy
- tribulation=afflicted, burdened, trouble
- respect/persons=partiality, favoritism
- repentence=reversal, to think differently.
Luther says,"Paul includes those of Godly appearance in sin; who
continually condemn others. Paul is a true preacher asserting that
no one is without sin. He declared God's wrath against those who follow
their own nature and idle fancies; calls them "open sinners."
Chapter reduction:
God's judgement of ALL men's faithing is sure. Lawbreaking Jews shame God.
CHAPTER 3
Key words for chapter three:
- Jew=Judahite/belonging to Jehudah(just the one tribe, of Judah)
- oracles=utterance of God
- believe=to have faith, commit, to trust(directly from a verb-faith)
- unbelief=unfaithfulness (disobedience)
- vengeance=(same as wrath, ch 1)excitement of mind, violent passion
- gentiles=a foreign, non-Jewish tribe--nation, people
- unprofitable=render useless, spoil
- peace=to join--one, peace, quietness
- guilty=under sentence, condemned
- justified=equible, just, meet, right
- propitiation=an atoning victim, ransom
Chapter reduction:
The Law shows us all to be sinners, and God to be true. Jesus is our
rightousness outside the Law.
CHAPTER 4
Key words for chapter four:
- Believe=[OT] to build up, support, foster, trust, establish
- forgive(n)=forsake, leave, omit put(send)away, remit, yield
- covered=conceal, forgive
- sign=miracle, sign, token, wonder
- seal=mark of genuiness
- staggered=contend, doubt, judge, waver
- unbelief=unfaithfuness, disobedience
- persuaded=fully know, make full proof of
- delivered=betray, commit, hazard, put in prison
Luther comments: Abraham, apart from works, was justified by faith.
Circumcision, a good work, came after Abraham's righteousness. That or
any other good work (obedient act) can't contribute to making a man righteous.
The Jews can't be heirs of Abraham unless they inherit his faith. Works
of Law produce reluctance, not grace. So only faith can obtain the grace
promised to Abraham. Examples like Abraham are there for our sake, that we might have faith.
Chapter reduction:
Faith begets grace and righteousness. Abraham, as our example, faithed
with Sarah against all circumstances, on God's promise of Isaac.
Righteousness can't come by the Law. We, too, can be justified by a
believing act through Jesus giving us his dignity at calvary.
CHAPTER 5
Key words (out of fifteen) for chapter five:
- access=admission, draw near
- experience=proof, trial
- peradventure=perhaps, shortly, fleet, ready
- reconciled=change mutually,denotes opposition, distribution
- atonement=restoration of favor, recociliation
- imputed=take inventory, conclude, number, reckom, account
- figure=form, pattern, a die, stamp.
Chapter reduction:
Jesus is the key to peace, grace and hope. Training is good for us.
Against human nature, Christ died for the most worthless human. His
death atones for us. His spirit saves us. Through God's Law, showing
our sin, we see God's grace.
CHAPTER 6
Key words for chapter six:
- buried=bury *with*
- planted=planted together, union-to grow
- freed=(same as justification,Ch 3) equitable, holy, just,meet, right
- reckon=(impute, ch 5)take inventory, conclude, account
- alive=to live--life, lively, quick
- lusts=longing for what is forbidden, [not 2237 James 4:1,3;sensual delight]
- yield=to stand beside--assis, prove, stand (by,with)
- iniquity=illegality, lawless
- uncleanness=umpurity, uncleansed
Chapter reduction:
Through Christ, our sunful nature dies and we get new life, and the
power to overcome sin.
CHAPTER 7
Key words for chapter seven:
- law=to parcel out; perscriptive usage; Luther says:
God's Law is of the spirit, not acts. His Law is fulfilled when the "work"
(good work), right(act) work, is done with the spirit as well as the body.
- body=bodily, slave [from heal, preserve, save, do well, be whole]
- motions=something undergone--affection, affliction[from a passion]
- dwelleth=occupy a house, co-habit
- allow=to know--be awake, perceive, be sure, understand
Chapter reduction:
Christ's death freed us from the Law. Showing us our short falling, the
Law proves we deserve death. Deliverance from my in-built sinful nature
comes through the Gospel(faithing).
CHAPTER 8
Key words for chapter eight:
- manifestation=uncover, disclosure, render apparent
- predestinate=ordain, limit in advance
- called=call aloud--bid, name; to urge on, hail.
- glorified=render glorious; dignity, honor
- separate=place room between, set off by boundry
- principalities=commencement of a chief ruler
- mind=to exercise the mind; entertain, disposed
Luther comments: Spirit comes from Christ, makes us spiritual, constrains
the flesh, assurring us that we're children of God. The spirit sighs with
us, and all creation longs to be free from the flesh and sin.
Chapter reduction:
Christ's spirit in us puts us in Christ. The Spirit gives us life, makes us
sons equal to Christ, helps us, and we get a new body. We answer to no one,
but God. Nothing, spirit or physical can come between us and God.
CHAPTER 9
Key words for chapter nine:
- service=hired menial, public servant
- hated=to detest, love less
- runneth=have course, run
- sheweth=to compassionate [mercy (same v.)is from the same word]
- hardeneth=to indurate; render stubborn
- honour=a value, esteem, dignity [from to paya penalty(price)]
- work=logos; account, reason, word; to lay forth
Chapter reduction:
God's promises are still good, but only to those Israelites
to whom they were given. God is in control, and shows His Power and Mercy
through His creations. God, showing mercy, gave the House of Israel
Christ(faithing), but the Jews wouldn't accept Christ.
CHAPTER 10
Key words for chapter ten:
- live=to live, save life
- bring, down=bring(down,forth), (bring to) land, touch
- bring=launch, depart, set forth, bring up again.
- confess(ion)=to assent, covenant, acknowledge
- ashamed=able to be put in a place of shame-confound
- call=to entitle-appeal, surname
- report=something heard; to stun-amaze, astonish, lay waste, wonder
- hearing=what is (the thing) heard
- word=utterance(simple expression)
- sound=utterance,i.e. musical note; light/speak [a musical utterance of
light]
- manifest=manifestly, openly [from, apparent in self]
- stretched=extend
- disobedient=to disbelieve; unpersuadable
- haste=hurry, (with desparation)
Chapter reduction:
Hearing God's word, through His preachers, promotes faithing. We're saved
by faithing because of Jesus. I pray the Jews, who heard of Christ, will be
saved from their disobedience in not accepting Christ.
CHAPTER 11
Key words for chapter eleven:
- away=to push off(away); rejection
- remnant=remainder
- slumber=stupor [from, pierce, sting]
- table=bank, meat, table [from, four footed]
- trap=destruction
- stumblingblock=trap-stick, occassion to fall
- fall=to fall (trip) v11
- fall=to side slip v11-12
- stumble=to trip; 14:13 scandalize
- magnify=glorify, have glory, honor
- emulation=excite to rivalry
- (jealousy=not in the original)
- mystery=shut the mouth, silence
- calling=invitation, vocation
As a reminder of the passage reduction and paraphrasing, I'm including it
again for this chapter.
Passage reduction:
- vs 1-4 God hasn't pushed-off His people. Remember how He told Elijah He'd saved out 7000?
- vs 5-6 Today there exists a group selected by grace. And grace can't be works.
- vs 7-11 The Jews were blinded and haven't attained righteousness. But the (other) elect have. The scripture has a lot to say about their hardening. But it happened so that they, when seeing the salvation of the non-Jews(Lost Tribes, Gentiles) and others, would be excited to rivalry.
- vs 12-15 If their side-slip enriches, their fullness means resurrection. I preach to Non-Jews in order to excite the Jews to rivalry.
- vs 16-21 The race-stock of the Jews is holy, but some were excluded from the gospel so that the Non-Jews could be grafted in. Don't boast, God can cut you out too.
- 22-24 Don't lose sight of God's severity. Being the original stock, God can easily graft them in if they faithe.
- vs 25-27 I want you to know that the Jews were blinded 'till the Lost
Tirbes punishment period is complete. At that time all twelve tribes will be
saved; as it says in Psalm 14:7 and Jeremiah 31:31
- vs 28-32 God's election can't be reversed. But He hardened them that you'd obtain mercy. We're all sinners.
- vs 33-36 God is wonderful. He's everything. Praise Him!
Chapter reduction:
There exists a group selected by God's grace, not by works. The Jews were
hardened so they'd emulate the salvation of the Lost Tribes, until the Lost
Tribes punishment runs it's course. God's election can't be reversed. He
hardened the Jews so you'd be saved, they'd get jealous and be saved.
CHAPTER 12
Key words for chapter twelve:
- present=sustantiate, recommend, be at hand--assist, commend, approve
- service=render homage[v6]-v11=to slave
- conformed=fashion one's self to an external condition
- renewing=renovation, restoration
- soberly=sound mind, sane
- office=an act, perform repeatedly
- simplicity=sincere, unified, generosity
- diligence=see business below
- cleave=to glue; join(self), keep company
- business=speedy business practice (as opposed to common repeated acts)
- condescend=transport with(join and go with the humble)
- provide=consider in advance
Luther comments: Paul speaks of the true way of serving God. He shows all
Christians are priests that sacrifice themselves. He then describes the
outward conduct of Christians under the discipline of the Spirit.
Chapter reduction:
Be transformed by giving your life to God. Dilligently do your God-given
tasks, as a member in the body of Christ. Love honestly, help you enemy,
overcome evil by doing good.
CHAPTER 13
Key words for chapter thirteen:
- ordained=arrange in an ordely manner, assign, dispose
- resist=oppose, withstand [active, not just defense]
- damnation=a decision [from, distinguish]
- ruler=chief ruler, prince
- awake=rouse form sleep; collect one's faculties.
- walk=to tread all around--go, be occupied with
- rioting=a carousal--revelling
- chambering=a couch [from, lie outstretched](impl. sperm)--bed, conceive
- provision=forethought,[from, consider in advance]
- honestly=decourously
- revenger=carrier out of justice
Chapter reduction:
Support government, it's God-assigned. Be of benefit to your neighbor.
Salvation on-goes in the now. Focus on Christ.
CHAPTER 14
Key words for chapter fourteen:
- doubtful=discussion[from, thoroughly deliberate]
- standeth=stationary, persevere
- holden=restore to perfection [repair]
- esteemeth=distinguish v14=estimate
- live(th)=to live - alive
- judgement/seat=a step, riser
- confess=fully agree
- stumblingblock=a stub
- fall=trap-stick, snare
- destroy=to destroy fully [destruction -away]
- acceptable=good-agreeable
- edify=structure, confirmation
- offense=a stub v21=trap-stick
- condemneth=forward to (a destination) [down-judge]
- alloweth=to test; v18=approved
Chapter reduction:
Rather than judge, for which God holds us accountable, relate to others at
their level of faith. Our conscience makes God's pure creations
sinful. Tempting a weak brother negates Christ, helping him serves Christ.
Keep you convictions on liberty private. A doubting brother acts outside
of faith, negating God's word. Non-faithing is sin.
CHAPTER 15
Key words for chapter fifteen:
- comfort=imploration, hortation, solace
- learning=instruction [from, instructor, to teach]
- promises=an announcement
- offering=presentation, an oblation; to bear towards
- make=to, or into (indicating the point reached or entered)
- obedient=complience [from, under-hear] attentive obedience
- service=aid [attendant]
- refreshed=recruit oneself in company with.
Chapter reduction:
We learn through prophecy that Christ came to keep God's promises. It's my
job to clarify your obligations to God. I've preached to the ignorant; the
ones Isaiah said would see and hear. I go to Jerusalem with money and will
stop on my way to Spain. Pray I do all this.
CHAPTER 16
Key words for chapter sixteen:
- business=a deed [from, perform repeatedly]
- succourer=patroness, assistant [preside{before-stand}]
- mark=scope out
- avoid=shun
- divisions=disunion
- good words=fair speech, plausibility [lay forth, a discourse]
- fair speech=fine speaking, elegance of language [good-said(logos)]
- deceive=seduce wholly
- simple= v18innocent - harmless
- simple=v19 unmixed, [not-mingle]
- wise=clear; vs19,26; obedience=attentive hearkening.
- power=to be able
- stablish=to turn resolutely
- secret=to keep silent
- bruise=to crush completely
Luther comments: Pauls warns against man-made doctrines. Those who
preach these false gospels idolitrously serve themselves.
Chapter reduction:
I recommend Phebe. Greet my step-brother, mother, and all the folks at Rome.
Shun scandalous divisionaries. You're good, but need clear understanding of
good and evil; to Satan's downfall. Formerly a secret concept, God saves us
for faithing; as I said about Christ.
FIRST BOOK REDUCTION
This book reduction was made by deleting the least important
statements and concepts from the chapter reductions by bracketing them.
Faithing saves. We're all sinners, but, through Christ, righteousness comes
by faithing. Christ is our key to grace, atonement, power and deliverance
from our imperfect nature through the implant of his spirit, making us his
equal. Israel was given faithing, as God promised, so the jealous Jews
would be saved. Follow God, live right, help weak faithers. It's your
obligation.God saves us for faithing.
SECOND BOOK REDUCTION
Faithing saves, through the implant of Christ's spirit. Live Right. Faithing saves.
THIRD BOOK REDUCTION
Faithing saves.
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