Praying Romans 1
"Those people who don't know about the law will still be punished for what they do wrong. And the Law will be used to judge everyone who knows what it says".
It is incumbent on myself to find out and preach the law to myself and apply it. The law is not straightforward in the Bible and is often, on first appearance, contradictory. For example, the disciples were told to 'dust the sand off their shoes and leave homes and places that did not welcome them'. On the other hand, Jesus preached that we must 'turn the other cheek when someone hits you' and 'if they want your tunic, give them also your shirt'.
So I am sometimes confused about the situations in which we apply the law and what law we apply. As a law student, this is especially interesting for me, because when cases are heard in court, usually the lower courts will follow the letter of the law. That is, they are bound by precedent and also statutes. However, when the cases are appealed and progress to a higher court, judges have the power to interpret the existing law and draw distinctions, that is, distinguish between what the current situation is and existing law and make judgements accordingly.
Therefore, the situation here is that I will be judged by the highest court in the land. In Australia, the High Court is the highest court, then the Supreme Court and at the lowest the Magisterial Court. God's Court is much higher than any human court. He is the sole judge, unlike the Australian High Court that has eight judges hearing the case and in some case there are dissensions. The majority rules. But God is one and is the sole judge.
He will apply the law set out in the Bible, like 'thou shalst not commit adultery' (where the Ten Commandments can be called written law - Statutes), case law (descriptions of very specific situations in which the written law was not applied, such as the woman who was to be stoned for adultery. Jesus, perhaps knowing the background situation of her case (which is not revealed to us), but more so to make the point that we, as humans, can judge someone if we have no sin ourselves. And therefore none of those present could stone her, only Jesus could, as he was without sin. But he let her go, telling her to not sin anymore. This is grace, which covers sin, which forgives sin, if we are willing to accept it.
Yet, I cannot depend on grace to go on sinning. As a Christian, all my life, I have a fair knowledge of the Biblical law. So I don't have the excuse of saying that I don't know the law. Anyway, according to Romans 2:12, even if I didn't know the law, I would still be punished if I do wrong. It is worse still, because verse 12 goes on to say that the Law will judge everyone who knows what it says.
Reading this in the context of Romans 2:1-11, there are particular principles that apply:
1. When I judge others of the same sin I am doing, God will punish me. 2. When I am stubborn and don't want to stop doing this, it is even worse. 3. I must be aware and remind myself constantly that God is good to me because he wants me to turn to Him. 4. I must be most appreciative and aware of God's goodness, patience and willingness to put up with me. 5. God will reward me for what I have done (the good bits). 6. The rewards comprise of: (1) eternal life; (2) glory; (3) honour; and (4) peace. 7. If I am selfish, reject the truth and want to do evil, I will be punished. 8. These punishments comprise of trouble and suffering. 9. He will show me how angry ad furious He can be with me if I am selfish. 10.God does not have any favourites.
Prayer
Dear God, forgive me for my selfishness, evil deeds and the many times I have rejected the truth. If You are furious and angry with me, I accept that and deserve that. I have lived with trouble and suffering, most of which have come from the wrong choices and not applying Your laws and truth in my life. Yet You are good to me, patient with me and put up with me because You want me to turn to you. Please, like the woman who was to be stoned, look deep into my soul and see those elements of me that have loved you, tried to do good, tried to obey your laws, moments I have rejected evil and free me through your grace. I no longer want trouble and suffering, I have been so for a very long time and please give me the wisdom, humility and repentence to allow me to live in peace and gain eternal life with You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Dear God, Like Paul, please choose me to preach the good news that You promised long ago by what Your prophets said in the scriptures. This is good news about your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, He was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from the dead. Let me be your instrument, like Paul, to preach this so that people of all nations would obey and have faith. I know that through Paul's writings, I have had the blessing to be chosen by Jesus Christ. Thank you God for loving me and choosing me to be your very own. God my Father and Lord Jesus Christ, be kind to me and choose me as your very own person, among the many and bless me with peace. First, I thank God for all the people who have been and are still are in my life. Sandra, Jason, Josh, Rohan, Rosh, Raji, Sujatha, Ramanika, Vasanthi, Maithrie, Uncle B, Aunty C, Aunty Molly, Aunty Christine, Uncle P, Debbie, Tammy and Bimbo, Nishantha, Kanchana, Viv, Caroline, Lal, Alice, John, Sean, Lee and Mark, Sandy, Alannah, Sue, Mandy, Chris, Terri. And those who have departed, Ma, Neiliya Roberts and Dada, Ben Roberts. I thank you for those who are in your faith, may people everywhere talk about their faith. May those not in faith come to know you at a deep and intimate level, especially Caroline and Vivienne. Dear God, may I never stop praying for these people, while I serve you with all my heart and tell them all the good news about your Son. Please God, choose these people to be your very own people. I pray, God my Father and Lord Jesus Christ, that You would be kind to all of these people and bless all of them with your peace. May I share the same blessings that God, your Spirit has given me. I pray that they will receive and grow strong in their faith of You, blessed Father. Where it is possible, help me to encourage each other by this faith that is ours. Give me, like Paul, the ability to reach and win followers to Christ, my Lord. Help me, like Paul, to live out and tell the good news to everyone. I am proud of the good news, God. It is your powerful way of saving all people who have faith. God, you accept those who have faith, but you accept only those who have faith. And Lord, you have said 'The people God accepts because of their faith will live'. May Vivienne and Caroline and the others have faith and live. From heaven, you God show how angry you are with all the wicked and evil things sinful people do to crush the truth. I remember here the lies of Caroline, Irene and Joe, Lee and Vivienne, Colin and Kay, the removalists from Kent and their lawyer and manager have been to crush the truth and the wicked and evil things they have done. You say, God, that they know everything that can be known about God, because You God has shown it to them. God, your eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, You God has shown what these are like by all You have made. That's why these people do not have any excuse. They know about You, God, but don't honour You or thank You. Their thoughts are useless and their stupid minds are in the dark. They claim to be wise, but they are fools. They don't worship the glorious and eternal God. Instead, they worship idols that are made to look like humans who cannot live forever, and like birds and animals and reptiles. So You God let these people go their own way. They do want they want to do, and their filthy thoughts make them do shameful things with their bodies. They have given up the truth of You God for a lie, and they worship God's creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. God You have let them follow their evil desires. Women no longer want to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. Men behave in the same way. They stoppped wanting to have sex with women and had a strong desire for sex with other men. They did shameful things with each other and what has happened to them is punishment for their foolish deeds. Since these people refused to even think about You God, You have let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do indecent things. They are evil, wicked and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat and are hard to get along with. They gossip, say cruel things about others, and hate You God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil. These people don't respect their parents. They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them. I pray now heavenly father, that I will experience your eternal powerand character. I honour and thank you. May my thoughts be Your thoughts and pleasing unto you and be thoughts in the light of your counternance. Give me wisdom, keep me in your ways all ways and don't abandon me to my own filthy ways that will exchange the truth of You God for anything. I no longer want to be with a woman, I pledge my allegiance to you. Take away my evil desires and keep me away and protected and build a hedge around me to prevent me from doing shameful things. Save me from your punishment as a result of the darkness of my mind and the my foolish deeds. Take away and protect me from the temptation to be evil, wicked, greedy, mean, covetous, murder, arguementative, cheating and difficult to get along with. Help me to stay away from gossip and speaking cruel things about others and hating you. I remember the new name of the choir 'Pride' and it demonstrates the pride, conceit, boastfulness and eveil. Help me to be wise, reliable and have love and pity for others. I wish to live in you, God, who has paid the penalty, through the Lord Jesus Christ for my death sentence, owing to the things I have done, as described above. Lead me away from doing evil things and let me encourage others who want to do evil away from them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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