Romans 11-13
Jan. 4th, 2011 09:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
An interesting metaphor, Paul says that the Gentiles he has been preaching to are wild olive branches that have been grafted onto a cultivated olive tree where natural branches have been removed. Paul is saying that they could not survive without the root of their religion so shouldn't turn against the Jews who won't convert.
God has given everyone different gifts, and these gifts must be used. It doesn't say how to work out what gift you have, just use it correctly.
Paul weaves in some instructions to follow what the government tells you to do (and pay your taxes), apparently governments are servants of God and have God's authority to deal with wrongdoers, this comes straight after telling us not to get revenge ourselves but to be nice to our enemies and let God deal with them.
God has given everyone different gifts, and these gifts must be used. It doesn't say how to work out what gift you have, just use it correctly.
Paul weaves in some instructions to follow what the government tells you to do (and pay your taxes), apparently governments are servants of God and have God's authority to deal with wrongdoers, this comes straight after telling us not to get revenge ourselves but to be nice to our enemies and let God deal with them.