Letter to the Romans - More Thoughts

I read Grace is Not God's Backup Plan, A Paraphase of the Book of Romans though once.  I am now reading it again.  His paraphrase sometimes is very different than what the verses says.  But, I do like it better.  Most of the time the essence of what Paul is saying, if I read it carefully, is exactly what Miller is getting at.  KJV Romans is so wordy that I miss the meaning of the long drawn out thought that Paul is trying to get across.  It looks like Miller has synthesized the long ideas into a more concise format.  He then upgrades the ancient issues into modern issues. 

One take away I get from Paul and his letter is that he left for 14 years after being reprimanded by the Lord on the road to Damascus.  Paul took a lot of time to think things through.  How does Christ's grace change everything?  He then went to Paul and then to James the brother of Jesus.  Paul understood how grace affects the Law.  He understood all the pitfalls of living the law in combination with the new Gospel Law.  He also could see errors that would be made by those that come into the gospel without the law.

I am trying to apply these new found ideas into how we do things in the Church.  It is a little different today.  We are not under the law of Moses.  But, we do have statutory church laws and many fence laws (rules that we make to keep us from breaking a commandment).  Of course, one obvious take away from reading Romans is to be careful that my obedience to fence laws and statutory law doesn't cause me to miss the mark of grace.  Obedience to rules doesn't, in themselves make me righteous.  In fact, obeying all the rules without a foundation of faith in Christ and his grace makes me either frustrated or proud.

The other take away that has come to me is that there are higher laws (gospel laws).  These are embedded in the covenants we make.  Obeying these higher laws is always good.  These laws always point to becoming {something different}.  They are stated and taught over and over again in the Book of Mormon.  When we look to Christ and His sacrifice, we are always instructed to repent.  Repent of what?  Whatever we are doing that isn't patient, longsuffering, and kind,  We are to be watchful unto prayer, giving thanksgiving daily for His many mercies.  We are humble and meek.  We bear all manner of afflictions and never revile against our enemies.  Whatever we are doing that isn't this, we repent of.  This is the Gospel Law.

Lower laws seem to be easily measurable while higher laws are not as measurable.  It is hard to be prideful when striving to live the higher law.  When you do, you quit living it.  It is easy to become prideful living the lower laws.  Living the higher law is the antithesis of pride.

I just the book, Grace is not God's Backup Plan: An Urgent Paraphrase of Paul's Letter to the Romans. It is an amazing book. I have never understood – and I have tried – Romans. What did Paul have in mind? It’s hard for me to translate while I am reading it. Adam Miller, the author, does a good job rewriting Romans. The law brings misery if grace isn’t there to save us. Since you can never keep the whole law (commandments), we become miserable people - trying and trying. Or, we become prideful people if we think we have it down. Neither (frustration or pridefulness) were the reason why the law was put in place. The law is simple all the commandments and covenants that we are to keep.  Because we love Jesus, we strive to keep his commandments.  We love Jesus because He has offered us His Grace. We are under grace.  Our sins are remitted.  His grace motivates us to do better.  To improve. Why do we want to improve? Because we are so grateful that grace (mercy) has satisfied the demands of justice. Since the process of improvement is continual and on-going, we must be justified (perfect in Christ) during the journey. Perfect in Christ or justification means that our sins are overlooked as we continue to exercise faith unto repentance.  And that is what grace does as long as we are humble, walking meekly.

If it is all about Grace then Pride is the grace killer. President Benson was right when he said pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Meekness is strength under control. It is also being merciful, especially when treated poorly, persecuted, etc.. It is knowing that people are coming from their natural man (egoic states of object identification) and permitting yourself to be buffeted.  This is called suffering.  That is power or strength under control. Diminish the natural man (ego) and power and light increase. Meekness is walking in grace. Since, under grace, you have to willing to let everything go, the more things you have, the harder it can be to let it go. You can have things but as soon as materialism and pride sneak in, you fall from grace. Or, you at least have struggle to find grace again.

Meekness- Strength Under Control

I have been trying to find a good working definition for the word "Meek" for years.  I finally found one!  Strength under control.  The meek man  is in himself, nothing; in God, everything.  The meek man is a man that has learned to control his passions making himself long suffering and patient towards others.  Yet he knows that he has the strength of Lord anytime he needs it.  In fact, he has true power.  Through the development of Christ-like attributes it isn't in his nature to act according to or react from the natural man.  It is power because the natural impulses no longer govern his thinking, emotions or behavior.  He has overcome these natural impulses by faith unto repentance, thereby receiving the grace or power from God to overcome.  He has heard the will of the Lord and submitted to it.

http://scottnelsonunrefined.blogspot.com/

References:

http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Grady_Scott/matt5-5.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meekness