Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Romans Chapter 1
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 1:1-7
1:1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 1:2which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 1:3concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 1:4who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord, 1:5through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake; 1:6among whom are ye also called to be Jesus Christ's:
1:7To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 1:8-15
1:8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers 1:10making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you. 1:11For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 1:12that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. 1:13And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles. 1:14I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.
March 26, 1950: Rom 1:7-12
What is symbolized by the Roman Christians? The Roman Christians symbolize the spiritualized intellect actively decided[?] in the spirit of expecting the Christ.
Why was the faith of the Roman Christians "proclaimed throughout the whole world"? Because the spiritualized intellect has power to influence and change the life as the emotional nature, unaided by the intellect, cannot do.
What is "the gospel of God" and "the gospel of his Son"? Both these terms designate the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 1:16-17
1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 1:17For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
September 6, 1931: Romans 1:14-16
Salvation is for the whole of man, for his outer organism as well as for his soul; but not all persons, nor all our individual thoughts, are ready for Truth when it is first proclaimed though all will come to perfect understanding in due season. As we daily declare Truth over and over to ourselves, our thoughts and faculties and the very cells of our body will awaken, until finally we shall be fully resurrected into the Christ consciousness. - UNITY magazine.
August 23, 1936: Romans 1:15-17
Jesus Christ, the perfect-type man, had unexcelled conscious vision. When pressed by the scribes and Pharisees to give them a sign, He refused to gratify the curiosity of such "an evil and adulterous" desire. He demurred against going with the Capernaum nobleman to heal his son, saying, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe." In divine order signs follow instead of going before faith. Jesus sought always to develop spiritual vision in His hearers. In all His mighty works He was guided by the Father. "The son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner." This ability of the Son is the "power of God unto salvation" available to every man on his religious, his intellectual, or his physical side when through faith he lays hold of the I AM principle and by this means identifies himself with his divine source. - UNITY magazine.
May 28, 1939: Romans 1:1-17
Interpret metaphysically Paul's claim to be "a servant called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God." The especial office of the word of truth, which Paul represents, is to make Christ Spirit manifest. The word also initiates man into an understanding of his real nature, being uniquely fitted to perform these two services.
What is the gospel of God? When we speak of the gospel of God, it is understood that we refer to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
How do we receive grace and apostleship? The grace that we receive is in proportion to the measure of the Christ consciousness that we attain and is the result of that consciousness. The measure of our apostleship is our ability to translate our understanding and love into service.
What is represented by the words "all that are in Rome?" These words represent the will, which must be reached and converted before the teaching of the Christ can become effectual.
How is one "called to be Jesus Christ's"? To be conscious of the urge to live think, and act aright through the power of the I AM and to trust the higher wisdom to direct one to these ends is to be called to be Jesus Christ's.
What determines one's capacity for gratitude and thanksgiving? The degree to which one has become conscious of the Christ Spirit dwelling in one determines this capacity.
How does man serve God in Spirit? By laying hold of the substance of Truth and making it his own.
What duty does man owe to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish? Greeks represent man's intellectual reasonings, Barbarians his uncultivated, unillumined thoughts. To these as well as to his understanding and his ignorance (the wise and the foolish) he owes the gift of the insight and wisdom of the Christ mind.
December 29, 1946: Romans 1:13-16
What is represented by Paul in this lesson? He represents the experiences of the fallible human consciousness in seeing truth.
What are the chief limitations imposed on our desire to surmount obstacles? Our strictest limitations are those of the Spirit. As we learn to minimize our differences and to magnify our common understanding, these limitations will be lifted, and we shall be free.
What more do we need to know about power? We need to know the spiritual laws that control it and how to work according to those laws.
What important kind of spiritual power is subject to our control? The power that resides in unity or harmony of mind and will. The world is learning this law in an external form and organizing in groups to take advantage of it.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-18-2013
