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NASB | Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 1:20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. [Ps 19:1-4; Eph 2:10] |
Subject: Is God somehow responsible? |
Bible Note: "Concerning Rom. 3, I could then turn around and say that based on Rom. 3:9, 'all' here only refers to all kinds of people, both Gentile and Jewish! ;-)" Do you really think that the first three chapters of Romans do not provide a much better supporting context for our common understanding of "all" in Romans 3:23 than the first six verses of 1 Timothy 2? Paul even includes all the "no, not one" statements just to be clear on this one. :) "By the way, God in the flesh doesn't count! :-)" Of course, I agree that the "all" Romans 3:23 does not include Jesus. But how can one conclude by looking at this verse that "God in the flesh doesn't count"? Jesus is more than God parading around in skin. He is also a Jewish human being now and forever. I don't want to beat the point to death as is common here, but I think we can agree that "all" is SOMETIMES (not always) qualified by the rest of the Bible. Other passages where I believe we would agree that the "all" is qualified by the sense of the rest of Scripture: "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." --Matthew 21:22 "And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins." --Mark 1:5 "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" --Romans 8:32 "but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith" --Romans 16:26 "just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." --1 Corinthians 10:33 "Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord." --Colossians 3:22 "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men" --1 Timothy 2:1 You will say something along the lines of "It's obvious in these cases what the writers meant," and I agree. We have to exercise reason in discerning the meaning of the text. It is not that "all" is some kind of universal NT code word for "some." Rather, it is just too simplistic that to say in the case of every occurrance of the word "all" that it necessarily means every single possible thing or person that can belong to the category in question. And that's "all" I have to say on the subject! (And many are hoping that "all" really does mean "all" here!) --Joe! |