•
Most Jews had come to the false conclusion that because God had in the past
shown special favor to their race they would, therefore, be exempt from condemnation
•
They had mistakenly come to believe that mere physical connection with the nation
–
Luke 3:7-9 - John said to the crowds coming out to be
baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the
coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say
to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones
God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the
trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and
thrown into the fire.”
–
John 8:39-40 - "Abraham is our father," [a group of Jews] answered
[Jesus]. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you
would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man
who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such
things.
• In this section of the Roman letter Paul shows that the Jews (like the Gentiles) are sinful and therefore equally under God’s wrath.
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