Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (95 page)

Can you find a repeated emphasis on anything else in this passage?

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase: “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” Well, in some cases God says something and then repeats it. Whenever we find such repetition in Scripture, the issue is never settled until we see, believe, and respond to it.

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

Romans 7:7–25

TIME COMMITMENT:

30 minutes

“In short, whenever you study the Bible and notice that something is repeated—said more than once—mark it down. It’s not because the writers couldn’t think of anything else to say. It’s their way of pointing out matters of crucial importance” (p. 155).

T
his assignment may be a bit more challenging than the previous one. Read through Romans 7:7–25 a few times and see if you can find what is repeated most frequently. If you need help, a couple of clues are provided at the end of this chapter.

Do you think it is unusual for an author to repeat himself in this manner? Why or why not?

Before long we’re going to get into some exercises where we’re looking for things that are alike or unlike. As a preview, what examples can you find in this passage?

What would you say is the theme of this passage?

As Paul moved from this theme to the topic of a life controlled by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8), his very perspective and writing style changed. Count all the first person singular pronouns (I, me, mine, myself, etc.) in the Romans 7 passage. Then compare that number with all you find in Romans 8. The good news of Romans 8 is highlighted as Paul moved from speaking so frequently about himself (I . . . I . . . I) into what the Spirit of God makes possible for all believers. The heavy use of repetition, followed by an abrupt end to such repetition, seems to give more impact to what he was saying.