Romans
Romans – Introduction
As Paul endeavored to go to Rome, the Holy Spirit warned him about the peril awaiting him in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-14). What if he were unable to make it to Rome? Then he must write them a letter so comprehensive that the Christians in Rome had the gospel Paul preached, even if Paul himself were not able to visit them.
Romans is different than many of the other letters Paul wrote churches. Other New Testament letters focus more on the church and its challenges and problems. The Letter to the Romans focuses more on God and His great plan of redemption.
Paul's letter to the Romans is perhaps the signature document of Christianity. It provides guidance and inspiration for all those who make the effort to understand it. Scholars agree that Paul authored this epistle, probably while he was in Corinth. Most attribute the writing of Romans to around 56-57 A.D.
Romans is also the only letter written by Paul to a community sight unseen, despite the fact that he sends greetings by name to many people who are in residence there. He did not establish the Roman church, and it seems to have been flourishing for some time.
Paul makes it clear from his letter that he is planning to "stop by" on his way to Spain. He does not intend to stay there to do missionary work, which is consistent with his claim not to evangelize churches that others have founded. His focus had always been to preach where Christ's name had not been known.
In this epistle are Paul's thoughts on the basic tenets of Christianity. He addresses the problem of mankind's sinfulness and their need for justification. The only way people can be justified is if God Himself puts right what has been wrong. People do not have the tools to accomplish this. People who ignore God (Gentiles) still have standards of conduct that they follow. People who know God's will (Jews) also have standards that they must follow. Both groups continuously fall short and cannot by themselves put themselves right before God. The good news is that the gospel has revealed God's way of righting wrongs – He shall gain life who is justified by faith.
The flow of the letter follows the pattern of the ancient Jewish story of slavery and rescue. Humanity is in exile due to the entrance of sin and death into the world. Even the Jewish law could not defeat death and bring life. But God has come to rescue both Jews and Gentiles through the death and resurrection of Jesus. A new worldwide family is being created. Baptism into Jesus breaks the power of evil and brings freedom. The Holy Spirit leads the way into this new life that will be complete in a new inheritance—a redeemed creation.
Important Words to Consider:
Righteousness: The quality of being morally right and without sin; one of God’s distinctive attributes. God imputes righteousness to (i.e., justifies) those who trust in Jesus Christ.
Justification: The act of God’s grace in declaring sinners fully acquitted and counting them as righteous before him on the basis of the finished work of Christ, received through faith alone.
Kingdom of God: The rule of God manifested in the long-awaited restoration of his people and indeed the whole world. When Jesus came two thousand years ago, he announced that the kingdom of God had arrived (Mark 1:15; Luke 17:20–21). Yet because of ongoing rebellion and rejection of Jesus and his rule, the kingdom still awaits its final consummation and fulfillment in Jesus’ second coming (Mark 14:25). For this reason we pray for the kingdom to come (Matt. 6:10).
Key Passage
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Rom. 3:23–25)
Date and Historical Background
Paul most likely wrote his letter to the Romans in AD 57, while on his third missionary journey (see Acts 20:2–3), probably while in Corinth. Notes left by copyists at the end of two early manuscripts identify Corinth as its place of composition. Also, both Phoebe (Rom. 16:1–2) and Gaius (Rom. 16:23) had connections to Corinth.
The epistle to the Romans is one of at least two letters Paul wrote to a church he had not visited or founded. Perhaps the church had been founded by inhabitants of Rome who had been in Jerusalem at Pentecost in Acts 2, had become believers, and had then returned to Rome (see Acts 2:10).
The circumstances giving rise to the letter are not entirely clear, but it seems that Paul was addressing theological questions that had been posed to him. One main cause for these questions was simmering hostility between Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman church. Paul intended to visit Rome (Rom. 1:11–13), and this letter was meant to serve as an introduction to his teaching. Paul also hoped his letter would give rise to a broader missionary operation with Rome as its home base.
At the time of Paul’s writing, Nero was emperor. Rome was not just the base of the Roman empire but was considered the base of civilization itself. It is no wonder that Paul hoped to see his readers’ world turned upside down for the sake of God’s kingdom. Politics and paganism freely merged in the capital city. In its day, Rome was New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris rolled into one. But in every way the claims of Paul’s gospel transcended those of imperial Rome.
SESSION 1 - Encouragement to Live by Faith - Rom. 1:1–17
Romans 1 - (NLT)
1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.
9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.
11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.
12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.
14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.
15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
THINK ABOUT THIS
I sometimes wish that God would be more obvious in my life. I get tired of squinting for him: frankly, I’d much rather notice him than have to squint and stretch to try to find him in the haze of life.
That’s why most of us would really prefer to avoid faith if we could. But in Romans, the apostle Paul reminds us that our gospel (good news) is based on faith “from first to last.” That can sound a bit unsettling for anyone who might hope there’s a way around having to rely on faith.
The more I explore the life of faith, the more I discover that squinting plays a central role in it. Squinting requires a choice on my part, instead of waiting until I notice God. Squinting requires focusing my eyes in order to penetrate the impenetrable.
It takes a special kind of courage to drive across a bridge when you can’t see the other side. It takes a similar kind of courage to continue loving a difficult spouse or child or to continue resisting chronic temptation on those days when the effort might not seem worthwhile.
Let’s face it: there are days when it can be hard to see why things like that are so important.
That’s when it’s time to squint. author — Ron Vanderwell
HOW TO - Live your faith (some suggestions)
It’s a phrase that we hear often in church or from mentors and peers, but it can be difficult to articulate what that really means. For such a simple phrase, we often feel paralyzed with how to act on the words and live our faith in our everyday lives. But we want to flip the script and make it easy to start living our faith out loud boldly.
Living your faith is not something that is only confined to the four walls of the church, like volunteering in the nursery or leading a Sunday school class. Instead, it’s an everyday, outward expression of your love for God and what He is doing in your life. It’s a choice that we must make, and it’s one that impacts everyone around us. Below are five ways to intentionally live your faith in simple, everyday actions. You’re probably already doing some of these things in your own life, and you didn’t even realize that you were ministering to those around you!
Be a friend.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 CSB
Who knew that living your faith could start with something as simple as being a friend to others? Being a good listener and attentive friend to those around you expresses Christ’s love through you, shows others that you care, and that they’re important to you. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to have a serious conversation with a friend, and they can’t be bothered to look up from their phone long enough to engage with you. Choose to be intentional with your relationships and treat others how Jesus treated others. Be authentic, and inclusive, and your friends will see God’s love shining through you.
Who comes to mind when you think of who you could be a better friend to? Does someone come to mind that you might want to start a friendship with?
Use your gifts.
Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10-11 CSB
The Lord has blessed each of us with unique gifts that we can use to further His Kingdom. Sometimes, we don’t even realize we have those gifts, but they’ve been given to us for the purpose of living and sharing our faith. For example, if you love surprising the people in your life with handwritten notes and words of affirmation, you may want to start a card ministry. Come up with a list of all of your loved ones and people in your life you want to bless, and start sending them cards of encouragement that include Scriptures. All of a sudden, you’ve taken your gift of words and started using it to live your faith out loud to the people around you! You can turn any gift into a ministry whenever you’re choosing to honor the Lord with it.
Think about the gifts God gave you. What is an easy way for you to put just one of those gifts into practice to glorify God?
Radiate positivity.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 CSB
Living your faith can be as simple as just having a positive attitude! Every morning, before we even get out of bed, we have a choice to make as to whether or not we will be positive or look for all of the small things to worry about. People take notice of our attitude and actions, and it’s our task as Christ-followers to be an example for others in this way. There is always going to be something that goes wrong or doesn’t go as planned, but we have the freedom to choose how we react to it, and we can choose to react by glorifying God with our attitude, and in turn, living our faith.
Try to simply smile at one or two strangers today, you’ll be blessed by how it makes you feel and you never know what kind of impact it can have on their day!
Show your gratitude.
Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 CSB
We all have things to be thankful for, but it can be easy to overlook them or take them for granted if we aren’t consciously recognizing the blessings around us. When you are actively seeking things in your life and the lives of those around you to show gratitude for, the people around you can’t help but take notice. Thank your friend for taking the time to listen to you when you’ve had a rough morning. Thank your barista for always having a smile on their face while making your morning coffee. Thank your boss for making the time to meet with you before a big presentation. Thank your spouse for folding the laundry so you could take some extra time for yourself. Finding the time in your day to recognize and react to the things around you will open your eyes and the eyes of others to the kindness and blessings that God has provided for you.
Go one step further, write a note or two to let someone know how grateful you are for them. Your simple words of encouragement will build them up and may cause a ripple effect.
Do your best.
Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23 CSB
At the end of the day, no one is perfect. We are all just trying to do our best and make Jesus proud, and we will make mistakes. But consciously choosing to do your best in everything you do is an outward expression that you are following what God asks of us in the Scripture. By working for the Lord and doing things for His glory instead of your own, you are living your faith and showing a great example to others around you.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 1:16
2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Colossians 1:5-6 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
A Gospel Greeting (Rom. 1:1–7)
In Romans 1:2–3, Paul references the Old Testament and its promise of Jesus. Jesus himself explained that he was the culmination of the whole Old Testament (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47; see also John 5:39–47). What are some Old Testament passages you can think of that promise or anticipate the coming of Christ?
Paul speaks of “the obedience of faith” in Romans 1:5 (note also Rom. 10:16; 16:26). Most Christians are accustomed to speaking of faith and obedience as completely separate categories, and for very good biblical reason. What might Paul mean by “the obedience of faith”?
Paul is writing to the church in Rome in part to strategically carry out his desire to spread Christ’s name among all the nations (Rom. 1:5). From what else you know about Paul and this specific letter, what are some other evidences of this desire of Paul’s?
Paul’s Gospel Obligations (Rom. 1:8–15)When we trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, being justified by God’s grace in Christ received through faith, we are set free from the obligations of the law for justification. At the same time, we are set free to the obligations of the law for witness to God’s faithfulness. In other words, we are saved, not by good works but for them (Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10). What does Paul feel obligated to do “first” (Rom. 1:8)? How does this first impulse of his reflect the message of the good news?
Paul
is never shy about sharing his feelings in his letters. But the
feelings he expresses—whether joy or sadness or even anger—are
always shaped by his ultimate desire. According to Romans
1:11–15, what are some reasons he longs to visit Rome, and what
is his ultimate desire?
Why would Paul, a Jew, believe he
is “under obligation” to Greeks and barbarians (Rom.
1:14)?
Reviewing Romans
1:8–14, why does Paul say in Romans
1:15 that he is eager to preach the gospel to the Romans?
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith (Rom. 1:16–17)
Why is Paul “not ashamed of the gospel” (Rom. 1:16)? How does this answer undercut shame, practically speaking?
How is the “righteousness of God” revealed in the gospel (Rom. 1:17)?
SESSION 2 - God’s expected Standard of living and His Wrath - Rom. 1:18–3:20
Romans 1 - God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity (NLT)
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.
27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Romans 2 - God’s Righteous Judgment
1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.
9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.
13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.
19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?
23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.
24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.
26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people?
27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.
29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Romans 3 - God’s Faithfulness
1 Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?
2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?
4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”
5 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.)
6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?
7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”
8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16 Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”
18 “They have no fear of God at all.”
19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
THINK ABOUT THIS
It may seem odd, but consider this: if you’re under
water and you can’t breathe, it’s really not significant to boast
that at least you are drowning only two feet below the surface while
others may be drowning way beneath you.
That’s kind of what Paul is pointing to in these verses. Apparently, people were assessing themselves by comparing their level of sinfulness to that of others. They figured that they weren’t so bad because the others were far worse sinners. But what they really needed to do was assess themselves according to God’s standards.
When you’re drowning, if your main focus is whether you are closer to the surface than others, you might entirely miss what you need in order to be saved. The only thing you really need is to get out of the water and breathe again.
Why do people so easily get caught up in comparing themselves to others? Why is it so easy for us to read Scripture in terms of what it says about others, and not listen to what it says about us?
God’s point is clear: the number-one issue in my life is how I live for God. Wisdom means knowing that when I am drowning in sin, it’s my sin that I need to be aware of—and free of—not the sins of others! author — Henry Kranenburg
HOW TO
Apply God’s Standard in Daily Life:
Putting God first in our daily lives means prioritizing our relationship with Him above all else (Matthew 6:33). This involves regularly spending time in prayer, Bible reading, and worship. It also means evaluating how we spend our time, talents, and finances in light of God’s priorities.
Jesus called His followers to serve others, especially those in need (Mark 10:45). We can apply God’s standard of selfless love by generously giving our time, resources, and talents to benefit others. This could involve volunteering in the community, going on mission trips, or simply doing thoughtful deeds for friends and neighbors in everyday life.
As Christians, we are called to make decisions informed by God’s standards of righteousness, honesty, and self-control as laid out in the Bible. Before making major choices about our careers, finances, relationships and more, we can prayerfully consult Scripture and consider whether our options align with biblical values.
We are to pursuing spiritual disciplines. Just as athletes train their bodies, Christians must also train themselves spiritually to grow closer to God. Spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, silence/solitude, scripture meditation, worship, service, fellowship and more help us cooperate with the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR - Romans 3:10
Psalm 53:1-3 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Job 15:14 What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?
Mark 7:21-22 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
Job 25:4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
The Unrighteousness of the Gentiles (Rom. 1:18–32)
Romans 1:20 is reminiscent of Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God.” How do “the things that have been made” give clear evidence of God’s “eternal power and divine nature”?
Throughout the passage, Paul uses phrases like “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts” (Rom. 1:24), “God gave them up to dishonorable passions” (Rom. 1:26), and “God gave them up to a debased mind” (Rom. 1:28). What implications do such proclamations have for the idea of “free will”?
If sinners “suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18), how can Paul say that the truth is “clearly perceived” (Rom. 1:20)?
In this passage, Paul is revealing that even the irreligious—in this case, classified as Gentiles, or “non-Jews”—are aware of a holy standard. What are some ways in which even those who deny God demonstrate a tacit awareness of moral absolutes?
The Unrighteousness of the Jews (Rom. 2:1–3:8)
Now Paul begins to focus more narrowly on those inside the religious community. It’s not just “those people out there” who are sinners, but “we insiders” too. Why does Paul say that when we judge others, we condemn ourselves (Rom. 2:1)?
If tribulation will come to every evildoer, first to Jews and then to Greeks (Rom. 2:9), and peace to everyone who does good, first to Jews and then to Greeks (Rom. 2:10), how can Paul say God shows no partiality (Rom. 2:11)?
In Romans 2:12–14, Paul appears to say that obedience will justify Gentiles. When we interpret any biblical text, we have to keep it in its context. How does Romans 2:15–29 help to clarify what Paul is saying?
According to Romans 3:1–2, what advantage do Jews have?
The Unrighteousness of All People (Rom. 3:9–20)
We are accustomed to speaking of unbelievers as “seekers.” There is indeed a sense in which all people are seeking God—in the sense that they are seeking to satisfy their need for God with all sorts of things that aren’t God. But what does Paul (quoting Ps. 14:1–3) mean when he says “no one seeks for God” (Rom. 3:11)?
How does Romans 3:18 relate to Romans 3:11?
According to Romans 3:20, what might we call the “catch-22”—both the benefit and the detriment—of the works of the law?
SESSION 3 - The Saving Righteousness of God - Rom. 3:21–4:25
Romans 3 - Righteousness Through Faith (NLT)
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
24 Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.
28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.
30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
Romans 4 - Abraham Justified by Faith
1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.
3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin.”
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded
24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
THINK ABOUT THIS
I am my parents’ child. I didn’t earn it. I didn’t buy it. I didn’t plan it, ask for it, or even agree to it. I am my parents’ child simply because my mom gave birth to me. I could talk about laws of biology and sex and physics as a way of explaining how I came to be. But that would miss the point. It would identify how I was reproduced from my parents, but it wouldn’t explain how I am their child in terms of their desire and love for me.
I am also God’s child. The reading from Romans for today explains that I am an heir to God’s promise.
But for some reason we have a tendency to think our good deeds give birth to the inheritance God has promised—as if obedience to the law explains how we become heirs.
God says that “the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace.” This grace comes from God, who gives new life to what is dead and brings change to what needs changing. I am now a “reborn” me.
I am a child of God. I didn’t earn it. I didn’t buy it. I didn’t plan it. God did it because of his desire and love for me.
HOW TO
How Can the Just (or Righteous) Live by Faith?
Chapter in Habakkuk held great meaning to early believers, and continues to hold meaning for us today. Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea,” and Habakkuk 2:20, “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”
The comparison of one who lives by faith versus the self-righteousness reminds us of the parable taught by Jesus in Luke 18. Here we see the perfect example of one who think he is justified by his own righteousness, and the one who lives by faith in God, knowing that his righteousness could never, ever be enough. Even the way we pray is an indication of whether we place our faith in God or ourselves.
We live by faith when our first response is to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, (Mat. 6:33) knowing that his will and kingdom may not look like what we think we want.
We live by faith when we make decision that don’t follow popular culture, don’t look like the world, and put us at the end of ridicule.
We live by faith when we trust that God is good, and praise him for everything that comes our way, be it comfort and wealth or discomfort and strain.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 3:22
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Philemon 1:6 And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.
1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Galatians 3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
God’s Righteousness in the Death of Jesus (Rom. 3:21–26)
The law of God is a great equalizer. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, because, since all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23), all need Jesus. How is God’s righteousness manifested in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21–22)?
How can God be called just if he passes over sins (Rom. 3:25–26)?
Righteousness by Faith for Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 3:27–31)
What is it about the nature of faith that precludes boasting (Rom. 3:27)?
Paul is clear that salvation comes to us as a gift received by faith, not by works, but at the same time that God’s commandments are not abolished. How does justification by faith uphold the law?
Abraham as the Father of Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 4:1–25)
In Romans 4:9–11, what does Paul point out about the order of Abraham’s faith and his circumcision? Why is this significant for our lives today?
Reflect on Romans 4:19. What is the connection between Abraham’s seeing his own aged body and Sarah’s barrenness, and his realization that he could not find strength through the law?
SESSION 4 - Hope as a Result of Righteousness by Faith - Rom. 5:1–21
Rom. 5:1–21 Peace and Hope (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
THINK ABOUT THIS
To understand reality, you have to be a realist. The Bible is not about a religious practice or a lifestyle choice. It is about a problem and a solution. The first man, Adam, made a choice that allowed sin to enter the world (see Genesis 3). I not only carry that sin like a virus, but its infection has also handicapped my life. As long as sin has control over me, I am quarantined from God. One sin messed it up for us all. I may not like it, but that is the reality in the world today.
Only in that reality can I understand the cure that Jesus made possible. What Jesus has done makes sense only in the context of what happened way back with the one man, Adam. Adam and Eve’s choice infected us all. But that infection doesn’t stand a chance against the aggressive forgiveness of God. While it took the death of Jesus to make the antidote, that is all you need to be free of the grip of the infection.
It’s not easy theology any more than understanding antidotes is easy biology. But it is our basic reality.
That’s why God sent Jesus Christ to be our Savior. God’s grace in Jesus defeats the infection of sin. That's why we can boast in the hope of His glory and that we can also "glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope". That hope is only in Jesus. author — Henry Kranenburg
HOW TO
Practically speaking, God has done all the work of being reconciled to Him. Our task is to have faith in Him and that faith and actions will give us hope. That hope is found in the promises God has given us – promises of freedom from sin. We can find so much hope in Scripture through the gift of eternal life made possible through His son, Jesus Christ. No matter what trials, temptations or pain we may suffer, we can always hold onto the hope God extends to us.
Here are five verses that demonstrate the hope we can find in Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:13-14 - I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
1 Peter 1:3-6 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
John 4:13-14 - Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 5:21
Romans 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
John 1:16-17 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:11-13 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
2 Peter 1:1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
Assurance of Hope (Rom. 5:1–11)
Paul’s hope is not a speculative thing. It is a joyful expectation. Why?
How is Christian hope (Rom. 5:2) different from the way most people think of hope?
Why does Paul say that hope does not put us to shame (Rom. 5:5)?
How is good character related to good hope (Rom. 5:4)?
What is the significance of noting that Christ died for us “while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8)?
Hope in Christ’s Triumph over Adam’s Sin (Rom. 5:12–21)
According to Romans 5:12–14, how would people know sin was in the world before the law revealed it? What does this tell us about sin?
Paul vividly contrasts the grace in Christ with the sin in Adam. How is the free gift of grace not like the trespass (Rom. 5:15)? What does it mean to be under the realm of Christ rather than under the realm of Adam?
What does Paul mean when he says “the law came in to increase the trespass” (Rom. 5:20)?
SESSION 5 - The Triumph of Grace - Rom. 6:1–7:25
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ (NLT)
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.
11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.
13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.
17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.
18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.
21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.
22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Chapter 7
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
1 Now, dear brothers and sisters —you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her.
3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.
5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”
8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,
10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.
11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.
12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
22 I love God’s law with all my heart.
23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
THINK ABOUT THIS
In Romans 5, Paul has explained how we are set free from condemnation: “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).
Paul then anticipates that some readers will ask this wicked question: “What … then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”
In my 40 years of ministry I’ve heard questions like that. The poet W. H. Auden puts similar words into the mouth of a criminal (King Herod): “I like committing crimes. God likes forgiving them. Really the world is admirably arranged.”
So if there is no condemnation because of the power of the cross, can we just keep on sinning? Paul says, “By no means! We … have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
We must do away with sin in our lives because we have already begun a reality change: “we died with Christ.” Not only did Christ die for us, but we died with him. “Our old self was crucified with him … that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
Paul is absolutely sure of that new reality. author — Stanley Mast
HOW TO
The law identifies what sin is and God's grace forgives those sins, but we are called to do our part in ridding our life of sin. Before we can fight our sin, we must know what sins are currently present in our lives. An unknown opponent is difficult to defeat. Knowing our sin requires familiarity with our particular temptations, areas where we are prone to sin. These temptations and sins may be visible or invisible, as obvious as anger or as subtle as self-pity. Begin by prayerfully reflecting on your life. Remember, you are God’s child, not his project. He knows you and loves you enough to show you your sin. Talk to him about your struggles; ask him to reveal your sins and convict you of them (Ps. 139:23–24; John 16:8).
Very often, we fail to see our own weaknesses. A loving community can help us by holding up the mirror of God’s Word so that we can see ourselves more clearly. While community is helpful, the Word is powerful, sharper than any sword, dividing between things visible and invisible, judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Use God’s Word as a mirror to expose sin and as a sword to convict. Reading through James can helped us grasp our deep need for wisdom embracing God’s grace agenda to change us in trial and suffering. Minister to one another with God’s Word, not mere opinion. You can know your sin by praying, discussing, and reading the Word in community with a humble, teachable heart.
Once you have identified the "what", it is important to consider the "when". When are you tempted to sin? If we don’t think about the when, sin will sneak up on us. Consider the circumstances that surround your sin, where and when you find yourself tempted. Identify your sins and the circumstances of temptation.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR -
1 Peter 2:16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Romans 6:15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 3:5-8 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Romans 5:20-21 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 3:31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Jude 1:4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 2:18-19 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
The Triumph of Grace over the Power of Sin (Rom. 6:1–23)
How does Paul refute the idea that, since more sinning results in more grace, we should sin all the more (Rom. 5:20–6:11)?
Paul moves from the indicative (what is true) of Romans 6:1–11 to the imperative (what to do) of Romans 6:12–14. How would you summarize each of these two sections? What is the relationship between them? Is the imperative built on the indicative, or the indicative on the imperative?
If Paul is telling believers to pursue sacrificial obedience, why is he saying we are not under the law (Rom. 6:14)?
How does Paul employ the metaphor of slavery throughout Romans 6:15–23? Is it possible not to be a slave to something?
The Triumph of Grace over the Power of the Law (Rom. 7:1–25)
Comparing our connection to the law to the marital covenant (Rom. 7:1–6) is not exactly flattering to marriage, but Paul is revealing something powerful about a Christian’s relationship to the law. What is the basic point of Paul’s illustration in these verses?
What are some examples of the law arousing sinful passions (Rom. 7:5)?
We can get the mistaken impression, because of all the negative implications of the law’s functions, that the law is only bad. For what reason(s) does Paul say the law is good (Rom. 7:12)?
Thinking personally, how have you seen the inner struggle Paul describes in Romans 7:18–23 in your own life?
What are your primary means of encouragement and strength during such struggles?
SESSION 6 - Life in the Spirit - Rom. 8:1–39
Romans 8: 1-39 (NLT)
Life Through the Spirit
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.
11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.
25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” )
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
THINK ABOUT THIS
As a boy, I didn’t like scary stories. I’d act brave, but whenever a TV show would become suspenseful, I’d suddenly remember something in another room that needed my attention. I didn’t really like being nervous or scary; I liked being happy a lot better.
As you and I discover the Bible’s story, we often find that we don’t really like suspense either. The Bible’s story leads us from Eden into a world where everything starts to hurt: our work feels futile, and our marriages and families cause us pain. We quickly find ourselves stuck in a world that doesn’t feel right. Somebody needs to do something, right?
Donald Miller, author of A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, describes his experience with a film crew making a documentary of his life. They grew frustrated filming scenes from his comfortable life. Eventually, they confronted him: his life made for a boring story. His initial success as a writer had allowed him to withdraw from most of life’s problems, robbing him of the chance to experience any real suspense. That confrontation led him into a less comfortable but far more significant life.
Most of the time, instead of challenges and stresses, I’d rather have my story just stop for a while. But that would soon get boring, and I’d miss out on more significant experiences.
If God wanted to write a really good story in your life, would you let him? author — Ron Vanderwell
HOW TO - Live by the Spirit
The Bible says, "So I say to you live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5:16). Paul instructs Christians to live by the Spirit, rather than the flesh, so that we won't 'gratify' the sinful nature. How does one accomplish this? Here are some tips on how to live by the Spirit.
Step 1 Recognize what the acts of the sinful nature are: "Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; Idolatry and witchcraft; Hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; Drunkenness, orgies, and the like." (Galatians 5:19,20). Paul groups these sins together because they are the basic fruits of the sinful nature. Paul says "if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeed of the body, you will live." If we put to death all of these acts of our sinful nature we will live, but the choice is ours. We can chose to walk in the flesh or in the Spirit as Christians.
Step 2 Understand that "those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:21) Jesus said that "you shall know them by their fruits." Also James said "show me your faith without deed and I will show you my faith by what I do." If we are true followers of Christ, we will live differently. We will live out the fruit of the spirit rather than the misdeed of our flesh.
Step 3 Recognize the Fruit of the Spirit: "The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Patience, Faithfulness, Joy, Kindness, Gentleness, Peace, Goodness, and Self Control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:23)
Step 4 Living by the Spirit will produce the Fruit of the Spirit. "Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25). This means that we should seek to walk in these fruits in all that we do in life and in every situation that we find ourselves in.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 8:39
John 10:28-30 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 3:18-19 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
1 John 4:9-10 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Colossians 3:3-4 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
1 John 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
John 16:27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
John 17:26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 24:21 On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
Life in the Spirit (Rom. 8:1–17)
What has been said prior to Romans 8:1 that leads Paul to say that believers are under no condemnation? What role does union with Christ play in this verse?
If Jesus was sinless, why does Paul say he was “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3)?
What are some practical ways to set your mind on the “things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5–8)?
According to Romans 8:13, is sanctification God’s work or ours? Consider also 1 Corinthians 15:10, Philippians 2:12–13, and Colossians 1:29.
What does it mean to be an heir (Rom. 8:16–17)? What are the benefits of being fellow heirs with Christ?
The Assurance of Hope (Rom. 8:18–39)
What does Romans 8:19–22 tell us about sin?
What are some ways we might misinterpret Romans 8:28?
How is Romans 8:28 similar to Philippians 4:13?
What might Paul have in mind in the “all things” of Romans 8:32?
How can those being “killed all the day long” (Rom. 8:36) be “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37)?
SESSION 7 - God’s Mercy and Judgement - Rom. 9:1–33
Romans 9:1-33 (NLT)
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.
2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief
3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.
5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!
7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.
9 For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.
11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;
12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”
13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”
14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!
15 For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”
18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.
23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
25 Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”
26 And, “Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
27 And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, “Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved.
28 For the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality.”
29 And Isaiah said the same thing in another place: “If the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.”
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
THINK ABOUT THIS
The Bible has a lot to say about inheritance, and it all points to God’s promises of inheriting the full life in his kingdom forever.
God shows his goodness by giving an inheritance to his children. “Those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land,” says the psalmist. “The meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” In ancient Israel, the focus was on the land God had given the 12 tribes of Israel, but today we know that this refers to the whole earth in the new heaven and new earth. In fact, Jesus quoted from this psalm when he said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
God’s goodness inspires parents to leave an inheritance for the generations that follow. Money saved up for one’s children and grandchildren, so that they may have a head start in life, is a good thing. But people who honor the Lord also show care and compassion for the poor, and they work against injustice and discrimination. In all that he did, Jesus modeled these important teachings.
Do good, care for people in need, and save up your pennies for your children. Love the Lord, love your neighbor in Jesus’ name, share the good news of God’s love, and know that, by grace, you have the blessings of eternal life in his kingdom. author — George Young
HOW TO - understand God's mercy
God’s justice and mercy are seemingly incompatible. After all, justice involves the dispensing of deserved punishment for wrongdoing, and mercy is all about pardon and compassion for an offender. However, these two attributes of God do in fact form a unity within His character.
The Bible contains many references to God’s mercy. Over 290 verses in the Old Testament and 70 in the New Testament contain direct statements of the mercy of God toward His people.
God was merciful to the Ninevites who repented at the preaching of Jonah, who described God as “a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2). David said God is “gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:8–9, NASB).
But the Bible also speaks of God’s justice and His wrath over sin. In fact, God’s perfect justice is a defining characteristic: “There is no God apart from me, a righteous [just] God and a Savior; there is none but me” (Isaiah 45:21). “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4).
In the New Testament, Paul details why God’s judgment is coming: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5–6).
So the Bible showcases the fact that God is merciful, but it also reveals that He is just and will one day dispense justice on the sin of the world.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 9:4
Ephesians 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Psalm 147:19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.
Genesis 17:2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”
Romans 9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
Exodus 4:22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,
Hebrews 9:1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
1 Kings 8:11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 7:6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Hebrews 6:13-17 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Acts 3:25-26 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
God’s Sovereign Choice (Rom. 9:1–29)
Paul is about to share some hard truths. Note first his tone and disposition in Romans 9:1–3. How would you describe it? What impact ought this tone have on our reading of the hard things ahead, or how this passage is preached or taught?
Why does Paul anticipate the inquiry about God’s word failing (Rom. 9:6)? Why might someone, especially a Jew, ask this?
According to Romans 9:8, how is it that one becomes a child of God?
If God is love (1 John 4:8), what might it mean that God “hated” Esau (Rom. 9:13)?
According to Romans 9:17, what is God’s purpose in his sovereign acting? What are some other biblical examples of this?
What is the common thread that Paul sees between the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Pharaoh?
Israel’s Unbelief (Rom. 9:30–33)
Do Jews and Gentiles attain righteousness in different ways? Explain your answer.
What are the “points of stumbling” over the issue of righteousness for us today? In other words, what objections or aversions do we all naturally have that make salvation by faith hard to understand?
SESSION 8 - God’s Grace is Sufficient - Rom. 10:1–11:36
Romans 10 (NLT)
1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).
7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”
8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “ LORD, who has believed our message?”
17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: “The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”
19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said, “I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”
20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”
21 But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”
Romans 11
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,
3 “ LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
4 And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”
5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.
8 As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”
9 Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”
11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.
12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.
15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!
16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.
17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.
18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.
19 “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.”
20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.
21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.
22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.
24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.
25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.
26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”
28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.
31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy.
32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 For who can know the LORD ’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
THINK ABOUT THIS
Many of us are especially attracted to weather forecasts. When a weather report is on the radio or television, we listen intently, trying to process the information. We are mesmerized by the sure tone of the reporter, the countless digits, and the animated movements of cold or warm fronts on the map. There’s something very human in this desire to glance into tomorrow and make sense of the seeming chaos.
Modern meteorology provides only limited precision in forecasting weather for the next few days. Yet it’s still better than many other predictions in our world. So many events may change our life abruptly and unexpectedly.
But today’s verses give us a sense of sure hope when we reflect on our eternal destiny in Jesus Christ. The Bible proclaims that we are saved when we call out to Jesus, when we ask for his forgiveness, acceptance, and love. That is God’s ironclad guarantee.
To quote the theologian and pastor John Calvin, “the grace of God penetrates into the abyss of death.” This grace overcomes our sins and secures our salvation. Like the thief on the cross, every one of us has to say, “Jesus, remember me!” (Luke 23:42), and we will be saved. Arguably, that’s the most definite and predictable thing in our lives. author — Sergei Sosedkin
HOW TO - Reaffirm God's Grace
1. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
God’s grace is sufficient, and this verse reaffirms that God’s grace is big enough to cover every area of our lives. Many times, it is easy to want to compartmentalize sections of our lives from God. God’s grace covers the good, the bad, and the ugly. God’s grace fills in the gaps where we fall short and make mistakes. That is great news! Today, I invite you to allow God’s grace to be sufficient and cover all areas in your life. God is not concerned with perfection, but for us to grow each day depending on Him more. God’s grace shines brightest in the broken places of our lives.
2. “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
Despite our age, race, or socio-economic status, God’s grace does not discriminate. God’s grace is available for everyone who accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior. Through Christ’s redemption of our sinful humanity, God’s grace abounds and is overflowing. In the midst of our sin, God’s grace still covers, strengthens, and cleanses us from unrighteousness. Grace is available for both the saved and the sinner. The purpose of God’s grace is for Christians to grow closer to Him, recognizing their human limitations.
3. “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are” (Acts 15:11).
God’s grace is an essential component for everyday life and foundational to the Christian faith. We need God’s grace to sustain us every day. Within our own strength, we will make mistakes daily. God’s grace reassures and reminds us to depend on God more. We are not alone, and receiving God’s grace provides an opportunity to glorify Him more. Grace fills in the areas where we fall short, letting us know it will be ok. God’s divine nature intercedes within our human frailties.
4. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).
God’s grace is present when we serve and use the specific gifts that God has called us to in various capacities. As humans who fall short and will make mistakes daily, God invites and encourages us to be “faithful stewards of God’s grace.” As we interact with others in our homes, workplace, ministry, or other social settings, we are to extend grace to others. God’s grace is extended to us, and we are to also extend that same grace to others. We are to extend grace to both ourselves and others when shortcomings take place, and welcome opportunities to start again. God’s grace covers various behaviors, attitudes, circumstances, and people. The good news about God’s grace is that it covers any scenario.
5. “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble’” (James 4:6).
There is no shortage of God’s grace, and there are no circumstances where God’s grace is not available. When we drift away from God or become too prideful, God’s grace invites us to draw back closer to God. The good news about God’s grace is that it is an open, free invitation to start anew. God does not give grace from compulsion, but it originates from God’s great love for His children. Despite how far we may stray away from God, His grace does not dry up and is always calling us back.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 11
2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.
Philippians 3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
1 Samuel 12:22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
Jeremiah 33:24-26 “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. Thus says the Lord: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.”
Acts 26:4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Amos 9:8-9 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord. “For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the earth.
Jeremiah 31:36-37 “If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.” Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.”
Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Romans 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
Hosea 9:17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations.
Psalm 94:14 For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;
Psalm 89:31-37 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.
Psalm 77:7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
2 Kings 23:27 And the Lord said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
The Gospel Heard and Unheard (Rom. 10:1–11:10)
Paul’s broken heart and love for his Jewish brothers and sisters is once again evident in Romans 10:1. But because he loves them, he must be honest with and about them. They have much passion, but this zeal is not according to knowledge. How does Paul explain in Romans 10:3 what kind of “knowledge” he is referring to in Romans 10:2?
If you recall it, describe your moment of conversion. What circumstances led to your salvation, and how was the gospel preached?
What does Paul mean by the phrase “obeyed the gospel” (Rom. 10:16)? God is not passive. Though he does delight to respond to the pleas of his people, he does not sit back and wait to be summoned. He is active, ruling, and engaged in this world. Reflect on Romans 10:20. What are some other biblical examples you can think of that show God revealing himself to people who were not seeking him at all? What examples of God’s own initiative do you see in your own life?
God’s Righteousness in His Plan for Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 11:11–32)
How does salvation come to Gentiles through the trespass of the Jews (Rom. 11:11)?
What extended metaphor does Paul use throughout Romans 11:17–24, and how does he use it?
Why is justification by faith antithetical to pride (Rom. 11:20)?
Read Romans 11:26 again. What is “the way” Paul is saying all Israel will be saved?
Concluding Doxology (Rom. 11:33–36)
How would you describe Paul’s tone in these four verses? Why do you think he concludes in this way?
How would you define “glory” (Rom. 11:36)?
SESSION 9 - God's Word Builds Harmony - Rom. 12:1–13:14
Romans 12 - A Living Sacrifice (NLT)
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD .
20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Romans 13
1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.
7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.
14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
THINK ABOUT THIS
Paul’s letter to the Romans is filled with theology. In the early part of the book, Paul spends a lot of time explaining who God is and what he’s done for us. Then Paul wrestles with “So what?” questions. He gives many commands as he shows how God’s love should affect our lives: Be joyful, patient, faithful, generous, hospitable. Bless, mourn, rejoice—in support of even your enemies.
Our God is a relational God, and he wants us to experience the blessing of being connected. We were never meant to be independent, self-sufficient, or isolated. In John 17, Jesus himself prays that we will have unity. He asks God to make us one, just as he is one with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. God calls us to live in harmony with one another—even those who are different from us.
And when people live in unity, others notice. Harmony is a powerful witness to the rest of the world. Years ago, after moving to a new town, our family naturally drew close to a congregation whose people showed up to help us paint and clean and move into our home. People willing to make our mess their mess were people with whom we naturally wanted to be involved in ministry.
Christ’s church is diverse. It’s full of people not like you or me, just as notes in a chord are not all the same. Can we work toward harmony? author — Steven and Deb Koster
HOW TO - build harmony in the church
HELP one another
“Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2, HCSB)
As a group, we come together to encourage each other. We meet to meet each other needs, through prayer and worship. We take this work of encouragement and use it to help others around us.
AGREE to be in unity
“so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.” (Romans 15:6, HCSB)
To be united in mind and voice means that we decide to agree. We work together to get things done. We work to diminish division. For the greater good of the church, sometimes we have to agree as Christians to disagree with one another – without being disagreeable.
RECEIVE one another
“Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7, HCSB)
If we agree to work together, and if we agree to help one another, then we also agree to accept one another. We learn as a church that we when we receive new people in the church, that we should learn to accept them. Even when people have their differences – whether it is worship traditions, how one dresses, how one looks, people in the church live in harmony when they learn to receive and accept one another.
MINISTER to one another
“For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers,” (Romans 15:8, HCSB)
Jesus served all kinds of people. As Christians, we learn to follow His example. The church builds harmony when we spend time serving and ministering to one another.
OFFER worship to God with one another
“Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!” (Romans 15:10, HCSB)
Our worship can be a very unifying thing. It helps other people know that all of us are God’s children. We show people how unified we are as Christians by the way we worship together. The way we offer our worship and with whom we offer our worship is something that tells people we want to live in harmony with one another.
Three times, these verses quote from the Old Testament and in each case, it is about the praise of the Gentiles to God. Gentiles (non-Jews) will offer their worship. Jews are not the only ones who have an exclusive right to worship God. God is big enough to let all kinds of people worship Him. The same is true today. God is big enough for this church to have all kinds of people in the community come together and worship Him. No one can claim an exclusive right to worshipping God in this church.
NURTURE the hope which builds harmony in your life
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, HCSB)
What does hope have to do with building harmony? Everything. It is the positive ingredient that every Christian needs to have harmony with one another. God fills me up with hope, and that gives me joy and peace. God gives me enough hope that I can share this hope with other people who need hope. Why? Because there is much hopelessness going around during this holiday season.
YIELD to the power of the Holy Spirit
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, HCSB)
Harmony comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. He provides different spiritual gifts to help people be harmonious with one another. The Holy Spirit is like the conductor of the orchestra. We play different instruments, but He provides the direction. He leads the players to play the right notes at the right time. When it works, the church makes beautiful music.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR Roman 12
1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Hebrews 13:15-16 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
1 Peter 2:10-12 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Psalm 116:12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?
1 Corinthians 6:13-20 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
Titus 3:4-8 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
The umbrella exhortation (Rom. 12:1–2)
The overarching exhortation for Romans 12:1–13:14 is given in the first two verses. These verses are the umbrella under which all that follows is included. What does Paul mean by a “living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1)?
In what ways do you struggle most with conformity to the world (Rom. 12:2)? What is Paul’s antidote to being conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2)? What might this look like in your present daily living?
Marks of the Christian Community (Rom. 12:3–21)
In Romans 12:3–8, we find one of four New Testament treatments of spiritual gifts. Skim the others: 1 Corinthians 12:7–10, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. What similarities and what differences do you observe? What do you perceive to be your own spiritual gifts? What would others say about you?
How can Paul command what appear to be feelings, such as love, fervency, or rejoicing (Rom. 12:9–12)?
Why would Paul exhort us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15)? How do we see each of these in the life of Jesus?
Reflect on Romans 12:19. What is difficult about this verse? What is liberating?
Relating to Government (Rom. 13:1–7)
How is Paul’s instruction in Romans 13:1–7 ultimately an act of faith?
What is Paul’s theological reason for submitting to civil authority?
How does Romans 13:1–7 fit with other places in the New Testament where faithfulness requires not submitting to authority (e.g., Acts 4:19–20; 5:29; 1 Pet. 2:20)?
The Law and Love (Rom. 13:8–14)
How does love sum up the entire law?
What is Paul’s broader point in utilizing the day/night imagery in Romans 13:11–14?
What does Paul mean by “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14)? What are other texts in the New Testament that might be getting at the same idea?
SESSION 10 - Accepting One Another - Rom. 14:1–16:23
Romans 14 (NLT)
1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.
3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
10 So why do you condemn another believer ? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. ’”
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.
21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right.
23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Romans 15
1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.
2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”
4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
8 Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.
9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name.”
10 And in another place it is written, “Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles.”
11 And yet again, “Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth.”
12 And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.”
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.
15 Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace,
16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.
18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.
19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.
21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”
22 In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.
23 But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.
24 I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
25 But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.
26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.
27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.
28 As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.
29 And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.
30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
31 Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.
32 Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
33 And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.
Romans 16
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.
2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.
4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.
5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus.
12 Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
14 Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.
15 Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.
16 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.
23 Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.
26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
THINK ABOUT THIS
One of the greatest obstacles to the spread of the gospel today is divisiveness in the church. This problem is not new, but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Paul indicates that the division between Jew and Gentile followers of Jesus was problematic in the early church.
Though we need not agree about everything, the Bible emphasizes that followers of Jesus Christ should demonstrate unity. We can achieve this by following the example of Jesus as we serve one another. We should pray that God will give us “the same attitude of mind toward each other that Jesus Christ had.” We should also praise God for the privilege of Christian relationships. This will bring glory to God.
Paul instructs his readers to praise, rejoice, and sing hymns to express their unity and to glorify God for his mercies. Shouldn’t we who have received God’s great salvation in the one Savior, Jesus Christ, lift up our voices to praise him in unity?
One of my great privileges has been to worship God with sisters and brothers in many different lands. Though often I cannot understand the words being sung, I know we are one in the Spirit and in the Lord. It thrills my heart to sing praises to God with these believers because I know the power of the Holy Spirit is there with us as we worship our Savior, Jesus, together. author — John Van Schepen
HOW TO - accept one another based on how Christ accepted you
Romans 15:7 says, “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you” (NLT). God wants you to accept others in the deepest and fullest sense. You accept them with love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness… just as Christ has accepted you.
There are at least four characteristics of Christ accepting you.
First, Jesus accepted you with joy.
Luke 15:3, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:3-7, NLT). We are to accept others just like Christ accepted us. When your friend, spouse, or child is lost in sin and is found or repents of their sin we are to rejoice over them.
Second, Jesus accepted you in spite of your sin.
He loved you while you were rebellious. He loved you while you were disobedient. He loved you while you were ignoring Him. Romans 5:8 puts it this way, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (NLT). Acceptance.
1 Timothy 1:15 puts it this way, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ – and I am the worst of them all” (NLT). Jesus accepted you in spite of your sin.
Third, Jesus accepted you impartially.
here was no favoritism here. God didn’t say, “If you start acting like so and so I will accept you.”
Listen carefully to what Jesus said in John 6:37 to a crowd of people, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!” (NLT). Jesus is talking about salvation, but notice the word “anyone.” Impartial.
Then in Romans 2:11 we read, “For God does not show favoritism” (NLT). That’s being impartial. No favoritism. God accepted you, accepted me, and anyone who comes to Him.
Fourth, Jesus accepted you to God’s glory.
When you accept others in the name of Christ you are bringing glory to God. When Christ accepted you He was honoring and glorifying God, when you accept others in the same way you are honoring and glorifying God.
Listen to Ephesians 3:20, “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!” (v.20-21, Msg). God’s Spirit working within you is God’s demonstrating He accepts you and the result is glory! When you accept others like Christ accepted you, you bring glory to God.
Your first thought is not to reject people or ignore them, but to accept them. When Jesus accepted you… you didn’t have everything figured out, you didn’t understand a lot of things in the Bible, you didn’t know God’s will about a lot of things. As a matter of fact when Jesus accepted you, He received you and your sins. He received you and all the mess that comes with you. So, you are told to “accept each other just as Christ has accepted you.” This brings us to our last observation.
Number five, accepting one another is for the purpose of glorifying God.
Romans 15:7 says, “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory” (NLT). When you follow the Lord’s example in receiving each other in love and without judgment or condescension, you give God glory. You bring honor to His name as one of His representatives. When you accept others you are demonstrating God’s acceptance of them. You accept others so that God will be given glory.
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR to Romans 15:7
Romans 2:11 For God shows no partiality.
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
Romans 15:5-7 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Leviticus 5:1 “If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity;
John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.
Matthew 7:1-2 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Matthew 10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Galatians 2:16 Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Romans 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Matthew 9:11-13 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
2 John 1:10-11 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS
(this section is for those who like to think deeply and cross-reference scripture)
Interpersonal Reconciliation (Rom. 14:1–15:13)
How is reconciliation between believers a good witness?
What are some modern examples that would be our equivalent to the questions concerning “diet” and “days” (Rom. 14:1–7)?
According to Romans 14:7–8, what is the guiding principle in navigating these issues? How can these issues cause stumbling?
How would you summarize Romans 14:1–15:7 in a single sentence?
The Establishment of Churches among the Gentiles (Rom. 15:14–33)
What is the common denominator in all of the Old Testament texts Paul cites
In Romans 15:9–12? What point is he driving home?
In Romans 15:15, Paul says he has been “bold” with the Romans, and in Romans 15:17 he says he has pride in his work. Is Paul sinning in such boldness and pride? What distinctions need to be made between “good boldness” and “bad boldness,” good pride and bad pride?
In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (see also 1 Cor. 3:10). Compare this passage in 1 Corinthians to what Paul says in Romans 15:20–24. Taking these two texts together, how would you describe Paul’s driving passion?
Appreciation and Greetings to Coworkers in the Gospel (Rom. 16:1–23)
What do we learn about Paul and his ministry from the greetings he gives in Romans 16:1–16? Note that he says something specific about almost every person he mentions.
Read Matthew 10:16. Note what Paul says in Romans 16:19. Unpack the paradox embedded in such texts for the way Christians are to lead their lives.
In Romans 16:20, Paul says that the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet. What is significant about the way he expresses this truth? Consider Genesis 3:15 in your answer.
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NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS - comes from this link to online content
SCRIPTURE SIMILAR - resource
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