Week 36

Romans 16

Discussion question: Why does Paul take some time out to commend certain brothers and sisters in Christ? Why does God record this in His written Word?

Leader: for your review:
This is the practice that we, today, call an introduction or a reference letter. You can see examples of this everywhere in business, academia, relationships, etc. Paul is saying to the church at Rome that if they should meet these people, to welcome them, to make them feel at home. We are blessed that God has recorded this as part of the Scriptures for a few reasons. It makes us feel like we are part of a larger, catholic, body, reaching across not only geographic locations but also time. We know a little more about Phoebe, that she was helpful to Paul and the church, and we can relate to her. We also have examples to follow, we see that Mary was a hard worker and we can strive to be like her, we see that Prisca and Aquila saw past their own lives and focused on Christ’s church and we can seek that same perspective. We can see that those in the early church cared for one another, that they desired to serve the people in the church and that they desired relationships with those in the church. We also get a glimpse of the workings of the early church; Prisca and Aquila are first mentioned in Acts 18 and now we see them again here and also in 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Timothy 4, so we see that people traveled and continued serving the church even if they were away from their home church.

Leader: for your review:
Commentators have done a lot of research into the actual names mentioned here by Paul, for instance, Rufus might be the son of Simon from Cyrene who carried Jesus’ cross according to Mark 15:21 since Mark’s gospel is commonly thought of as being written to the Romans and Simon was from a Roman province, the believers probably would have known of his household. Mark mentions Simon as being the father of Rufus, usually when a father is described in terms of who his sons are, the sons have greater importance or they are more well-known than the father, so it is possible that this Rufus was the same mentioned in Mark. Leaders are encouraged to pick up a few commentaries and read through some of the possible stories of who these people were.

Discussion question: Why is Paul so careful to admonish his readers to watch out for people who would seek to turn away from the teachings they had already heard in vv17,18? What does this tell us about the importance of proper teaching in the church?

Discussion question: Paul says that the God of peace will soon crush Satan. How does the description of God as “God of peace” match the fact that God will soon crush Satan?

Discussion question: Do you think there is any reason that Tertius put in his own greeting as this isn’t found in Paul’s other letters?

Discussion question: Why does Paul end his letter with a doxology? What is a doxology?

Discussion question: How does this point our hearts and minds towards our Lord Jesus Christ?

Week 35

Romans 15:8-33

Discussion question: v8 says Christ became a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God and to confirm His promises. What does it mean that Christ became a servant? Why is this important for the Christian life?

Leader: for your review:
Matt 15:24
Matt 10:5,6

Discussion question: Why did Jesus come to earth? Why did the creator of all things leave His dwelling place?

Discussion question: Why does Paul pray in v13 for God to fill us with belief so that we may abound in hope? Why is hope so important to the Christian?

Discussion question: What are the points that Paul has written about boldly in v15?

Discussion question: What does the passage from v14-21 reveal about Paul’s heart and what was important to him?

Leader: for your review:
Looking over Paul’s missionary life here would help a lot in this study. You can see the path he traced out was very planned with Jerusalem being the East-most point and Illyricum being the West-most point. Try and picture Paul in Illyricum looking out over the Mediterranean Sea, knowing that Rome and then Spain were so close and making plans to go there. It is interesting to study how Paul made plans and spoke of them as if they would definitely take place, yet he knew that it was only up to God to decide where he would go. But even in light of this, he did not just sit around waiting, he was active, he was planning, he was always thinking ahead.

Discussion question: What prevented Paul from going to see the church at Rome (v22)?

Leader: for your review:
1 Thess 2:18

Discussion question: It is interesting to see/think about Satan’s role/power on Earth, how can we be aware of the times when he is actively trying to keep us from accomplishing something?

Discussion question: Why was it important for Paul to go to Spain in v24?

Discussion question: In Acts 23:11, Paul has a promise from God that he will go to Rome. Obviously Paul trusted that that would occur, but he also seems confident that he would go to Spain. What can we learn about making plans from this?

Leader: for your review:
Paul was a dreamer, his eyes always in the clouds yet his thoughts always on his work. The plans he made were well thought out, “how can I efficiently spread the Word?” He went to the major cities of his day and planted churches that could be a means to go on to the next closest major city. Never cheapening the gospel or using it for means other than saving souls and sharing Christ, but also never going about his missions without a plan in place. The cities he chose to visit were typically large, intellectual centers, high traffic areas, and well-connected. Spain was, during Paul’s time, rapidly becoming a new center for intellectual thought, Lucan, Quintilian, and Seneca were all Spaniards. But it was also as far as Western Civilization reached. Jesus said that we are his witnesses to the remotest parts of the earth. Imagine what kind of lure Spain would have had to someone who wanted to see the name of Christ spread to all the ends of the earth. But we know that Paul did not think anything would happen apart from the will of God (Romans 1:10).

Discussion question: What can we learn about Paul from his prayer request in vv30-32? What can we learn about how God wants us to pray to Him?

Leader: for your review:
It is necessary
It is important enough that Paul uses the word “urge” to encourage us to do it
It is the result of knowing God’s love for us since we are urged to do it because of the love of the Spirit, the love that the Spirit has filled us with
It is a struggle and something we have to strive to do. This striving meaning we are to do it repeatedly, with a sense of the urgency of it, it is a battle
It is good to ask for prayers for yourself
Some prayers will be answered no
Paul prays for the furtherance of the gospel as the root of all things

Week 17

Romans 8:1

Leader: This week should be spent discussing the first seven chapters of Romans and bringing up issues that were good discussions or were helpful or difficult to get through. Romans 8:1 is such an important verse and it is a great place to just pause for a week and dwell on.

Overview of Romans Chapters 1-7

Chapter 1

1-15 Paul introduces himself because he did not start the church at Rome, gives background to the Gospel, gives thanks for them at Rome, says he is writing to the believers at Rome, probably mostly Jewish converts at Rome.

16-17 Thesis statement is made, this theme is seen almost everywhere in the letter to the Romans. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.’”

18-32 God has made Himself known to all men, but man has exchanged what is Glorious for what is corrupted and so God has given them over to their degrading passions.

Chapter 2

1-16 There is no partiality with God, Jews and Gentiles alike will be judged for their deeds

17-29 Even the Jews, who follow the Law to the letter, have not understood the spirit of the Law, for it is not outward circumcision that saves, but rather inward circumcision.

Chapter 3

1-2 So what advantage is there to being a Jew? Jews were entrusted with the knowledge of God.

3-4 But the Jewish religion is built upon this law, if some don’t believe in Jesus, wouldn’t that nullify God’s promise to save them? Never! Let an entire religion be found false, let every man be found to be a liar and God be found true.

5-8 But if man needs to be so evil that God may be seen as good, is God wrong for judging us? Or, put another way, if we have to sin so God has something to save us from, why not go on sinning even more so that good may come from it? It’s not even worth refuting such nonsense.

9-31 So, are some then better than others? Not at all, for there is not one who is just, not one seeks after God, all have turned away from God. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. But God has looked over the sins of the past knowing that Christ would come and be the justifier of all who believe. So there is no boasting in works, for man is justified apart from the works of the Law. Therefore, we don’t nullify the Law by our faith, but rather, we establish it.

Chapter 4

1-25 Take Abraham, for example, he did not have the Law, but it was written, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Just like when you work, your wage is not a favor, but is due to you for your work. But to the one who believes, his faith is credited as righteousness. So Abraham believed and the promise was made to him that his descendants would reign while he was uncircumcised, and circumcision was given to seal the promise.

Chapter 5

1-11 So we have been justified and from this we gain our hope, our hope comes from the fact that it is not our doing but God’s, just look at the example He gave us, while we were completely helpless, Christ died for us. God sent His son to die for us while we were even enemies of God, this is our hope!

12-21 Look at how powerful Christ’s death was, sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and it spread to all men so that all are guilty just because they are men, now there is another event, Christ’s death, that came into the world and saved the world from the consequences of sin. So one act had the power to count all men as guilty, and one act had the power to forgive guilt. So the Law is given to show our guilt, but because of our guilt, grace is made all the more powerful.

Chapter 6

1-23 So if our sins bring about grace, shouldn’t we sin more to bring about more grace? No, don’t you see that you have died to sin? To gain this life that Christ promises us, we have to be baptized into His death so that we can be baptized into His life and being baptized into His death shows us that we are no longer who we once were. Our old selves are dead, let your old ways die as well. Don’t go on in your old ways, for you have died and are now in Christ. You don’t want to be enslaved to sin again do you? The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Chapter 7

1-13 Take the example of the law of marriage. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives, if she joins with another while her husband is alive, she is found guilty of adultery, but if he dies she is free to join another. So you were made to die to one, sin, so that you can be joined to another, Jesus. We see that the law seems to arouse sin in our lives, but the law is not sin, rather it is the way we can know what sin is. Sin uses the law to deceive us, it uses what is good to make us do evil. But it is not the law that is the cause of evil and death, but rather it is sin working through the law.

14-25 The law is spiritual, it came from God, but we are flesh, in bondage to sin. I can see it at work when I want to do good, but don’t. I agree with what is good, I agree with the law, but the sin that dwells in me is evil and causes me to do evil. I can see then that there is nothing good in me and now there is a struggle because I want to do good, but can’t. Wretched man that I am, who will set me free?? Praise and thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Condensed Overview by Chapter:

1. Introduction, thesis, corruption of man
2. Condemnation of Jews and Greeks
3. All man is evil and deserving of death, but God have forgiven all who believe in Him and not their works
4. Evidence given that this is true
5. Sin came in through one man, and through one man it’s power is broken
6. Consider your old selves dead and the power to live your life to God in Christ
7. Sin no longer has power over us, but it still causes us to struggle

Topics discussed during the study:

• Power of the Gospel
• Do all men know God
• Does the Law save/ if one kept the Law could he be saved
• Is man dead spiritually until God awakens him
• Does anyone know God on his own
• Free will
• Does God deal with men differently than women
• Is there an age of accountability
• What if people have never heard of Christ
• What if people are too young to understand
• Who works first, God or man
• Are we sinners because we sin or do we sin because we’re sinners
• How do we go about santification
• Why does the Gospel, forgiveness of all sins past and future, produce people who don’t want to sin instead of people who say “anything goes now”
• How were OT people saved
• Predestination
• Depravity
• Election

Chapter 8

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Discussion question: Does 8:1 flow logically from 7:25? What is the “therefore” there for?

Leader: for your review:

8:1 seems to be the end of a very long comma separated sentence. Looking at 1:18-3:20 is very condemning, then 21-24 offer the sweetest sound our fallen ears can hear, then a semicolon appears after verse 24 and a long argument is brought up showing proof of faith being counted as righteousness in the old testament (3:25-4:22), then present time is brought back in (4:23-25) to explain our hope and foundation for sanctification (5:1-7:25). Then 8:1 comes back in, which, among other passages in Romans, is so fitting an ending for 3:24.

Leader: the following is an attempt to show how 8:1 seems to be a constant theme that runs throughout the book of Romans. By inserting 8:1 after a series of verses we can see how it is meant to give us comfort, encouragement, and hope as we read the book. All passages are from the book of Romans:

1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2:9-11 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11For there is no partiality with God.8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

3:20-21 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 21But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

4:7-9 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. 8″BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” 9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

4:20-21 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus., He was able also to perform.

5:1 Therefore, having been justified, 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus., we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 6:2 How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 6: 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 6:12-14 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 6:22-23 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 7:6 now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

Discussion question: We are counted as righteous, why are we so unable to grasp this? Why is it that we really don’t believe that we are seen as righteous before God and not just forgiven?

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Week 1

 

Romans 1

Romans: Notes
Romans different from all other epistles in that it doesn’t address any “particular” problem. There are speculations about Paul’s immediate reason for writing it: Rome was so near his heart that he felt it necessary to write concerning the basis for the thing so near his heart, his faith and its origins. Or that it was written because Paul had seen issues come up in the churches he started which stemmed from misunderstanding and bad theology/doctrine so he wrote Romans as a foundation that any issue which came up in the future could be looked upon. Or Paul saw Rome as a segway to Spain, which was at that time becoming very famous in all areas of arts and politics. If Paul, the great strategist, could set up a base in Rome, he could move to Spain and preach there with the support of the Roman church.

Was written while Paul was in Corinth around AD58, where he had just collected a large gift for the poor church at Jerusalem and was going there to take it.
Most break it up into 4 sections:

Condemnation: 1-3:20

Justification and Sanctification: 3:21-8

Restoration/Disspensation: 9-11

Application: 12-16
Paul quotes from OT 61 times from 14 books to make the connection. As he goes through, it’s almost as if he makes a statement, backs it up with OT scripture, then answers the next question a human would have. So he sets up an entire theological argument for lots of questions a believer or non-believer would have.
1-15 Paul introduces himself because he did not start the church at Rome, gives background to the Gospel, gives thanks for them at Rome. Then makes his thesis:
Why in v15 does he say he’s anxious to preach the Gospel to “you in Rome” when they are already believers?

16-17 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

What is the main theme here?
How did Paul prove that he was not ashamed of the Gospel? How are we ashamed of the Gospel?
Power = dynamite, Deut 32:39 ‘See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.’ Isaiah 43:13: “And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”

What does it mean when Paul calls the Gospel the “power of God” what are the powers of God? Creation, damnation, control over Earth/beasts/weather/humans, salvation, most deal with life/death.

When Jesus says he came to save us, what does he say he will save us from?

Sickness – Matt 9:21, bleeding woman.

Danger – Matt 8:25, Jesus calms the storm

Degeneration – Acts 2:40, be saved from this perverse generation

Lostness – Luke 19:10, he came to save that which was lost.

Sin – Matt 1:21 – save them from their sins

Wrath of God – Romans 5:9

Ignorance – 2 Thess 1:8

Self – Luke 14:26 – Hate his life

Darkness – Col 1:13 – out of darkness

The shame that comes from spreading the Gospel, Fox’s Book of Martyers. The gospel “brings” us to salvation, it takes us there, right along with us, it is our carrier. 2 Cor 11:23-27 – sufferings for the Gospel

Righteousness of God is actually translated righteousness from God – perfectly conforming to God’s perfect law and character (Christ) – What is this? Justification. Why? Deut 32:4, Job 9:2, Ps 11:7.

Righteousness is revealed from faith to faith or from those who believe. Col 1:22,23 Heb 3:12-14. Heb 6:4-8. Matt 13:3-23

Is believing an ongoing thing or is it a one-time thing? What happens to those who seem to fall away?

1 Cor 15:1-2 – “1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”

1 Peter 4:6 – For this purpose the Gospel has been preached….

Rev 3:10

Righteous shall live by faith: Hab 2:4 – unrighteous shall live by themself

Chapter Outline

Ch 1: God has revealed Himself to men, but they chose to ignore Him, so God gave them over to their lusts.

Ch 2: God will judge all who judge, because 1) everyone does evil and 2) there is no partiality with God, Jew or Greek. Those with the Law perish by it, those without perish without it.

Ch 3: All are guilty, God is still just and righteous.

Ch 4: Justification by faith from OT.

5: The power of justification and the spread of sin through one man and the gift through another.

6: We are dead to sin and alive to God now, don’t continue on in sin.

7: We were bound to the law and that brought about death, but now we have been released from the law, but the law isn’t sin. There is now a conflict in us, between sin and spirit.

8: We are delivered from death by Christ, who accomplished what the law could not do, and now we should have nothing but hope in all circumstances.

9: Not all Israel is chosen, only those called by God are chosen. God cannot be argued with on His purposes.

10: All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved, but not all who pursue religion will.

11: God has hardened some and saved others, he has saved some Gentiles and not some Jews.

12: Knowing how we were saved, we should live our lives for him, as a sacrifice.

13: Be subject to authority, live an honest, moral life.

14: Nothing is more important than God, don’t get caught up in rules, especially those that others are weaker in their following of.

15: Live in peace with others, Paul’s prayer.

16: Greetings and messages to other believers.

1:1-7 Greetings, Paul explains where his apostleship comes from and who Jesus is.
8-17 Paul longs to visit Rome and it seems now he will

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