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 25

Romans 10:1-13

Discussion question: What does it look like to have a zeal for God but not in accordance with knowledge, v2?

Discussion question: What does it mean when Paul says that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes? Is this similar to the questions he asked in Chapter 6:15

Discussion question: How does the OT passage quoted in verses 6-7 relate to what Paul says in verse 6, that the righteousness based on faith speaks as those OT passages say it does?

Discussion question: Verse 9 is often used as an overall summary of how one is saved, that if you believe and confess, you will be saved. Do you agree that it can be summed up as such?

Discussion question: What are your thoughts on verses 11-13, are they comforting to you?

Week 29

Romans 11:33-36
Leader: for your review

Eph 3: Paul speaks of the riches of Christ (v8) and the riches of God’s glory (v16) as being that which was hidden from man before Christ came to the earth and that which will strengthen us with power through His Spirit.

Discussion question: What is the wisdom of God?
1 Kings 3:28
Proverbs 2
Job 28:28
Ps 37:30
Ps 111:10
Is 11
1 Cor 1-2
Col 2:3

Discussion question: What is the knowledge of God?
Job 38:2 implies that the knowledge of God is facts that only God can know; details of creation, life, etc.
Ps 139:1-6
Is 11
Hos 6:6
Mal 2:7

Discussion question: What would it look like for someone to give God counsel? What are some examples of how we give God counsel?
“God, why didn’t I marry this girl?” “God, why didn’t I get this job?” “God, this isn’t fair!”

Discussion question: How does Paul’s wording of v35 leave absolutely no room for arguing?

Discussion question: What does this passage teach us about the things we’ve learned in the book of Romans?
1 Cor 8:6, 11:12 – all things are from God, all things created by God
Col 1:16 – all things, thrones or dominions are created through Him and FOR Him
Heb 2:10 – It was fitting to bring many sons to glory in sufferings
Eph 3:21 – to Him be the glory forever
Phil 4:20 – to God be the glory
1 Tim 1:17 – to God be the glory
2 Tim 4:18 – the Lord will rescue me and bring me to safety
1 Peter 4:11, 5:11 – whoever speaks is to do so as if speaking for God
2 Peter 3:18 – grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord
Jude 25 – to Him be glory before all time and forever
Rev 1:6, 5:13, 7:12 – to Him be the glory
Ps 24:10 – Who is this King of Glory? HE IS
Grudem p221, paragrahs 5,6

Discussion question: Why is this passage (vv33-36) added here? What has just been said and what is about to be said by Paul?

Leader: for your review:
This passage is a great closing to the previous 11 chapters. Paul has gone through a long defense of the great doctrines of God and they are very hard to grasp, even impossible to grasp. Some were not meant to be understood but rather stated (What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God is there? The answer is simply a statement of the question, God is sovereign and man is responsible and this makes God just!) Paul is amazed by the wisdom and knowledge of God and simply humbles himself before God and gives Him all glory. Paul is about to state a “therefore” in chapter 12:1. This “therefore” is a bridge between these great doctrines and their application to our lives. Paul says, now that we know what we know, we can live the lives God wants us to. Now that we know that all are condemned before God because of sin and that God has offered us redemption and forgiveness by grace through faith in Christ Jesus who was foretold by the Scriptures and the prophets and we are now no longer under the bondage of sin but under the grace of Christ to live the life of a free man by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and prays for us only because God has graciously chosen us for this life before the foundation of the world for His own purposes and for His own namesake and for His own glory, now that we know this, this great truth of God’s ultimate plan for His glory, are we able to live out the Christian life by the power of God.

Week 23

Romans 9:1-6

Discussion question: Do we love the unsaved in the same way that Paul loves his unsaved Jewish brethern?

Discussion question: What are the typical responses Christians have towards the unsaved?

Discussion question: Does the fact that the Jews had the oracles of God grieve Paul more that they don’t know Christ?

Discussion question:What is it that keeps the Jews from salvation?

Leader: for your review:

Hos 5

Deut 17:6

Eph 4:21

Rom 8:16

Phil 3:8

Deut 14:1-2

Ex 4:22

Hos 11:1

Discussion question: Why does Paul make the statement that “it is not as though the word of God has failed?”
He just said the he wishes his brethren could know Christ, but Jews believe they are the promised people (Ex 19:5-6) but Paul has said that it is not heritage that saves a person so the next natural question would be that if some Jews aren’t saved, then God’s promises aren’t secure, we can’t trust them. If His promises aren’t secure, how sovereign is He? Does He re-act or act? Is there a plan B with God? Is there a difference between how Jews were saved and how Christians are saved? Paul will answer this in a long, complete response that will touch on everything from His plan, sovereignty, and plan of salvation.

Discussion question: What would happen if we could not trust in God’s promises and the Word of God had failed? (Read/listen to John Piper’s sermon that answers this question, one of his best)

Discussion question: Does Paul mean that God set aside one covenant for another? In other words, can we be saved if we adhere to the Law? Are there two ways to God today – through the Law or through Christ?
Gal 3:24

Leader: for your review:

Jer 31-new covenant
Heb 7-9
Paul’s discussion of the patriarchs – shows that the covenant has always been in effect

To answer this, Paul must first show that there is not a new plan, but rather the plan has come into full light.
Deut 27:26 “Cursed is everyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.” But certainly, the people were not keeping the law, so they were not trusting in their doing of the law for salvation.
Psalm 130:3-4 “If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That you may be feared” Certainly there were some who understood their iniquities would keep them from God, but that God can forgive.

v6. Is 55:11 – God’s word will not return to Him void
Num 23:29 – God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

“For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel”
Romans 2:28,29

Week 22

Romans 8:31-39

Reference John Piper’s sermons on these passages, they are a great resource.

Discussion question: Try and summarize what Paul is saying in verses 31-39. What is his purpose in this passage?

Discussion question: Is Paul asking questions rhetorically in this passage or are they meant to be answered, at times they don’t seem to be answered in the passage?

Discussion question: In verse 32, Paul says that God will freely give us all things. What are the “all things” he is talking about?

Discussion question: In verse 33, Paul asks who will bring a charge against God’s elect and answers it that God is the one who justifies. Is this an answer to his question?

Leader: for your review:
His answer here seems to be one step further than the known answer. The answer to who will be a charge against God’s elect is our sin. On the Day of Judgment a record of our deeds will be opened up and looked at but, Christ’s righteousness which has been imputed to us will override this record and God will justify us on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. Since nothing is more powerful than God, if God is the one who justifies us, nothing can possibly bring a charge against us that would condemn us. So Paul takes the logical answer and assumes his readers know it and then carries it one step further to focus on God’s power.

Discussion question: There is a similar question in verse 34 and a similar answer which doesn’t seem to answer the question, what is Paul saying here?

Discussion question: Paul says in verse 38 that he is convinced that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. How do you think he came to be convinced of this, what led him to this?

Week 20

Romans 8:16-26

Discussion question: In v 26 we have “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;…” What is the “in the same way” in regards to? v16

The Spirit has three described functions:

1. to give life to our mortal bodies (v11)
2. to testify with our own spirits that we are children of God (v16)
3. to intercede for us when we don’t know how to pray (v26)

Discussion question: What is hope?

• Heb 11:1 – Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
• Rom 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ

Discussion question: If this is the case and we do have faith, what do/did we hope for?
We hope for a right relationship with God–>The word of Christ tells us that we can know God–>Our faith comes from hearing this–>This assures us of what we hope for

Lam 3:19-4 – Jeremiah seems to recall God’s goodness and His full plan for hope

v26 The Spirit helps:
John 14:16 – Jesus asks the Father for the Helper, who is with us forever
Eph 6:18

Week 19

Romans 8:13-17

Leader: here is an overview of the passage to discuss:

What is the main point of this passage?
Paul wants to make the point here that we have received a Spirit of adoption, not a spirit of slavery again. This ties in from chapter 6’s discussion on being freed from our slavery to sin and becoming slaves to righteousness. Paul wants to make the distinction that we are still slaves in that we are slaves to Christ, but it is not the same spirit of slavery that we had in our previous lives. It is a type of father-son relationship, but even more than that, it is a daddy-”my son” relationship where we know we are loved by our father because He has given us His Spirit of love that testifies to this fact. But there is hardship and suffering still, even though we are loved by the Father, and this suffering is so incomparable to the glory that is coming

Discussion question: Why was this a logical place for Paul to talk about our son-ship with God?

• 1 Peter 1:3-9 – a salvation reserved in heaven.
• Col 3:4 – When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
• Jer 12:4,11 – anxious moaning of creation for justice
• Gen 3:17 – Cursed is the ground because of you…
• Hosea 1:10 – Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them,”You are the sons of the living God.”
• Matt 5:9 – blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God
• John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
• 2 Cor 6:18 -
• 1 John 3:1 – See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Discussion question: In v16, do you think this means the Spirit is divided, so that the Spirit in man agrees with the Spirit of God?
Deut 19:15/Matt 18:16
We cry out Abba, Father! We don’t cry out, I am God’s child. We cry to the father for help, thanks, praise, adoration. What’s the difference?
John 3:30

Discussion topic: v17. heirs

• Matt 6:20 – don’t store up treasures on earth, but in heaven
• Matt 19:21 – sell all your possession and you will have treasure in heaven
• Luke 12:33 – money belts which don’t wear out are an unfailing treasure in heaven
• Luke 12:21 – storing up selfish treasure is not being rich towards God
• 1 Tim 6:18-19 – be rich in good works
• Rev 4:10 – the 24 elders cast their crowns before God
• Rev 21 – the new City, the new Jerusalem

Discussion topic: hope

• Acts 3:21 – whom heaven must receive until the period of (B)restoration of all things about which (C)God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
• 2 Peter 3:13 – But according to His (A)promise we are looking for (B)new heavens and a new earth, (C)in which righteousness dwells.
• Rev 21:1 – Then I saw (A)a new heaven and a new earth; for (B)the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
• 2 Cor 5:7 – we walk by faith –not by sight
• Heb 11:1 – now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen

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 14

Romans 6:14-23

Leader: Lookup the following verses to discuss v14 “for sin SHALL NOT BE master over you”:

Phil 2:12-13 – work out your own salvation for God is at work in you. Phil 3:12
1 Peter 4:11 – serve in the power of God for the glory of God.

Discussion question: What is the argument or fallacy that Paul is trying to defeat in v15?
It’s not a serious argument, it’s another attempt to prove Paul wrong.

Discussion question: Why does Paul assume in v16 that we will be either slaves to sin or righteousness?

Leader: look up the following verses:

Peter 2:19, for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved
John 8:31-36 – slaves of a house
Gal 5 – been freed from the flesh, walk by the Spirit and YOU WILL NOT carry out the desires of the flesh
Gal 4 – one son born by the flesh, Ismael, one by the promise, Isaac
Matt 6:24 – either you will serve one master of another
1 Kings 18:21 – Elijah vs Baal
James 4:4 – can’t be friends with the world and with God
Rev 3:16 – the lukewarm church

Leader: for your review:

Paul uses the word slaves in v16. 2 Peter 2, esp v19 speaks of false prophets who will come preaching “freedom” in fleshly desires, which is really just bondage to corruption, “for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved” . 2 Peter 2:4-16 talks about how God has given us plenty examples of His destruction of those who are corrupt, but He also gives us examples of those who He has brought through the destruction. This is another one of God’s promises, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Deut 31:6/Heb 13:5

Discussion question: What else about slavery to either sin or righteousness is important in defeating sin in our lives?

Discussion question: v19 implies that we should go about righteousness in the same way we went about sin……what would that look like?

wages of sin=death=hell EDWARDS
free gift=life=God HOW GOOD IT IS IN CONTRAST

Discussion question: Do you think the fact that salvation is a free gift from God implies that we owe Him something? If so, what does that make works?
Rom 4:4-5
Matt 7:7-12

Leader: the following comes from Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. It would be good to read or listen to it. (Note: the audio version is done by Cloud Audio check out their other dramatic readings of Spurgeon and Edwards they are incredible).

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. — And consider here more particularly,

1. Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. 20:2. “The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul.” The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4,5. “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.“
2. It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isa. 59:18. “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.” So Isa. 66:15. “For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” And in many other places. So, Rev. 19:15, we read of “the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, “the wrath of God,” the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is “the fierceness and wrath of God.” The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful that must be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also “the fierceness and wrath of almighty God.” As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this! Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. 8:18. “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only “laugh and mock,” Prov. 1:25,26,&c.How awful are those words, Isa. 63:3, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, viz. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
3. The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. 9:22. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. 33:12-14. “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,” &c. Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. 66:23,24. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.“
4. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?“

Week 13

Romans 5:20-6:14

Leader: sometimes it is helpful for difficult passages to try and summarize the passage, here is one example:

OVERVIEW
If grace increases because transgressions increased, should we sin more to increase grace? Dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, how can we who died to sin still live in it? Let me expand on this, all who have joined with Christ have joined in His death by our baptism into him so just as Christ was raised from the dead, we will too, we get both sides. So, if we have died, then we must be a new creation. That old self must have died along with Christ so that we wouldn’t be slaves to sin any longer. So, we believe that we have died with Christ and also that we will live with him, since Christ will never die again because he defeated death. He died to sin for all men and now He lives for God. So take this example and think of yourselves as a new creation, dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus. So don’t let sin control your fleshly desires any longer and don’t let sin use your body to carry out its evil, but give your body to God and use it for righteousness. You can’t continue in sin, because grace is reigns over you now.

Discussion question: What does it mean in v3 when Paul says we are baptized into Christ Jesus?

Leader: look up the following verses:

Gal 3:27 – those who have been baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ
Matt 3:11 – John baptized for repentance with water, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire
John 3:5,6 – one cannot see the Kingdom of God unless he be born of water and the Spirit
Col 2:12 – buried with Him in baptism and raised up with Him by God.
1 Cor 6:17 – the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
1 Cor 10:2 – baptized into Moses….
Ez 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and remove your heart of stone.
2 Cor 5:17 – If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.
Eph 4:22-24 – lay aside your old self, put on the new self, which is in the likeness of God, created in righteousness and holiness
Gal 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live, I live in faith for God who gave himself up for me
Gal 5:24 – those in Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
Gal 6:14 – I have been crucified to the world
2 Cor 5:14-15 – one died for all, therefore all died, so that those who live might live for him.
Eph 2:10 – we are created in Him for good works.

Discussion question: How is it that he who has died is free from sin? (v7)

Leader: look up the following verses:

Peter 4:1-2 - Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
Rev 1:17-18 – Jesus has the keys to death and Hades
Greek word free is actually justified or acquited
So, the guilt is taken away by being united to Christ in His death -> Romans 8:1

Discussion question: What does Paul mean when he says that Christ died TO sin in v10? Is this parallel to how we die to sin?

Leader: look up the following verses:

Rev 3:21 – I overcame and sat down with my Father on His Throne
John 16:33 – take care, I have overcome the world.
Rev 17:4 – These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.
Rom 6:23 – wages of sin is death

Christ had no payment due to His sin…..we are sinners therefore we are indebted.

1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. -> Matt 4 – Jesus resists temptation by the Word of God.

Rev 12:10-11 – And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Discussion question: What is Paul’s main reasoning as to why we shouldn’t sin any more?

Because we are a new creation, the old self has died with Christ in His death and a new self has been created in God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of Spirit, is Spirit.

Discussion question: How does Christ’s death and resurrection help us kill sin?

Leader: This next section comes from a sermon John Piper gave:

Recognize the battle ground
v12-14 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and 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. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
reign implies a kingdom or throne is at stake
mortal bodies is the castle
sin is the challenger to the throne
lusts is the agents of sin
obey is the surrendering
members of the body are weapons
God is the true King
grace is the constitutional authority

So, we see the picture of the battle. God reigns, but sin wants to overthrow God, the battle ground is our body and our members are the weapons that can be used against God if they are overtaken by the enemy by sins agents (lusts) when we surrender, the weapons can also be used for God if the desires are carried out in how they were designed (eating, talking, sex, work, etc.)
v11 says to consider yourselves dead to sin, this means taking on a whole new perspective, but it is something we have to do, we must reckon ourselves as dead to sin. But the only reason we choose this, is because of what Christ did and our union to that. And because God says we are new creatures and that our minds have been renewed, our new nature should be to desire to reckon ourselves as dead to sin, our renewed minds should begin to prefer God to sin.
Hope – 1 Cor 6:9-11 – sinners won’t inherit the Kingdom of God, but those justified will, we are washed clean and justified by Jesus. Romans 8:35-39
Promise of real life John 10:10 – I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Eph 5:14 – awake or sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
1 Peter 1:14 – the desires of your former ignorance

v14 – c.f. 5:21

• …the power of death is broken, and the root of bondage, the fear of death is severed and we can be freed.
• …you don’t need to get to the top in order to get to be a success.
• …you don’t need to run away from trouble and live in fear that he who has the most toys wins.
• …you can rejoice in persecution for righteousness sake for great is your reward in heaven.
• …every loss you endured for the kingdom will be made up to you a thousand-fold.
• …there is no ultimate risk in the cause of truth and love; nothing can defeat you.
• …the decay of your body is prelude to glory.
• …you will be made completely whole with no impurity and no struggle with lust or greed or covetousness or fear or inferiority or cowardice or painful memories or paralyzing shame.
• …there will be no mourning or crying or tears or pain for the former things will pass away.
• …swords will be turned into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks and war will be no more.
• …every injustice will be rectified and every evil will be recompensed and every wrong made right.
• …and those who are in Christ will rise with him never to die again, and God will be our God and we will be his people, and the glory of the Lord will be our light and our joy for ever.