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Being right with God through faith in Jesus!

] Finding our feet first! - A brief background to Romans: Author: Paul Date: about 57 AD History: When Paul was engaged on his third missionary journey, and was staying at Ephesus in Asia Minor, he resolved to return to Jerusalem and then to visit Rome (Acts 19:21). The church at Rome had not been planted by Paul. It may have been started by Roman Jews who were converted on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:10). Christianity appears to have been well established in Rome by this stage, though Paul himself had not yet had any opportunity to preach the gospel there (Rom 1:8-10). Paul’s journeys to Jerusalem and Rome dominate the concluding chapters of Acts, which show how he reached his ultimate destination as a captive, rather than as he had expected (Acts 28:16). It is clear from Romans 15:23-29, that at the time of writing to the Roman Christians, Paul was ready to travel to Jerusalem with financial aid from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia (Greece). This suggests that he wrote from Corinth, during the three month winter stay mentioned in Acts 20:1-3, waiting for the return of spring and the possibility of travelling again. Paul wrote this letter to introduce himself to the church in Rome. He intended to stop there en route to Spain. He was eager to assure the Roman Christians that in spite of any rumours they might have heard, his message was indeed the gospel of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The church was a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers. At that point in time they were experiencing some tensions between the two groups of believers. Features:

The big issue in this letter is how anyone can be right with God on the final day of judgement. In his most precise theological statement in the New Testament, Paul asserts that right standing comes only through faith in Jesus Christ who dies for us as a sacrifice for sin. In light of the Jewish-Gentile tensions in the church, Paul makes it clear that no one has an “edge” on God; rather, all stand condemned before him because no one has kept his Law. Having driven that truth home, he then declares the good news that forgiveness, acceptance, and the new life of the Spirit come to all as God’s gift to be received by faith. Chapters 1 – 11 speak of what God has done for all who believe, while chapters 12-16 show how believers ought to live in response to the lavish grace of God.

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STUDY 1: The truth in Christ,... and Paul’s eagerness to share it!

Romans 1:1-17

, Getting off the ground ???? How would you best describe yourself? eg. Husband/wife; son/daughter;

student/worker/bludger? artist/scientist? other?

Read Romans 1:1-7 3 Quick Questions 1. Paul calls himself a “servant/slave” and an “apostle” (v1), what does this reveal about Paul?

2. In verses 5 – 7 we see the words “call” and “called”, with this in mind what does it mean to be a Christian? How does God view us?

3. What do verses 3-4 say about the double identity of Jesus? How does Paul shed light on these two aspects? Why are they both so important?

Read Romans 1:8-13 Having emphasised from the beginning that he was ‘set apart’ for the gospel of God’ (v1) and being eager to have a ministry of that gospel in Rome (vv8-15), Paul indicates why he is not ashamed of the gospel (vv16-17). He knows that it seems a weak and foolish message to some, and offensive to others (1 Cor 1:18-25), but he has experienced himself that the gospel is God’s powerful means of saving everyone who has faith.

Read Romans 1:14-17 The central truth! 1. Verse 2 – 4 and Verses 16-17 describe gospel truths. What statements can you pull out of these verses? How would you re-word them to explain it to your unchurched friend?

2. Note all of the “I”, “me”, “my” statements (vv 8 – 17). What does this reveal about Paul?

Paul makes three strong personal statements about his anxiety to preach the gospel in Rome:

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� “I am bound / obligated” v14 � “I am eager” v 15 � “I am not ashamed” v16

The reason these affirmations are so striking is that they are opposite to the attitude of many in churches today. Some people, these days, tend to view evangelism as an optional extra and consider that if they do it they are granting a kindness to God; Paul spoke of it as an obligation. The translation of “I am bound / obligated” should be translated as “I am a debtor”, but this sounds confusing. However, there are two ways to get into debt. The first way is to borrow money from someone and the second is to be given money for someone. For example, if I were to borrow $1000 from you, I would be in your debt until I paid it back. Equally if a friend of yours handed me $1000 to give to you, I would be in your debt until I handed it to you. In the first case, I would have got myself into debt by borrowing; in the second case, it is your friend who has put me in your debt by entrusting me with $1000 for you. It is this second sense that Paul is in debt. He has not borrowed anything from the Romans which he must repay. But Jesus Christ has entrusted him with the gospel for them. (See Acts 9:15-16; 26:12-18 and 1 Cor 9:16-17.)

3. Are we all obligated, or is it just apostles that are? 4. Justification by faith is a theme Paul uses again and again through this letter. From vv 16-17, how would you describe this justification by faith?

5. What is behind the “first for the Jew, then for the gentile” (v16)?

6. What is the “righteousness from God” (v17)? Think in terms of status and activity.

� Bringing it home! 1. To what mission/evangelism task do you sense that God is nudging you? How is that reflected in your prayers? Your actions?

2. Are you ever ashamed of the gospel? What is the cure for this?

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STUDY 2: God’s gracious anger (Part 1) ... Godless living and Godless judging

Romans 1:18 – 2:16

Godlessness. The word defines itself. A life minus God. Worse than contempt for God, this is a disregard for God. Contempt at least acknowledges his presence. Godlessness doesn’t. Whereas contempt will lead people to act with irreverence, disregard causes them to act as if God were irrelevant, as if he is not a factor in the journey. How does God respond to Godless living? Not flippantly! “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all godlessness and wickedness” (Rom 1:18). Paul’s main point is not a light one. God is justly angered over the actions of his children. Be prepared: The first chapters of Romans are not pretty! Paul gives us the bad news before he gives the good news. He will eventually tell us that we are all equal candidates for grace but not before he proves we are all desperately sinful. We have to see the mess we are in before we can appreciate the God that we have. Before presenting the grace of God, we must understand the wrath of God.

, Getting off the ground ???? What is the best excuse you ever gave as a kid when your parents

caught you doing something wrong?

Read Romans 1:18-32 It’s important to grasp the connection between this section “the wrath of God” and the previous “the gospel of God”. Paul develops his argument logically and sequentially; ie the power of God (v16), the righteousness of God (v17), the wrath of God (v18) and the glory of God in creation (v19-20). 1. If verse 17 is the solution, how do verses 18-21 describe the problem? What is wrong with the people’s relationship to God?

2. What can be learned about God through nature (vv19-21; also Ps 8:3-4, Ps 139:13-15)?

3. In three chilling verses Paul states: “God gave them over....” (vv24, 26, 28) How is giving people over to this evil a part of their punishment? How does their “freedom” actually become a trap?

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Do you get the sense that God is angry? Many confuse the wrath of God with the wrath of man. Human anger is typically self-driven and prone to explosions of temper and violent deeds. God doesn’t get angry because he doesn’t get his way. He gets angry because disobedience always results in self destruction. What kind of father sits by and watches a child hurt himself? Do we think he giggles at adultery or snickers at murder? Do you think he looks the other way? Does he shake his head and say, “Humans will be humans”? God is rightfully angry. God is a holy God. Our sins are an insult to his holiness.

4. How is God’s wrath expressed?

5. What will be the basis of God’s judgement?

� Investigating further.....

Read Romans 2:1-16 1. Who does Paul address in 2:1 (see 2:17)? The Roman church was a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers. What in this section indicates the possible areas of tension between them?

2. How do you reconcile 1:17 with what Paul says about doing good (2:7) and obeying the law (2:13)?

� Bringing it home! 1. How do you explain God’s wrath to someone who believes that all people are basically good?

2. Do you ever take your relationship with God for granted? How so?

3. Do you see yourself as more of a ‘gross sinner’ (1:18-32) or as a ‘respectable sinner’ (2:1-16)? What does it matter with God?

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STUDY 3: God’s gracious anger (Part 2)... Godless religion! Romans 2:17-29

, Getting off the ground ???? What do you remember about your religious training from your

childhood? Remember, the Roman congregation consisted of a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers. At that time they were experiencing some tensions between these two groups of believers. Previously, Paul has spoken out against godless deviants and had warned of the divine wrath directed at them. You can imagine the Jews on one side of the building and the Gentiles on the other. As Paul’s letter is read out you can almost see the Jews nodding their heads and agreeing with him, thinking the start of his letter is all about the Gentiles and their hedonistic ways. But then Paul surprises them. He pokes his finger at their puffy chests and says..........

Read Romans 2:17-20 1. Paul fires eight statements to the Jews in regards to their self-confident attitude, can you identify them?

The Jews have a two-fold connection to the law which is: “being instructed, they instruct”. Or “Being taught, they teach”. Paul now shifts this privilege back on to them. and interrogates the Jews’ actual behaviour.

Read Romans 2:21-24 1. How do Paul’s questions expose how far short of their responsibilities the Jews have fallen?

Such knowledge should have enabled the Jews to become a guide to the blind and a light to the nations (in accordance with prophecy, see Gen 12:3; Isaiah 42:6-7; 49:6). Paul’s argument, however, is that his fellow Jews need to learn the lessons which they are seeking to teach others and refrain from doing what they themselves condemn (vv21-23). Instead of promoting God’s glory in the world, they are actually the cause of his name being dishonoured (v24).

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Having dealt with the problem of pedigree, Paul now addresses the problem of the sign and token of God’s covenant with Israel. Circumcision. Like a tattoo, a badge – a subscription to a club. Circumcision symbolised the nearness God desires with his people.

Read Romans 2:25-29 1. What was the original intent of the law and of circumcision? (See Gen 17:1-14). How is that being twisted here?

2. What does Paul mean by “circumcision of the heart”? (See also Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; 9:25-26). What is the real “tattoo” of God’s family?

The ultimate sign of membership of the covenant of God is neither circumcision nor possession of the law, but the obedience which both circumcision and the law demand. Therefore, Paul draws us to the conclusion of what it means to be a real Jew, an authentic member of God’s kingdom. Human beings are comfortable with what is outward, visible, material and superficial. What matters to God is a deep, inward work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

� Bringing it home! The finger pointed at the Jews in verses 17 – 24 could also be pointed at you. How does that realisation affect you? What religious rituals and symbols are twisted today like circumcision was then? If you had the opportunity to really talk with a “Baptismal contact” at church or a non-Christian family member who wants to get their kid “done”, how might you tackle the issues with this person in the way Paul does?

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STUDY 4: How good is God! ... the grace driven Christian. Romans 3:1-31

, Getting off the ground ???? What are the “perks” of belonging to a family?

Read Romans 3:1-20 1. Have one person take the role of someone protesting Paul’s conclusion in 2:28-29. That person reads the questions in verses 1, 3, 5 & 7. Have another person read Paul’s response in verses 2, 4, 6,& 8. What is the issue in each objection? How do the questions continue the practice of misapplying God’s teaching?

2. Although the Jewish Christians in Rome apparently felt superior to the Gentiles (2:1; 2:17; 3:1), what does Paul say they have in common?

3. From verse 20, what is the purpose of the law?

Verses 10 – 18 describe the repulsiveness of sin and how sin infects the whole person, from eyes to feet! Sin not only contaminates every human being, but every part of every human. Sin is a fatal disease. Sin has sentenced us to a slow and painful death. Sin does to life, what scissors do to a flower. When you cut the stem, you separate the flower from its source of life. Initially the flower is still looking OK, but eventually it shrivels and dies. No matter what you do to try and save it – the flower is dead. Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies. The consequence of sin is not a bad day or a bad mood but a dead soul.

The solution is not more government or education, nor is it more religion; man-made rituals and doctrines may seem to “reattach” us to God, but they can’t. We don’t need more religion; we need a miracle. We don’t need someone to disguise the dead; we need someone to raise the dead. That “someone” is introduced in Romans 3:22. These words are the one’s Paul had been waiting to write. The next lines are the reason for this letter, even his reason for living. Now, Paul flicks the switch, the light goes on and he announces: “But God has a way!” (v21).

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???? Who was your favourite “superstar” as a kid?

Read Romans 3:21-31 1. Look up “justification”, “redemption” and “atonement” in a dictionary. What does each of these words point out about the death of Christ?

2. How does this section break down barriers between Jews and Gentiles?

How can God punish sin and love the sinner? Paul has made it clear, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all godlessness and wickedness” (1:18). Is God going to lower his standards so we can be forgiven? To ignore sin is to endorse sin. If sin has no price, then sin on! So how can God be just and love the sinner? How can he satisfy his standard and forgive my mistake? Holiness demands that sin be punished. Mercy requires that the sinner be loved. How can God do both? Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. The perfect record of Jesus was given for you, and your imperfect record was given to Christ. Jesus “died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18). As a result, God’s holiness is honoured and his children are forgiven. By his perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the commands of the law. By his death he satisfied the demands of sin. Jesus suffered not like a sinner, but as a sinner.

� Bringing it home! 1. What “positions of privilege” do people claim today with respect to God? My Dad’s a minister, I go to church every week, I was baptised, I belong to a home group, I’m on Parish Council...

Have you every heard yourself appeal to one of these? How do these actually make you more responsible? 2. Suppose this letter finished at verse 20. How would you feel about yourself? About God?

3. What impact is the message of God’s grace having on you right now?

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STUDY 5: Too good to be true? ... saved through faith in Jesus.

Romans 4:1-25

, Getting off the ground ???? What is the most unbelievable thing you’ve been promised on TV or in

junk mail? Credit cards often allow you to pay off a minimum and then roll the debt into next month’s statement. Does God? Will he let you pay off today’s greed next year? What about interest? If you leave a sin on your statement for several months, does it earn more sin? And where is this statement? Who has it? How do you pay it off? That’s the question. How do you deal with the debt you owe God? Try to pay it off? You could, but you don’t know the cost of each sin or even how much you owe. Romans 3:23-26 simply put is; the cost of your sin is more than you can pay and the gift of God is more than you can imagine.

Read Romans 4:1-12 1. Since some of the Jewish converts believed they were set right with God by the law, why does Paul go back to the examples of Abraham and David?

2. How does 4:3-8 illustrate what is said in 3:27-28? On what basis then, is a right relationship with God given or credited to us?

3. Read Genesis 15:5-6 then Genesis 17:9-11, fourteen years separate these two events. Therefore from Romans 4, what does Paul draw from the fact that Abraham was justified long before he was circumcised? Why would this have embarrassed his Jewish opponents?

If we think back to our debt of sin, who can wipe away that debt? Jesus. He’s done it for years! Look at Abraham. He was far from perfect. There were times that he trusted the Egyptians before he trusted God: he even lied, telling Pharaoh that his wife was his sister. But he made one decision

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that changed his eternal life: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (4:3). Abraham was justified by faith before his circumcision (v10), before the law (v13), before Moses and the Ten Commandments, and before the cross! The forgiving power of Jesus death and resurrection extends as far into the past as it does into the future. Such is the grace of God. Grace is not a provision made after the law had failed. Grace was offered before the law was revealed. Grace was even offered before man was created! “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

Read Romans 4:13-25 1. On what three points does Paul base his assertion that God’s promise to Abraham was received and inherited by faith, not law?

2. What do you learn about faith from the example in verses 18-21?

3. In what ways is verse 25 a comprehensive statement of the gospel?

� Bringing it home! 1. Who are some other biblical characters that you respect as examples of faith?

2. What does it matter to you – practically or emotionally – whether a right relationship with God is a gift to be received or a prize to be earned?

3. Where are you being stretched in your ability to trust God’s promises? What can you learn from Abraham’s example to encourage you?

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STUDY 6: The privilege of being underprivileged! ...the fruit of justification.

Romans 5:1-21

, Getting off the ground ???? Who is the optimist in your family?

Romans 5 – 8 continues the theme of God’s righteousness and his faithfulness to his promises. In faithfulness to his promise to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3), God has acted to save both Jews and Gentiles, offering them life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul has explained in 3:21-4:25 what it means to be ‘righteous by faith’. In chapters 5 – 8 he explains what it means to ‘live’ on that basis. So, if the first four chapters of Romans tell us anything, they tell us we are living a life we don’t deserve. God’s grace has given us riches beyond imagination. Our past is pardoned, and our future is secure.

Read Romans 5:1-11 Blessing No.1 - Peace with God (5:1). What other language does the passage use to talk of ‘peace with God’’? 1. How is this peace obtained?

2. How do you know if you have this peace?

Blessing No.2 - We have a place with God (5:2) The Greek word means “to usher into the presence of royalty.” And how is this possible? It’s like Christ meets you outside the throne room, takes you by the hand, and walks you into the presence of God. (Matt 10:32) Upon entrance we find grace and mercy, not condemnation and punishment. Before moving on, note the sequence of the blessings. The first blessing deals with our past; we have peace with God because our past is pardoned. The second blessing deals with the present. We have a place with God because Jesus has presented us to his Father. Any guess what the next blessing will cover?

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Blessing No.3 - Our future. We share in his glory. (5:2) Because of God’s grace we are participants of God’s glory. 3. What does it mean to share in God’s glory?

4. What words describe what we once were in God’s eyes? (vv 6,8,10) How does the death of Christ change all of this?

Read Romans 5:12-21 1. From verses 15-19, list in two columns the comparisons and contrasts between Adam and Jesus. What results from each one?

2. How would you answer the allegation that, in verse 18, Paul is teaching that all people will be ultimately saved?

3. From 5:1-21, what do you note that God has done through Jesus for us? How does this help you understand the meaning of God’s grace (vv 1,15,17,20,21)?

4. What is the connection between justification and reconciliation? Are they one and the same?

� Bringing it home! 1. What three words best describe your life before you were a Christian? How about now?

2. Does the gospel message excite you as it does Paul?

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STUDY 7: Looking for loopholes ... Back flip living, alive with Christ! Romans 6:1 - 7:6

, Getting off the ground ???? You are a soldier at war and you decide to change sides. What stress

will that cause for you? --- At this stage of his argument, Paul begins to explain the moral implications of the new life in Christ. Sanctification is the big theme of this chapter that will continue to go through to the end of chapter 8. In Romans 6, Paul asks a crucial question: “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (v2). How can we who have been made right not live righteous lives? How can we who have been loved not love? How can we who have been blessed not bless? How can we who have been given grace not live graciously? Paul seems stunned that an alternative would even exist! How could grace result in anything but gracious living? “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” (v1). The term for this philosophy is antinomianism: anti = against, nomos = moral law. Promoters of the idea see grace as a reason to do bad rather than a reason to do good. “The worse I act the better God seems.” Is that the intent of grace? “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” (Titus 2:11-12). God’s grace has released us from selfishness. Why return? Paul gives us three illustrations to ponder...

Read Romans 6:1 – 14 Illustration No. 1 1. How does sanctification begin according to 6:1-11?

2. What does it mean to practice the teaching in verses 11-13? What is the motivation?

Read Romans 6:15 – 23 Illustration No. 2 1. How is the question in v 15 another attempt to misuse Paul’s teaching on grace (see v1)?

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2. Compare Paul’s image of death (6:1-14) with this one about slavery. What is similar and different in the points he makes in each case?

3. Theologically and practically, how is slavery to Christ freedom from sin?

For many, sin feels like a kind of slavery – or in today’s terms, an addiction. Any member of a twelve-step group can describe the process. Set a firm resolution against giving in to your addiction, and for a time you bask in freedom. How many, though, experience the sad return to bondage......

Read Romans 7:1 – 6 Illustration No. 3 1. After “death and life” and “slavery and freedom”, what new image is used here? Which of these three images best helps you understand your relationship with Christ?

Paul uses the illustration of marriage to make his point for a third time. The Bible often presents God as a lover pursuing a volatile bride. The illustration of marriage provides an answer to the question “Why Love?” If we approach God as a volatile bride, with a “What can I get away with?” attitude, it proves that we do not grasp what God has in mind for us. God wants something far beyond the relationship I might have with a slave master who will enforce my obedience with a whip. God is not a boss or a business manager or a magic genie to serve at our command. What God wants is not a good performance, but your heart. Husbands do “good works” for their wife not in order to earn credit but to express love. Likewise, God wants us to serve “in the new way of the Spirit”: not out of compulsion but out of desire.

� Bringing it home! 1. How would seeing yourself as God’s willing servant have made a difference in your actions and attitudes this past week?

2. Augustine said: “If you but love God you may do as you incline.” and he was serious! What did he mean, if it wasn’t a “what can I get away with” attitude?

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STUDY 8: Turn yourself in! ... The law, sin and me. Romans 7:7-25

, Getting off the ground ???? In what way is your “spirit willing”, but your “flesh weak”: Starting an

exercise plan? Getting to work on time? Studying? Cutting out junk food? Finishing projects around the house? Other??? Romans 7:1-6 contains three blunt expressions of this theme. 1. We died to the law in order that we might belong to him (v4), i.e., we cannot have salvation by law and by Christ simultaneously.

2. The law aroused our sinful passions, so we “bore fruit for death” (v5) 3. We have now been released from the law in order to serve in the newness which the Spirit brings (v6). And this Spirit controlled life was impossible until we had received our freedom from the law.

This must have sounded to some like antinomianism (remember: against moral law) Paul probably anticipated a reaction to that affect from the Romans, for him to ask the ultimate antinomian question: “Is the law sin?” (v7) and “Did that which is good (ie the law) become death to me?” (v13) To which he replies something like, “Don’t think so!” In Romans 6 Paul has argued that grace does not encourage sin; on the contrary, it renders sin unacceptable, even ludicrous. In Romans 7 he now argues that the law does not create sin and death; on the contrary, it is our fallen human nature which is to blame for them. More fully, in his treatment of the law he performs a skilful balancing act. For he is neither wholly positive towards the law, nor wholly negative, but of two minds. On the one hand the law is indeed the law of God, the revelation of his righteous will. In itself it is holy, righteous, good and spiritual (v12, 14). On the other hand, it is unable to save sinners, and its powerlessness is a major reason for every continuing inner conflict.

Read Romans 7:7-13 1. How does Paul’s example in verses 7 – 11 illustrate what he meant in verse 5?

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2. What is the relationship between the law and sin? (v7, 11) 3. If Paul held the view that the law is by nature evil and sinful, how would that destroy the continuity between the law and the gospel? Between the OT and the NT? Between Moses and Christ?

A few definitions:

• Pardon – the person is presumed guilty of an offence • Amnesty – derived from the same Greek word as amnesia, the person’s offence is “forgotten”.

• Confession seeks “pardon” from God, not “amnesty”. “Confession” admits wrong and seeks forgiveness; amnesty denies wrong and claims innocence. Many mouth a prayer for forgiveness while in reality claiming amnesty. Consequently, our worship is cold (why thank God for a grace we don’t need?).

Read Romans 7:14 - 25 1. Why do you think God’s law was given for us to follow:

a. A means to follow in order to be saved? b. A guide to follow once we are saved by grace? c. A stumbling block, impossible to follow, which only points the sinner to God’s grace?

How do verses 10, 12 and 22 support your answer? 2. “The law is good, but it is also weak. In itself it is holy, but it is impotent to make us holy”. What is the weakness of the law, according to 7:7-25?

� Bringing it home! 1. In light of your own struggles with sin, how do you feel reading the conflict Paul describes?

2. When have you experienced the sense of Jesus rescuing you from sin or situations that were too big for you to handle?

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STUDY 9: God loves us! ... The power, purpose and push of the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-39 Note: You may like to spend two weeks on this study!

, Getting off the ground Romans 8 is without doubt one of the best known and loved chapters of the bible. If in Romans 7 Paul has been preoccupied with the place of the law, in Romans 8 his preoccupation is with the work of the spirit. The essential contrast which Paul paints is between the weakness of the law and the power of the spirit. He does this while also relating it to his other overarching theme in this chapter, namely the absolute security of the children of God. This chapter divides itself naturally into three sections: 1. The varied ministry of God’s Spirit (1-17) 2. The future glory of God’s children (18-27) 3. The steadfastness of God’s love (28-39)

He begins with “no condemnation” (v1) and ends with “no separation” (v39).

???? When you were a child, who let you off the hook when you knew you

deserved to be punished?

Read Romans 8:1-17 1. From 8:1-4, how would you explain the gospel to someone who senses he is not “good enough” for God? How is “no condemnation” related to the idea of “justification” (3:24; 5:1)?

2. Since we are not set right with God by doing good works, what is the motive for changing our lives? How are we to deal with our sinful nature (vv13-14; see 6:13,19)?

Looking back now over the first half of Romans 8, we have seen something of the multiple ministries of the Holy Spirit. He has liberated us from the bondage of the law (v2), while at the same time empowers us to fulfil its just requirements (v4). We now live each day according to the Spirit and set our minds on his desires (v5). He lives in us (v9), gives life to our spirits (v10), and will one day give life to our bodies too (v11). His indwelling obliges us to live his way (v12), and his power enables us to put to

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death our body’s mistakes (v13). He leads us as God’s children (v14) and bears witness to our spirit that this is what we are (v15-16). He himself is also the preview of our inheritance in glory (17, 23). It is his indwelling which makes the fundamental difference between Romans 7 and Romans 8.

???? What is the longest you ever had to stand in line for something? Was

it worth the wait? Paul now moves on from the present ministry of God’s Spirit to the future glory of God’s children, of which without a doubt the Holy Spirit is the firstfruits (v23). What prompted this development was clearly his allusion to our sharing in the sufferings and glory of Christ (v17). “Suffering and Glory” is the theme, first the sufferings and glory of God’s creation (v 19-22) and then the sufferings and glory of God’s children (v23-27).

Read Romans 8:18-27 1. From 8:17, what type of suffering does Paul have in view here? What do you think he means by the glory to come? compare (19-23)?

2. What would a world like ours be like if there were no decay or death? How is this a picture of glory?

3. How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness (v26)? How can we help him to help us more effectively?

In the last twelve verses of Romans 8 Paul soars to sublime heights unequalled anywhere else in the New Testament. Having described the chief privileges of justified believers – peace with God (5:1-11), union with Christ (5:12-6:23), freedom from the law (7:1-25) and life in the spirit (8:1-27) – his great Spirit-directed mind now sweeps over the whole plan and purpose of God from a past eternity to an eternity still to come, from the divine foreknowledge and predestination to the divine love from which absolutely nothing will ever be able to separate us.

???? Do you worry or does nothing get you down?

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Read Romans 8:28-39 1. How does verse 28 relate to the idea of suffering (v18)?

2. There’s five “unshakeable convictions” in verses 29-30. What are they and how do they describe God’s role in our coming to know him?

3. “God is for us” (v31) - What do you think was Paul’s point in saying this? Look at Isaiah 49:16-17.

4. “Can anything separate us from the love Christ has for us?” (v35) That’s the question we want to know the answer to. How long will God’s love really endure? From what you have learned from Romans 1 – 8, how can you answer the question Paul poses in verse 35?

5. How would the forces in verses 38-39 disrupt our trust in God’s love?

� Bringing it home! 1. What truths of verse 1-17 can help you handle feelings of guilt and unworthiness?

2. What frustrates you most about living in a fallen world? How can the hope of vv 22 -25 help you during times of trial?

3. Of the enemies in verse 38-39, which one is most real to you?