I’m not ashamed of the Gospel · I’m not ashamed of the Gospel A study in Romans – January...

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A series of studies

in Romans

I’m not ashamed of the Gospel A study in Romans – January 2011

Introduction The Book of Romans is widely regarded as the most important of the New Testament letters. In it, some of the most important teachings of Christianity are laid out and discussed. Ideas such as the problem of sin, justification by faith, the atonement of Christ, adoption and election are all discussed here. Through Romans we can see God’s perspective on the world - how he sees humanity, why we need a saviour, and what God has done to accomplish his saving purposes and to bring a redeemed people to himself. Romans has been used by God to bring to faith many important figures in the history of Christianity. Augustine, John Wesley and most famously Martin Luther were all converted by reading Romans. Background: Romans was not written as a book! It was a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Christian believers in Rome. It is believed that Romans was written in the spring of AD57 while Paul was staying in Corinth. It is certain that the church in Rome would have been made up of Jewish believers in Jesus and Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians as well. For us today the distinction between Jew and Gentile is not among the top five controversial church issues and so it is hard for us to imagine the situation in the 1st century. But it is important to bear in mind that the Jews had been the exclusive people of God for 2000 years. No one before or since had ever suggested that the Gentiles could enter the community of God without converting to Judaism. And yet Paul’s gospel in Romans openly states that Jew and Gentile alike are brought into relationship with God on the same basis - by faith in Jesus. So it will be important to remember that the Jewish-gentile issue is a large one for the church in Rome to whom Paul is writing. Paul’s great burden is to explain how Jewish and Gentile Christians fit together in God’s new covenant in Jesus Christ. Summary of the book: In Romans, Paul lays out the problem that humanity since Adam faces: sin against God, and the solution that God has provided to this problem: Jesus Christ. Paul shows that through the death of Jesus our sins can be forgiven and that through the spirit of Jesus, the power of sin can be defeated in our lives and we can know direct fellowship with God, as was intended from the beginning. In all of this Paul is thinking in terms of two families - the family of God (Israel) and the family of the Gentiles who do not know God. Paul shows that God has fulfilled his promises to Israel in the sending of Jesus and that furthermore, the Gentiles can be joined to Israel and hence the blessing of God, not by becoming Jews, but by faith in Christ. He then asks in the later chapters what consequences this has for the nation of Israel itself.

Rough map of Romans: Chapter 1:1-17 Greetings and introduction Chapters 1:18-3:20 The universal problem: The sin of mankind, Jews and Gentiles alike Chapters 3:2-4:25 How God has solved the sin problem: Justification by faith for Jew and Gentile Chapters 5:1-8:39 How we now live: The power of sin destroyed. The new life in the spirit. Chapters 9-11 The Question of Israel: Have God’s purposes for Israel failed? Chapters 12:1-15:13 Jew and Gentile walking together in Christ Chapters 15:14-16:27 Greetings and conclusion Notes on Reading Romans: Romans is a challenging book. Paul’s style is dense and sometimes confusing (see 2 Peter 3:15, 16). Here are some pointers which will help you to read the letter: 1. Paul’s pendulum: “On the one hand … on the other hand …” Paul’s writing is typically Jewish. He is

always thinking on two hands. Throughout the letter, Paul says one thing and then comes back on himself to give a contrast. Paul’s writing is like a pendulum swinging back and forth - this will be helpful to bear in mind.

2. Paul’s spiral: Another feature of Paul’s writing is that he argues in a spiral. Beginning with an issue, he

will often return to the issue multiple times in the course of a few chapters, each time adding more detail. So when we read Romans we shouldn’t think that Paul will always move in a line - as we are used to in Western literature, finishing one topic and starting another. Paul’s writing is more like someone walking round a mountain going higher and higher in a spiral until he gets to the top.

3. Romans is controversial! Don’t be alarmed - the main doctrines of the faith are not under question

but the correct interpretation of Romans is a contentious issue. The meaning of words like ‘the righteousness of God’ and ‘justification’ and ‘works’ are hotly contested today. As such there are multiple ways to read Romans. Here we have tried to present questions that will stimulate thought. Notes on interpretation are given, where appropriate in the ‘digging deeper’ section.

Having said all of this we hope that you will be encouraged and enlivened by your reading of Romans. In the big picture we are about to see the grace of God displayed in his undeserved mercy to rebel sinners and his faithfulness to his promises to Abraham. We are going to see how God has provided a way to walk in a living, transforming and personal relationship with him, and how he will remain faithful to all he has promised since the beginning. We hope you are blessed in this journey and come to know him better so that together we can say:

Oh the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

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Page The Gospel of Jesus Christ 2 Sin & Judgement 6 Sin & the Law 11 God’s Righteousness 16 From Sin & Death to Righteousness & Life 21 United with Christ 26 Our Struggle with Sin 30 Victory Over Sin 33 Living Life on the Edge 36

Contents

6. How and why might Paul have been tempted to be ashamed of the gospel? See 1 Corinthians 2:3 and 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 23.

7. Have you ever been tempted in this way? How did you overcome it? 8. How do you know when you are ashamed of something? Is ashamed the

same as being embarrassed? From verse 16 and from verses 1–6 what reasons do we have to not be ashamed?

9. What is it that gives the gospel power? And what things does it set out to

achieve (verses 5, 6, 7, 16, 17)? 10. Looking back over the whole passage what evidence is there that reveals

how Paul viewed the gospel and its relevance to his life and the lives of those he met?

Apply

11. When Paul wrote this letter he had not met and did not personally know the Roman Christians. Do you know of a Christian or a group of Christians that you have not met that you could pray for? How could you find out more about their situation or needs?

Learn verse 16 over the coming weeks.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes”

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Connect

1. Can you think of a time when you received life changing news? What was the

experience like?

Discover ‐ Read Romans 1:1–17

Key verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (v16).

Verses 1-7 2. What do you notice about the way Paul describes himself? In particular what

does it say about the way Paul sees himself in relation to the gospel? 3. What can you pick out from these verses that describe the gospel he has

been “set apart” for? What effect does each of these things have on its authority?

Verses 8-13 4. What do we learn about Paul from the way he describes his feelings for the

Romans? Why was he so keen to meet them? Verses 14-17 5. Paul makes strong declarations of his intentions at the beginning of verses 14,

15 and 16. What does this reveal about his view on sharing the gospel?

Study 1: The Gospel of Jesus Christ Romans 1:1‐17

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love4

12. Which aspects of the “FREE” theme (see bottom of the page) relate

particularly to this week’s study? 13. If you haven’t done so already think about what God’s individual purpose

for your life might be. What part does the gospel of Jesus Christ have in this? You may want to take some time at home to pray about this and write down anything that God says to you.

Going deeper

14. What does “the obedience that comes from faith” mean? v 5 Can you have faith without obedience? Compare this to v 16 where salvation comes to “everyone who believes” alone. Why is this not a contradiction?

15. In verse 14 Paul talks about being “bound” to his readers. This is a term

used to describe someone who was in debt to someone else. Clearly Paul is not referring to a debt he owes because he has borrowed something from them, so what debt is he referring to and how can he pay it off?

16. Righteousness is mentioned for the first time in verse 17. It means being

declared to be right in the legal sense, “not guilty”. Where does this status come from? How is it received? Why is it necessary for salvation?

17. Some translations have “righteousness from God”, some “righteousness of

God”. Both meanings are intended, for God manages to declare sinners “in the right”, yet without compromising His own integrity or “rightness”. Both truths are “revealed” by the gospel. What impact do these revelations have on you?

18. The quotation is taken from Habakkuk 2:4 where God is speaking and

making a comparison between the righteous and the wicked. It can be translated as “He who through faith is righteous will live”. It is also quoted in Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. What more do these verses say about righteousness and faith?

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Connect

The idea of man’s sin and God’s judgment is not a topic we would necessarily choose to meditate on. But if we are to live in the real world we must recognise that sin is all around us.

a) What would most people say is the problem with the world today? b) What would you say is the problem with the world today?

Read Romans 1:18-32

Key verse: ‘For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.’ (v 20)

Discover

In Romans 1:18 and onwards, Paul begins to depict the state that the Gentile (non-Jewish) world is in. He will later turn his attention to the people of God, that is, the Jews. He has just said that salvation comes by God declaring us “righteous” (verses 16-17). In order to understand the true greatness of salvation, Paul wants to show the true depth of the problem: the sin and corruption into which humanity as a whole has fallen. Structure: verse 18 gives the theme: ‘The wrath of God is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.’ Then verses 19 - 32 unpack this statement. (Note: God’s wrath is not a sinful passion, as man’s usually is. Rather, it is appropriate and holy hostility towards wickedness and rebellion and all their resulting evils).

Verses 18–25 1. What, according to Paul should be clearly understood by all people? How

should this affect their perspective of God, the world and reality? 2. What in fact has been men and women’s view of God and the world? 3. To understand the passage correctly we must see that the sins mentioned in

verse 24 onwards flow from and are the result of one great and fundamental problem spoken of in verses 23 and 25. How can you sum up this fundamental problem?

Key verse: 1:20. Here Paul is saying that it is plain from the creation itself that the one who made it must be outside of it and much greater than it. To think that the creator could be reduced to something within the world is a big mistake.

The madness of the world is that rather than recognising that there must be a transcendent creator, we have taken the creation to be ultimate and worshipped and served it instead of the one who made it. Verse 20 points to the folly of doing such a thing. This is the ultimate insult to God. Mankind takes the gift of creation and ignores the giver. Essentially we, who are made by God, try to throw God out of his own universe. (Paul makes and uses this point in his speech in Athens in Acts 17:29-31). 4. Read verses 20, 22, 23 and 25 again. Do you see the exchange that has taken

place? Can you summarise the section? Verses 26–32 5. What are the results of this ‘great exchange? (Verses 26 to 32)’

a) In people’s actions

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Study 2: Sin & Judgement Romans 1:18‐2:16


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b) In people’s minds c) What is the end result with respect to God?

6. Read verses 24, 26(a) and 28 again. In what way is God’s wrath acting here? What does it reveal about him, about mankind, and about judgment?

7. Try to summarise the message of verses 18 to 32: What according to Paul is

the root of the sin of mankind? And what are the fruits of this sin? 8. It has been said that there are two ways to live, one with God at the centre

of your life and the other with self and the world at the centre.

a) How big is the difference between these two ways? b) How serious is it to live in the wrong way? c) In what way are you living today?

Read chapter 2:1-16 From the preceding verses, we see that mankind is lost in sin. Most of us are happy to accept that ‘they’ have a problem, but Paul now starts to use the less comfortable ‘you’ form. 9. Who is the ‘you’ spoken of in verse 1? 10. What is Paul’s message in verses 1-5? 11. Does this convict us? Can we apply this to ourselves?

Apply

12. Before he gives the solution, Paul starts his explanation of the gospel by

focussing on the problem. How might this inform how we share the gospel with our friends?

13. In verse 25 Paul describes the basic sin of idolatry, of placing the creation in

the place of the creator. Do we see this is a serious sin - the root of all others? Are we guilty of this sin in our lives?

14. In chapter two Paul warns against judging others. Do we need to pray to

change our thought patterns?

Digging deeper: 2:5‐16 (These have been considered to be difficult verses).

15. Have you ever heard it said: ‘You cannot get to heaven by what you do’ or

‘We are saved by faith alone, not by works’? How do verses 6 to 11 appear to cause difficulties for this view?

In fact the idea of our being judged on the basis of our works runs throughout the New Testament. See these verses: Matthew 16:27, Matthew 13:47-50, Matthew 12:33-37, James 2:24 16. Are you judged by your faith or by what you do? From these verses it becomes clear that we need a robust and nuanced understanding of the idea of ‘justification by faith’ - one which we will hopefully

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love 9

Connect

A question: “If you had to stand before God today what would you rely upon to gain his approval?”

a) How would people you know respond to this question? b) As Christians we are still often tempted to rely on certain things to feel

that we are in good standing with God. What are some of these things for you?

Read Romans 2:17 to 3:20

Key verse: Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin (v 20).

Discover

In chapter 1, Paul argued vigorously that the Gentiles (non-Jews) have all committed the sin of worshipping the creation instead of the creator (chapter 1:25) and so, instead of glorifying God, they have essentially tried to remove him from his own universe. Paul then showed the chaos and destruction that has resulted from this ‘great exchange’. In chapter 2, he first dealt with any moralizers who regarded themselves as above all this. Now, he turns his attention specifically to the Jews. The Jewish people were God's chosen people. They had been miraculously brought out of Egypt in order that they might be a special people, set apart to display the goodness and the greatness of the one true God to the nations. For this reason one could expect that although the Gentiles were committing sin, the Jews, having been chosen by God and taught by his law, should be in a completely different position. 1. In chapter 2 verses 17–24, Paul is speaking to a hypothetical Jewish person

who seems to consider himself superior to the Gentiles. What are the reasons for his pride?

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Study 3: Sin & the Law Romans 2:17‐3:20

develop as these studies continue. A simple one-dimensional view e.g. that simply says ‘only faith is important, not what you do’ will not do justice to the Biblical text - e.g. Romans 2:6-10 Using the following verses, try to arrive at a balanced and consistent explanation of the role of faith and works in salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:18 Memory verse: can you remember chapter 1 verse 16?

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love10

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now united into one people. Who is the ‘true Jew’ of verses 28–29? Are you such a person?

Chapter 3:1-8 Having humbled his Jewish readers Paul turns around, as if to redress the balance and ensure that his Gentile readers do not become proud. (See introductory notes on “Paul’s pendulum”.) Here he counters several objections to his arguments. 6. What value is there in being Jewish? (verses 1-2) (A fuller list of advantages

can be found in chapter 9 verses 1-5). 7. Verse 3: if unbelieving Jews fail to inherit God’s promises, is this any

reflection on God’s faithfulness? Why, or why not? 8. Verses 5-8: what is the objection here? How does Paul respond? Chapter 3:9-20 Verse 9 does not contradict verses 1-2 where Paul had privileges in mind. Here, he is thinking about judgment. 9. Paul concludes his argument with a string of Old Testament quotations.

Looking back at the last two chapters try to see how Paul would respond to the following claims: Try to find specific verses if possible.

“I am in good standing with God because I am a child of Abraham and an heir of the covenant” “I am in good standing with God because I have been obedient to God’s law” “I am in good standing with God because I am a decent person” “I am in good standing with God because God is love and would never judge me”

2. As a possessor of the law, what is the problem? (v 21-23) 3. Verse 24 (a quotation from Isaiah 52) sums up the charge against Israel.

Think about the history of Israel. Why did this happen? What do you think is the root of the problem? (see 3:9 for help).

4. As Christians we are never guilty of religious pride or a superior attitude. Is

this true? Is repentance needed here? Verses 25-29 Information on circumcision: When Paul uses the word 'circumcision' he is referring not just to the physical act of circumcision, but to that set of outward signs which mark off the Jewish people as being God's specific covenant people. When God chose his people, the Jews, he gave them certain signs which would distinguish them from the other nations and set them apart visibly as God's chosen holy people. The foremost of these signs were circumcision, the Sabbath and the food laws. In verses 25-29 Paul warns against the danger of Jewish people using these outward signs as a basis for their right standing with God - without the corresponding circumcision of the heart leading to obedience to God’s will. 5. What is Paul saying in these verses? (25-29) a) Is it enough to have the outward signs of being God’s people but not to

obey God? Compare Deuteronomy10:16. b) Who are “those who keep the law’s requirements” (v 26)? Could this be

Gentile Christians who, even though they do not have circumcision, yet by the Spirit are walking in the ways of the law?

c) Paul’s emphasis throughout the book is to show that Jew and Gentile are


10. “There are many people out there seeking for God” Do you agree? Look at verse 11. Discuss.

11. Paul has painted a very bleak picture of the state of humanity in these

chapters. Are you convinced of the problem? Can there be a way out?

Apply

12. With reference to the ‘Connect’ questions: how will what we have seen

change the basis on which you will stand before God? 13. How might Paul’s approach inform the way we seek to share the gospel?

Digging deeper - Legalism, the law and ‘the new perspective’

The traditional Protestant view of the law and legalism has been subject to some questions in the last few decades. How we understand Paul’s view of the law and legalism will affect the way we read Romans. It has been taught since Luther that in the 1st century the law was a means by which religious Jews thought they could earn their salvation. It is said that Paul, before he was converted, was desperately trying to please God by keeping the law and continually failing. Therefore the meaning of Romans 3:20 is “no one will be able to earn their way to God’s favour by keeping the law, for through the law we become conscious of our sin”. There has been debate in recent scholarship as to whether this is indeed the case. It has been suggested that this was not actually the orientation of Paul or first-century Jews. It is said that the idea that you had to earn God’s favour by obeying the law perfectly was not the focus of the Judaism of the time. The law was given to a people who had already been shown God’s favour in the exodus from Egypt, and hence the motivation for a Jew to obey the law was not the hope of earning his favour (legalism), but gratitude for the blessings already given. The evidence from contemporaneous writings seems to be that for many

groups, the issue was not one of earning God’s favour by keeping the law. If this is true then it will change what we have traditionally thought Paul to be saying when he refers to ‘being justified by the law’. In the ESV Bible, which is more literal than the NIV, Romans 3:20 is rendered like this: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” The phrase ‘works of the law’, it is argued from evidence from the Dead Sea scrolls, is a special term meaning those outward signs required by the law (circumcision, Sabbath and food laws) which mark off the Jewish covenant people from the other nations. This changes the meaning of verse 20 to something like this: “Just because you have the outward signs of belonging to God’s people, it doesn’t mean you are right with God - because it is the very law of which you are so proud which will show you to be a sinner” On this reading, there is no sense of legalism, of trying to earn God’s favour: rather it is Paul’s message that simply being a Jew does not make you better than the Gentiles, for both people are under sin and need a saviour. The difference is subtle but will affect how we read the early chapters of Romans. This reading of ‘the works of the law’ in Romans is associated with what is called ‘The New Perspective on Paul’ and is propounded by N.T. Wright. If we are interested in understanding Romans deeply it is important to be conversant with these issues. For further reading: Books: Tom Wright - ‘What St Paul really said’

John Piper – ‘The future of justification: a response to N.T. Wright’ (this is a counter-argument). Tom Wright – ‘Justification: God’s plan and Paul’s vision’ (this is a reply to John Piper and others).

Online: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_New_Perspectives.htm http://www.ntwrightpage.com/

Listening: http://www.hhefc.org.uk/SEMS/David_Field_How_Right_is_Wright_1.mp3


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Connect

a) Can you think of a case where a guilty person has been acquitted by a

court? What is your reaction to this? b) What kind of a world would we have if justice was not seen as

important? Do we desire God to be just? Read Romans 3:21 to 4:25

Key verse: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (3:22).

Discover

The centre of the gospel message has to do ultimately with two aspects of God’s character: his justice and his love. If God is righteous, he must respond to evil. If God does not bring evil and sin to account then he allows evil to have the last word in the universe. If he were to do this he could not be God of the universe, but would be subject to another power. Or to use the language of glory, as Paul does in chapter 1, God cannot let his glory be trampled upon if he is to remain true to his own nature. See Isaiah 48:11 and Nahum 1:3 However we are told in 1 John 4:8 that not only is God loving, but that he is love itself. God loves his creatures. And so there is a tension within God himself between his justice and his love. He wants to show his love to us, but because of our rebellion and sin, he must also judge us. This is a problem for us, and it is also a problem, in a real sense, for God. Paul will now show us how God has solved this problem. 1. Chapter 3:23 sums up the argument of chapters 1 to 2:20. Try to recap and

summarise what Paul has said so far.

2. In verse 24 it appears that God will justify (declare to be innocent) those who have sinned against him. Can you see why this is a problem?

3. What do verses 24- 25 teach about the way in which God resolves this

problem? 4. Verses 25 and 26 explain the heart of the gospel message of forgiveness, that

God took our sins upon himself in the person of his son so that we could be forgiven and become his people. How does a person receive this gift of justification? Is it earned? Is it by particular signs e.g. circumcision? See v 22.

5. What is the effect of the gospel on human pride (verses 27-28)? On human

divisions (verses 29-30)? In verse 31, Paul refers to the law as another issue which he knows a Jewish objector would raise. His answer here is merely a brief reassurance: he will deal with various aspects of “the law” over the next 5 chapters. Take some time to meditate on these verses and perhaps now would be a good time to speak to God about what he has done.

Apply

6. If you are a Christian do you need to be reminded of these things? How can

this truth of justification by faith re-calibrate your life and heart? What things do you need to alter in your thinking and action in light of this?

Digging deeper - Chapter 4

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Study 4: God’s Righteousness Romans 3:21‐4:25


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Chapter 4 is quite dense and can seem quite strange. Having just taught that we are justified by faith in Jesus, Paul goes on to speak at length about Abraham and how he was justified by his faith. Why does he do this? At first glance he appears to be giving a case study from the Old Testament to support his argument that an individual receives justification (right standing with God) by faith and not by ‘works’. However if all Paul is doing is using a proof text to support his point, the chapter could be a lot shorter, and could seem somewhat laboured. Could it be that there is a further dimension to Paul’s thinking here? Paul is stepping back and taking a look at the big picture of God’s purposes on the earth. He goes all the way back to Abraham and shows that the gospel that he preaches makes perfect sense, because it was always God’s intention to make a people not just of the Jews, but of all nations. (Romans 4:17, Genesis 17:5). It may be helpful to bear in mind that Paul is writing to Jews and Gentiles. The Jews would have been very used to thinking of themselves as the ‘children of Abraham’, but the idea that the Gentiles could also be called children of Abraham would have been quite difficult for them to accept - after all Gentiles were strangers to the covenant of Abraham and outside the people of God. But Paul is vigorously arguing in this chapter that the gospel brings a radical new message: Jews and Gentiles, through Christ Jesus, are now on the same level - both are children of Abraham - based not on biological descent from Abraham or circumcision, or the law, but on the shared faith of Abraham which preceded all of these. Paul is going to show that far from being a new idea, the gospel he preaches consummates the promise given to Abraham - that he would become a father of many nations. As you consider this passage it may be useful to have in mind the underlying question: “Who are Abraham’s children?” (See 4:11, 12, 16, 17, 18). Verses 1-7 7. In these verses Paul speaks of two different ways to approach God. What

are they?

Verses 9-12 8. When was Abraham justified before God - before or after his circumcision? 9. Is Abraham then the Father of the circumcised only or also the

uncircumcised? Verses 13-15 10. When did the law come? Was it before or after Abraham? (See also

Galatians 3 v17) 11. Is Abraham then the father of those who have the law only or also those

who do not have law? Verses 16-17 12. So if it was not through the law or circumcision, how did Abraham receive

the promise of God? 13. So what then is the defining characteristic of those who are Abraham’s

children? Verses 18-25 14. A picture of the faith of Abraham: what obstacles did it overcome? Where

was its confidence placed? How does this inform us of how our faith should look?


Connect

Can you remember a time when you feared you might be punished for something (perhaps by a parent or teacher)? Or when you were disliked or out of favour with someone? Or when your hopes had been dashed and the future looked bleak? Describe how it made you feel.

Discover

Read Romans 5:1-21.

Key verse: For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ (v 17).

So far, Paul has demonstrated:

• the need for justification (because all have sinned)

• and the way of justification (by faith, of which Abraham’s is the supreme example, chapter 4).

Chapter 5 begins with some of the blessings that follow justification (and Paul will enlarge on these blessings in chapters 6-8, especially chapter 8). 1. From verses 1-2:

a) What has happened to the fear of punishment?

Study 5: From sin & death to righteousness and life Apply

15. Do we have a right sense of the honour that is ours in being included among

God’s chosen people from Abraham down to the present day? 16. How will this change the way we see ourselves and our identity as

Christians? Memory verse: try saying together Romans 1 v 16.

Romans 5:1‐21

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love 21 20

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b) What is God’s attitude towards us now? c) What does the future look like? Share what each of these means to you.

2. Why is v 3 more surprising than verses.1-2? What active help does the Holy

Spirit give us (v 5)? Share any ways in which you have discovered what this means.

3. How does a historical event (in v 6) reinforce our inward assurance of God’s

love? Why is it important to have both subjective and objective evidence? 4. In what ways is the love demonstrated here uniquely great (verses 6-8)? 5. Yet more blessings are ours to enjoy: what are they, and how do they affect

our lives now (verses 9-11)? Verse 10 assures us of future salvation as well as past and present, because Jesus lives for ever to secure it for us. 6. How would you sum up the benefits of justification? In verse 12, Paul begins a set of comparisons using the formula “as…, so…”; but he breaks off after the first “as” to give further explanation, and never completes the first set with a corresponding “so”. He will return to the formula in verse 18, starting afresh with “as”. Meanwhile, verses 13-14 support and

explain verse 12; then verses 15-17 are pairs of contrasts, rather than comparisons. 7. (a) How do we experience the effect of Adam’s sin (verses14-15)? (b)

What are the effects of “the gift” from God (verses15-17)? Which of the two sets of effects is more influential in our own lives?

8. In verses 18-19, imagine (or draw) a chart listing Adam’s sin and its results

on one side and Christ’s on the other. How many pairs of comparisons can you find?

N.B. “Made sinners… made righteous” means “declared to be sinners… declared to be righteous”. Paul begins v 20 by reminding us about the purpose and effect of the law, that it defines what sin is (as he told us in 3:20); but for now his main concern is to sum up his comparison of the effects of sin and of grace. 9. In verses 15-21, in what ways does Paul repeatedly demonstrate that the

effects of grace are even more abundant and powerful than the effects of sin?

10. Verse 21 expresses God’s eternal plan of salvation. Why were grace and

righteousness both necessary to securing eternal life for us? What would have been the effect of either without the other?

Going deeper

In verse 12, Paul turns to the issue of how one man’s death (Christ’s) can bring justification to us, and all that flows from it. He explains by means of an analogy with Adam. As soon as Adam sinned, all those “in Adam” were counted sinners (the verse does not say “all have sinned”, but “all sinned”, that is, on the


occasion of Adam’s sin). As soon as Christ died, all those “in Christ” were counted righteous. We are “in Adam” by being his descendants; we are “in Christ” by faith in Him. Why should we be held to have sinned “in Adam” (or indeed, be held to be righteous “in Christ”)? Summarising from John Stott’s explanation (for more detail, see his commentary on this passage in the Bible Speaks Today series): • Less individualistic cultures than ours “take for granted the collective

solidarity of the family, tribe, nation and race”. • Scripture has several examples of human solidarity, e.g. Abraham

representing his Levite descendants when giving to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7 verses 9-10), and Achan’s sin bringing God’s anger on all Israel (Joshua 7 verses 1 and 11, and Joshua 22:20).

• The sins that led to the crucifixion are the sins of us all (compare Hebrews

6:6). The benefits of the cross come to us by our identification with Christ: read 2 Corinthians 5 verses 14-15. This “solidarity principle” is the basis of many of Paul’s arguments, especially in chapter 6, and also in his other letters. (It is also true that we have the nature to sin as Adam did, and that we do commit sin as Adam did, but these points are made elsewhere, e.g. 3:23, they are not the focus of v 12). 11. Can you think of any contemporary examples of representation and

solidarity? (Some, like Adam’s, may be to our disadvantage, others, like Christ’s to our advantage.)

12. How does this principle affect our understanding of the gospel (for instance,

of our security in Christ)? In verses 13-14, sin brought death to all, even in the absence (before Moses) of laws to break. In v 14, “the one to come” is Jesus, and Adam is His “pattern”. Verses 15-17 consider the analogy broken off in v 12, but here contrasting their

differences rather than comparing similarities, so as to show the much greater effect of the “one to come”. 13. a. How is Adam’s action defined (v 15)? How is Christ’s (v 15)?

b. What did Adam’s action bring (v 16)? What did Christ’s (v 16)? c. How many sins was God dealing with in Adam (v.16)? How many was He

dealing with in Christ (v.16)? What is so unexpected about the outcome in question (b), then?

d. Whose reign did Adam’s action inaugurate (v 17)? Whose reign did

Christ’s (v 17)? What is so unexpected here, too? Apply

14. Consider again the different references to “reigning” in verses 17 and 21.

What things have the last word in God’s plan? What then should our lives look like? What is the effect on our vision for the world around us?

Chapters 6 to 8 will tell us more about how we experience sin and death being conquered by grace and life.

Following Jesus Reaching Out Extended Family Everything in Love24 25

Connect

What is it to be united with someone? What encourages and discourages unity?

Discover

Read Romans 6:1-14

Key verse: If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (verse 5).

1. In chapter 5:20 Paul tells us that “where sin increased, grace increased all the

more.” Chapter 6:1 then asks the question to counter any idea that sinning is fine! In fact, we should have “died to sin” according to verse 2.

a) What is the response of someone or something that is dead? b) What kind of idea does this give us as to how we should respond to sin?

(There is more on this subject below in “Going deeper”.) 2. Read again verses 3 to 7, and pick out the phrases that describe the believer’s

relationship with Christ, e.g. “baptised into”, “buried with”.

a) What do these phrases tell us about our relationship with Christ? b) What idea do they give of the closeness and unity of the relationship?

3. In verse 2 we considered the response of the dead. By contrast, verse 11

tells us we are now “alive to God.”

a) What is the response of someone or something that is alive? b) What kind of idea does this give us as to how we should respond to God?

(Verse 11 starts “In the same way”, referring back to the life Christ lives to God as an example, verses 8 to 10).

Read Romans 6:15-23 4. Here Paul uses the analogy of slavery that actually originated in verse 6.

a) What does it mean to be a slave? b) From our understanding of being a slave, what do the expressions “slave

to sin” and “slave to righteousness” tell us? c) What are the respective consequences and blessings of slavery to sin and

righteousness? d) What happens to sin in the life of a “slave of righteousness”? Further

help may be found in verses 6 and 7. Apply

5. We have seen in the opening verses the powerful words that Paul uses to describe the significance of baptism. Perhaps we see baptism as symbolic; but the language Paul uses of baptism is certainly very real and intimate.

a) If we are baptised already, how could this provoke us to encourage others?

26 27

Study 6: United with Christ Romans 6


28

b) Is this meaning of our baptism, however long ago, still affecting our

everyday lives? c) If we are not baptised, what kind of challenge is this passage to us?

6. We have also seen how closely tied we are with Christ and His death. How

does this give us confidence as Christians? 7. We have been encouraged by this passage not to be a slave to sin. What

practical steps can we take to “not let sin reign in our mortal body” (verses 12-14)?

8. Using the FREE theme (see bottom of the page) what aspects of ‘Following

Jesus’ is Paul concerned with in chapter 6?

Going deeper

Commentaries by theologians F.F. Bruce and John Stott see a different meaning in the phrases “died to sin”, “died with Christ” (verses 2, 8), and our old self being “crucified with him” (verse 8). In their view, it is not that our fallen nature has somehow died, and that our task now is to “reckon” it dead (verse 11). Death is seen here, they say, not as a lifeless state, but as a legal penalty (which is consistent with chapter 5). In that case, it is not that we are dead to the power of temptation; rather, we are dead to the guilt of sin because the penalty has been paid, i.e. we are justified. Indeed, “freed” in verse 7 is the word “justified”. In this view, the practical problem of temptation is not discussed in this chapter but in chapter 7, and its solution not described until chapter 8. For now, chapter 6 is written to answer the question in verses 1 and 15: does the free gift of grace (from chapter 5) give us licence, even encouragement, to continue

in sin? For John Stott, the answer is that it is justification, rightly understood, that precludes any such idea. “Our old life has ended, with the score settled, the debt paid, and the law satisfied, [so] we shall want to have nothing more to do with it. … Can born-again Christians live as though they were still in their sins? Well, yes… it is not impossible. But let them remember who they are. Let them recall their baptism, symbol of their new life in union with Christ, and they will want to live accordingly. Regenerate Christians should no more contemplate a return to unregenerate living than adults to their childhood, married people to their singleness, or discharged prisoners to their prison cell.” 9. What differences does this view make to your answers to the “Discover”

questions above? 10. How do you understand Paul’s argument so far? Memory verse: can you recite Romans 1 verse 16?


5. The Law’s exacting standards make it inevitable that we fail and fall into sin.

In Romans 6:23 Paul tells us what the consequence of this failure is. What has happened that makes the picture different in Romans 7:6?

6. Look once again at verses 7 and 8-11. In what ways does the Law still

function in our lives today? Think about what you talked about at the opening of the session.

7. Romans 7:14-25 is a difficult and controversial passage. Some commentators

think Paul is describing his struggle with sin prior to his conversion; others think he is describing his life after conversion and the continuing struggle he still experiences with sin. What do you think?

8. Despite being saved we can still have a hard battle with sin and may feel like

wretched failures. In v 21 Paul says “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Why is this, and where does the solution come from (verses 22-25)?

Chapter 8 will tell us how the solution works.

Apply

9. Can you take any encouragement from Paul’s description of his own struggle with sin?

10. Do we want, like Paul, to continue our personal fight against sin rather than

give up? If so, what does that show about us?

Connect

Can you ever remember being told as a child not to do something and then doing it? Share with the group your stories. Why do we always want to do things we are told not to?

Discover

Read Romans 7:1-25

Key verse: So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me (v 21).

1. What do you think about when you hear the phrase ‘The Law of God’? 2. We might define the Law of God as God’s requirements for human life, a

reflection of his moral nature or the outshining of God himself. What is the role of the Law in the Old Testament? How did the nation of Israel’s adherence to the Law affect their lives?

3. Read Romans 7:6 again and Matthew 5:17. In verse 6 Paul says that we are

released from the Law: how does this square with what Jesus says in Matthew? Do you think as Christians we are called to follow and uphold the 10 Commandments today?

4. Is God’s Law easy to follow or demanding? Imagine a relationship with God

based solely on adherence to the Law. What would that be like?

Study 7: Our struggle with sin Romans 7:1‐25


Going deeper

We need to consider why sin still continues to enter our lives. Martin Luther offers a useful picture of where we as Christians stand between two worlds. 11. What do you think this means for us in our struggle against sin? Is this a

helpful picture?

Study 8: Victory over sin Connect

‘Collapse in the Christian life is rarely a blowout – it’s usually a slow leak.’ (Dr George Sweeting). Our spiritual life is punctured and in danger of collapse whenever we lose sight of who God is and when our mind is set on anything else but God. The evangelist Luis Palau describes this as stepping on a ‘spiritual banana peel’. Can you recall a time when stepping on a ‘spiritual banana peel’ in this way caused damage to your Christian life?

Discover

Read Romans 8:1-17

Key verses: Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you (verses 8-9).

1. What are the two privileges of salvation (v 1-2) that Paul sets out here?

(With verse 2, compare chapter 7 v 23: in both verses, “law” is best understood as “principle”). What difference does each of these privileges make to your life?

2. What things did God do (v 3-4) to bring us salvation? In addition to our

freedom, what was His further purpose (v 4)? 3. What differences (v 5-8) are there between those whose mindset is

Romans 8:1‐17

Fallen World

Us Kingdom of God


34

characterised by the flesh and those whose mindset is characterised by the Spirit?

4. Up until this point in Romans the Holy Spirit is rarely mentioned, but in

chapter 8 the Holy Spirit is mentioned some twenty times. Why do you think this is? How does it address the problems of chapter 7 verses 21-25?

5. Why is verse 9 ‘of great importance in relation to our doctrine (system of

teachings) of the Holy Spirit’ (John Stott)? 6. The Spirit is ‘the Spirit of life’ (v 2), so what present and future

consequences of His indwelling does Paul focus on in verses 10-11? What are the visible consequences of His indwelling for our behaviour (verses 12-13)?

7. What pieces of evidence does Paul assemble (v 14-17) to demonstrate that

we are God’s children?

Apply

8. What does it mean in practice to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” (v 13)? Why does Paul use such strong language? 9. How does the Holy Spirit lead us (v 14), particularly in the matter of putting

misdeeds to death? Is He violent or gentle? What is your experience?

10. We often use the description of something or someone being ‘all consuming’. How different does your life appear to others when it is consumed by the things of God as opposed to being governed by the things of the flesh? What strategies do you employ in order to ensure that Satan does not win the battle for your mind?

11. Why do sufferings and glory go together, do you think (v 17)? For further thought: A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, ‘I am blind, please help!’ There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by and took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. Soon the hat began to fill up. Many more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognised his footsteps and asked, ‘Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?’ The man said, ‘I only wrote the truth. I just said what you said in a different way. I wrote, “Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it!”’ Does this story help you understand the problem of a fixed mindset and what is needed to change it? Memory verse: what does Romans 1 v 16 say?


36

Study 9: Living Life on the Edge

Connect

Key verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose (v.28). 1. Can you think of a time when something bad has happened to you but God has turned it around and used it for good?

Discover

Read Romans 8:18-27 Verses 18-22 Paul talks about our present sufferings, the creation waiting in eager expectation and the creation being subjected to frustration. 2. What do you think Paul is referring to by ‘our present sufferings’ and what

does the imperfection of this current age point to? (2 Peter 3: 13 may help!) Verse 20 ‘For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope …’ 3. Who do you think subjected creation to frustration and why? (Consider

Genesis 3 v 17-19.)

Verse 23 ‘We groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies’. (Compare verses 10-11 and 14-16. Here in verse 23 Paul has in mind the aspects of adoption and redemption that are still in the future.) 4. In verses 23-25, what exactly are we hoping for? 5. In these verses, what we do not yet have, or even see, powerfully affects

our present lives. What are these effects? How can they be seen in us? Read Philippians 1:20-26 6. Have you experienced difficult times in life and longed for heaven?

(Maybe have a look at Paul’s difficult experiences in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27) 7. How do you know God has a plan and purpose for your life on this earth

right now? 8. What do you think it means when it says the Spirit helps us and intercedes

for us with groans that words cannot express? (Romans 8:26) (You can also look at Exodus 35:30-31 and John 14:16-17 as examples of the Spirit helping). Discuss your experience of the Holy Spirit helping you practically or in prayer. Read Romans 8:28-39


Romans 8:18‐39

38

experiences in life, he knew that absolutely nothing could separate him from God - not even death itself. 12. Does our comfortable lifestyle affect our ability to ‘live life on the edge’ as

Paul did?

Apply

13. What aspects of the FREE theme relate to this passage in Romans 8?

(In particular think about ‘Following Jesus’ and ‘Reaching Out’). 14. How can we engage more with the Holy Spirit in our daily lives in order to

let him help us and intercede for us? 15. How can you remember and apply verse 28 when difficult and testing times

come along? What can you do now in order to prepare for those difficult and testing times?

Memory Verse: do you now know Romans 1:16?

Going deeper

16. Do you believe that God chose you? If so, when did He do this, before or after Creation? (Ephesians 1:4)

9. a) How does Paul express God’s purpose (v 29)?

b) How should we expect to see it working out in our lives (v 28)? 10. What are the answers to these questions that Paul is asking?

a) If God is for us, who can be against us? (v 31) b) Will he not graciously give us all things? (v 32) c) Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? (v 33) d) Who is he that condemns? (v 34) e) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (v 35)

Do these questions make light of trouble or make much of God? As you may have read in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul experienced some extreme persecution and difficult times. You may or may not be able to relate to those experiences! 11. In difficult and uncertain times that you have experienced, what comfort

and hope – if any – do verses 28-39 bring? Overview In having the privilege of reading about Paul’s life in the New Testament we can see that Paul did live life on the edge. He had a yearning for heaven yet knew God had a plan and purpose for his life on earth. Through his adventures and


40

In what sense do you feel yourself to be ‘chosen beforehand’? 17. If God chose you, is it possible that God hasn’t chosen other people? Exercise Take 5 promises from this passage and over the next 5 days meditate on a different promise each day. For example …

Day 1 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (v 28) Day 2 – If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? (v 31-32) Day 3 – In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (v 37) Day 4 – For I am convinced .... that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (v 38-39) Day 5 – In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses (v 26)

To think about and discuss Isn’t it amazing that not even death itself can separate us from God? Death itself is just the doorway to eternity with Him.

Holland Road Baptist Church Small Group Studies Printed January 2011

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