A Textual Study of the Letter of Paul to the Romans

Transcription

1 A Textual Study of the Letter of Paul to the Romans By Jason Hardin

2 2014 by The IMAGE Project. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without express permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Any emphasis to scripture quotations is added. 2

3 But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isa 64:8) To be God-shaped is to be: Father-defined (Eph 1:3-14) Christ-centered (Col 1:9-20) Spirit-led (Gal 5:16-25) Gospel-empowered (Rom 1:16-17) Faith-fueled (Heb 11:1-6) Glory-focused (1 Cor 10:31) May the Lord bless us in our study and use this material as a tool to further conform us to the image of his Son (Rom 8:29). To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 3

4 Lesson 1 Romans 1:1-15 To Bring About the Obedience of Faith Lesson 2 Romans 1:16-17 I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel Lesson 3 Romans 1:18-32 The Wrath of God is Revealed Lesson 4 Romans 2:1-11 You Have No Excuse, O Man Lesson 5 Romans 2:11-29 God Shows No Partiality Lesson 6 Romans 3:1-20 Then What Advantage Has the Jew? Lesson 7 Romans 3:21-31 Justified by His Grace as a Gift Lesson 8 Romans 4:1-25 Abraham, Who is the Father of Us All Lesson 9 Romans 5:1-11 Peace with God Through Jesus Christ Lesson 10 Romans 5:12-21 The Free Gift is Not Like the Trespass Lesson 11 Romans 6:1-23 Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ Lesson 12 Romans 7:1-25 The New Way of the Spirit Lesson 13 Romans 8:1-17 Led by the Spirit of Life Lesson 14 Romans 8:18-39 The Glory that is to be Revealed to Us Lesson 15 Romans 9:1-33 Is There Injustice on God s Part? Lesson 16 Romans 10:1-21 No Distinction Between Jew and Greek Lesson 17 Romans 11:1-36 Lest You Be Wise in Your Own Sight Lesson 18 Romans 12:1-2 I Appeal to You Therefore, Brothers Lesson 19 Romans 12:3-21 Lives of Sacrifice to God Lesson 20 Romans 13:1-7 Subject to the Governing Authorities Lesson 21 Romans 13:8-14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ Lesson 22 Romans 14:1-15:7 Let Us Pursue What Makes for Peace Lesson 23 Romans 15:8-33 Servants of Christ Jesus Lesson 24 Romans 16:1-27 The Grace of Our Lord Be With You 4

5 LESSON 1 Romans 1:1-15 To Bring About the Obedience of Faith T o all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 1:7) If you were a Christian in first-century Rome: You lived in one of the most incredible cities of the ancient world. You very well may have heard the gospel from someone who was in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in AD 30 when Peter first proclaimed the crucified Jesus as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:1-14, 22-24, 32-41). You very well may have known Jewish brothers and sisters who were expelled from Rome in AD 49 by Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54) because of strife over Christus (Acts 18:1-4). You very well may have welcomed your Jewish brethren back in AD 54 after Emperor Claudius died. In AD 57, you and your brothers and sisters in Christ received a letter from the apostle Paul who was writing from Corinth during his third missionary journey (Acts 20:1-3). You very well may have traveled to the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns in AD 60 to personally meet Paul (Acts 28:11-16). You very well may have visited with Paul throughout AD and listened to him boldly proclaim the kingdom of God and teach extensively about the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:30-31). You very well may have heard in person many of the encouragements and teachings Paul wrote in Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (Phil 1:12-14). Why was Rome one of the most incredible cities of the ancient world? It s hard for us to imagine being banished from our homes because of our faith. Consider Hebrews 10: How do people get to the point where they are willing to endure such for the sake of their relationship with God? 5

6 You were probably aware of the fact that, by that point in time, there were saints even in Caesar s own household (Phil 4:21-22). Your city suffered a terrible fire in the summer of AD 64 that burned for six days and seven nights, consuming almost three-fourths of the city. Word would have spread to you quickly that Emperor Nero had set the fire for his own amusement. Your life would have changed dramatically once Nero laid blame for the fire on Christians. You would have been personally familiar with persecution (Rom 8:31-39). You would have had some serious decisions to make. When Paul refers to people as saints, what does he have in mind? How do people come to be saints? Paul had been clear in his letter about his God-defined mission and how it related to you. we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5) Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Rom 16:25-27) Are you willing to present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship? Will you refuse to be conformed to this world, choosing instead to be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect? (Rom 12:1-2) The letter of Paul to the Romans systematically reasons that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. In your own words, what is the obedience of faith? Why would the Spirit of God describe the obedience of faith as being brought about in the lives of people? And how does it happen? For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. (Rom 1:16-17) 6

7 Much can be learned from Romans 1:1-6. Take a moment to jot down how the following phrases enhance our understanding of God and his will for our lives. Paul identifies himself in 1:1 as: A servant of Christ Jesus Called to be an apostle Set apart for the gospel of God Mention of the gospel leads Paul to describe it in 1:2-3 as: Promised beforehand through God s prophets in the holy Scriptures Concerning God s Son In 1:3-6, Paul wants to make sure his readers in Rome recognize that God s Son is: Descended from David according to the flesh Declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead Jesus Christ our Lord The one through whom he had received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith Foreseeing, enabling, and accomplishing all of this for the sake of his name among all the nations Calling people to belong to him as saints Romans 1:8-15 provides insight into how eagerly Paul longs to visit Rome and strengthen the Christians there in person. Other passages (Rom 15:22-24; Acts 19:21; 23:11) further enhance our grasp of his intentions. Why do you think he was so eager to reach Rome? CLOSING THOUGHT: So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome (1:15). But why? Why would Paul eagerly look forward to preaching the gospel to people who were already Christians? Because the gospel isn t merely God s tool to get us saved and leave us to our own devices; it is the call and the power to lead a daily walk of faith with Jesus (6:4; 8:4). 7

8 LESSON 2 Romans 1:16-17 I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel In Romans 1:15-17, Paul writes: I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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 for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. When Paul referred to the gospel in his writings, what did he have in mind? We all know what it is to be embarrassed or ashamed. In 2 Corinthians 11:21-30, Paul addresses those who boast according to the flesh and concedes, I too will boast. But he does not boast of things we might naturally expect. But whatever anyone else dares to boast of I am speaking as a fool I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one I am talking like a madman with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Can you think of other passages from the writings of Paul that enhance our understanding of what he means by the gospel? 8

9 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul continues to boast and reveals the thorn given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me (12:7). Three times he pleaded with the Lord about the thorn, that it would be taken away. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:9-10) Don t miss what Paul is revealing concerning real power. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16). Christ s power is made perfect in the weakness of dependent, trusting disciples (2 Cor 12:9). This is why the writer of Hebrews encourages Christians to be looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (12:2). Disciples of Jesus may be shamed in this world, but we don t have to be ashamed! The righteousness of God has been revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. He is willing to heal us, transform our lives, and perfect us (Rom 1:17; 12:1-2). This is news of which we should not, must not, be ashamed. CLOSING THOUGHT: Whether we are Jews or Gentiles, the power of God for salvation is available in his gospel. Our heavenly Father has revealed his righteousness to us and provided a means whereby we also can be made righteous (Rom 5:18-19; 2 Cor 5:17-21). How might the things Paul mentions in 2 Cor 11:21-30 have caused shame the sort of shame that would compel him to forsake Christ and stop proclaiming the gospel? How is Christ s power made perfect in human weakness? What does Paul mean in Romans 1:17 by from faith for faith? Practically speaking, what does it mean to live by faith? 9

10 LESSON 3 Romans 1:18-32 The Wrath of God is Revealed R omans 1:18-32 is not the first time we are introduced to the wrath of God within the flow of his written revelation to mankind. Consider the small sampling below taken from more than 200 references to wrath in the Bible. What can be learned from: Exodus 22:21-24 In your own words, what is wrath? Deuteronomy 9:6-8 2 Kings 22:8-17 Psalm 89:46 Proverbs 11:4 Why do we most frequently think of wrath in negative terms? Nahum 1:1-8 Matthew 3:1-10 John 3:36 How then can God be simultaneously holy and wrathful? Which leads to Paul writing in Romans 1:18, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men 10

11 In what way is God justified in showing wrath? How is the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men manifesting itself throughout the world? Take the time to meditate upon the list of offenses contained in Romans 1: Capture in your own words the horrific diagnosis God is delivering through Paul. What truth is being suppressed? (1:18) Truth is suppressed (1:18) God is not honored as God or thanked (1:21-22) Human hearts are given over to foolishness and darkness (1:21) How does Creation itself show the invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature of our Creator? (1:20) In the name of so-called wisdom, the glory of the immortal God is exchanged for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things (1:22-23) Lustful hearts fuel impurity and the dishonoring of God-given bodies (1:24) Why can God so definitively say, So they are without excuse? (1:20) The truth about God is exchanged for a lie and the creature is worshiped and served rather than the Creator (1:25) Women and men exchange natural relations for relations that are contrary to nature and commit shameless acts (1:26-27) How do people who claim to be wise become fools? (1:22) 11

12 People are filled with all manner of unrighteousness and bear the fruits of self-centered evil (1:28-31) Something tragic is being communicated in 1:24 Therefore God gave them up What does this mean? God s righteous decree is willfully ignored and those who transgress it are approved (1:32) Romans 1:18-32 enables us to look at this tragic state of affairs from our Creator s perspective. Paraphrasing the following passages into God s point-of-view, what should we learn as the created of the Creator? What can be known about me is plain, because I have shown it to humanity. For my invisible attributes, namely, my eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that I made. So you are without excuse Why would God describe homosexual acts as contrary to nature? How should his language shape our understanding and stance today? Since you do not see fit to acknowledge me, I give you up to debased minds to do what ought not be done What is a debased mind? (1:28) My righteous decree is that those who practice such things deserve to die CLOSING THOUGHT: To borrow from James 4:4, we have made ourselves enemies of God by perverting our passions and pledging our allegiance to this wicked world. The resulting situation could not be more desperate. Why is it a serious offense to approve of that which God condemns? 12

13 LESSON 4 Romans 2:1-11 You Have No Excuse, O Man F or God shows no partiality. That s the strong affirmation of Romans 2:11. Not only that, it s what we want in the authority figures with whom we interact from day to day an absence of partiality. We expect our civil judges to rule impartially in accordance with the established laws of the land. We expect our police officers to impartially enforce the rule of law as they protect the innocent and apprehend the guilty. We expect our teachers to instruct, correct, and nurture the maturation process of our children without partiality. We have these expectations because we find favoritism and prejudice hard to deal with at best, grossly offensive at worst. In the first half of Romans 2, Paul not only establishes that our Creator does not show partiality, he also challenges the foolish human tendency to condemn in others the very things we tolerate in ourselves. The first word in Romans 2 is therefore. Why? Think back to how Romans 1 concluded. What sort of bridge is Paul building between Romans 1 and 2 with the use of the word therefore? How have you seen that phenomenon manifest itself in the lives of others? How have you seen the same phenomenon manifest itself in your own life? When we say you have no excuse to someone, what are we communicating? How might the phenomenon have been manifesting itself in the life of the saints in first-century Rome? 13

14 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges (2:1). The Bible doesn t shy away from addressing the topic of judging others, but it says more than the judge not that ye be not judged mantra that is so frequently thrown about without much context or elaboration. What should we learn from the following passages as disciples of Jesus? As a way of summarizing the passages to the left, when is judging someone else completely inappropriate and hypocritical? Matthew 7:1-5 John 7:24 James 4:11-12 On the flip-side, when is judging someone else not only appropriate, but called for? 1 Corinthians 5:1-12 How does what the Spirit of God is delivering through Paul in Romans 2:1-3 harmonize with and compliment the above passages? What is the root of the problem being exposed? When God calls on us to judge for [ourselves], what does he expect us to do? (example: Luke 12:57, 1 Cor 10:15; 11:13) 14

15 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (2:5) Remember what Paul has already written in Romans 1:20. What does it mean, in your own words, to presume on something or someone? For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. How do these statements from Paul in Romans amplify Jesus declaration in Matthew 5:45 that the Father in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust? How can we be guilty of presuming on God? How is even the rising of the sun and the falling of the rain meant to lead us to repentance? In practical terms, what does a hard and impenitent heart (2:5) look like? CLOSING THOUGHT: The day of wrath when God s righteous judgment will be revealed is coming (2:5). Those with hard and impenitent hearts are storing up wrath for themselves (2:5). God will render to each one according to his works: o To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immorality, he will give eternal life (2:6-7). o For those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury (2:8). There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good. God shows no partiality (2:9-11). Why is wrath the righteous divine response to a hard and impenitent human heart? 15

16 LESSON 5 Romans 2:11-29 God Shows No Partiality If God shows no partiality (2:11), what about the fact that the Jews had a God-given law delivered through Moses and the Gentiles did not? Later in this same letter to the Romans, Paul will write of his Jewish kinsmen according to the flesh : They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. (9:3-5) In your own words, what does it mean to be under the law? Are Jews, then, not superior to Gentiles? Or, on the flipside, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (1:18), but why would Gentiles be subject to this wrath? How can the assertion that God shows no partiality be true? Paul addresses both people-groups and describes both as sinners in Romans 2:12: All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. All who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. Can you illustrate the principle of being under the law with a modernday application? Take a moment to carefully think through the distinction between these people-groups. Both are described as sinners, but why? In what way are they both accountable to their Creator, but for different reasons? Gentiles who were not given the law of Moses - Jews who were expected, as recipients of the law of Moses, to meet the requirements of that law 16

17 How vitally important for descendants of Abraham to understand, it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified (2:13). What is the fundamental difference between a hearer of the law and a doer of the law? As a Jew, I am a physical descendant of the peoplegroup which received the law, but that does not mean that my genealogy justifies me before God. As a Jew, I may have been raised with a knowledge of the history of the Hebrews and an understanding of the essence of the law, but mere knowledge will not justify me before God. As a Jew, I may be an expert in the finer points of the law, tithing even my mint and dill and cumin (Matt 23:23), but if I neglect the weightier matters of the law justice and mercy and faithfulness I will not be justified before God. Why is God so concerned that hearers of the law be doers of the law? There is one, and only one way to be justified by the law. Consider: For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Rom 3:20) What does Paul mean in Romans 3:20 that through the law comes knowledge of sin? By works of the law no one will be justified. (Gal 2:16) For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. But the law is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. (Gal 3:10-12) You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. (Gal 5:4) Why would Paul write that the law is not of faith in Galatians 3:12? What, then, is the one and only way to be justified by the law? What problem does this pose for each and every Jew? 17

18 Does this mean that the Gentiles are unaccountable to God for their ungodly and unrighteous conduct? For when Gentiles, who do have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (2:14-16) But Jews, especially, ought to know better! Paul lists the sort of things a physical descendant of Abraham might boast in: In what way are Gentiles a law to themselves? Why would Paul write that the work of the law is written on [Gentile] hearts? You call yourself a Jew You rely on the law You boast in God You know his will You approve what is excellent You are instructed from the law You are sure that you yourself are: o A guide to the blind o A light to those who are in darkness o An instructor of the foolish o A teacher of children You have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth Do we continue to see the work of the law written on the hearts of people today? If so, in what way? But, to borrow the words of Jesus from Luke 12:48, Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they demand the more. You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. (Rom 2:21-23) Can you think of other New Testament passages where we see a Jewish sense of superiority toward Gentiles? 18

19 As a result, just as was true in the days of Isaiah (52:5), The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the heirs of Abraham. A Jew might respond, But surely my circumcision counts for something! Undoubtedly, circumcision had its place in God s plan for the Jews in the age of the Old Testament. Does God s name continue to be blasphemed among unbelievers because of the conduct of his children? Why? It was a physical sign of God s covenant with Abraham and his offspring (Gen 17:9-14). Male children were always circumcised, in accordance with the law, seven days after their birth (Lev 12:1-3). As a result, over the course of time, a great many Jews had come to believe that if they were circumcised, they could rest assured in their relationship with God and their superiority to the other races. In the words of Rabbi Levi: In the world to come Abraham will sit in the entrance to Gehenna, and permit no Jew to descend therein. What then will he do to those who have sinned very much? He will remove the foreskin from babes who died before circumcision and set it upon them and then let them descend into Gehenna. (Gen. Rab. 48:8). But what about the heart? Even in the Old Testament: What did God mean when he called for his people to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts? Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. (Deut 10:16-17) Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds. (Jer 4:4) It is no coincidence, then, that Stephen describes the Jewish elders and scribes of his own day in the way that he does. 19

20 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. (Acts 7:51) All of which leads Paul to reason as he does in Romans 2: What did Paul mean when he warned, if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision? For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. Take a moment to carefully reflect on Paul s reasoning. What major point is he trying to get his Jewish brethren to understand? To expand on Paul s point in Romans 2:28-29, what does it mean to be a Jew inwardly? Finally, in Romans 2:28-29, Paul establishes this foundational principle. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. CLOSING THOUGHT: What is God looking for from both Jew and Gentile? The obedience of faith! In Christ Jesus, Gentiles and Jews can be sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise (Gal 3:26-29) How does one come to be a Jew inwardly? 20

21 LESSON 6 Romans 3:1-20 Then What Advantage Has the Jew? Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ would have naturally pictured ungodly Gentiles as they read Paul s vivid description of those who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness in Romans 1. They would have heartily agreed with the declaration that such aliens to the commonwealth of Israel are without excuse. But then Paul wrote what he did in Romans 2 establishing that both Gentile and Jew are guilty in the sight of God and it would have been a tough pill for physical descendants of Abraham to swallow. Remember the conclusion of what we have as Romans 2. No one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (2:28-29) Beginning in Romans 3, Paul anticipates and answers a number of objections that might naturally come from Jews who have just been condemned by the Spirit of God in Romans 2 as hypocritical and relying on the wrong things. Then what advantage has the Jew? (3:1) What is the value of circumcision? (3:1) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (3:5) Why not do evil that good may come? (3:8) What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? (4:1) What then shall we say? That the law is sin? (7:7) Why does God still find fault? For who can resist his will? (9:19) Has God rejected his people? (11:1) Why do we find it so tempting and natural to immediately ask questions in an attempt to justify ourselves when we feel threatened or condemned? How have you seen others respond in this way? How have you responded in this way? 21

22 A great deal of this letter of Paul to the Romans is a Godbreathed answer to these questions raised by the Jews. We begin in Romans 3:1. Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Paul s response? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. Follow the flow of his argument. What are the oracles of God? What can we learn about oracles from: What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? o By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar. But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? o By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come? o The condemnation of those who deceive themselves and others with such slander is just. What then? Are we Jews any better off? o No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin. Acts 7:37-38? Hebrews 5:11-14? 1 Peter 4:7-11? What does Paul mean as he emphasizes, Let God be true though every one were a liar (3:3)? With striking similarity to his indictment of the Gentiles in Romans 1:18-32, Paul invokes the Jews own Scriptures against them in Romans 3:10-18 to drive this point home. As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. (Psa 14:1-3; 53:1-3) Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. (Psa 5:9) The venom of asps is under their lips. (Psa 140:3) Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. (Psa 10:7) In your own words, what were some people slanderously charging Paul as saying? (3:7-8) 22

23 Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. (Prov 1:16; Isa 59:7-8) There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Psa 36:1) Remember Paul s description of Jews in Romans 2: It carries critical importance to grasping his present point. But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth Our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God! Through my lie God s truth abounds to his glory! Why are these not only false sentiments, but very deadly and destructive lies to believe? and yet, the very law on which you rely can be called as a witness against you? You who boast in the law are judged and condemned by that law as lawbreakers! What advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. (3:1-2) In what way does the law stop every mouth? However Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (3:19-20) CLOSING THOUGHT: The Gentiles are not the only ones without an excuse. Law strips us all of our excuses. When we are told Don t do that! we are given knowledge. When we are told Do that! we are instilled with knowledge. Regardless of our ethnicity, we all come to be justly recognized as law-breakers in the sight of our Creator. Having broken God s law, we cannot then rely on that law for justification. If we are going to be recognized as righteous, salvation must come via a different avenue. Through the law comes knowledge of sin (3:20). What does this mean? Can you illustrate the principle using an everyday example? 23

24 LESSON 7 Romans 3:21-31 Justified by His Grace as a Gift F or by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. That was the conclusion reached in Romans 3:20. To this point in his letter, the news delivered by Paul has been bleak to say the least. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (1:18). There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek (2:9). All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law (2:12). Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision (2:25). None is righteous, no, not one (3:10). No one can stand before the perfectly holy, perfectly just, perfectly impartial Creator of the universe and be recognized as perfectly acceptable by his or her own merit. There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23). Whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, slave or free, when my works are compared with God s expectations, I am not shown to be guiltless, upheld as innocent, or vindicated as righteous. Without excuse, exception, or rationalization, I am shown to be guilty, convicted as a lawbreaker, and condemned as out of harmony with the will of my Creator. As such, I am without excuse. I have not given God the honor, thanksgiving, or obedient submission he rightly deserves. In your own words, what is sin? What makes sin so serious? What does sin have to do with falling short of the glory of God? 24

25 Take a moment to think about being justified. We take the basic concept for granted nearly every time we use a word processor on a computer. In your own words, what is meant if something or someone is justified? This leads us to a turning point in Paul s letter to the Romans. Having shown that mankind is universally accountable to the full horror and destruction of sin, the good news of God s solution is introduced and will be expounded upon over the course of the next few chapters. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (3:21-22a) What does the concept of being justified have to do with what Paul is communicating in Romans 3? While Paul will reference a variety of Old Testament passages to support this idea before his letter is concluded, consider a few that might immediately spring to the original reader s mind: And [the LORD] brought [Abraham] outside and said, Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be. And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Gen 15:5-6) Much more to come about Abraham in Romans 4. What does Paul mean by, the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law? Habakkuk 2:4 was already referenced by Paul in Romans 1:17. Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. This righteousness isn t new or novel. In fact, its shadow had been growing more substantial for a very long time. 25

26 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:21-29) While the differences were described in Romans 1 and 2, Jews and Gentiles now find themselves in the same boat in more than one way. Both have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Both can be justified before God on exactly the same basis. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Rom 3:22b-25a) How had the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin? If you were going to try and explain to someone what it means to be justified by grace as a gift, how would you go about doing it? Paul uses the word redemption in Romans 3:24. What is redemption? Remember the bookends of this letter that put its entire scope into context: We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations (1:5). the revelation of the mystery has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith (16:25-26). We don t use the word propitiation very often. Take the time to look up the definition. What is a propitiation? 26

27 What God has accomplished through Christ demonstrates certain things that both Jew and Gentile need to recognize. This was to show God s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (3:25b-26) This concept is absolutely key. Take a moment to reflect on what the Spirit of God through Paul is communicating. Is there any significance to Paul s use of the phrase passed over in describing what God had done with former sins? Perhaps Hebrews 10:1-10 will be helpful as you meditate on that phrase. In putting forward Jesus as a propitiation by his blood, how has God shown himself to be just? In putting forward Jesus as a propitiation by his blood, how has God shown himself to be the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus? Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (3:27-30) CLOSING THOUGHT: For centuries, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. To proclaim justification by faith is to proclaim the fulfillment of what God had planned all along. Paul reaches the end of what we have as three chapters and declares that our boasting is excluded. What does he mean by this declaration? How does his declaration in Romans 3:27 relate to his declaration in Galatians 6:14? 27

28 LESSON 8 Romans 4:1-25 Abraham, Who is the Father of Us All W hat we have as the conclusion of Romans 2 in our Bibles communicates this important information: No one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (2:28-29) Throughout Romans 3 and beyond, Paul anticipates and answers a number of Jewish objections to what he has written. Then what advantage has the Jew? (3:1) What is the value of circumcision? (3:1) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (3:5) Why not do evil that good may come? (3:8) This leads us to a fifth question in Romans 4:1. What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? When you think of Abraham, what comes to mind? Why does Paul refer to Abraham as our forefather according to the flesh in 4:1? Our entire fourth chapter of Romans addresses the case study of Abraham and his justification. Paul begins his answer by putting things into their overall perspective. For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. (4:2) Why? In order to understand the full scope of Paul s answer, take the time now before going any further to read Genesis 15:1-20. If you d like an even firmer grasp of the overall context, begin reading in Genesis 12 and read through Genesis 15. Why is Paul so confidently able to proclaim that Abraham could not be justified by works before God (4:2)? 28

29 Why would Paul assert, if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God? He immediately takes us back to what the Scripture says: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3) Now, Paul reasons, making an appeal to our common sense. To the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Rom 4:4-5) Think for a moment about righteousness being counted to someone. The NASB translates it credited. The ASV renders it reckoned. The NKJV translates it accounted. What does this mean? In fact, Abraham is not the only Old Testament figure to whom we can look for clarification of this principle. just as David also speaks of the blessings of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. (4:6-8) Can you illustrate in modern terms the basic principle Paul is relying upon in Romans 4:4? It s a citation of Psalm 32:1-2 and Paul invokes it to lead his readers particularly his Jewish readers face to face with a fundamental question. Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? (4:9a) In other words, are Jews the only ones who enjoy the blessing of justification? And think back to the two things Paul has already brought up in his letter that the Jews took such great pride in and relied upon: What does Paul mean by referring to the one who does not work in Romans 4:5? The Law of Moses (2:17-24) Circumcision (2:25-29) Was Abraham justified by the Law of Moses? No! The Law wouldn t be given for another 500+ years. Well then, was Abraham justified because of circumcision (Gen 17:1-14)? 29

30 We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. (4:9b- 11a) Don t miss this critical point: if Abraham could be counted as righteous without circumcision then, why can t the Gentiles be counted as righteous before God now? Remember, Paul was boldly proclaiming throughout the Gentile world: Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:23-29) In order to make this point clear in his letter to the Romans, Paul takes a big picture look at what God was doing all along. In your own words, what was the issue confronting the first-century church when it came to circumcision? Perhaps Acts 15:1 will be helpful in formulating your answer. What do you think it means to walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised (4:12)? The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Rom 4:11b-12) Having addressed the issue of Abraham and circumcision, Paul turns his attention to the issue of Abraham and the law. 30

31 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, I have made you the father of many nations in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, So shall your offspring be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness. But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (4:13-25) CLOSING THOUGHT: As we wade through the deep waters of Romans, don t forget the framing bookends of the entire letter (1:5; 16:26). Whether Jew or Gentile, God is looking to shape the obedience of faith within us. Paul is not contradicting Hebrews 11:8-19 or James 2: These God-breathed letters complement each other to establish: Why would Paul write what he wrote in Romans 4:14? Can you reframe his straightforward assertion in your own words? For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is not transgression (4:15). What does this mean? Notice the connection Paul draws between life being given to dead Abraham (4:19) and dead Jesus (4:23-25). What does this powerful connection have to do with us who believe (4:24)? No human being is justified by works of the law. Circumcision in and of itself does not justify. Works without faith will not justify. Faith without works will not justify. 31

32 LESSON 9 Romans 5:1-11 Peace with God Through Jesus Christ W hen we run across words like therefore in Scripture, we need to pause and make sure we appreciate that they are there for a reason. They serve to connect points previously made as foundational with important principles of application. Paul s use of the therefore tool is pivotal to our grasp of Romans 5. FOUNDATIONAL POINTS PREVIOUSLY MADE: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (3:21-22) Can you illustrate the usefulness of the therefore tool in your own words? Write your own foundational premise Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (3:27-28) For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (4:13) That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (4:16) and use therefore to connect it to a principle of application That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness. But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (4:22-25) 32

33 IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE OF APPLICATION: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (5:1) In your own words, what does it mean to have peace with God? Paul has been building towards this pivotal, gospel-soaked point since Romans 1. Remember the universal bad news. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (1:18) Do you suppose, O man you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God s righteous judgment will be revealed. (2:3-5) Gentiles deserve God s wrath. Jews deserve God s wrath. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... (3:23) But just as each and every one of us are within the terrible scope of the bad news, God has ensured that each and every one of us are extended the opportunity to respond to the good news. Thinking about the overall context of the letter and the makeup of the church in Rome, what impact should peace with God have on the relationships of Jewish and Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ, and by extension on our own relationships today? Notice especially Romans 14: and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (3:24-25) Jesus Christ is the sacrifice provided by our gracious God in order to satisfy the righteous wrath of God. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (3:26) 33

34 To rephrase Paul s climactic point in Romans 5:1, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. Whether Jew or Gentile, we can enjoy reconciliation with the Creator we have spurned and rejected because his own Son served as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins. We can stand justified in his sight by faith not in our family tree, circumcision, or the record of our own works but by faith in Christ. It is a point that most certainly harmonizes with and compliments the bookends of the letter: We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations (1:5). the revelation of the mystery has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith (16:25-26). Paul has repeatedly referred to Jesus as Lord in this letter (1:4, 7; 4:24). Why is it important that we regard Jesus not simply as a means to our justification but the rightful Lord of our new lives of reconciliation to God? Meditate with Paul on the spiritual blessings our God and Father has blessed us with in our Lord Jesus Christ. What do these statements provide that enhance our overall understanding of the gospel? Through [Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand (5:2a) And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (5:2b) More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings (5:3a) 34

35 Knowing that : Suffering produces endurance (5:3b) Endurance produces character (5:4a) Character produces hope (5:4b) Hope does not put us to shame (5:5a) Because God s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (5:5b) Which leads Paul to this powerful statement of summary: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one who will scarcely die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (5:6-11) CLOSING THOUGHT: Paul spent four solid chapters establishing this reality: we are weak. We are hopeless. We are ungodly. We are lost. But Romans 5 is a gospel-injection of hope. At just the right time, Christ died for us. Now, we can be saved by his life. Having firmly established the problem and introduced God s solution, Paul will begin to show us how to live for him. 35

36 LESSON 10 Romans 5:12-21 The Free Gift is Not Like the Trespass M ore than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. That s where we left off in Romans 5:11. Each one of us deserves to bear the wrath of God. Not one of us can stand justified in his sight based on our family tree, circumcision, or the record of our own works. We have all fallen short of his glory. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (3:21-22) Now, the choice is mine. How will I respond to the intervention of God through Jesus Christ? The terms are clear. The consequences are weighty. Jesus said to [Thomas], I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Tim 2:3-6) In your own words: What is Jesus declaring in John 14:6? What is Jesus asserting in John 15:5? What is Peter preaching in Acts 4:12? What is Paul saying in 1 Timothy 2:3-6? 36

37 Through Jesus, there is a path of reconciliation to the Father. In Jesus, there is abundant life and salvation. Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and mankind whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, slave or free. All can stand justified in the sight of God by faith not in our family tree, circumcision, or the record of our own works but by faith in Christ. In what way did sin come into the world through Adam? Outside of Christ, we are in Adam. In Adam, there is condemnation and death. Notice the contrast that is being drawn by Paul. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned (Rom 5:12) Through Adam there is condemnation and death: What is the death that spread to all men? Sin came into the world through Adam. Death came into the world through sin. Death spread to all men because all sinned. Through Christ there is justification and life: Justification came into the world through Christ. Life came into the world through justification. Life is available to all men through faith in Christ. Outside of Christ, I am in Adam a universal representation of the person who stands before God on the basis of his or her own works. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Gen 2:15-17) And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Gen 1:31). Why, then, do you think God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden? What did God want from Adam? Paul has already reminded us of this basic principle: It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified (Rom 2:13). Adam broke God s law. In the day that he broke God s law, he died. And one of Paul s foundational points throughout 37

38 his letter to the Romans is that we have all followed in the law-breaking footsteps of Adam! It s an epidemic that stretches much deeper into mankind s history than God s giving of the law through Moses to the descendants of Abraham at Mount Sinai. for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. (Rom 5:13-14) Our record under law is Adam s record. By works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight (3:20). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23). From Adam to Moses, we broke God s laws. From Moses to Malachi, the descendants of Abraham defied God s expectations. The wages of the human record under law is death (6:23a). but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (6:23b) To pick back up our context in Romans 5: But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (5:15-17) Adam may be an accurate representative of our record under law, but he does not represent Jesus. Jesus didn t follow in Adam s sinful footsteps. Jesus committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth (1 Pet 2:22), which In what way have we all followed in the lawbreaking footsteps of Adam? It can be challenging at times to know exactly what law Paul has in mind the principle of law in general or the specific Law of Moses? Which law is Paul referencing in 5:13? Why is it important that Christians view their justification in Jesus as a free gift? In what way is it a free gift? Because of one man s trespass, death reigned. How did death reign? You might find Hebrews 2:14-15 helpful. 38

39 is precisely why God was able to put him forward as a propitiation by his blood (Rom 3:25). Now, the choice is mine. The terms are clear. The consequences are weighty. Outside of Christ, I am in Adam. When it comes to justification before God: I cannot rely on my family tree; it s full of sinners. I cannot rely on the record of my own works; I am a sinner. I cannot rely on mere knowledge of the law; only doers of the law will be justified (2:13). I cannot rely on physical circumcision; if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision (2:25). But God has intervened. He is willing to justify me by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ (3:24). He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (1 Pet 2:24a). Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (5:18-21) Whereas death formerly reigned, notice what has changed: Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (5:17) As sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (5:21) What has changed? How has it changed? And what does it mean for men and women who are now in Christ? Now, the choice is mine. For whom will I live? In whom will I boast? CLOSING THOUGHT: In the next chapter of his letter, Paul will assert, For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Rom 6:14). Our record under law is Adam s record. In Christ, we are under grace. He bore our sins that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet 2:24b). Paul will show us exactly how we died to sin and now live in Romans 6. 39

40 LESSON 11 Romans 6:1-23 Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ R omans 5 brought us to one of the great climactic points of Paul s letter. Sin came into the world through Adam, and death through sin. Death not only spread to all men, it reigned over all men, because all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (5:18-21) Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? Why would anyone even ask such a question? This leads Paul to a pivotal question and an explanatory reminder. First, the pivotal question: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (6:1-2) Next, the explanatory reminder: What will it look like, practically speaking, if I answer that question with, By all means? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (6:3-4) 40

41 Redemption is available by God s grace as a gift in Christ Jesus (3:24). But how do I come to be in Christ? My family tree doesn t put me in Christ; it s full of sinners (3:23). The record of my own works doesn t put me in Christ; I am a sinner (3:20). Mere knowledge of the law doesn t put me in Christ; only doers of the law will be justified by the law (2:13). Physical circumcision doesn t put me in Christ; remember the God-breathed point already made by Paul in Romans 2:28-29: For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. In your own words, what does it mean to be in Christ? Why does Paul repeatedly and consistently emphasize that these wonderful spiritual blessings are available to us in Christ through faith? How then do we come to be in Christ? With hearts full of faith (1:5; 3:21-25; 4:16, 23-25; 5:1; 16:25-27), we are baptized into Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:26-29) In [Christ] also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Col 2:11-12) In Colossians 2:11, when Paul describes the circumcision made without hands as involving putting off the body of the flesh, what does he mean? This is exactly the point Paul made in Romans 4: 41

42 Even though his body was as good as dead, Abraham believed God s promise that he would become the father of many nations (4:16-22). Righteousness will also be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord (4:23-25). And so, Paul tells Christians in Colossae, we are raised with Christ in baptism through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead (Col 2:12). And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:13-14) Don t miss the significance of these God-breathed connections. How would you summarize: Abraham was dead, but he believed God s promise about new life Jesus was dead, but we believe that he was raised to life by God Paul has reached the same point of gospel explanation in his letter to the Romans. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (6:3-4) We are raised with Christ in baptism through faith in the powerful working of God that we might walk in newness of life Paul has used this point of explanation as a reminder. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (6:1-2) As those who have been brought into Christ Jesus and justified by God s grace as a gift, we are no longer to live in sin. Our heavenly Father intends for us to walk in newness of life. What will this mean, practically speaking? Carefully consider what Paul communicates in Romans 6:5-14. How would you summarize these truths in your own words? For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (6:5) 42

43 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (6:6-7) Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (6:8-11) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (6:12) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (6:13) For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law, but under grace. (6:14) Once again, Paul anticipates a question and provides an inspired response. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have In everyday terms, what does it mean to present myself as an obedient slave? 43

44 become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. (6:15-19) While on one hand Paul s letters are full of wondrous depths with challenging insights that even the apostle Peter described as hard to understand (2 Pet 3:15-16), he frequently leads us to very straightforward, distinct forks in the road. What is the significance of Paul s emphasis that Christians have been obedient from the heart (6:17)? Can you think of other New Testament passages that emphasize the same thing? I WILL present myself as an obedient slave, either to: SIN OBEDIENCE Impurity Lawlessness Righteousness Sanctification In your own words, what is sanctification? DEATH ETERNAL LIFE For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (6:20-23) Paul is making an appeal to our common sense in Romans 6:20. What does he mean? CLOSING THOUGHT: At this point, the choice is mine. God has provided everything that I need to enjoy reconciliation with him and to make an informed, wise decision. Reject God or be reconciled to him. The consequences are clear. 44

45 LESSON 12 Romans 7:1-25 The New Way of the Spirit F or sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (Rom 6:14-15) To illustrate this foundation principle, Paul used the figure of slavery as an example in Romans 6. Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey? (6:16a) To further illustrate the same point in Romans 7, Paul uses the institution of marriage as a second example. Or do you not know, brothers for I am speaking to those who know the law that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. (7:1-3) I am speaking to those who know the law (7:1) What does this parenthetical statement mean and why is it helpful? In your own words, what can we learn from Romans 7:1-3? While our grasp on the nature of marriage can certainly be enhanced from Paul s illustration, it s important to remember that it is an illustration used to make a point within a much larger context. If you are a Christian, the principle reflected upon in Romans 7:1-3 applies to your heavenly Father s expectation that you would now walk in newness of life. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in 45

46 order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (7:4-6) Take the time to appreciate this God-breathed parallel. PRINCIPLE: The law is binding on a person only as long as he lives. A MARRIED WOMAN YOU ALSO, MY BROTHERS Bound by law to her husband while he lives Our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death If her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage You also have died to the law through the body of Christ She will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive We are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive If her husband dies, she is free from that law. If she marries another man she is not an adulteress You belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God and serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code In what way were our sinful passions, aroused by the law at work in our members to bear fruit for death? How did we die to the law which held us captive? In contrast to the old way of the written code, what is this new way of the Spirit? 46

47 This leads Paul to anticipate another question and to provide some very enlightening Spirit-led insight into the purpose of law and its connection to sin. What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, You shall not covet. (7:7) Why would anyone even suggest that the law is sin? How would you summarize this foundational point in your own words? What is covetousness? But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in Why would Paul describe sin as something that comes alive, seizes, and kills? 47

48 my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (7:8-24) We have just been given invaluable insight into the insidious nature of sin. What have we learned from these very honest reflections and confessions of Paul? Why would Paul write, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh (7:18)? Romans 7:20 puts into words a devastating realization. In what way does sin dwell within us? CLOSING THOUGHT: My record under law is Adam s record. Like Adam and Eve, I once was alive. I had not presented myself as a slave to sin. But the time came when I willfully transgressed the law. Sin came alive and I died. Once I travel this forbidden pathway, law is of no redemptive help. Even though I have the desire to do what is right, death dominatingly reigns over and me. Thanks be to God that rescue is available through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:25a)! Paul will turn his full attention to the blessed scope of this rescue in Romans 8. The chapter concludes with this summary statement: So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin (7:25b). What does this mean? 48

49 LESSON 13 Romans 8:1-17 Led by the Spirit of Life R omans 7:4 was a significant bit of God-shaped news in our understanding of what our Savior is doing to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations (1:5). Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. In Romans 6, Paul made clear the fact that if we belong to Christ, our foolish relationship with sin must change. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (6:9-11) Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we who have been justified by faith have peace with God (5:1). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but all can be justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (3:23). Having methodically developed in Romans 1-7 the means of our justification in Jesus, the Spirit of God leads Paul in Romans 8 to new heights as the glory of the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages is now summarized. Consider where we have been led by Paul throughout this letter: Rom 1: Gentiles are guilty. Rom 2: Jews are guilty. Rom 3: None is righteous, not one. Rom 4: Justification depends on faith. Rom 5: Grace can reign through Jesus. Rom 6: How can we who died to sin still live in it? Rom 7: We have been released from the law that we may serve in the way of the Spirit. In your own words, what does Paul mean when he affirms that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ? There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (8:1) 49

50 Why? On what basis? For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. (8:2-3a) Where has the breakdown occurred? The law was not weak in its God-defined purpose; people were weak in that they failed to abide by and fulfill their Creator s expectations. Law is only a source of deliverance to those who flawlessly obey it. Once violated, law provides no way of escape. Quite to the contrary, it demands accountability and punishment. But God has intervened. He had promised, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Heb 8:8) One of the hallmarks of this new covenant would be: For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. (Heb 8:12) In what way was the law weakened by the flesh? How would you summarize some of the most significant differences between the old covenant and the new covenant? Meditate on this further explanation: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Heb 10:1-4) Why was it impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins? Sin has been committed and the law demands justice, but God has done what the law could not do. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:13-14) 50

51 By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom 8:3b-4) This brings Paul back to us. In light of what God has done, what should we do now? What must we do now? Throughout his letters, Paul describes the Christian life as a walk. It is a walk with behavioral boundaries. It is a walk that is Father-defined, Christ-centered, Spirit-led, gospel-empowered, faith-fueled, and glory-focused (2 Cor 5:7; 10:2-3; Gal 5:16; Eph 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15; Phil 3:17-18; Col 1:10; 2:6; 3:7; 4:5; 1 Thes 2:12; 4:1, 12; 2 Thes 3:6, 11). For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Rom 8:5-8) In what way was sin condemned in the flesh by the sending of God s own Son? What was the righteous requirement of the law that was fulfilled in Jesus? FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: Whose lead will I choose to follow? Those who walk according to the flesh Those who walk according to the Spirit Have their minds set on the things of the flesh Have their minds set on the things of the Spirit Such a mind is hostile to God because it does not submit Such a mind is pleasing to God because it submits This is DEATH This is LIFE and PEACE For the Christian, this issue should already be settled. 51

52 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Rom 8:9-13) Paul has already explained how this Spirit-led execution takes place. If in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you if Christ is in you What does this mean? Perhaps Ephesians 3:14-19 will be helpful. In your own words, what does it mean to walk by the Spirit? How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (6:2b-3) In his letter to the Galatians (5:16-23), Paul very specifically describes the works of the flesh, the fruit of the Spirit, and the mindset demanded of the Christian. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal 5:24-25) This is not an easy walk. Will it be worth it? For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom 8:14-17) You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! Practically speaking, what does this mean? How should it shape our understanding of our new identity in Jesus? CLOSING THOUGHT: If there is any further doubt as to whether walking by the Spirit now will be ultimately worth it or not, Paul will seek to remove all lingering doubt in Romans 8:

53 LESSON 14 Romans 8:18-39 The Glory That Is To Be Revealed To Us A s Christians, we are being called to walk a difficult walk. It is a walk that is Father-defined, Christ-centered, Spirit led, gospel-empowered, faith-fueled, and glory-focused. It will lead us, at times, down pathways of suffering. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom 8:16-17) Will it be worth it? The Spirit s answer throughout the rest of Romans 8 represents some of the most encouraging God-breathed words in all of Scripture. How would you describe the sufferings of this present time? When you think of suffering, what comes to mind? For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (8:18) Life in this sin-darkened world will involve suffering. Since Genesis 3 when sin came into the world, suffering of a terrible variety has been a reality. But Paul encourages Christians to trust God enough to compare the present reality with the future glory that is going to be revealed. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Why is it frequently worthwhile to compare what we presently have with what we could have in the future? What we presently are with what we will be? 53

54 This present, transient time is a time of groaning. CREATION is groaning. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (8:19-22) CHILDREN OF GOD are groaning. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (8:23-25) Why is creation presently groaning? How does humanity experience creation s groaning? Why are the children of God groaning? To what are the children of God looking forward? THE SPIRIT OF GOD is groaning. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (8:26-27) Mention of the will of God naturally leads Paul to express and encourage great confidence in the sovereign providence of God. What difference should it make in the lives of children of God to know that the Spirit of God is also groaning? And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For (8:28-29a) For serves as a connective link between the confidence expressed in Romans 8:28 and the reasons that undergird the confidence Paul is encouraging in the lives of his fellow believers. Why should we be confident? What should we make of Romans 8:28? 54

55 those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (8:29b-30) Think carefully through what is being revealed about God in these verses. Based on Romans 8, as well as your understanding of the larger New Testament revelation, how would you encapsulate the meaning of these phrases? Ephesians 1:3-23 might be an additional help. God foreknew God predestined those whom he foreknew to be conformed to the image of his Son The aim of the Father s plan is that his Son might be the firstborn among many brothers Those whom the Father predestined he also called Those whom the Father called he also justified Those whom the Father justified he also glorified In the midst of a sin-darkened world, the Spirit of God is providing anchor points that we desperately need in order to maintain God-shaped perspective. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that our sovereign God has promised to reveal. What then shall we say to these things? 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 with him graciously give us all things? (8:31-32) 55

56 Take the time to appreciate the give-and-take in Romans 8: Who are God s elect? Who shall bring any charge against God s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, In what way is Jesus interceding for us? Hebrews 7:23-25 and 1 John 2:1 might prove to be helpful. For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Remember how Paul introduced himself in Romans 1:1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle As a recipient and messenger of divine revelation (1 Cor 2:10-16; 14:37; Gal 1:11-12; Eph 3:1-5; 1 Thes 2:13; 4:8, 15) Paul is able and willing to now say: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (8:38-39) CLOSING THOUGHT: Our heavenly Father does not in any way minimize or sugarcoat the reality of suffering in this present time. Our post-genesis 3 world is a world of immeasurable heartache. Christians will suffer right along with the rest of humanity. But Satan will not have the last word. Suffering will not define eternity for those whom God has justified. The glory that will be revealed to us is beyond all human comparison or imagination. How could Paul possibly affirm that we are more than conquerors in the midst of such terrible suffering? What might we be forced into separation from in this life? At the same time, why does not being separated from the love of God in Christ make all the difference? 56

57 LESSON 15 Romans 9:1-33 Is There Injustice on God s Part? In Acts 9, Luke tells the story of Saul s conversion. Before the end of the chapter, certain Jews were plotting to kill Saul (9:23). In Acts 14, Jews from Antioch and Iconium stoned Paul, drug him out of the city of Lystra, supposing that he was dead (14:19). In Acts 17, Jews who were jealous of Paul took some wicked men of the rabble, formed a mob, and set the city of Thessalonica in an uproar (17:5). Paul knew all too well what it was to be at odds with his fellow descendants of Abraham. And yet, Paul would not shrink back from or stop proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Eph 3:1-6) How would you summarize the feeling of many unbelieving Jews towards Paul? Why did they feel the way that they did? Why do you think Paul says what he says in Romans 9:1-3? In Romans 9-11, Paul specifically focuses in on what the revelation of this mystery now means for Israel. I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off 57

58 from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. (9:1-3) How would you summarize what Paul is saying about his kinsmen in Romans 9:4-5? What do these phrases mean? They are Israelites Overall, what is Paul communicating with this rehearsal of Israel s history and blessings in Romans 9:4-5? To them belong the adoption To them belong the glory To them belong the covenants To them belong the giving of the law How did these great blessings ultimately lead Israel to the point of being without excuse? To them belong the worship To them belong the promises To them belong the patriarchs From their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ Where, then, is the breakdown? Don t miss how Paul describes Jesus in Romans 9:5 the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. What does this mean? But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. (9:6-7) 58

59 Remember what Paul has already established in Romans 2: For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. The selection of Isaac as the branch of Abraham s family tree through whom great blessings would flow was God s choice, not Abraham s or Sarah s. Just because a Jew could trace his physical heritage directly to Abraham did not automatically align him or her with the promises of God. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that God s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls she was told, The older will serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. (9:8-13) God had the right to choose Isaac over Ishmael as the family line through whom the Messiah would come. God had the right to choose Jacob over Esau not on the basis of works or law-keeping the children had not yet even been born! The basis was God s choice, plain and simple. And in the same way, God has the right to include Gentiles right along with Jews in his church. Even though Abraham already had Ishmael as a son, in Genesis 21:12 God said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. What is Paul s point in bringing up this example? In your own words, what is the difference between being merely children of the flesh in contrast to being children of the promise? Before Esau and Jacob were even born, God said in Genesis 25:23, The older will serve the younger. What is Paul s point in bring up this example? 59

60 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (9:14-18) Romans 9:13 contains a quotation from Malachi 1:2-3. Why is it important to recognize that God is referencing Jacob and Esau as representative of the nations of Israel and Edom, not simply two individuals? The question is, who is willing to yield to God? Who is willing to be shaped by God? Whether Jew or Gentile, who is willing to respond with the obedience of faith? You will say to me then, Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will? But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, Why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (9:19-24) Think about just how longsuffering God had been with the Jewish people. Why? First, that they might repent (Rom 2:4). Second, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy. A spectacular mystery was finally being unveiled the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Physical descendants of Abraham can most certainly also be a part of the same body, if they are willing to submit to God on God s terms. Throughout Exodus we read of the hardened heart of Pharaoh (7:3; 8:15; 9:34-35). What is Paul s point in bringing up this example? How would you summarize what is being communicated in Romans 9:19-24? As indeed he says in Hosea, Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call beloved. 60

61 And in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay. And as Isaiah predicted, If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah. (9:25-29) Even though an entire nation of men and women had descended from Abraham, only a remnant of them would be saved. Why? Because no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly (2:28). Not all who have been circumcised are willing to walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised (4:12). Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel (9:6). What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. (9:30-33) CLOSING THOUGHT: Jesus Christ is the chosen and precious cornerstone of God s entire plan for mankind s redemption. Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame (1 Pet 2:6). To trust in our family heritage, physical circumcision, the record of our own works, or anything else is to turn our backs on our only hope. There is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:11-12). Pay careful attention to Paul s summary statement beginning in Romans 9:30. What does this mean? Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works In what way is Jesus and the gospel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense? 61

62 LESSON 16 Romans 10:1-21 No Distinction Between Jew and Greek It s helpful to remember that Paul didn t include chapter breaks in his letters. While we depend on chapters and verses for ease of reference, they can sometimes be a slight interruption. Romans 10 is a continuation of the same thought Paul was developing throughout Romans 9. He begins with a reaffirmation of his feelings for his fellow Jews. Brothers, my heart s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (10:1-2) What does it mean to have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge? Can we make the same mistake today? If so, how? Take a moment to revisit Romans 9:4-5. How could the zeal of so many of Paul s kinsmen according to the flesh not be in accordance with knowledge? For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God s righteousness. (10:3) Remember the pivotal point Paul made in Romans 3: For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. How would you rephrase the tragic diagnosis of Romans 10:3? Why is it critical that we all submit to God s righteousness? 62

63 So many physical descendants of Abraham had stumbled, were stumbling, and continue to stumble over the chosen and precious cornerstone of God s entire plan for mankind s redemption Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:6). So many have failed to grasp the weight of the logical questions Paul asked of all Jews in Romans 3: In what way is Christ the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes? Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. This is the point to which Paul has returned in Romans 10. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or Who will descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (10:4-13) Everyone. Jew and Gentile. Male and female. Rich and poor. Free and slave. Everyone. On the same basis the obedience of faith in Christ (Rom 1:5; 3:21-22; 16:25-27). What was God communicating through Moses in Leviticus 18:5? What does Galatians 3:10 have to add to the discussion? What is Paul doing in quoting Deuteronomy 30:12-14? By quoting Isaiah 28:16, what does Paul want all Jews everywhere to recognize? Clearly, it was and is absolutely critical that this good news continues to spread. 63

64 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (10:14-15) Paul reminds his Jewish brethren of what had been prophesied in Joel 2:32. Why was this a truth from which Paul would never back down? This is why Paul simply will not stop, regardless of the obstacles, hardships, and persecutions. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for What sad reality is Paul bringing his Jewish brethren face-to-face with in Romans 10:16-21? Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry. Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. Why was it necessary that the word of God be spoken first to the Jews? But of Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. (10:16-21) CLOSING THOUGHT: In Acts 13:46, Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly to unbelieving Jews, saying, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. So many physical descendants of Abraham rejected their Messiah. They rejected God s plan by seeking to establish their own righteousness. When clearly warned about the consequences of their rejections, they refused to listen to God s messengers. May we not make the same mistake. Was it too late altogether for all Jews to respond to the gospel? If not, what did they need to grasp in order to be reconciled to God on God s terms? 64

65 LESSON 17 Romans 11:1-36 Lest You Be Wise in Your Own Sight R omans 11 is a conclusive chapter of Paul s letter on two fronts. It is the last of three chapters wherein Paul specifically focuses in on what the revelation of the gospel now means for Israel. It is also the conclusion of eleven chapters worth of deep, rich, doctrinal material. Beginning in Romans 12 and continuing throughout the rest of the letter, Paul will provide a great deal of practical insight into how the gospel shapes everyday life. But first, the God-breathed concluding thoughts of Romans 11. I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God s reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (11:1-6) Hasn t that been one of Paul s most foundational points since Romans 3:20? It is a lesson that the descendants of Abraham must grasp, apply, and build their lives upon if they are to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. If they continue to refuse and insist on their own way What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, What is Paul s point in reminding his readers of Elijah s words of despair and the LORD s response in 1 Kings 19:9-18? There is a remnant, chosen by grace. Who was this remnant and in what way were they chosen by grace? What had Israel been seeking and why had they failed to obtain it? 65

66 God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day. And David says, On the other hand, who are the elect and what had they obtained? How had they obtained it? Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever. So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! (11:7-12) Why quote Elijah, Isaiah, Moses, and David? What is Paul doing? As a means of summarizing Paul s entire diagnosis of the stumbling of so many Jews, remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 13: This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. Why does Paul bring up the possibility and potential of Israel becoming jealous? In what way could their jealousy develop into a good thing? But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 66

67 The terms of the gospel have been made known. The glory of the mystery has been revealed. Who will show that they have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that are willing to turn? Having clearly shown where the Jews stand in relation to reconciliation with God, Paul shifts his focus to summarize where the Gentiles stand. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (11:13-24) It is not too late for the Gentile or the Jew! Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We can be justified in the sight of our Creator. But the pathway has been defined by the God had commanded in the law, Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution (Num 15:17-21). Why bring up dough and the root in this context? In what way were the Gentiles comparable to a wild olive shoot? How might the Gentiles grow to be arrogant toward the Jews? Is this still a potential pitfall? If so, in what way? Why must we always remain sensitive to the kindness and the severity of God? 67

68 Creator, and if we are reconciled to him, we will have been reconciled on his terms, by his grace. Jews and Gentiles must recognize the folly of unmerited boasting. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, How would quoting Isaiah 59:20-21 help Gentiles guard against being wise in their own sight? The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob ; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. (11:25-32) How would you summarize the Godbreathed words in Romans 11:28-32? The true Israel those who are Jews inwardly receive praise, not from man, but from God (Rom 2:28-29). This is the point Paul has been developing all along. CLOSING THOUGHT: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! How is Romans 11:33-36 a very fitting summary to the first 11 chapters of this masterful letter? For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (11:33-36) 68

69 LESSON 18 Romans 12:1-2 I Appeal to You Therefore, Brothers W ith the beginning of Romans 12, we have reached the turning point in Paul s letter to the Romans. Take a moment to look back and reflect on the massive doctrinal foundation that has been laid by the Spirit of God. Romans 1: Gentiles are guilty before God Romans 2: Jews are guilty before God Romans 3: None is righteous, no, not one Romans 4: Justification depends on faith Romans 5: Grace can reign through Jesus Romans 6: How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 7: We are released from the law that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit Romans 8: If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 9: Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring Romans 10: Israel has a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge; as a result, they are not submitting to God s righteousness Romans 11: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! One of the key words in Romans 12:1 is therefore. It serves as a connective link between the doctrinal foundation of Romans 1-11 and the practical application called for of living sacrifices in Romans I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:1-2) Why does it make sense that Paul would methodically lay a solid foundation of teaching before making this appeal to his brothers and sisters in Christ? Romans Present your bodies as a living sacrifice Romans 1-11 The depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God 69