Romans – Week 2 – Leadership Guide
Overall Thought for Week 2 – All humans need to be saved by grace.
(Romans 1: 28-32 KJV)
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(This is because everyone – no exception – has a sin problem. Sin is trusting and acting on our own opinions or feelings rather than trusting and acting on God’s truth. The result is a distorted humanity.)
(Romans 2:1 KJV)
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
(Romans 2:12 KJV)
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(Brokenness is not just a Gentile (non-Jewish) thing, Paul tells the church that Jews, too, are affected by sin.)
(Romans 3:21-24 KJV)
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
(So what’s the solution? Paul says Salvation is a faith thing, not an Old Testament law thing. Trusting in Jesus Christ – and in his work on the cross to justify us and make us right with God – is the only thing that can solve our sin problem. And this is true for both Gentiles and Jews.)
(Romans 4:16-17 KJV)
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
(God’s goal was not to make everyone Jewish and obey Jewish practices. His plan all along was bigger than that. He wanted to make a family out of all nations who would be saved by Jesus. This idea was scandalous at the time, so Paul had to demonstrate it’s truth from the Torah itself, and especially from the story of Abraham.)
Get into groups for discussion:
Group Discussion Questions:
- What are your initial thoughts on this topic? What jumped out at you?
- I mentioned earlier that trusting in yourself rather than faith in Christ is not only a sin, but will lead you down a path of distorted humanity.- and man that hit home like as I look around at our society and see all these people walking around like zombies almost as if their in an augmented reality
- When did you first realize the sin was a problem in your life?
- I was raised Catholic and forced to attend Confession every Saturday. If you don’t know what Catholic confession is…. So early on I had to become self aware of my sins and verbally exchange them with someone else. Mind you as a kid, these were thought of as “lesser sins” (cussing, disobeying mom and dad, being rowdy at school) but realistically look, these “minor offenses” are listed in the same paragraph as murder, wickedness, and fornication.
- Read Romans 1:28-32. Is there anything on the “sin list” in this passage that surprises you? Explain.
- “Without Natural Affection” the greek word for this is “Stergio” which is just another way to say “Love” but refers to the love you have for other members of the same family. I can tolerate my extended family, but if I’m being honest, I avoid a number of them because I simply have lost a tolerance for their behavior. But in doing so, I probably have tarnished that “Stergio”.
- So let me ask you this: Much like the story of the Prodigal son, if I return home to my family, and they no longer accept me, who’s guilty of denying natural love?
- Paul indicates that even the Gentiles or “Non-Jews” are aware of a holy standard. What are some ways that even those who deny God demonstrate an awareness of Him?
- While not believing in God, many acknowledge a “higher power” or “natural energy”
- Not everyone who denies God is clueless to His existence. Titus 1:16 talks about false teachers, fully aware of Him but denying Him through their actions.
- Proverbs 30:12 – There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
- 1 John 2:4 – If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- Paul is clear that salvation comes from faith and not works, but that God’s commandments are still relevant. How does justification by faith hold up the law?
- What is moral law? The ten commandments
- Justification of faith – proving your faith is right or correct
- We are able uphold the moral law simply because we have pursued faith first, and believe that we are justified in faith not because of good works or anything we’ve done. But because of what Jesus did on the cross for us, we must first admit that we are all already justified. So if you’re already justified, then you must get right with God- which then allows us to operate within that freedom of love and acceptance- so that we begin to love the very things the moral law requires- not as good works, but as fruit of the spirit.
- Moral law used to be the standard God had for his people, but now, because we are saved by faith it becomes a moral barometer for which we set for ourselves as christians.
**Please read Romans 5:1 – 7:25 for next week.**
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