Romans Bible Study

LESSON 1 - Gospel Power

OPEN

When and how did you first come in contact with the power of the gospel?

STUDY - Romans 1:1-7

Romans Romans 1:1–7: The Gospel of God in Christ through Paul

Big Idea Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, was divinely chosen to preach the gospel of God in Christ, the end-time fulfillment of the twofold Old Testament promise of the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the Gentiles.

What information about the gospel do you find in these verses?

*V1 - Gospel belongs to God (“gospel of God”)

*V2 - Gospel was promised beforehand

*V2 - Gospel proclaimed through the prophets

*V2 - Gospel message is “his Son”

Who is…descended from David according to the flesh (Gal. 4:4)

Galatians 4:4 ESV

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Who is…declared to be the Son of God (according to the Spirit of holiness) in His resurrection from the dead.

Who is...our Lord

Who gave us…Grace & Apostleship (V5)

Which produced…”obedience of faith”

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) Chapter 1

1:5 obedience of faith. Indicating both the obedience that is the necessary fruit of faith and the fact that faith implies obedient submission to the call of God (16:26).

Obedience worships…the name of God.

Obedience witnesses...among all the nations who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

Paul says in verse 6 that through the gospel we are “called to belong.” How have you experienced that sense of belonging?

Paul states that he is praying for them, so “called to belong” could represent a prayerful relationship, in which christians pray for one another. When I am asked how someone can pray for me, or I ask for prayer.

Fellowship

In verse 5 Paul speaks of “obedience that comes from faith.” How are obedience and faith naturally connected?

Obedience to the Lord is the goal of a Christian for the sake of glorifying God on earth. It is interesting how there are different types of obedience of faith… ”obedience that COMES from faith” is sort of 3-dimensional…1. Obedience is faith…2. Faith is Obedience…Faith which leads to obedience…

Review verses 1-3. What do you learn about Paul? About Romans?

Paul: Servent, Apostle, Set Apart

Romans (assuming reference to the entire book): Jesus is central whenever “Gospel” is mentioned, especially His identity.

STUDY - Romans 1:8-17

Romans Romans 1:8–15: The Obedience of Faith of the Gentiles

Big Idea Paul expands upon his conviction that God called him to bring about the end-time conversion of the Gentiles—that is, the obedience of faith of the nations. Moreover, Paul also hints that God will reverse the order of the twofold Old Testament promise of the future restoration of Israel and the conversion of the Gentiles.

Romans Romans 1:16–17: The Gospel of Deliverance

Big Idea The gospel of Jesus Christ is the final stage of salvation history, the ultimate fulfillment of the twofold Old Testament promise of the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the Gentiles.

In what different ways does Paul express his affection for the Romans?

Thankful for them because their faith is observed and proclaimed.

Prayerful for them

Longs to see them

Eager to preach the gospel to them

What do these verses reveal about Paul’s relationship with God?

His thankfulness is to God

God is the master of his heart (God is my witness…)

Paul is a servant to the Lord

Paul is not ashamed of Jesus Christ

Paul knows about the reciprocal blessings of Christian fellowship, and although he is an apostle, he is not too proud to acknowledge his need for it. In verse 12 Paul says that he hopes that he and the Romans will be “mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Why is mutual encouragement valuable to Christians?

How are Christians mutually encouraged by each other’s faith?

>Spiritual Gifts (v11 stated before v12) - So how can our spiritual gifts encourage one another?

Focus on Paul’s declaration in verses 16-17. What do these verses reveal about the power of the gospel?

All who believe are saved, regardless of Jew or Greek - everyone who believes!

English Standard Version Chapter 2

4  “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

but the righteous shall live by his faith.

This passage uses important words like gospel, salvation, righteousness, and faith. How are these terms related to each other?

Central theme is Jesus Christ…and all are contingent upon believing in Him.

This section of Paul’s letter ends with the famous phrase, “The righteous will live by faith.” In practical terms, what does this mean?

Refers to “imputed righteousness”

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) Chapter 1

It refers to the righteousness of Christ that is reckoned, accounted, or imputed to the one who believes. This imputation of righteousness to sinners who believe is fully consistent with the personal righteousness of God (cf. 3:25, 26). As a just and righteous judge (2:5–16), God on the merit of the obedience and death of His Son alone justifies, or declares righteous, sinners through true faith in Christ and not through anything that they have done, are doing, or will do (3:21–26; 5:10). Luther’s reading of this verse had a decisive impact on his understanding of justification.

DISCUSSION: Are we ashamed of the Gospel?

CR James Stewart of Edinburgh (in a sermon on this text, make the perceptive comment) - “there’s no sense in declaring that you’re not ashamed of something unless you’ve been tempted to feel ashamed of it.”

Paul knew this temptation...how then did Paul (and us today) overcome the temptation to be ashamed of the gospel?

Paul reveals the answer: It is remembering that the very same message (which some despise for its weakness) is in fact the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

How do we know this? In the long run, only because we have experienced its saving power in our own lives.

God reconciled us to himself through Christ

Forgiven our sins

Made us his children

Put his Spirit within us

Begun to transform us

Introduced us into his new community

How then can we possibly be ashamed of the gospel?!

APPLY

What power have you seen the gospel exercise in your life? What power would you like it to have?

Rescue Mission has revealed the power of the gospel.

Feedback from messages I have preached

Unity in the church and ministry at Youngstown Metro (Preach and watch, repeat)

Paul says in verses 15-16, “I am so eager to preach…I am not ashamed of the gospel.” What can you do that expresses a similar enthusiasm for Christ?

Begin the day in prayer and in the word of God.

Discipline

PRAY

In Verse 8 Paul says, “I thank God through Jesus Christ for all of you.” Who can you thank God for and why? Take time to do that.

LESSON 2 - Downward Spiral

OPEN

What comes to your mind when you think of “the wrath of God?”

10,000 Sermon Illustrations He Must Punish Sin

He Must Punish Sin

Biblically, it is the divine judgment upon sin and sinners. It does not merely mean that it is a casual response by God to ungodliness, but carries the meaning of hatred, revulsion, and indignation. God is by nature love (1 John 4:16), however, in His justice He must punish sin. The punishment is called the wrath of God. It will occur on the final Day of Judgment when those who are unsaved will incur the wrath of God. It is, though, presently being released upon the ungodly (Rom. 1:18–32) in the hardening of their hearts.

Wrath is described as God’s anger (Num. 32:10–13), as stored up (Rom. 2:5–8), and as great (Zech. 7:12). The believer’s deliverance from God’s wrath is through the atonement (Rom. 5:8–10). “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9).

Romans The Text in Context

Romans 1:19–32 divides into two parts: verses 19–21 are a general statement of Gentile disobedience of God’s natural law (but also with Jews and the Torah in mind); verses 22–32 are a detailed analysis of Gentile disobedience to God (but also concerning Jewish disregard for the Torah). This last section further divides into three subsections (vv. 22–24, 25–27, 28–32), each centering on the ominous phrase “God handed them over.”

STUDY - Romans 1:18-23

Romans Romans 1:18–32: The Story of Israel and the Story of Gentiles

Big Idea There is plenty of condemnation to go around for Jews as well as Gentiles. In this passage the story of Israel is reflected in the story of Gentiles—sin and judgment for both. But this bad news is designed to drive both to the gospel, the ultimate restoration of the Jews and conversion of the Gentiles.

Verse 18 begins, “The wrath of God is being revealed.” Why, according to verses 18-23?

Ungodliness

Unrighteousness (suppresses the truth)

They don’t acknowledge God in created matter

Manmade wisdom and false worship

Verse 20 says that these people are “without excuse.” Why, according to verses 18-20?

God’s invisible attributes (his eternal power and divine nature) have been clearly displayed in the things that have been made (V20) - It was plain to them, and God revealed it to them (natural revelation) - V19

Mentally review some of your own experiences with God’s creation. What do these reveal to you about God?

God’s patience and longsuffering…in how natural creation usually is a process…I think of massive trees…God chose to include a “process” of growth and not an instantaneous “microwave process” - I think that shines in the life of believers in sanctification…it is about progress.

Verse 21 says that the people described here “knew God.” What is dangerous about knowing about God but not acting on that knowledge (v. 21-23)?

Not giving honor to God or giving thanks to Him - is futile thinking and reveals dark hearts. Worship was in creation rather than creator.

What do you think would happen to a person whose heart is “darkened” as verse 21 describes?

They are not saved, their destination is also darkness (death) and hell.

STUDY - Romans 1:24-32

Romans The Text in Context

As Jews read about the sin and judgment of Gentiles as spelled out in these paragraphs, they would have heard echoes of their own story of sin and judgment/exile.

Three times in this passage Paul repeats the phrase “God gave them over.” What did God give them over to?

Romans Interpretive Insights

1:21–24 God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts. Three times in 1:22–32 Paul says that God gave the Gentiles over/up to judgment. In 1:21–24 there is an implied connection between idolatry and immorality. The bottom line for Paul is that God’s wrath upon those who reject him as the Creator often takes the form of letting people suffer the consequences of getting what they want. To put it another way, we become like that which we worship.

1 - To impurity, to dishonoring of their bodies (which exposed the lusts of their hearts of impurity) - regarding worshipping creature rather than Creator. (specific)

2 - To dishonorable passions - homosexuality (specific)

3 - To a debased mind of disobedience (general) - Filled with unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. Gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

What is your mental picture of each of these three downward spirals?

Utter confusion and selfishness

Verse 29-30 include sins like envy and murder, arrogance and God-hating, faithlessness and ruthlessness. What does the variety in this list suggest about the nature of sin?

Sin is self-seeking...

What makes you uneasy about verses 18-32?

Where do I fit in this? I guilty of many of these things over the course of my life...

In verses 24, 26 and 28 God gave the people what they wanted. Why are these kinds of temptations dangerous?

They pull upon man’s desire to seek their own glory or do things their own way.

Verse 32 says that these people deserve spiritual death. Why?

Because they are without excuse...”They know God’s righteous decree”…all who do this know the penalty, and they not only do them, but they approve the practice of such things.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

APPLY

What sins in this downward spiral do you personally need to work on resisting?

LIST OF SINS - Filled up (external) / Full of (internal) / They are (their being)

Impurity

Dishonoring their bodies

Worshipping Creature rather than Creator

Dishonorable passions

Lesbianism

Sexual Perversion

Homosexuality

Debased Mind (morally disqualified)

Filled with Unrighteousness (failure to adhere to moral principles, commands, or laws)

Filled with Evil (perverting of moral principles from their purposes to evil ends)

Filled with Covetousness (excessive desire of acquiring more and more wealth; greed; grudgingly granted)

Filled with Malice (same sense in the word as “evil” - perverting principles…)

Full of Envy (Jealousy, spite, resentment toward the success or possessions of others.)

Full of Murder (unlawful killing of human being by another human being)

Full of Strife (bitter conflict, heated, violent dissension); discord

Full of Deceit (deception; trick into; treachery - shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception)

Full of Maliciousness (a character trait that feels a need to see others suffer; evil disposition)

They are Gossips (whisperer; characterized by whispers and hushed tones)

They are slanderers (one who attacks the reputation of another by slander, one who insults)

They are haters of God (intense dislike and antipathy toward God)

They are Insolent (offensive disrespectful acts or statements that are outrageously forward or bold; violent)

They are haughty (described by feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride)

They are Boastful (person who is self exalting, self-absorbed in superiority; achievements are of their own doing)

They are Inventors of Evil (someone who creates new means of evil behavior or harm.

They are disobedient to parents (someone who does not obey authority)

They are foolish (lacking ability to understand the meaning or importance of something.

They are faithless (someone not bound by a covenant; not abiding by agreements or keeping a promise)

They are heartless (lacking affection for others [natural affection between family members]; hardhearted)

They are ruthless (showing no mercy, unmerciful)

What do you know about God that would help keep you out of this downward spiral?

I know that God convicts when temptation comes, and that His grace covers me in times of disobedience. The Gospel is about that forgiveness. Apart from Him I am wretched.

PRAY

Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:13 - “No temptation has seized you except that is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”

Talk to God about what tempts you to sin-- and your own lapses toward the downward spiral of Romans 1. Ask God’s forgiveness. Invite his strength to help you overcome future temptation in the same area “so that you can stand up under it.”