Romans 12 

12:1-2

1: Followers of Christ are to be living sacrifices. Putting away our selfish desires and honoring God with our lives. We do this not because we are forced to, but in response to the grace that God has shown us.

2: Believers lives should not look like those of the world, but should be transformed by Christ. This happens when we focus our mind on Jesus and how he called us to live.

Question: What are or were bad habits or lifestyle choices you have seen changed in your walk with Jesus? What are some things you currently struggle with and need to seek the Lord on to help you through?

12:3-8 

3: If someone could think highly of themselves, it would be the apostle Paul. Yet he shows us that we are to be humble and to be faithful where God has placed us.

4-8: Everyone has different gifts and abilities. Working together, we can build each other up. The Christian life is not an individual pursuit. To view it as such is to arrogantly think we can follow Jesus all on our own without community, accountability, encouragement, etc.

Question: It is by God’s grace that he saved us and that he gave us our gifts and strengths. Be honest; what some of your gifts? How can you use them for God’s Kingdom?

12:9-18

This whole section shows the attitude and actions of the Christian life.

9-13: Let love be genuine. Genuine love for others is what makes the things on this list possible. Our actions show what we truly value and doing these things show that our love for others is genuine.

14-16: It takes true humility and love to bless those who persecute you. Anyone can retaliate but it takes a heart and mind focused on Christ to bless our enemies, live in harmony with others, associate with those in need, etc.

17-18: Again, this is a mark of a follower of Christ. Being able to love and forgive those who have wronged you (just as Christ has done for us!).

19:21: Vengeance is the Lord’s, not ours. It is also good to remember that we have also wronged others and God, yet he has forgiven those that trust in him. Overcome evil with good.

Question: This section does not mean that there are not times when appropriate measures need to be taken for people to commit wrong or evil acts. However, in our day-to-day lives, we are to love and forgive others. Anyone can love people that love and treat them with respect, but believers are called to love even those that do not, this is a mark the Christian life! Of the things Paul listed in this section, which ones do you do well in? Which ones do you need to work in?

Romans 11

11:1-10

1-2a: Though many in Israel have rejected the Gospel message, God has not in turn rejected his people. Paul uses himself as an example of this.

2b-5: The prophet Elijah grew so weary at one point (1 Kings 19) that he believes he is the only prophet left. But God told him that he still had 7,000 left, a remnant chosen by grace.

6: God saves us by grace and not on the basis of our works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7-10: Those who rejected God had their hearts hardened.

11:11-24

11-12: Through the trespass of Israel salvation has come to the Gentiles, making Israel jealous. But God has not turned his back on Israel, and it is through Israel’s sin that God brought salvation to the Gentiles. Therefore, how much more greater will it be when Israel also turns to Christ.

13-15: Speaking to Gentiles here, Paul again hopes to make his fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection of Christ means the reconciliation of the world (that God is saving both Jews and Gentiles), the Jew’s acceptance of him will bring life from the dead.[1]

16: Paul is saying that if the firstfruits of the dough is holy, or the root of a plant is holy, the rest of the dough or branches of the plant will be holy (he is speaking here of the Jews). This does not mean that all of the will be saved, but it does encourage the belief that many Jews will come to Christ.

17-21: The Gentiles are to remember that even though they have been grafted in, they are not to be arrogant towards the Jews, for it is not you who support the root, but the root who supports you. In other words, God by his grace has saved them (us), and we should be humbled by this reality. So do not become proud, but fear. This means that the Jews that have been “broken off” have done so by their unbelief and unfaithfulness. This is a call to the Gentiles to remain faithful. For if God did not spare the natural branches (the Jews who rejected Christ) neither will he spare you.

22-25: We see here that God is gracious and forgiving to those who turn to him, both towards the Jews and the Gentiles.

Question: Paul gives a pretty clear warning that everyone (even the Jews) is “cut off” from God apart from a relationship with Christ. We also see that God is gracious and forgiving to anyone that turns to him. How does this section encourage you to seek Jesus, and give you a reverent fear of what it means to reject Him?

11:25-36

25-27: This most likely is again referring to the end times, where a large number of Jewish people will come to faith.

30-31: God gave the gift of salvation to the Gentiles when it was unexpected, since you were at one time disobedient to God. In the same way, though many Jews at this time (and still today) too have now been disobedient, God’s mercy will still be displayed when Israel begins to turn back to him.

36: As the creator and sustainer of everything, God alone deserves glory forever.

Question: A theme throughout Romans 11 is the grace and mercy of God. At any time whenever someone would turn to him, God will always forgive and welcome them back to himself. No matter what they have done or where they have been, no one is beyond God’s grace and mercy. When you think about the people in your life who seem as if they would never come to faith, does this chapter encourage you at all? If God can save anyone, is there anyone who you have “given up” on that you shouldn’t?

Romans 10

9:30-10:4

9:30-33: It is by faith that we are saved. Israel (the Jews) did not pursue the law by faith, but as if it (their righteousness) were based on works. The Jews tried to make the pursuit of the law a means of attaining their own righteousness, and in doing so see no need for Jesus.

10:1-2: Paul’s prayer is that they may be saved. Even though they have a zeal for God, zeal is not what saves people; Jesus is. Christ is the only way to salvation, not one of many ways no matter how devout one may be in doing good works, following another religion, etc.

10:3-4: Our righteousness is from Christ alone, not on anything we do. Therefore the Jews seeking to establish their own (righteousness), they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Righteousness is found only in Christ to everyone who believes.

Question: Even as believers in Jesus, we are still prone to think we have to earn our righteousness and have faith in Christ. While our lives should reflect our faith, our actions do not earn us anything. What are some of the things you feel you have to do (or avoid) in order for God to still accept you?

10:5-13

5: Righteousness is attainable through the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. However, no one is able to perfectly keep the law, so our righteousness cannot come from the law.

9-10: Here we see what it “takes” to be a true Christian. We believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. From this point forward, our lives (often slowly) should begin to reflect this belief. However, it is only because of what Christ has done, and not anything we do, that saves us.

11-13: There is no distinction or hierarchy among believers, for God gladly bestows his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Question: In our culture today, we think that God owes us blessings, salvation, etc., unless we do something really “bad” to disqualify ourselves from these things. Therefore, when we see that Gospel is exclusive in that Jesus is the only way to salvation for everyone, and that we are inherently sinful and cannot save ourselves, many take offense to this. However the Gospel is inclusive in that God’s grace of salvation is open to any and everyone, and God gives us the free gift of salvation through Christ. How does this change in perspective cause you to be more grateful for what Christ has done, and motivate you to share the Gospel with others?

10:14-21

14-17: How can people believe in one they have never heard about? These set of questions are a sobering reminder of the importance of sharing the gospel. Faith comes from hearing. Without hearing the gospel, people cannot respond to it. As believers, it is not enough to be a “good person,” we must be willing to share with others what we believe.

18-19: Most likely refers to the Jews. The day that the Gentiles would believe has come (v. 19).

20-21: The Gentiles did not seek after God, yet now are experiencing God’s promise of salvation. Many of those from Israel (the Jews) on the other hand, have rejected the gospel message.

Question: What does Paul mean by “faith comes from hearing?” If you are a Christian, this has only happened because you have heard the gospel. How does this section encourage/convict you to share the gospel with others (it is quite wrong to assume, even in America, that most of the people you encounter in life have actually heard the gospel)?

Romans 9

9:1-5

1-3: Paul expresses the deep sorrow he has for his fellow Jews who are not saved. He shares his painful desire to give his salvation to them, though no one but Jesus can take the penalty of God’s wrath for us. Paul is clearly heartbroken for his kinsmen who do not know Christ.

4-5: His fellow Israelites were God’s originally adopted people through which God made covenants with, revealed the law to, and fulfilled promises through. To them belong the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Because of this, the fact that some many Jews were rejecting Christ caused Paul such deep pain.

Question: God has done unbelievably much for Israel throughout their history, and yet they are turning their backs on Christ. Paul is clearly quite devastated by their lack of faith in Christ. Does this convict you to care more for those in your life who do not know Christ? It’s easy to simply not think, or not want to think about it. Who are some people in your life you desire to see come to Christ?

9:6-18

6-8: God never promised that all of Abraham’s children (the Jews) would come to saving faith. It is not merely all those who are children of Abraham, but the ones whom God has chosen that are children of God.

9-13: Recounting the story of Abraham and Sarah and Isaac in Rebekah, Paul is showing that God chose to work through them and their offspring. Not because of works but because of him who calls. God choses to work how he pleases, and our salvation is by his mercy and not our own efforts.

9:14-16: Is God unjust by choosing Jacob over Esau (verse 13), or in our context, when in comes to who will be saved? Since it depends not on human will or exertion but, on God, who has mercy. This means salvation rests on God’s mercy alone, not on anything we do.

9:17-18: Using the story of Pharaoh during Israel’s exodus from Egypt, we see that God is sovereign over all that happens and can use evil for his good.

Question: It is natural to think God is unfair for having mercy on those he choses to have mercy when it is clear not everyone will be saved (because not every trusts in Jesus). And it is unfair (luckily for us) because the reality is that no one deserves to be saved at all. This passage should push us to pray for God’s mercies on those we know who do not follow him. How can you be more intentional about praying for and reaching out to those people you want to see follow Jesus?

9:19-27

19-21: In the end, as finite beings, we are not in much of a place to tell God (an infinite being) what is right and how he should act. This does not mean we cannot have questions, but it shows us that we can either trust in our finite selves, or an infinite God.

22-24: God is patient and enduring with sinners. However, his wrath and power will ultimately be made known. How much more precious will it be for God to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of his mercy when we understand God’s wrath is what we deserve? This shows us the grace and love God has given us in Christ, for God does not owe any of us salvation.

25-29: Only those who trust in Jesus will be saved. To argue that one day God will eventually forgive everyone and that everyone will experience heaven is completely unbiblical. Otherwise Jesus would have ultimately died for nothing. This is why we must urgently pray for and share Jesus with others.

Question: Romans 9 shows us the mercy God us given to us, though it is completely undeserved on our part. To call God unfair for not saving everyone regardless or whether or not they pay him any mind is to incorrectly assume all of us are good and unless we do something we personally deem as awful, deserve to be saved. The Bible shows us that God is perfect and holy and we are not, therefore unless we are perfect, we do not deserve to be saved. If you follow Jesus, God has saved you due to nothing you have done and from the wrath you actually deserve. How does this cause you to be even more thankful for his grace and mercy?

Romans 8

 8:1-8 

1: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus did for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. This is, he made us right with God through his death and resurrection for those that trust in Him.

3-4: God has done what the law…could not do. God through Christ has given us true and eternal life. Because no one is able to fully uphold the law, the law could not save anyone (nor can trying to live a “good” life since we all fall terribly short).

6-7: To set our minds on things of this world will lead us to death. This leads us to pursue the things of this world that will never satisfy (money, power, sex, etc.).

8: No one can please God apart from Christ. The prophet Isaiah calls all of our good or righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). This does not mean unbelievers cannot do good things, but nothing done apart from Christ will ever satisfy God to any degree.

Question: Apart from Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we cannot please God. Why do you think even our good deeds are not looked favorably upon by God when done in our own effort?

8:9-11

The good news is that the Spirit, which is given to all believers, dwells in all Christians. So even though we did nothing to earn it, God gives us life.

Question: Paul paints a dark picture of what it looks like to live apart from the Spirit and contrasts that with what it looks like to live with the Spirit. Why are we so helpless apart from the Spirit? With verses 1-8 also in mind, can we even do anything truly good apart from God?

8:12-17

12-14: If we live according to our sinful desires and the desires of this world we will die. But if we live by the Spirit will experience true life (both now and in the life to come). All who are led by the Spirit are Sons (and daughters) of God.

15-17: God has adopted those who believe in Christ as his children. Again, this is not something we “earn” by being good Christians. We all become God’s adopted children at the moment of conversion, even though we are to grow in our faith. We also become fellow heirs with Christ. Suffering with/for Christ shows we truly desire to follow Him.

Like in a human child-parent relationship, sons and daughters cannot cease to be the son or daughter of their parents based on anything they do. God shows his great love for us by adopting us into his family. So when we fail or fall-short, we can still call him Father. The idea that the God of the universe adopts us as his children is an extraordinary concept. It also shows us that we don’t need to feel as if we need to earn his love.

Question: How does knowing God freely loves and forgives those who are in Christ free you to have a loving relationship with God? Knowing that God loves you today (not some future and “better” version of you), how does that cause you to want to grow closer to him knowing it is not a “requirement” in order to keep your salvation?

8:18-24

18: No matter what kind of difficult situations we may be dealing with in life, none of that will compare to the greatness we will experience in heaven and in the new heaven and new earth God will create.

19-22: God’s original creation was perfect before sin entered the world through Adam. Since that time, creation itself desires for the time when God will restore all things again to perfection.

23-25: Believers as well long for the redemption of all things. While we have experienced God’s saving work in our lives, we still understand that things are not as they should be. But we hope for what we do not see, and wait for it with patience. We must patiently wait until the appointed time for Christ’s return.

Question: We can be encouraged to know that no matter how difficult a circumstance we are in, it will not even come close to comparing to how great God’s renewed creation will be in the future. Knowing that there are some pretty devastating situations that many people have gone through, how does knowing how great a place God is going to make for us encourage us to stick close to him through trials?

8:26-30

26: Even when we do not God’s will in what to pray for, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf.

28: Paul is not saying God works everything for good for those who love him in an earthly since. Clearly there are many who are faithful and suffer what we would deem as deeply unfair circumstances. Instead, good in the sense that it can grow us closer to God (which is why we were created, that is to be in relationship with God).

29-30: These verses show why we can be confident that all things will work out for good. In the end, believers will be justified and glorified (in our future resurrected bodies), all because God chose to save us from the beginning. We receive salvation all because of what Christ has done.

Question: This section shows us that not only are you saved by trusting in Christ and not in our works, but that God also worked in your life in such way that you would eventually come to him. What/who were some of the influencers in your life that brought you to follow Jesus. Do you see how God work in those situations to soften your heart towards him?

8:31-37

31-34: If the God of the universe is for you, no matter what may happen to us, in the end we are in good hands. Jesus did not come to earth to die for nothing, he came so that we may have a relationship with God.

35-39: Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. As God’s adopted children (Romans 8:16-17), nothing we go through will change that. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Question: It can often be hard for us to believe that no matter what we do or go through, God is still with us. No matter what sin or difficult circumstance he is there. In the past, what have been some of the ways you saw God be faithful in your life? What is your reaction to the fact that nothing we can do can separate us from God’s love?

Romans 7 

7:1-6

1-3: The law here is again the Mosaic Law. Paul is speaking to both Jews and Gentile converts to Christianity who are familiar with the Old Testament. The law is enforced as long as a person lives, in this example on the wife whose husband is still alive.

4: The analogy goes that believers are no longer bound to the law since we have died to the law through the body of Christ. Just as death breaks bond between a husband/wife, so our identification with Christ’s death breaks the bond that yoked us to the law.

5-6: We no longer live under the law but under grace due to Christ’s death and resurrection. Through the Spirit we can fight our sinful temptations and desires.

Question: Because of Christ, we are not under the Old Testament law. Because of this our motivation for how we live our lives should be much different then that of obligation to do the right thing. If we don’t “have” to, why should we honor God with our lives?

7:7-12

7-8: Even though we know longer live under the law because of Christ that does not make the law “bad.” For the law revealed what sin was.

10-12: God’s commandments that promised life but that proved to be death did so in this regard; following all God’s commands would give us eternal life, however they lead to death because no one can follow them perfectly. Therefore God’s commands are holy and good.

Question: If God’s commands are good, why then does Christ make it so that we no longer live under the law? Jesus often takes the law and goes a step further (compares lust to adultery, anger to murder, etc.). How does following Jesus cause us to take even the seemingly smallest things seriously?

7:13-25

13-14: Paul explains that the law is not what brought death, but our sin. The law only exposes our sin.

15-17: Sin is powerful force in our lives. We often find ourselves struggling with things we wish we no longer struggled with.

18-20: Paul says that nothing good dwells in me. We are all sinners, more fallen than we could fully comprehend. This is why Jesus says no one is good except God alone (Luke 18:19). We need a savior and the power of the Holy Spirit to fight sin in our lives.

24-25: It is God through Jesus Christ that delivers us from death. The desire for self-improvement is futile on our own strength.

Question: When was a time you tried to fight a sin struggle or in some way “improve” yourself all on your own? What role does community with others play in helping us turn from our sin and follow Jesus?

Romans 6

Romans 5 ends by saying that grace through Jesus abounds all the more than sin.

6:1-4

1-2: Paul is building on chapter 5 and tells us that even though we receive grace through Christ, believers are not to continue living willful lives of sin. How could Christians do so anyway, since their desire should be to live of Christ?

4: Baptism symbolizes for believers the difference between our old lives and new lives in Christ. It shows our desire to leave are old way of living by coming up out of the water raised from the dead into new life.

Question: How is living a life of willful disobedience to God through sin incompatible with the Christian life?

6:5-14

11: Just like Jesus died our sin to forgive all who trust in Him, we also must “die to ourselves” and live lives honoring to Christ. Being dead to sin means that our lives are not ruled by our sin.

Even as Christians we all still sin. However followers of Jesus should live lives desiring to honor God. Not because we think we will earn something (Jesus already gave us the free gift of salvation) but because we genuinely love Him. Therefore believers are not to be driven by selfish and sinful desires, but by loving God.

Question: Why does Paul put such an emphasis on believers living such different lives before/after entering into a Relationship with Christ? How have you experienced this difference play out in your life?

6:15-23

16: It is simply untrue to think that those who believe in God are somehow incapable of living a full and “free” life. In fact we see quite the opposite. Everyone is a “slave” to something. Either we follow God or we follow other addictions, a pursuit of some sort of happiness, sex., etc.

17-20: Believers are able to turn from being slaves of sin and are set free from its deathly grip. Since we were created by God to be in relationship with Him, it is only those who follow Him that are able to experience true joy in life, even amidst difficult circumstances.

19: I am speaking in human terms. Paul is explaining that the analogy to being slaves to righteousness is an imperfect illustration, but shows the importance of believers giving themselves fully to God.

23: Sin leads to death, both physically and spiritually, but the free gift of God is eternal life. True freedom only comes as a people free from sin, not as a slave to it.

Question: Just as even non-believers worship something (or things), no non-believer is truly free. Sin enslaves people more than they realize (look at addictions for example). Why is being a slave of righteousness a good thing and something to be desired? If God created us to be in relationship with Him, nothing in life could be more satisfying than living for Him. Why do we then so easily fall into the trap of living for ourselves? 

Romans 5 

5:1-5

After explaining the different angles in which we are justified through faith alone, Paul speaks to how our suffering is not wasted by God. Instead it produces in us things to make us more like Christ.

Question: When was a time where you saw suffering produce in you these types of things Paul mentions in this section? When was a time you turned from God in a difficult situation and did not experience these things?

5:6-11

7-8: On rare occasions, a person may do for a righteous or “good” person. However, God shows his tremendous love for us by dying for people who willing sin against Him. On top of that, Christ died for us while we were still sinners. God took the first step towards us!

9-11: Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has saved us from the wrath of God. Since God reached out to us through Christ while we were enemies of Him, once we have been reconciled to God, we will be saved in the judgment day to come.

Question: Why does Paul use the word “reconciled” for those who have trusted in Jesus? What does it mean to be reconciled?

5:12-17

12:  Sin and death (spiritual and physical) entered the world through one man (Adam), and everyone has sinned and faced death (Rom. 6:23).

13-14: Sin was in the world even before the Mosaic Law was given. Even though people’s transgressions before the Law were not like Adam’s (since Adam disobeyed a commandment revealed to him by God). People still violated their conscience moral law.

15-18: Christ’s free gift of salvation is even greater in degree than Adam’s sin by which death was introduced into the world. Therefore, because death has reigned because of one man, how much more will people reign in life through Jesus.

Question: Sin produced spiritual and physical death. How does life through Christ reverse that?

5:18-20

20: The law increased trespass because now people were willfully and knowingly sinning against God. But yet, where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. God has given us unimaginable grace.

Question: What has abounded more; sin or grace? What does this tell us about God’s Character?

Romans 4

Romans 3 concludes with explaining that we are all justified by faith alone, both Jews and Gentiles.

4:1-12

1-2: If anyone should be justified by his or her works, it would be Abraham. Yet Abraham has nothing to boast about before God since obedience/good works is not what makes us right before God.

3-4: It was for his faith that God counted Abraham as righteous. If our works saved us then salvation would only be God paying us back what he owes us, just like an employer pays an employee.

5-8: Because of the gospel, it isn’t our works that save us.

9-12: The blessing of the Gospel is for everyone who believes, not just the Jews. Abraham was righteous before he was circumcised, therefore circumcision and following the law is not what saved him. Circumcision was simply a sign of the righteousness that he already had. That didn’t add anything to his righteousness and didn’t change his righteousness. Circumcision was just a sign that God had given him, thus making him the father of all who believe (both the circumcised and uncircumcised). Abraham was a gentile before he was a Jew!

Question: This was a radical section for a Law-abiding Jew. Paul says the circumcision for Abraham was a sign or seal of his faith. As Christians, what is the sign or evidence of our salvation? How do we know if we have been saved?

4:13-15

13-15: If it is those who follow the law who receive this inheritance, than righteousness is no longer based on our faith. For the law brings wrath means that because none of us can perfectly uphold the law, we all deserve to be condemned. But if our works don’t save us, if we are saved by faith, the law cannot condemn us.

Question: Faith and works are at their core fundamentally opposed to one another. Faith is believing in what God has done and not on any human performance, while works is believing in what we can do and our own performance. Knowing that, what role does following the law (or living God-honoring lives) have to play in our salvation?

4:16-25

Abraham did not give up faith when his body was as good as dead (v. 19) and he had not yet had a son.

20-25: Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness because he believed in God. It is also the same with us; we also will be counted as righteous when we trust in God through Jesus Christ.

Question: When was a time were you saw God be faithful in your life?

Romans 3

Recap: Romans 2 (last week) ended with Paul saying that our hearts/motives are what matters over being Jewish and being circumcised. We are saved by our faith and following Jesus, not by our ethnicity!

3:1-8

1-2: Paul is not saying that being Jewish is therefore no longer a special thing. For God still choose them to reveal the Laws of God and used them as his Prophets.

3-4: Even though the Israelites constantly were unfaithful, God was still faithful towards them.

7-8:  Some Jews thought Paul taught the doctrine of “cheap grace.” That is that God receives more glory when Christians do evil and are forgiven. Therefore, why can’t Christians sin as much as they want to give God “glory?” (Paul addresses this in Romans 6).

Question: Since God does forgive us, why should we fight sin and temptation in our lives?

3:9-20

The Jews, who were God’s chosen people, had the Law (the OT Mosaic Law) and could not keep it. The gentiles who did not have the Law still had their conscious, which they disobeyed. Therefore, we all deserve God’s punishment.

Even non-Christians today if they are honest will admit that even they do things that they consider to be “wrong” sometimes. This means that none of us are righteous before God. We all deserve punishment since everyone has disobeyed God.

20: The law required perfect obedience to God’s will. All people fell short which is why they needed animal sacrifices (and why we need Jesus as our final sacrifice). This means that no one is justified by his or her works (that is, seen as righteous before God). Therefore we need someone to justify us on our behalf (Jesus!).

Question: Why do you think this is hard for us to fully believe at times? We all struggle at times with thinking we are not good enough or need to clean up our act before the next time we pray, read our bible, etc., for God to really listen to us.

3:21-31

22: Our righteousness (right-standing before God) is by faith alone for every person.

23-24: We are justified through faith in Christ and his work on the cross.

27: This verse shows us that Christians cannot be arrogant. We are saved because of what Jesus did, NOT because of anything we have done.

31: Because Christ has saved us, we should honor Him with our lives, not live and do whatever we want. If we truly trust in Him, we will follow how He calls us to live.

Question: We should follow Jesus not because we “have to,” but because we want to. When we realize what He has done for us, it should make us want to follow Him with our lives. How does understanding what Jesus has done for us push us to follow Him with our lives?