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1. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:11-13 (Living Translation) Presented by Warm / Interactive / Relevant / Challenging / Action Oriented

2. Prayer Time • CRBC known for making disciples • 20s Class • New SS Room

3. Introduction • Life is messy! • The Book of Romans lays out many of the foundational ideas of the “new” faith movement (Christianity) that addresses the “mess”; i.e. Good News! • The author, Paul, was a veteran ‘missionary’ of the movement • Romans details faith “hammered out “on the anvil of pastoral problems and debates”

4. The Romans • Christianity made it’s way to the synagogues of Rome via Pentecost • Gentile “God fearers” attended Roman synagogues • Emperor Claudius purged Rome of Jews for a while • Debates on Jewish law and Gentile arrogance arise from changes in leadership before, during, and after the “purge”.

5. The Basic Themes • What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? • Why do people need to hear it? • How can they experience it? • What will it mean for their future? • And what does the good news have to do with everyday life?

6. Our Approach • This study will emphasize both the historical context and its contemporary significance. • It leverages the Zondervan’s NIV Application Commentary, consider purchase for a deeper study • There are 12 sessions (~1 chapter per session) and 7 – 12 questions per session. • I will publish the questions that we will use for our time on Sunday via TouchPoint on Wednesday. • I will try to reset our start time to ~ 9:35.

8. Next Week The Gospel of Righteousness by Faith Read Romans 1:1-32; 3:21 - 26

9. It’s About the Nail • See YouTube video

10. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:11-13 (Living Translation) Presented by Warm / Interactive / Relevant / Challenging / Action Oriented

11. Prayer Time • CRBC known for making disciples • 20s Class • New SS Room

12. The Basic Themes • What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? • Why do people need to hear it? • How can they experience it? • What will it mean for their future? • And what does the good news have to do with everyday life?

13. The Gospel of Righteousness by Faith (Romans 1:1 – 32; 3:21 – 26) • What is the Gospel • Romans 1:1-17 • The Righteousness of God • Romans 3:21-26 • Exchanging the Truth for a Lie • Romans 1:18-32 • What Makes God Angry

14. What is the Gospel(Romans 1:1-17) • Q1:How does Paul define the gospel in: 1) Romans 1:1-6 and 2) Romans 1:16-17 • Promised through prophets in scriptures • First and foremost about God’s Son • Involves things about Son’s biography (3-4) • Involves grace AND obedience from faith (more in #3) • Power of God (?) for everyone who believes • Reveals a righteousness from God (more in #4 and 5)

15. The Righteousness of God(Romans 3:21-26) • His saving “activity”; upholding what is “right” by rescuing His people from trouble. • It is for all who believe; i.e. not just Jews. • It is personal; i.e. God ‘s work in individual lives, personally and relationally. • The “act” by which God puts people who believe in right relationship to Himself.

16. The Righteousness of God(Romans 3:21-26) • Q2: For more than a century, our culture has defined the fundamental human problem as horizontal: estrangement in human relationships.  We are alienated from each other (and from ourselves).  But Paul says the fundamental human problem is vertical: estrangement from the only true God.  As his letter goes on, he’ll explain why he rates our vertical problem ahead of our horizontal one. • If our main problem is walls between us and other people, what kind of spirituality do we need? • If our main problem is a chasm between us and a just God, what kind of spirituality do we need?

17. The Righteousness of God(Romans 3:21-26) • “Redemption” vs. “justify” are legal words • Justify: what a judge does when someone is declared innocent. • Redemption: from slave market – when one’s freedom is purchased. • “Redeeming” a slave is personal, powerful, and costly

18. The Righteousness of God(Romans 3:21-26) • Q3: Why can’t God simply forgive our sins without Christ’s sacrifice?  Why would that violate the justice that is part of who God is? • Q4: Paul says “faith” is the response we have to make in order for Christ’s sacrifice to affect our relationship with God.  What is this “faith”?  It is, for example, intellectual assent to a set of facts?

19. The Righteousness of God(Romans 3:21-26) • Are we worthy to be in a relationship with God? • The gospel is “good news” precisely because it announces that God accepts us anyway. • Q5: Why do you suppose it’s so hard for many Christians to fully believe that God accepts them as they are, that all they have to do is receive God’s offer by faith?

20. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • Good News – our relationship with God can be fixed! • Why does it need fixing – it starts when people suppress some obvious truth (1:18) • Q6: Think about the truth Paul claims is obvious (1:19-20).  How plain do you think that truth actually is in the world?  What makes you say so?

21. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • If it isn’t obvious, then it is because their choices have affected their thinking (1:21) • 3X – “they exchanged” truth of God for their own god (or sin) • 3x – God gives them over to consequences of their choice.

22. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • Q7: In the first case, Paul says people exchange the worship of God for idols (1:22-23).  In pagan Rome, people worshipped actual statues of various gods that represented fertility, the power of the Roman state, or divine guardians of their family.  What are the idols in our culture today?

23. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • In Rome sexual impurity (e.g. mistresses, affairs, same sex relations, etc.) was not inconsistent with worshipping gods. • God gave them over to consequences of their beliefs and actions. • Q8: Why would degrading one’s body in sexual impurity (1:24) be a result of worshipping the wrong gods?

24. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • “Natural” and “unnatural” (1:26-27) refers to the “natural order of things as ordained by God”. • Natural does not mean “biological” or “genetic” or “common in many cultures”. • Indulging (as opposed to “orientation”) in homosexual activity is an example of violating the created order. • Non-sexual vices are “on par” with sexual sin.

25. Exchanging the Truth for a Lie(Romans 1:18-32) • Q9: As you read 1:21-32, to what extent do you feel that Paul is talking about somebody other than you?  To what extent is he talking about you?  What makes you say that? • Q10: Does it seem reasonable to you that Paul talks about gossip in the same breath as murder (1:29)?  Why or why not?

26. What Makes God Angry(Romans 1:18-32) • Why is God Angry (1:18)? • Q11: How do you respond to the idea of God’s wrath (1:18)?  For example, does it seem currently relevant or outdated?  Is it hard for you to trust a God who expresses wrath?  Is this a God you want to worship? • Q12: The bad news of 1:18-32 is meant to highlight the good news of 1:1-17 and 3:21-26.   How would you summarize the gospel (good news) so far?

28. Next Section Addicted to Sin Romans 2:1 – 3:20

29. Universal Truths • Just like Paul, our calling is an act of “grace”.  When we serve the Lord and the church we do what we have no right to do on our own: speak in God’s name, reach out with his love, and lead his people.  We serve only out of our own weakness.  Any strength we possess comes from God. • We must avoid separating faith from obedience in such a way that we can have one without the other, or identifying them in such a way that obedience is minimized.  Our allegiance to God is something that we learn to live out as God begins to transform our minds so that we may do his will.  But we can never obey without believing.  The gospel is not just conversion, but the transformation of life. • The imperative to evangelize is an obligation that all believers share (e.g. Paul’s motivation).  In addition our obligation is to enhance God’s name and glory (e.g. “for his [Jesus Christ’s] sake” 1:5). • Within the scope of “preaching the gospel” is the continuing work of discipleship that follows evangelism.  When a church reaches the point of sufficient maturity as to be self-producing was when Paul felt he could move on to new fields.  Successful evangelism includes follow-up.  Discipling is not an optional add-on, but a necessary component of the initial preaching of the gospel itself. • The fundamental human problem is vertical (estrangement from the only true God) not horizontal (estrangement in human relationships).  Through the gospel God unleashes a power to change people, and at the crucial point: in their relationship to him.  When people respond in faith to the message of the good news, God “justifies” them; that is, he declares them innocent before him, removing the barrier that exists between all human beings in their natural state and God. • There is such a thing as natural revelation; i.e. God has left clear evidence of himself in the world that he has made, and this evidence is actually perceived by people.  What God reveals to people in nature is limited; e.g. “invisible qualities” of God and a recognition that sinful acts are worthy of death.  The results of natural revelation are negative; e.g. God is perfectly just in inflicting wrath on people (e.g. “so men are without excuse” [1:20]). • Humans are prone to put something in the place that God alone deserves in our lives; i.e. idolatry.  More often than not, the devil uses an insidious tactic; e.g. using a perfectly good or innocent pleasure to lure us from the wholehearted devotion to God that he deserves and demands.  Idols (or activities) deflect our worship and service of the true God. • Jews have no right to think that the covenant (i.e. God’s promise to the children of Israel), in itself, puts them in any better situation than the Gentiles before God.  This presumes on grace.  Likewise a Gentile Christian (e.g. us) must understand that a lack of concern about sin is incompatible with true faith.  We can grow cavalier toward our sin because we think God will simply overlook it out of his love for us in Christ.  This too would be a presumption on grace. • Salvation cannot be gained apart from the gospel.  Human beings are locked in sin and need to be rescued.  There is nothing that we can do in and of ourselves to effect this rescue. • Knowledge of God’s basic moral demand is available to all people; i.e. “natural law”.  It is the basis for universal moral norms and therefore for positive law, which will not be undermined by the whims of society of the convenience of the majority.

30. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:11-13 (Living Translation) Presented by Warm / Interactive / Relevant / Challenging / Action Oriented

31. Prayer Time • CRBC known for making disciples • 20s Class • New SS Room

32. Addicted to Sin (Pt 2)(Romans 2:1-3:20) • The Jews and God’s Judgment • Romans 2:1-11 • Natural Law • Romans 2:12-16 • Not Even Law and Circumcision are Enough • Romans 2:17-29 • God’s Faithfulness • Romans 3:1-8 • All Under Sin • Romans 3:9-20

33. The Jews and God’s Judgment(Romans 2:1-11) • In Romans 1:18-32 • Non-Jews portrayed as addicted to sin • Minds and bodies are ensnared by sin • In Chapter 2 he turns to Jews (i.e. kinsman – “you”) • Do Jews need a savior? • Q1: In 2:1-3, Paul challenges Jews for “passing judgment” on Gentiles for the acts described in 1:18-32. What kind of passing judgment does Paul oppose? How is it different from what Paul himself just got done saying about those acts?

34. The Jews and God’s Judgment(Romans 2:1-11) • Q2: Many Jews in Paul’s day believed that because God has chosen them to be his beloved people, “his kindness, forbearance and patience” (2:4) would always lead him to forgive them. Therefore, they didn’t need to worry about God’s wrath against sin. According to Paul, why was that belief mistaken?

35. The Jews and God’s Judgment(Romans 2:1-11) • Q3: Setting aside Christ for the moment, Paul says that God in his justice has set up the world like this: In the end, everybody will get what he or she deserves (2:6). Those who persistently do good will win eternal life, while those who do wrong will be condemned. But who are these people who Paul says will be given eternal life because of their good lives?

36. The Jews and God’s Judgment(Romans 2:1-11) • Do you think they are: • Faithful Jews and moral Gentiles who lived before Christ came? • People now who don’t know Christ explicitly but whose works are good enough to win God’s approval? • People now who don’t know Christ explicitly but who, by God’s grace, are enabled to be saved and do works that God approves? • Christians who do good by grace? • Nobody? That is, theoretically someone who persisted in doing good could be saved by works, but in practice nobody does.

37. The Jews and God’s Judgment(Romans 2:1-11) • Q4: What can we learn about God from 2:1-11? (For example, what are his standards? How does he deal with people? Is he fair or unfair, reasonable or impossibly demanding?) • Then being a Jew is a double-edged sword. They are the first to receive a blessing and the first to be judged for failure. Their status as covenant people does not guarantee immunity from consequences.

38. Natural Law(Romans 2:12-16) • Normal use of the word law refers to man-made rules, e.g. speed limits, or natural “laws”, e.g. gravity • Paul “normally” uses the word to reference the Torah. • In Romans, he uses the word in a general sense to mean a rule or principle (e.g. 2:14, 3:28, 7:23 and 8:2. • In 2:14 he is referring to “natural law”, innate in all humans, which is the foundation for all good laws of the state; i.e. universal human rights.

39. Natural Law(Romans 2:12-16) • Q5: What evidence do you see in the world around you that there is a natural law built into all humans, regardless of culture? Or, what evidence do you see to the contrary? • Q6: Does anybody live so well by natural law that they can have a clean conscience when they stand before God someday? What does Paul say? What do you say, and why?

40. Not Even Law and Circumcision are Enough(Romans 2:17 - 29) • Jews were given privileges: • Knowledge of God’s will (e.g. scripture) • “Call” - guides of the blind / light to darkness • Knowing scriptures only does not satisfy God – obeying them does • Some Jews did not live up to the high calling to be lights to the Gentiles

41. Not Even Law and Circumcision are Enough(Romans 2:17 - 29) • Q7: Paul believes their special relationship with God has lulled his fellow Jews into a false sense of security. Are people who call themselves Christians also vulnerable to a false sense of security? How, or why not?

42. Not Even Law and Circumcision are Enough(Romans 2:17 - 29) • Q8: Why do you think some people see anti-Semitism in Romans 2, even though Paul himself is Jewish? What in Paul’s words gives that impression • We should be aware that anti-Semitism lurks right around the corner • Triumphalism does not have a place in religion!

43. Not Even Law and Circumcision are Enough(Romans 2:17 - 29) • Q9: How do you think Christians ought to relate to Jews? For instance, is it ever appropriate to share the gospel of Christ with a Jewish person? If not, why not? If so, how can we do this without being anti-Semitic?

44. Universal Truths • Nether circumcision, the sign of the covenant, nor the law, the center of the covenant, can rescue a Jew from God’s wrath. Only the gospel of Christ can do that.

45. God’s Faithfulness(Romans 3:1-8) • Many Jews thought God’s faithfulness meant he would always do good things for his people. • Paul looked at the OT and saw that God is faithful to his promises both when he blesses obedience and when he punishes disobedience

46. God’s Faithfulness(Romans 3:1-8) • Q10: God’s righteousness is “his commitment always to act in accordance with his own character,” – which includes love, mercy, and holiness. His faithfulness is his commitment to keep his promises. In what ways is that good news for Jews? For Christians?

47. Universal Truths • Many biblical promises are made to specific people in specific circumstances. We should not ignore the context of promises and assume that they apply to us. • Believers should not presume on their “eternal security” in a way that precludes one from making every effort to bring their lives into obedience to Christ

48. All Under in(Romans 3:9-20) • Paul has now exposed the sin of Jews and non-Jews; “ . . . alike are all under the power of sin . . . Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law” (vv. 9, 20)

49. All Under in(Romans 3:9-20) • Q11: According to Paul, “People do not just commit sin, but they are ‘under sin’ . . . helpless prisoners of sin . . . Addicted to sin.” Reflect back on what you’ve read in Romans 1 – 3. Do you think Paul is right? Does this sound like the non-Christians in your world? What makes you say that?

50. All Under in(Romans 3:9-20) • Q12: If Paul is right, what are the implications? For instance, how should this affect the way we view and interact with people whose lives seem as good as ours? How should it affect the way we interact with people whose lives are a mess? Should we avoid sin addicts, lest they contaminate our lives or influence our children? Why or why not?