Romans - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0891090738 ISBN 13: 9780891090731

Publisher: NavPress, 2018

Synopsis

Over 3 million LifeChange studies sold

What does Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection mean for my life, death, and resurrection?
In Romans, Paul―one of Christianity’s first theologians―sets out to answer that question. Tracing numerous threads through the Old Testament, Paul shows how Jesus’ death on the cross draws together humanity’s collective failures and transforms them into a rich tapestry. Follow the threads and find your place in the story God is weaving. In this Bible study you will find:

• 20 lessons that will lead you through the book of Romans
• Wide margins and extra space for your reflections
• Discussion questions for group study
• Thought-provoking reflection questions and prompts
• Notes for further study
• Applications to help you go deeper
• Helpful excerpts on the historical context

LifeChange Bible studies offer a transformative encounter with each book of the Bible. Designed to help you discover and rediscover insightful and challenging truths in Scripture, each book is ideal for group or personal use.

About this title

About the Author

John Davis is the founder and president of 2xtreme, P.C., a counseling center that serves families and at-risk youth in the Colorado area. He is also an in-demand speaker for schools, businesses, youth organizations, and churches. John lives with his wife and four children in southwest Denver.

From the Back Cover

Paul unfolds God’s way to righteousness--how we can be reconciled to God and transformed into the people He means us to be. Sin, salvation, grace, death, and resurrection--no other biblical book illumines so many classic, life-changing truths.

LifeChange series. Christians have a lifelong goal: to become like Christ. This involves change, and change isn’t always easy. But the more you know of God’s purposes for you, the more you can experience His joy and participate in His plan. You’ll benefit in these important ways: 1) You’ll gain a firm understanding of the book-its historical context, purpose, structure, and meaning; 2) You’ll apply its powerful, relevant wisdom to needs and issues you are currently working through; and 3) You’ll acquire personal study skills and a thirst to return to the book on your own-so you can keep going deeper into its life-transforming truths.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Romans

Find Your Place in the Story God is Weaving Into the World Through Christ

By NavPress

NavPress

Copyright © 2014 The Navigators
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-89109-073-1

CHAPTER 1

Lesson Twelve

ROMANS 8:17-39

Certainty

Putting to death the deeds of the flesh and setting the mind on the desires of the Spirit means nothing less than sharing in Christ's sufferings (see 8:17). On top of that, we have to face the normal afflictions of human life — health, money, work, people, and so on. What is Paul's perspective on our plight? Read 8:17-39.

1. Make a quick list of everything Paul says in 8:11-27 that the Spirit does or demonstrates.

8:2 _________________________________________________________________

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8:6 _________________________________________________________________

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8:11 ________________________________________________________________

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8:13 ________________________________________________________________

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8:14-16 _____________________________________________________________

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8:23 ________________________________________________________________

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8:26-27 _____________________________________________________________

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Future glory (8:17-25)

If indeed (8:17). This phrase does not imply that our suffering is a condition for attaining glory, since Christ's suffering assures us of glory. Instead, the phrase means that sharing Christ's suffering points toward, and is evidence of, sharing His glory. Present suffering does not contradict future glory.

2. Why is sharing Christ's sufferings worth the pain (see 8:17-18)?

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Frustration (8:20). "Vanity" or "futility." When Adam sinned, God announced the inevitable consequences: the ground that Adam would have to cultivate was cursed (see Genesis 3:17- 19). The creation was meant to glorify God, but it could not do this perfectly as long as mankind, to whom God gave dominion over the creation (see Genesis 1:28), was not perfectly glorifying God. Therefore, the creation is frustrated, unable to fulfill its purpose. However, God did not leave it without hope of redemption through a descendant of Eve (see Genesis 3:15).

3. The creation is waiting, frustrated but with hope, for something to happen. What is it waiting for (see 8:19-22)?

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4. In one sense, we have already been adopted as God's children and heirs (see 8:15-16), but in another sense, our adoption has not been fulfilled. The Spirit is the pledge, guarantee, and down payment of our adoption (see 8:15-16,23).

What will happen when our adoption is fully realized (see 8:11,23)? (Optional: See 1 Corinthians 15:35-44.)

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Intercession (8:26-27)

5. Hope of glory sustains us in the midst of suffering and frustration (see 8:17-25). Another support we have is the Holy Spirit. How is His aid in 8:26-27 an enormous help to us?

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6. Summarize what Paul says in 8:17-27.

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God's sovereignty (8:28-30)

Paul has been discussing how we become holy, how we acquire the righteous character that conforms to the status we received when we were justified. He has acknowledged that this process of sanctification (being made holy) will be a long struggle full of suffering (see 7:14-25; 8:5,10,12-13,17-27). However, he has encouraged us with the knowledge that hope of sharing Christ's glory lies at the end of our path, and the Spirit is in us praying and empowering us all along it.

Now Paul reaches the climax of his teaching on sanctification.

7. How does 8:28 encourage you as you face suffering and the struggle against sin?

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Called (8:28). Effectually called. The word assumes a positive response. God loved and called us not only before we became perfectly holy but even before we were declared righteous.

Foreknew (8:29). Many people think Paul intends the kind of knowing in Genesis 18:19, Jeremiah 1:5, and Amos 3:2 — a knowing that implies choosing by grace. Others note that in Genesis 4:1 and Hosea 13:5, "know" suggests the intimate knowledge of a marriage relationship. However, others feel that Paul means no more than "that in eternity past God knew those who by faith would become His people."

Predestined (8:29-30). To appoint beforehand (see Romans 9:1–11:36; Ephesians 1:4-12).

8. To what has God predestined us? What is God's purpose in choosing us (see Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:11-12)?

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Glorified (8:30). Our future glory is so certain that Paul can speak of it as an accomplished fact in the past tense. Paul does not mention sanctification, partly because he has been speaking of glory (see 8:17-18,21,23,29) and possibly because "Sanctification is glory begun; glory is sanctification completed."

How is 8:29-30 an encouragement to you as you suffer and battle sin in this life?

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God's love (8:31-39)

10. Why can we be certain that God will give us everything necessary for our glorification (see 8:32)?

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11. How can we be sure that in God's court of law, we will be found "not guilty"? _____________________________________________________________________

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8:31 ________________________________________________________________

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8:34b _______________________________________________________________

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12. Christ intercedes for us and offers His own life in our place because He loves us. However, because we have pain and affliction, we might wonder whether Christ has ceased to love and intercede for us (see 8:35-36). How does Paul calm this doubt (see verses 37-39)?

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Your response

13. Reread 8:17-39. What one truth from this passage would you like to take to heart and apply this week?

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14. How would you like this truth to affect your attitudes and actions? What action can you take to help accomplish this by the Spirit's power?

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15. Summarize 8:1-39.

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16. You have now finished the second main section of Paul's explanation of the gospel. If you are not already working on an outline, use this space to outline 6:1–8:39. Think of a title for the whole section, then divide the section into logical units and give them titles.

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17. Write down any questions you have about 8:17-39.

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For the group

Warm-up. Ask, "What do you hope for? How certain are you of that hope?" Many people think hope is like wishing for something that is almost too good to be true. In Greek, hope is confidence in a certainty.

Questions. It might be helpful to make three lists showing what the Father, the Son, and the Spirit each does in our lives. Romans 8 tells us a great deal about the Trinity. In your worship time, praise the Triune God for the things you have listed.

Predestination is a major issue for many people. You may want to postpone any discussion of it until lesson 13, 14, or 15 since Paul unfolds his teaching on predestination more fully in 9:1–11:36. Some books on this subject are: Martin Luther's The Bondage of the Will, John Calvin's Institutes (the chapter on predestination), and Stephen Charnock's The Being and Attributes of God (chapters on God's wisdom and knowledge).

Focus on the nature of God in 8:28-39. What are His goals for us? How can we be certain that He will accomplish them? How does the passage reflect God's love, faithfulness, power, and so forth? How do these guarantees affect our lives? In your worship time, praise God for His attributes as revealed in 8:28-39.

Application. Briefly report on the results of your applications during the last couple of weeks. Can you see God at work in your lives? If not, don't despair; it often takes time for fruit to become visible. Plan to pray for each other now or at the end of your meeting.

Worship. Thank God for the hope He promises and guarantees to you. Praise Him for His purposes to conform you to Jesus and glorify you. Praise His unfailing love and His faithfulness to keep His promises. Thank the Spirit who intercedes for you.

(Continues...)

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Edition details

• Publisher: NavPress
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0891090738
• ISBN 13: 9780891090731
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224