Resources

• Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
• Romans is structured as follows:
  • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
  • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
  • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past/Present/Future)
  • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 13: Unifying the Church

• Romans 13 Reading Guide
• Romans 13 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Romans 13 Video

Context

• Romans 13 covers three important points:
  • God puts every human authority in place to serve His purposes. This means Christians must submit to them
  • We must love our neighbors as ourselves.
  • We are called to live as people of the light and throw off works of darkness (drunkenness, sexual immorality, and jealousy).
• Christians are to submit to earthly authorities because God put them there. To improperly resist authority, then, is to resist God (Romans 13:1–2).
• I thought this seemed to contradict other parts of the Bible:
  • midwives who wouldn’t kill babies in defiance of the law (Exodus)
  • Daniel kneeling down in front of a window and praying in defiance of the law
  • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego won’t bow down to the golden statue despite the king telling them to do so
  • In Acts 5:29 Peter says we must obey God rather than any human authority.
• Does Romans 13:1–7 mean civil disobedience is always wrong for Christians? Why would Paul write this?
  • Paul knew Caesar was going to read his letter and he wanted to make sure the ruling authorities in Rome would know Christians are not anarchists.
  • Here is some helpful guidance from John Piper.
    • “Don’t get your back up so easily, because being wronged by a government sends nobody to hell, but being rebellious and angry and bitter and spiteful does send people to hell. And so it is a much greater evil for you to be rebellious than of the government to mistreat you.“
• Christians are called to have a submissive spirit and follow leadership but this is not absolute.
• God defines the limits of leaders and when these limits violate scripture, we are to follow God, not man.

Notes and Discussion

• Once you put your faith in Christ you are justified – one and done.
• How do we interact with our government?
  • the word of God tells us what we’re supposed to do
• God is the ultimate authority, regardless of what country or government you live under
  • Followers and leaders are accountable to God
  • The ones who resist authority are in opposition to God’s command
    • This means we shouldn’t disrespect our government leaders even if we disagree with them politically.
    • The scripture says if we oppose authority judgment will come upon us.
• God uses government to carry out His good purposes on earth.
  • Some governments persecute those who do good. Typically the law breakers have a problem, not the law-abiding citizens.
• Government is God’s servant for your good.
  • If you go against the government they can punish you.
  • Government is God’s servant. This applies no matter who is in office.
  • If the government wants you to do things that go against the scriptures you might be punished by the government since God is the ultimate authority, not government.
• Obedience is a matter of inner convictions as well as external law.
• As believers we serve the highest of all authorities: God Himself.
• Christians are called to have a submissive spirit and follow leadership but this is not absolute.
• God defines the limits of leaders and when these limits are violated or government laws violate scripture, we are to follow God, not man. 
• We seemed to focus mostly on the first of the three points that Romans 13 covers. We must not forget the other two points:
  • Love our neighbors as ourselves.
  • We must live as people of the light and throw off works of darkness (drunkenness, sexual immorality, and jealousy).

• Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
• Romans is structured as follows:
  • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
  • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
  • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel
  • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 8: Creating a New Humanity

• Romans 8 Reading Guide
• Romans 8 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Romans 8 Video

Context

Romans 8 is a powerful and uplifting chapter that follows the internal struggle described in Romans 7.

Here are the key points

1. Freedom in Christ
   • The chapter opens with a declaration of freedom from condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (v. 1).
   • This freedom is not from temptation or trials, but from the guilt and penalty of sin.
2. Life by the Spirit
   • Romans 8 emphasizes living by the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to overcome sin (v. 2).
   • This contrasts with living by the “flesh” (our sinful nature) described in Romans 7.
3. Adoption as Sons of God
   • Believers are adopted as God’s children, enjoying a special relationship with Him (vv. 15-17).
   • This adoption brings confidence and security.
4. Future Glory
   • The chapter speaks of the future glory that awaits believers, even though they may face suffering in the present (vv. 17-18).
   • Our suffering is temporary, but the glory is eternal.
5. Creation’s Groaning
   • Romans 8 mentions creation itself groaning and waiting for its redemption (vv. 19-22).
   • This suggests that the effects of sin extend beyond humanity and impact the entire world.
6. God’s Unfailing Love
   • Throughout the chapter, the emphasis is on God’s unfailing love for His children.
   • Nothing can separate us from His love, not even tribulation, distress, or death (vv. 35-39).

Notes

• To be added

Group Chat

• I missed this meeting because I was out of town.

Summary

• Faith in Jesus Christ brings freedom from condemnation and empowers us to live a Spirit-filled life.
• We are God’s adopted children, secure in His love.
• While challenges may exist, we have the hope of future glory.
• God’s love for His children is constant and unfailing.

Romans 8 offers a message of hope and assurance to believers, even in the midst of struggle.

• Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
• Romans is structured as follows:
  • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
  • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
  • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel
  • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 7: Creating a New Humanity

• Romans 7 Reading Guide
• Romans 7 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Romans 7 Video

Context

• Romans 7 delves into the struggle between the desires of the flesh (human nature) and the desires of the Spirit (God’s influence) within a believer. Here are the key points:
  • The Law’s Powerlessness:
    • Paul starts by explaining that the Law (God’s commandments) has no power over a dead person (vv. 1-4). This analogy applies to our old sinful nature, which has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6).
    • The Law exposes sin but cannot provide the power to overcome it (vv. 7-13).
  • The Internal Conflict:
    • Paul describes his own internal struggle between wanting to do good (following the Law) and being drawn towards sin by his flesh (vv. 14-23).
    • He uses the metaphor of being a slave to sin (v. 14).
  • A Longing for Deliverance:
    • The chapter ends with a cry of desperation, yearning for deliverance from this internal conflict (v. 24).
• Important Points to Consider:
  • This passage doesn’t describe the life of a victorious Christian, but rather the ongoing battle between the desires of the flesh and the Spirit.
  • Romans 8 provides the answer to this struggle, highlighting the power of the Holy Spirit to enable believers to live according to God’s will.
• Interpretations:
  • There are different interpretations on whether Romans 7 describes a believer before or after conversion.
  • Some see it as Paul reflecting on his pre-Christian life.
  • Others believe it represents the ongoing struggle even for Christians.
• Overall Message:
  • Romans 7 offers a realistic portrayal of the Christian’s struggle with sin. It emphasizes our desperate need for God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to Him.

• In Christ, we have also died to our obligation to follow the law of Moses. Paul makes clear, though, that the law is holy and good because it reveals to us just how sinful we are.
• Paul describes how his failed attempts to follow the law convinced him more fully of his need to be delivered from his sinfulness by God through faith in Christ.

Notes

• We are supposed to be dead to sin – we should try to be free from sin. When you give your life to Jesus you should try very hard not to sin (although it’s impossible for man to avoid all sin).
• We are DEAD to sin… So why do we live in sin?
  • We don’t have an excuse.
  • We CAN avoid sinning…. but we typically do not
• v1-2: as long as man lives, the LAW has dominion
  • In a marriage, you are bound by law to the covenant
  • If one or the other dies, the other is free from that covenant
• v3: Once the husband dies, the wife can remarry
• v4: We died to the law. We now have a covenant with God in Christ.
• v5: We have become dead to the Old Covenant (Moses’ laws).
  • When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
• v6: We have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
  • We are now a slave to God and can serve in the newness of the Spirit and not of the old law.
  • Galations 2:18: Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.
• v7: Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet.’
• v8: But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
  • • Before the 10 Commandments there was no law against coveting.
• v12: But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
  • The law is not sinful. We should not continue to sin. We are supposed to be dead to sin.
  • If we’re not careful we can fall back into sin. 
• v13: But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
• v14: So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
• v15: I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
• v16: But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
• v17: So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
  • We must be disciplined and try hard not to sin.
• v18: And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
• v19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
• v20: But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
• v21: I have discovered this principle of life — that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
• v22: I love God’s law with all my heart.
• v23: But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
• v24: Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
  • God calls us to live without sin but since we are human we will inevitably fall back into it – this is why we need Jesus.
  • The less time we spend in the word and prayer the more likely we are to fall back into sin.
• v25: Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
  • Galatians 5:16:  So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
    • If we walk in the spirit we are less likely to fall back into sin.
  • Galatians 5:22: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
  • Galatians 5:24: Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
    • If we live in the spirit we will not fall back into sin. When we don’t walk in the spirit we will fall back into sin.

Group Chat

• We are free in Christ – what does this mean?
  • We are free to choose life in Christ instead of death in sin.
  • Before being born again we know what is right and wrong but we didn’t have the “helper” of the Holy Spirit guiding us.
  • Once the Holy Spirit is in your heart it can help you turn from sin.
  • God cannot sin – He cannot choose to sin. In some ways this means we are more free than God. This is, however, not possible – we can never have more privilege than God.
  • If we do good before we’re saved we’re still under the penalty of the original sin. This penalty has been taken away from us because of our faith in Christ.
  • Before we’re saved we’re NOT free to live in Christ. After we’re saved we ARE free to live in Chirst and to do His bidding.
    • This is what Paul is addressing in Romans 7.
• As we pursue Christ more and more, our tendancy to sin will be reduced.

Summary

• Two options to capture the essence of Romans 7 in one or two words:
  • Internal Conflict: This highlights the internal struggle between wanting to do good and the pull towards sin described in the chapter.
  • Law’s Powerlessness: This emphasizes the chapter’s theme of the Law’s inability to bring about true righteousness.

• Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
• Romans is structured as follows:
  • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
  • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
  • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel
  • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 6: Creating a New Humanity

• Romans 6 Reading Guide
• Romans 6 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Romans 6 Video

Context

• Romans 6:11 is the theme of this chapter (emphasis mine):
  • So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
• Sin has no power over us – it only has the power we give it.
• Paul asks if Christians should continue in sin once they have been saved.
  • He gives several reasons why we must not:
    • we died to sin’s power over us
    • we are now servants to righteousness
    • what good did sin ever bring to you, anyway?
• Paul will transition to Romans 7 and discuss what it means to be released from the law of Moses.

Notes

• Romans 1: What shall we say then?
  • Refers back to 5:20 – if sin increases grace abounds even more.
  •  If grace abounds when we sin we shouldn’t actively sin to get more grace. This is like saying “”I’m gonna shovel my sidewalk so it snows again”.  We don’t need an abundance of sin.
• v2: We’re not trying to live in in to get more grace – we should die to sin so that we sin no more.
• v3: have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
  • There are people who know the gospel but choose to ignore it because they don’t fully understand that God’s grace is enough to cover every sin and transgression.
  • You ignore the fact that our sins are an expressway to death
  • All you have to do to change this ignoreance is to ask the Lord to believe in His plan for you – this will lead to eternal life.
  •  Stop ignoring this  gift – deal with it now before it’s too late.
• v4:  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
  • • The glory of God gives us the glory to die to sin and walk in a new life.
    • In John 11:40 Jesus said “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”
    • When we witness someone dying to sin and embracing a new life

• v5: Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
  •  We are united with Jesus in a new life when we die to our sins.
  • Jesus came to us so we couold have an abundant life
• V6: We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
  • We are no longer slaves to sin. The addiction to sin no longer applies to us.
  • Ephesians 4:20-22 tells us we’re not alone when we die to our sins.
    • ²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
• v7: For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
  • Jesus paid the price so we can be free from our sin
• v13: Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
  • Do not let the things in this world distract you from bring aware of what God has in store for you.
• v16: Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.
  • Who do you serve? Death or righteousness?
• v19:  Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
  • If you are a slave to sin you are free from righteousness.
• v22-23: ²² But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
  • Sin leads to death.
  • Do not ignore that you should be dead to sin.
  • Yield to Christ – how are you persuing Him to ensure you are dead to sin?

Summary

• The freedom Paul talks about in Christ refers to liberation from sin and its consequences, allowing us to live according to God’s design.
  • Freedom From Sin’s Dominion:
    • Romans 6:6-7 emphasizes that Christians are “dead to sin” because we are united with Christ in His death (v. 6).
    • This doesn’t mean sin no longer exists, but that its control over us is broken (v. 7). We are no longer slaves to sin (v. 18).
  • Freedom to Live According to God’s Will:
    • This freedom isn’t about unrestrained behavior, but about the ability to choose what pleases God (Romans 6:16).
    • We are free from the Law’s condemnation (Romans 8:1) and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live righteously (Romans 8:4).
  • Living as God’s Creation:
    • God created us with a purpose and desires us to live according to His good design (Ephesians 2:10).
    • Freedom in Christ allows us to fulfill this purpose and experience the joy of living in alignment with God’s will.

I like to think I’m a good Christian, then I read Matthew 7:21-23 and it terrifies me.

• ²¹ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
• ²²On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
• ²³But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

It’s worth remembering Ephesians 2:8-10 here (emphasis mine):

• ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
• ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
• ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Context is critical when interpreting the Bible. John 6:40 reveals God’s will through Jesus’ own words (emphasis mine):

• ^{40 “}For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.“

We need to do the works that God has prepared for us, but always remember it is our faith alone that saves us.

Related:

• Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
• Romans is structured as follows:
  • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
  • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
  • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel
  • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 5: Creating a New Humanity

• Romans 5 Reading Guide
• Romans 5 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Romans 5 Video