The Book of Romans is arguably one of the most impactful books in the Bible, relative to establishing a person in a victorious Christian experience. Discuss what a victorious Christian life looks like. It is for this reason and more that we have an incentive to study the book of Romans, with emphasis on chapters 1 to 8. The purpose of the outline is to serve as a catalyst for edifying scriptural conversation, and not to be an exhaustive exposition of the chapters. As such, every verse should be explored in our discuss, regardless of if it is explicitly highlighted in the outline. May the Lord favor us with much light as we proceed, Amen.
Romans 1
- Vs 1:
- What is the Gospel of God?
- Vs 4:
- What does it mean that Jesus is declared to be the Son of God with the power of the Spirit of Holiness?
- How can we key into this power to be manifest as the sons of God (Romans 8:19)?
- Vs 16:
- How is the Gospel the power of God unto salvation?
- Why is it “power” particularly to those who believe? Or why is believing required to unveil the power in the Gospel?
- Vs 17:
- What does it mean that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith?
- What is the righteousness of God?
- What is faith?
- What is faith to faith?
- What does it mean to “… live by faith”?
- Vs 20:
- What are some invisible things of God we can see and understand from the things God made?
- Vs 21:
- Why is foolishness in the heart a precursor to the heart being darkened?
- Vs 24-28:
- What does it mean that God gave them up to uncleanness, or to vile affections, or to a reprobate mind?
- What is a reprobate mind and what is the spiritual explanation for how it works?
- How do we reconcile these with the idea of inclusivity and the fact that some people say that is how they are born?
Romans 2
Vs 1-3:
- Does it mean that it is bad to judge?
- Does it mean that you should not speak against something until you have overcome it? Or can you be struggling and still point out what is right?
Vs 4:
- How do we benefit from the riches of God’s goodness and forbearance and longsuffering?
- How does the goodness of God lead to repentance?
Vs 5-11
- What is the day of wrath?
- When is the revelation of the righteous judgement of God?
- What will it look like?
Vs 7:
- What does patient continuance in well doing mean or look like practically?
- What does it mean to seek after immortality or eternal life? How can we envision such a hope?
Vs 8-11:
- What does it mean to be contentious?
- What will the indignation and wrath and anguish look like?
- Why to the Jew first?
Vs 12-14:
- What does it mean to sin without the law? And what does it mean to sin in the law?
L5:
- What is the witness of the conscience?
- Is it possible for your thoughts to accuse you and yet God is pleased with what you have done? Or for your thoughts to excuse you and yet God is not pleased with what you have done? 1 John 3:20. If yes, explain. If no, explain.
Vs 16:
- When is the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus?
Vs 17-29:
- What does it mean to be a Jew?
- Would vs 29 definition of jew apply in vs 9-10, and would that imply?
- Does vs 29 definition of jew mean God has no plan for the physical Jews anymore?
- What does circumcision of the heart mean? What can the “foreskin of the heart” refer to?
Romans 3
- Vs 1-2:
- What advantage does the Jew have, and why is circumcision of value?
- What does it mean that the Jews were entrusted with the “oracles of God”?
- Vs 3-4:
- What does it mean that God remains true even if every man is a liar?
- How does this passage reinforce God’s justice in judgment?
- Vs 5-8:
- How is God just in punishing sin if our unrighteousness highlights His righteousness?
- Why does Paul reject the argument that “we should do evil that good may come”?
- How does this passage counter the idea that God’s grace gives us a license to sin?
- Vs 9-12:
- What does it mean that “none is righteous, no, not one”?
- How does this passage apply to both Jews and Gentiles?
- What does it mean that no one seeks after God?
- Vs 13-18:
- What do these verses teach about the nature of sin and its impact on human speech, actions, and attitudes?
- How do these descriptions compare to modern society?
- What does it mean that “there is no fear of God before their eyes”?
- Vs 19-20:
- What is the purpose of the law according to these verses?
- Why can no one be justified by the works of the law?
- How does the law make us aware of sin?
- Vs 21-22:
- What does it mean that the righteousness of God is revealed “apart from the law”?
- How is righteousness received through faith in Jesus Christ?
- Why is this righteousness available to all who believe, regardless of background?
- Vs 23-24:
- What does it mean that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”?
- How does God’s justification through grace contrast with human effort?
- What is redemption, and how does it come through Christ Jesus?
- Vs 25-26:
- What does it mean that Jesus was presented as a “propitiation” by His blood?
- How does God remain just while justifying sinners?
- Why was it necessary for God to demonstrate His righteousness in this way?
- Vs 27-28:
- Why is boasting excluded under the law of faith?
- How does justification by faith alone differ from justification by works?
- Vs 29-30:
- What does it mean that God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles?
- How does this reinforce the unity of salvation through faith for all people?
- Vs 31:
- Does faith nullify the law? If not, how does faith establish the law?
- How should we understand the relationship between faith and obedience to God’s commandments?