Family Study Guide for Romans 4

September 22 – September 28, 2005
(Read Romans 3 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 4 by Ron Fay, Former Quizzer (& Doctoral Student in N.T. Greek)

After every major sporting event, the cameras invariably end up focusing on the one hero of the game. Typically, the question asked by the oh-so-creative reporter is something along the lines of “how does it feel to be the hero of the game?” The stereotyped response quickly follows, “I just want to thank my teammates for helping us win the game.” Is this a case of false humility or a case of someone who knows what he is talking about?

Paul makes it clear that nobody makes it alone, that the only way to salvation is through God alone. God is the team we rely upon, God is the only source of our faith, of our strength. He gives us signs to see if we are among His people, usually called the fruit of the Spirit. The faith that He grows in us, however, is what counts as our righteousness, not our deeds. Salvation comes about through faith, and faith comes about through God’s work in our lives and our willingness to submit to His call. “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith,” Romans 4:13.

We are each born of an earthly father, but we are also born of a spiritual one. Christianity historically speaks of multiple fathers in the life of an individual. First, there is the birth father, the person from whom we get our genetic makeup. Second, there is our heavenly Father, the One who grants us life, existence, and the ability to become His children by adoption. Finally, there is the last one, the spiritual father, the person who help to nurture our faith until it grew into a blazing fire inside of us. For me, it was my Youth Pastor who changed my life. He made God real to me, no just modeling the life led by faith, but making sure that I understood and accepted the same type life of faith as well.

In Abraham we find our ultimate spiritual father, for he was the first of us to be saved by faith in the Messiah yet to be, though he never met God face-to-face. His belief was more powerful than his doubt, his spiritual sight stronger than his physical sight, his faith stronger than his mortality. Though he was too old to have a child, still his faith made him young enough to be the father of nations. “Abraham believed in God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” May the same be said of each of us on that final day.

Questions to Consider from Romans 4:

• When have you tried to “go it alone”?
• Who was your spiritual father (or mother)? How?
• How have you seen the power of Faith in your life?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

• Righteousness illustrated (4:1-25)
  i. By faith not works
  ii. By faith not rites
  iii. By faith not the Law
  iv. By faith in God’s promise

Finish the Verses for Romans 3:

"Blessed are they whose transgressions// are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Romans 4:7-8

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. Being fully PERSUADED that what?
2. 2 Part : Blessed are they whose WHAT?
3. Reference : According to Romans 4:16, he is the father of whom?
4. For our sins he was what?
5. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him how?
6. 3 Part : The promise comes by faith, so that it may be GUARANTEED to whom?
7. To all Abraham's offspring -- not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of who?
8. If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he what?
9. Since he was about a HUNDRED years old, his body what?
10. We have been saying what?
11. Situation: Who says it? When?: "Blessed are they whose TRANSGRESSIONS are forgiven, whose sins are COVERED. . ."
12. God gives life to whom?
13. Reference : According to Romans 4:17, what is written?
14. Faith has no value if what?
15. Reference : According to Romans 4:11, he is the father of whom?
16. Who had power to do what he had promised?
17. WHO in hope believed?
18. Reference : According to Romans 4:16, what comes by faith?
19. Situation: What says it?: "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
20. Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for whom?

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Family Study Guide for Romans 3

September 15 – September 21, 2005
(Read Romans 3 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 3 by Mark Chesner, Coach

Super-hero movies are all the rage these days with heroes such as Spider-Man, Batman, the X-Men, and others receiving the big-screen treatment that only ancient mythical heroes received previously. There are a few rules to a successful super-hero movie. First, the hero - of course - has to be larger than life. Second, he has to be someone we can relate to. And finally - and most importantly - he has to face his polar opposite in the main bad guy of the movie. For Superman, it is Lex Luthor - a man lacking all of the heroes power but more than making up for it in his ambition for personal gain. For Spider-Man, it is the Green Goblin - who is as insane and lacking of a grip on reality as Peter Parker is rooted in everyday concerns.

In scripture, we usually think of the good guy/bad guy battle as God vs. the Devil. But in Romans 3, Paul draws a very different parallel of the usual super-hero dual. He says it is God on the one side, and humanity on the other! Consider the following, in light of the good, righteous, and true God spoken of in Romans: “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." (Romans 3:12-17) Talk about villains! And it is easy to forget that every one of us is included in that group: “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10) We are the bad guys in this story, and we all know the natural end of every good comic book movie - the villain is defeated in spectacular fashion.

But God does not allow Himself to be constrained by a human plot line. He has instead decided to offer the bad guys a shot to join the winning side! “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24) Through Jesus Christ, we have a doorway to the good side, a way to redemption, and the deal is not just for a special few, but is for everyone. The most horrible person on the planet can turn and change sides, by simply turning themselves over to Jesus, where they can be transformed into something completely new.

Questions to Consider from Romans 3:

• When have you been the “bad guy” in the story of your life?
• When has “the poison of vipers” been on your lips?
• Why would God decide to take in people like us, who have been villains like this?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

• Condemnation against unfaithful Jews (2:1-3:8)
• Condemnation against all humanity (3:8-20)
• God’s Righteousness Revealed in Justification (3:21-5:21)
• Righteousness explained (3:21-31)

Finish the Verses for Romans 3:

As it is written: "There is no one righteous,// not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:10-12

Therefore no one will be declared righteous// in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Romans 3:20

This righteousness from God comes through faith// in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. 2 Part : There is only one God, who will JUSTIFY whom?
2. Much in every way why?
3. God PRESENTED him as what?
4. Reference : According to Romans 3:19, we know that what?
5. Some CLAIM that we say what?
6. 3 Part : (All) are justified how?
7. He did what to demonstrate his justice?
8. Their THROATS are what?
9. Who UNDERSTANDS?
10. God PRESENTED him as a SACRIFICE of ATONEMENT how?
11. What is DESERVED?
12. Their TONGUES what?
13. Reference : According to Romans 3:9, not at all what?
14. Reference : According to Romans 3:12, not even one what?
15. Let God what?
16. Who have sinned?
17. 2 Part : What MARK their ways?
18. 2 Part : (Boasting is EXCLUDED) on what PRINCIPLE?
19. We UPHOLD the law how?
20. A man is justified by faith apart from what?

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Family Study Guide for Romans 2

September 8 – September 14, 2005
(Read Romans 2 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 2 by John Roy, Pastor

A few years ago, a movie was produced and shown in theaters across the country. This time the good guys were LA detectives and the bad guy was the Minister of Diplomatic Affairs for the South African Consulate. A car chase opened the movie -- a red BMW crashed, the trunk door flew open, and one million dollars worth of South African krugerrands was discovered. It turns out that the red BMW was registered to the South African Minister. The detectives making the discovery were re-assigned another case, as the Minister claimed diplomatic immunity. He was then promptly escorted away from police headquarters by high level U.S. Government officials. Needless to say, our good guys kept one eye on their new assignment and one eye on the bad guys throughout the remainder of the movie. At the very end, after some innocent people were killed by the Minister and his partners, he showed his ID, claiming “diplomatic immunity” for the last time. Judgment took place and the Minister was finally punished.

Diplomatic immunity is an agreement between governments that ensures diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws. It is, in effect, a status of privilege. One can break the law and not be prosecuted (unless it is a really serious crime, like murder, drug smuggling, espionage, etc.).

As we read Romans 2, we see that this kind of privileged status is the very thing Paul is arguing against. Many Jews in Paul’s day believed they had, in essence, a kind of “diplomatic immunity” from the law. Not a particular country’s law, but rather, God’s law. Why? Because they were God’s chosen people, and they thought this put them into a special position with God. They thought their eternal salvation was secure, solely because they were descendents of Abraham.

Although Paul did not identify the Jews as being his subject yet, in verse 1, he begins his argument against that kind of flawed thinking. “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Paul then goes on until verse 16, with establishing the principles of divine judgment by which the Jew is clearly condemned. Then in verses 17-29 the Jew comes under the spotlight of God’s judgment and is found guilty. In Romans 2:21-22, this is what Paul writes, “you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” Then Paul addresses the very law that the Jews were praising as their own, “You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?”

Paul closes this portion of his argument by showing the difference between “spirituality” and “superficiality.” Or, another way of putting this, between “genuine” and “artificial.” “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.” It is the condition of the heart that makes the difference in your relationship with God. Not the status of your family, your school, or anything else in this life. To God be the glory.

Questions to Consider from Romans 2:

• What kinds of things do people rely on for right standing before God?
• When you stand before God, on what basis will you expect to spend eternity in heaven?
• Does anyone in all of the world have a favored status with God and are immune from God’s judgment against breaking His law?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

• Condemnation against unfaithful Jews (2:1-3:8)

Finish the Verses for Romans 2:

You, therefore, have no excuse,// you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1

God "will give to each // person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Romans 2:6-8

A // man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:28-29

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. You show CONTEMPT for the riches of his kindness, TOLERANCE and patience, not REALIZING that what?
2. 2 Part : You are STORING up wrath against yourself because of what?
3. Reference : According to Romans 1:10, by God's will what?
4. They are a law for themselves, even though what?
5. Nor is WHAT merely OUTWARD and physical?
6. All who sin under the law will be judged how?
7. 3 Part : It is the power of God for the salvation of whom?
8. 2 Part : Created things (they) what?
9. What is not from men, but from God?
10. 2 Part : Who may be MUTUALLY ENCOURAGED by each OTHER'S faith?
11. Since they did not think it WORTHWHILE to RETAIN the knowledge of God, he what?
12. Reference : According to Romans 1:16, I am not what?
13. Who will live by faith?
14. Their THINKING what?
15. My gospel DECLARES what?
16. Who will condemn you?
17. You are convinced that you are a GUIDE for the BLIND why?
18. 4 Part : They are a law for themselves why?
19. Who will be judged by the law?
20. Reference : According to Romans 1:17, what is written?

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Family Study Guide for Romans 1

September 1 – September 7, 2005
(Read Romans 1 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 1 by Mark Chesner, Coach

Some of you may be aware that Matt and Jim work in the fire sprinker business, putting in those little metal things in the ceiling. Normally, a fire sprinkler is something we ignore, only to be noticed when we happen to be looking at the ceiling in a store or at school – usually when we are so bored that we are looking for anything to grab our attention. And even for people who own buildings with the things, they tend to only think about them when the annoying side comes out – leaks, drips, and regular inspection visits.

But when a fire bursts out, that is when you suddenly understand just what those little things can do. The little red bead in them bursts, a valve opens, and gallons of water pour out to quickly quench the flames that would otherwise overwhelm and destroy everything. A couple of years ago, there was a metalworking plant that developed a little fire due to momentary carelessness. But that “little problem” quickly became a major disaster because the lack of fire sprinklers in the building meant there was no way to stop the incredible heat from melting or igniting nearly everything in the building.

This is similar to the image I get when I read through Romans 1. After introducing himself, Paul talks about the gospel as “power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” because it is “in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” So what?, you can almost hear long-time Christians saying to themselves. I know the gospel and I believe it, but pretty much it is something that just annoys me when I’d rather sleep in on Sunday. Well, Paul quickly goes on to answer the “So what?” by explaining the fire building right under our noses: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness… Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts… Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.”

Because God’s wrath has been quenched for us, we forget about the “fire” raging around us. We forget that our friends and even family may not know. But Paul has it constantly on his mind, and is going to lay out in Romans the problem with humanity, God’s solution to the problem, and the incredible kindness and grace of our God.

Questions to Consider from Romans 1:

• Do you ever take the gospel for granted?
• Why is it important that Paul establishes himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God?”
• Does Paul leave anyone out of the gift of salvation?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

• Introduction (1:1-17)
• God’s Righteousness Revealed in condemnation (1:18-3:20)
• Condemnation against pagan humanity (1:1-32)

Finish the Verses for Romans 1:

I am // not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16

For in // the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17

The wrath of God is // being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. Romans 1:18-19

For since the creation of // the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. According to Romans 1:13, I do not want you to be what?
2. I serve whom with my whole heart?
3. What is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes?
4. 3 Part : What have been clearly seen?
5. The way may what?
6. 2 Part : I remember you in my PRAYERS how?
7. Paul, a servant of whom?
8. I have had what among the other Gentiles?
9. 2 Part : I long to see you so that what?
10. Through Jesus Christ I what?
11. 2 Part : From God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, what?
12. Who was a descendant of David, as to his human nature?
13. According to Romans 1:26, God gave them over to what?
14. The gospel he promised beforehand in what?
15. They INVENT what?
16. They DISOBEY whom?
17. (They) WORSHIPED and SERVED what?
18. According to Romans 1:16, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile what?
19. They did not think it WORTHWHILE to what?
20. Who was declared with power to be the Son of God?

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