Romans

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Being Right With God Through Faith in Christ

Chapters 1-4

2009

2009

Romans 1-4

Questions

Being Right With God Through Faith in Christ

Background:  Paul wrote this letter to introduce himself to the church at Rome.  He intended to stop there on his ways to minister in Spain.  Paul’s name was well known throughout the Christian community and he wanted to assure them that his message was indeed the Gospel of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  The church was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers and, at that time, they were experiencing some tensions between these two groups.

The main theme of Romans is the righteousness that comes from God: the glorious truth that God justifies guilty condemned sinners (declares us “not guilty” – now, holy and blameless, perfect in our standing before God’s throne), by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.  Paul teaches us that all man is guilty of sin and therefore unworthy of heaven.  He shows us that the only way to salvation is by faith in Christ and that alone.

Paul explains in great detail how perfect God took upon Himself the sins of ______ man, past, present and future and put upon us His perfect nature of righteousness (holiness).  He explains that because of the perfect work of Christ, who died for us as a sacrifice for sin (grace), and that work alone, a believer is no longer condemned because of sin and explains all that this grace entails.  It is never about what one does; it is always about what He did and continues to do, even for an eternity!  He encourages us to behave as ones not of this world, but as ones worthy of the calling of Christ.

If ever we are to understand our purpose in life, to understand what it is that God plans for His loved ones, what it means to be holy and how that holiness is achieved, then the Book of Romans is our primer.  Paul learned first hand from Christ what it means to glorify God (our purpose) and passes that wonderful knowledge along to us so that we too might rejoice in all that is ours In Christ.

Addressing the Jewish-Gentile tensions, Paul makes it clear that no one has an edge on God; rather, all stand condemned before Him because no one has kept, or can keep, the Mosaic Law.  He then declares the Good News that forgiveness, acceptance, and the new life of the Spirit, come as God’s gift to all that receive Him by faith.  Chapters 1-11 declare that all people are sinners and worthy of judgment, but goes on to explain what God has done for all who believe, while chapters 12-16 show how believers ought to live in response to the bountiful gifts of God.

Chapter 1 – Greetings

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ” – Paul wastes no time in letting the Romans know exactly where he stands.  A bondservant is a slave who willingly gives up his freedom and commits himself to serve a master that he loves, obeys, and respects.  It is not about who is “better” – the master or the slave, the Jew or the Gentile.  It is all about giving up everything (surrendering) for the sake of Christ.

1.     What is Paul’s role as bondservant (the word “bondservant” is not in the NLT, but is in the original language)?  (A) He is “__________” (set apart) to be an apostle (one sent out), “_______________” (from all other things) to the _______________of God.

2.     What is “The Gospel of God?”  (A) God will ____________sins, ___________from sin’s power, and ________ eternal hope (life), to those who ___________in the Lord Jesus as Savior.

3.     Is this a “new” revelation?  (A) No!  In v.2, Paul says that it was promised long ago and written in the scriptures of the _____ by His prophets.  Paul’s opponents condemned him for teaching a new message unrelated to Judaism, claiming this proves it false.  The scriptures spoke of the ______ ___________ (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-27), and spoke of the ____________ whose ____________would make it possible (Matt. 26:28).

4.     Who does he say that Jesus is?  (A) God’s ______, born in the royal line of David, declared as set apart from all the rest of humanity by His______________.  As the Son of God, in His incarnation, Christ voluntarily submitted Himself to do the  _________of the Father only through the ____________and ____________of His Holy Spirit.

5.     He recognizes the Roman believers as “Among those called to belong to Jesus,” a recurring theme in Paul’s epistles.  What does he mean by “called?”  (A) A point of doctrine that is misunderstood and is therefore dismissed by many Christians.  Always in the NT epistles, the “call” of God refers to God’s “____________call” (the __________to Himself of all those elect sinners (see Rom. 8:28-30) whom He has _____________for salvation according to His sovereign will – (John 6:44, 2Thess. 2:13,14)), rather than the “___________ call” (the desire that _______would come to know Him as Lord and Savior).  He desires it, but knows that many will __________ the call (“…many are called, but few are chosen,” “the path is wide, but the gate is narrow).  Yes, it is a difficult doctrine, but it is a continuous theme in the entire NT.  God took the initiative in our salvation from eternity past.

6.     What are believers “set apart” for?  (A) God has set believers apart from _______ unto Himself, so that they are His ________ ___________(saints) (1 Cor. 3:16,17).

7.     V.16 –Why does Paul say “It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.)”  (A) Only God’s power is able to ____________ man’s sinful nature and give him new life (John 1:12; 1 Cor.1: 18,23-25).  “Saving everyone” – the word is salvation which means “_______________” or “rescue.”  It is the power of the Gospel that delivers people from_____________, from the ____________of God, from willful ____________ ignorance, from evil self-indulgence and from the ______________ of false religion.

8.     The last part of that verse says, “who believes.”  Define believes.  Believes in what?  For how long?  (A) It means to_________, to rely on.  In the NT, when used of salvation, the word usually occurs in the _____________tense (“is believing”), which stresses that faith is not simply a one-time event, but an ____ __________condition.  True saving faith is supernatural, a gracious gift of God that _______ produces in the heart and is the ___________ means by which a person can obtain true righteousness.

9.     Once again, we are at a disadvantage in using the NLT.  In the NKJV, v.17 reads, “For in it (this power of salvation) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…” The NLT reads, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight.  This is accomplished from the start to the finish by faith.”  The definition is great, but the word “righteousness” is critical.  It is a major theme in the book and appears over 30 times.  It means conforming to God’s perfect _________ and __________ character.  Something we, in our own humanity, cannot do! 

10.  How can God make us right in His sight - make us righteous (holy, sinless), called Justification when we are continual sinners?  (A) God is righteous by___________ –He always was, is and always will be.  But man falls far short of God’s standard of moral ______________ (the law).  We can’t do it, but ________ can do it in us.  The Gospel tells us that, on the basis of faith – and faith alone (Gal. 3:11) – God will impute (pass on to us by the Spirit) His own righteousness to ungodly sinners.  He gives to us, _______ that He is!  How?  Through what Jesus did as the sinless _____________ for our sins.  We who are not righteous are treated as if we were righteous because God sees us in the _______________ of Christ.  Still the world rejects Him!

11.  Like the Jews who rejected Christ, many sinful, wicked people (v.18) push the truth of God away from themselves.  Will they be held accountable?  Are those who have never heard the Gospel lost?  (A) The Bible’s truth is made available to_______________.     V. 20 tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself in_____________, but men have not responded to this revelation.  People are not condemned for rejecting a Savior they have never heard of, but for being _____________ to what they could know about God as He ______________ Himself to each one.

12.  In vv. 18-31, God shows His anger toward sinners of all kinds: sexual sins, moral sins, sins of greed, envy, murder, fighting, deception, hateful behavior and gossip.  He includes those who refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless and unforgiving, among others.  What is God’s judgment for these sins?  (A) The list includes _____________ type of sin and sinner.  The penalty is_____________.  All are guilty!

Chapter 2  - God’s Righteous Judgment of Sin

In chapter 1, Paul has shown that the pagans are lost and need the Gospel.  Now he turns to another group of people, the self-righteous moralist, whether Jews or Gentiles.  We know this is true because of what he says about them. 

1.     Who are self-righteous people and are they lost?  (A) Vs. 1 shows us that they are self-righteous by the way they ____________ the behavior of others (yet __________ the same sins themselves.)  The fact that one can __________ sins in others shows that he knows the ____________ between right and wrong.  Therefore, when someone commits the very sins he condemns in others he leaves himself without excuse.

2.     VV.2, 3 speak of the judgment of God for the wicked.  What is the judgment of God?  (A) First, it is according to_________, the truth available to us in the Word, in creation, in His revelation to all.  Second, It is _____________ on those who condemn others for the very sins they practice.  It is inescapable unless we ___________ (agree with God that it is sin) and are forgiven.  Third, it is sometimes____________.  It is an evidence of how kind, tolerant, and patient God is (v. 4).  He is kind to sinners but not to their_________.  He is tolerant by holding back on ______________ of man’s wickedness and rebellion.  He is patient with man in spite of man’s ________ ___________ sinful ways (total depravity).

3.     Why has God been so kind, tolerant and patient?  (A) V. 4 – He is giving us ________to _______ __________ from our sin (repent).

4.     What do vv.5-6 tell you about the degree of His judgment?  (A) Remember that Paul is talking to ____________ __________at this point, not to believers.  He says that they are “storing up terrible punishment for themselves for refusing to__________.  There will be a day when God judges the entire world, all people, for what they have________.  Man will make excuses, blame others for leading them astray, and say that they were unaware of the consequences, etc., but ultimately they will be judged for their own____________, not by any of these other things.

5.     If we take vv.6-11 by themselves, it would seem to teach that salvation is by works.  They seem to say that those who do good works will earn eternal life (v.10).  Is this a contradiction?  (A) It cannot mean that, because then it would _____________ the consistent testimony of the rest of Scripture to the effect that salvation is by faith ___________ from works.  There are some 150 verses in the NT that condition salvation solely on faith or believing.

6.     So, how do we reconcile these verses?  (A) First, we must understand that good works do not ___________ until a person has been______ ___________.  Jesus said, in John 6:28,29, “ This is the work of God, that you ___________ in _______whom He sent.       “So, the first good work is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Remember that faith is not a work that _______ us salvation.  No matter how much an unbeliever does “good” works, all of their supposed righteousness will be seen as filthy rags (Is. 64:6).  Their condemning sin is that they have _____ _____________in the Lord Jesus.  Beyond that, their works will determine their _____________ of judgment.

7.     What about believers being judged according to their works?  (A) All their works ____________ salvation were sinful.  But the _________ of Jesus has wiped out their past – completely!  Now God Himself ______________ find any charge against them for which to sentence them to hell.  Once they are saved, they begin to do good works - a result of salvation, not the cause.  At the Judgment Seat of Christ (not the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20), their works will be reviewed and they will be ____________________ for all of their faithful service.

8.     Now Paul turns to another class of people and asks the question; are the Jews, to whom the Law was given, also lost (vv.17-29)?  (A) The Jews certainly felt they were ____________ from God’s judgment – that God would never send a Jew to hell.

9.     What was their advantage?  (A) They knew what God wanted – they had the _______ and relied on____________, not practicing, the Law.  Because of this knowledge, they acted as  __________ for the spiritually blind and beacons of _________for the lost.  They believed that they could _____________ the ignorant and ___________ children the ways of God (vv.18-20).

10.  What then was their problem?  (A) V.21 – “If you teach others, why don’t you teach______________?”  They dishonor God by knowing the Law, but breaking it.  The world sees their hypocrisy and blasphemes the name of God.

11.  The Jews put a lot of emphasis in their ceremony of circumcision.  Why?  (A) It was a ceremony instituted by God as a _________ of His ______________with Abraham (Gen. 17:9-14).  It symbolized a _____________ of a people to God from the world.  The problem was that it was __________ only as a sign when it was combined with a life of___________.  God is never satisfied with external obedience unless it is followed by ____________ holiness: It is the same problem that Jesus had with the Pharisees.

12.  Who does Paul say is a true Jew? What is the true circumcision?  (A) V. 29 – one whose ___________ is right with God and lives a __________ life.  True circumcision is a matter of the heart – the spiritual reality of surgery on the old, __________ nature.  Salvation results from the work of ________ ______________in the heart, not mere external efforts to conform to His Law.

Chapter 3 – God Remains Faithful

Paul continues on his questions about Judaism.  He takes a stance, as would a lawer, asking questions of defendants in court.

1.     What is the advantage of being a Jew?  (A) The most important advantage - the Jews were entrusted with the whole _____________ of God.  Unfortunately, not all have believed.

2.     Yes, not all Jews have believed, but does that mean that God will go back on His promises?  Remember the OT – God continually says to His people, “If you obey me, then I will…” There was always the promise (Covenants): if-then (a conditional agreement).  V.3, 4, “If _____________ else is a liar, God is________.”  We take comfort in that.

3.     Paul states a familiar argument; “ …our sins serve a good purpose, for people will see God’s goodness when He declares us sinners to be innocent.  Isn’t it unfair, then, for God to punish us?”  (A) If there were any possibility of God’s being unrighteous (or unfair), then how could He be  ________ to judge the whole world?

4.     V.V.7, 8 –“…how can God judge and condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty ________________ his truthfulness and brings Him more glory?  Then how can He consistently find fault with me as a sinner?  It seems that the more we sin the better!  Those who say this are ______________!”

5.     All of this leads up to Paul’s main point – All people are under the power of sin.  No one is _________, not even _______.  No one really understands or is looking for God.  All have done wrong and no one does good, not even one.

6.     Who then, does the law apply to?  (A) V.19 –It applies to those to whom it is given, to  _______  _______________human being.  Jews received the Law under  ___________ and Gentiles have the works of the Law written on their hearts, so both groups are  _______________ to God.  There is no defense against the  _____________ verdict God pronounces on the entire human race.

Sounds pretty depressing!  Is there a way out of the mess man has made? 

This marks a turning point in what Paul is teaching and is the heart of the Letter to the Romans. Up until now, Paul proved the universal sinfulness of man and his need for righteousness.  In 3:21-5:21, he develops the theme he introduced in 1:17 – that God has graciously provided a righteousness that comes from Him based on faith alone.

1.     According to v. 21, how can sinners be right in His sight (righteous)?  (A) God revealed a plan by which God can righteously ________ unrighteous sinners, and that is not by requiring men to keep the Law.  His problem?  He can’t  __________ sin or overlook it.  Because He is holy, He must  ___________ sin.  And the punishment for sin (any sin!) is __________.  But God loves the sinner, therefore the problem.  The OT foretold the plan in the various types of the sacrificial system that required  ___________for atonement.

2.     God’s plan makes it easy for us to be made right before Him.  How?  (A) V.22 – “We are made right in God’s sight when we ___________ in the Lord Jesus to take away our sins.”  All can be saved in this same way!

3.     V.24 is important.  It says that, “Yet now God in His gracious kindness declares us not guilty.  He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.” What is the significance of the word declares?  (A) God does not make the believer sinless or righteous in himself.  Rather, God in justifying sinners actually  ___________ them righteous when they are _______________.

4.     Paul now gives the answer to how we are made right before God.  The NKJV says it this way, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation (satisfying God’s holy law) by His blood, through faith.”  This is difficult to understand.  We don’t use the language often, but it important to grasp.  What is justification?  (A) A simple definition would be, declared holy, just as if I’d never sinned. The formal language is, God has  _____________ (put into our account) all of the righteousness of Jesus, and has taken our  ________and imputed our sins into His account.   In other words, God no longer sees  _______of our sins, past, present or future.  He sees in us the righteousness of Jesus.  V 25 says, “We are made right with God when we  ___________ that Jesus shed His _________, sacrificing His life for us.”  V. 30, “There is only  _________God, and there is only _____ ________ of being accepted by Him.  He makes us right with Himself only by  _________…” - His blood is the ___________ that was paid.

Chapter 4 – The Faith of Abraham

Paul goes on to prove this doctrine of justification by faith alone.  The question posed is: Does this gospel agree with the teaching of the OT?  The answer would be especially important to the Jewish people.  Paul shows that there is complete harmony between the gospel in the NT and in the OT.  Justification has always been by faith.

1.     How does Paul prove his point?  (A) He uses two of the greatest heroes in Israel’s history: Abraham and David.  God made great Covenants with both of these men.  One lived centuries  __________ the law was given, and the other lived many years ________________.  One was justified before he was  ___________ (Abe), and the other (Dave) after.

2.     We see Abraham’s act of faith in Gen. 15:6, p.13.  What is this in reference to?  (A) God took Abraham outside and pointed to the stars in heaven and promised that his descendants would be like that – too many to count. “And Abraham  ___________ the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith.  This act of obedience proved the  ______________ of his faith. 

3.     Did anything that Abraham do have anything to do with his justification?  (A)  Works had  _______________ to do with it.  They aren’t even mentioned.

4.     VV.4-5 explain the difference between works and faith in a simple way.  (A) When a person works for a living and gets their paycheck at the end of the week, they are entitled to their wages.  They have earned them.  They don’t bow before their employer, thanking him for his display of kindness and saying that they don’t deserve the money.  No way!  They put their money in their pocket and go home, knowing that they have been  ___________________ for their efforts.

5.     But that is not how it is in the matter of justification.  Explain.  (A) The justified man is one who does not  __________ (earning salvation by some other means).  He renounces any possibility of  ____________ his salvation.  He acknowledges that all his best efforts could  _____________ fulfill God’s righteous demands.  Instead, he  _____________in Him who justifies the ungodly.  He doesn’t argue that he has already done his best, lives by the Golden Rule, that he has not been as bad as others, is a pretty good person, and on and on.  No, he comes as an ungodly,  ___________ sinner and throws himself on the mercy of God.

6.     What is the result?  (A) His faith is  _____________ to him for righteousness; in other words, he is made  __________ before God.  Because he has come  ____________ rather than working, God puts righteousness to his account (imputed righteousness).  Because of what  _________ has done, God clothes the believer with His righteousness and makes him  _________ for heaven.  This is what it means to be “In Christ.”

7.     Next Paul turns to David to prove his argument.  Paul quotes David’s words in Psalm 32:1,2 (vv.7,8).  David said nothing about works; forgiveness is a matter of God’s __________ , not of man’s efforts.  Second, he saw that if God doesn’t count sin against a person, then that person must be right before God.  He understands that God justifies the ungodly (after all, David was a murderer and an adulterer).

8.     But still in the Jew’s mind was the belief that the  _____________ people had a corner on God’s justification; that only those  _______________ could be justified.  Paul turns once again to Abraham to show that this wasn’t so.  How did Abraham’s faith help him?  Was he declared righteous only after he had been circumcised, or before (v.10)?  (A) Paul quotes Genesis to show that Abraham was justified (Gen:15:6)  ___________he was ever circumcised (Gen. 17:24).

9.     Paul shows us that Abraham was not only the spiritual father of those made righteous by faith but have not been circumcised (believing Gentiles), but also of those who have been circumcised (believing Jews), but only if they have the  _______ ________ _____ _____________ Abraham had  ____________he was circumcised.

10.  In verse 16, Paul says, ”that’s why  __________ is the key!”  In vv.13-16, Paul renounces the Jew’s claim that God’s promise (to Abraham and his seed) was for those who  ____________ God’s law and think they are “ _______ ______________” in God’s sight.  If that is the case, faith is useless and then the promise itself is meaningless.  The law brings  ___________________ on those who try to obey it – the only way to avoid breaking the law is to have  ____ ______to break.  No one can  ________________obey the law.  It does not mean that we have no law, we do and the law is good.  It means that, because of our  ____________to obey it, the only way to salvation is through faith in the finished work of Christ and His blood shed for us.