Romans - February 22, 2009

SECTION --- Four: Sanctification (6:1-8:39) .
(continued from previous Class Follow Up)

29. PONDER: Can one who has never seen or talked with Christ one on one, as did Paul, really become as persuaded or convinced as Paul there is nothing to cause Deity to stop loving His greatest creation?
a. Know the inspired revealed mind of God, know the Bible. [cf. Heb 4:12; 2Pe 1:20-21]

OBSERVATION (8:37-39)
Christ followers can be assured God will never stop loving them.

E. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — How can the justified know they “are more than conquerors”? That is to ask, Can we know Deity left no stone un-turned providing the justified the means to be winners, thus, know even in times of stress and doubt they are winners?
1. God, the One loving mankind so much He allowed His Son to be the sacrifice for mankind’s sin, will never stop loving us. We may separate ourselves from Him but nothing can stop Him from loving us.
F. Conclusion — One may dispute a proposition, question the validity of a logical argument, but the demonstration of Jesus on the cross is unanswerable proof of Deity’s love for mankind. All that is required for anyone doubting the power and love of Deity is to go back to Golgotha and observe its divine and eternal demonstration — a most powerful argument indeed. A prayer answered in the way we expect does not prove God’s love for us any more than unanswered prayer or a prayer not answered in the way we expect proves God does not love us — Christ death on the cross for our sins does prove God loves us, even in bad times and hard times. We know God loves us is based on objective proof not subjective (emotional) proof — nothing could cause Paul to reject Christ, even death or life.+ (Would I reject Christ in the face of torture and/or death at the hands of a Muslim?)

XVIII. Section Conclusion (Sanctification Rom 6:1-8:39) — Paul has shown when one is justified (Justified — 3:21-5:21) They are obligated to live differently. They live differently not by their own will or power but the power and love of Deity. However, they do have a choice, it is not TULIP, for they are free to reject what God offers. Many, if not most, of those Paul is addressing have the concept one is Sanctified (good works earn points) then you receive Justification (points earned are redeemed). In this section Paul clearly shows we are Justified, thus, have the power of God to live a Sanctified life. In Romans 12:1-15:4 Paul will discuss the Application of Sanctification.

SECTION--- Five: Vindication of God (9:1 - 11:36)

Introduction
1. Paul’s letter to the Romans is written to Christians that were Jews and Gentiles that have been or are influenced by the teaching of Moses, i.e., salvation is via the Law of Moses. Concerning this section’s introduction (9:1-5) what do you think is the background of the readers being addressing — Jew or Gentile? Why that answer?
a. Jew because of his statement, “my kinsmen according to the flesh.” (v.3)
2. As noted in our introduction to Paul’s letter to the church in Rome he had two major problem that must be resolved if the gospel was to replace the Law of Moses among its disciples...
a. Salvation by faith, apart from works of the Law, will cause men to live in sin.
i. He had to stop and correct the tendency developing in the churches in Corinth and Galatia of adding the law of Christ (1Co 9:21) to the Law of Moses.
ii. Some today are inclined to add parts of the Law of Moses to the law of Christ.
b. Inform the disciples of the Law of Moses that God had not broken His promise and rejected the Jewish nation and their special and eternal relationship with Jehovah God.
3. To this point Paul has discussed the first problem. He has shown no one can say they are worthy of the purity required by God to be in His presents for eternity (Condemnation — Rom 1:18-3:20). Paul then established one is justified by the law of Christ not the Law of Moses [merit] (Justification — Rom 3:21-5:21). This did not sit well with those convinced salvation is by the Law of Moses and the law of Christ was an addition to the Law of Moses for the Gentiles only. Paul was told without the Law of Moses there was nothing to keep people from continuing in sin, thus, a law of merit was necessary and good. Paul offered proof the Law of Moses did not keep one from “struggling with (wanting to) sin”. Paul makes the logical argument what the Law of Moses (any law of merit) could not do, i.e., change the inward man, God’s plan of salvation through Christ accomplished. The plan of salvation through Christ set one free from the hopeless pull of the flesh, set one free from their body of death. (Sanctification — Rom 6:1- 8:39)
Section Preview
1. Chapter 9-11 is Paul’s response to the second problem — God did not break His promise to the Jewish people, i.e., those receiving the Law of Moses.
a. Had been led to believe, based on scripture [Gen 12:3], they, as a nation, were God’s chosen people, now Paul is telling them (a nation made up of Abraham’s descendants) God does not owe them the Messianic blessings, i.e. they, as individuals, must be obedient to the gospel of Christ or be rejected.

OBSERVATION:
1. Do you think the problem being addressed will have an impact on how to apply what is being taught? Why?
a. Yes. The issue is salvation is not by works of merit but by grace. One that is saved by grace will work (spend energy) not for merit but work (spend energy) out of or because of obedience.
b. We must not fail to separate work of merit from work of obedience — both require spending energy and may even look alike.
2. This is a much abused section for it is often applied to those in Christ (spiritual Israel) and not just those who are of the nation of Israel (Abraham’s physical descendants), as is clearly established in the first passage of this section. By ignoring context this section does support the “L” and “P” in the false “TULIP” doctrine.
3. Augustine (“Father of Roman Catholicism”) and John Calvin (“TULIP” doctrine proclaimer) saw in this section the doctrine God determines beforehand (predestines), without rhyme or reason from man's point of view, where each soul will spend eternity — i.e. the choice of heaven or hell has been make before one has been born.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A LOOK AHEAD
I. {Rom 9:1-5 } Introduction to Three Arguments
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul has established the value and purpose of the gospel, salvation for all through Christ. Paul begins a new thought, specifically aimed at those holding on to the Law of Moses as the means or at least part of the means making them a special people, i.e., to be a child of God because they are of Abraham.
2. Preview — It is important for the target audience to know Paul is of the same family tree as they, thus, it is not lack of “proper linage” that drives him to teach what he teaches about the Law of Moses not being the means or proof of justification (Chapter 4).
B. Question For Discussion?
1. Why should they believe, much less listen to, Paul’s teachings about Christ?
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. PONDER: What is required for one to know another is giving the correct facts — i.e., telling the truth about something and not lying?

a.
OBSERVATION: “in” (en) G1722; a prim. prep. denoting position and by impl. instrumentality.

2. (9:1) What is meant by “in Christ” as it is use here? (Same expression used at 8:1,39.)
a.



3. (9:1) What is Paul’s conscience? {cf. Act 24:16; 9:1-4}
a.
4. (9:1) What is meant by “in the Holy Spirit” as it is used here
5. (9:1) How can the readers know Paul is not in error, i.e., his conscience (knowledge) can be mistaken or he is faking it?
a.
6. PONDER: Does this verse (9:1) suggest Paul could not be in error in any thing he says?
a.
7. (9:2) What is Paul’s heart?
a.
c.
8. (9:2) Why makes Paul feel the way he feels’s?
a.

OBSERVATION (9:1-2)


9. (9:3) What does “wish” as used here mean?
a. “wish” =
10. (9:3) What does “accursed or anathema”mean?
a.
11. (9:3) Why is it impossible, or as least improbable, for such to happen to Paul?
a.
12. PONDER: Since Paul could not be accursed so others might live what does Paul mean?
a.
13. (9:3) To whom is Paul addressing this section of Romans (9:1- 11:36)?
a.

OBSERVATION (9:3)


14. (9:4-5) According to these verses how is an Israelite (covenant name of God’s chosen people) defined — i.e., what are the eight unique set apart characteristics of an Israelite?
a.
15. (9:4) What does “adoption as sons” tell us about an Israelite? (cf. Deu 7:6)
a.
16. (9:4) What does “have the glory” tell us about an Israelite? (cf. Exo 13:21-22; 25:22)
a.
17. (9:4) What does “have the covenants” tell us about an Israelite?
a.
18. (9:4) What does “giving of the Law” tell us about an Israelite?
a.
19. (9:4) What does “serving God” tell us about an Israelite? (cf. Heb 9:1,6)
a.
20. (9:4) What does “the promises” tell us about an Israelite?
a.
21. (9:5) What does “their fathers” tell us about an Israelite? (cf Act 3:13;7:32)
a.
22. (9:5) What does “physical brothers of Christ” tell us about an Israelite?
a.
23. (9:5) What is the significance of the statement following the source Christ’s humanity, i.e., “who is over all”?
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
KJV 5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
ASV 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
NASB 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
ESV

a.
24. PONDER: What does “who is over all” (9:5) imply?
a.
25. PONDER: Would it be correct to say because we do not have a record of God making a covenant with or giving laws to any other, people God did not care about them as much as He did Abraham descendants? Why that answer?
a.
OBSERVATION (9:4-5)

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — Why should they believe, much less listen to, Paul’s teachings about Christ?
1.
E. Conclusion —