Preacher: Pastor Ray
Condemnation keeps us away from God while the free gift of righteousness allows us to draw near.
Discussion Questions
Read Rom 4:1-4.
– Why is it significant that Abraham was counted righteous PRIOR to his circumcision?
– How does a religious “worker” whose mentality is working to receive his due depict a slave under the law/sin?
– What happens to your motivation to work hard over time when you are under the law/sin?
Read Rom 4:5-8.
– Regarding faith, what is one positive thing applied to us and what is one negative thing removed from us?
Read Rom 4:14.
– How does work nullify the need for faith?
– What happens to Christianity when you nullify faith?
Read Rom 4:16-17, Heb 11:17-19, John 5:21 and Heb 11:3.
– Explain in your own words what Rom 4:16-17 means.
Read 1 Cor 1:28-31. Faith trusts in the wisdom of God and boasts in Him alone.
– How might our boasting in our wisdom lead to a life that is contrary to faith?
– How do we obtain godly wisdom?
– How do we discern spiritual truth, contrary to worldly knowledge?
Read Rom 4:8-25.
– Why is the phrase “it was counted to him” included in Scripture? For whose benefit?
– Why does this passage prevent us from putting Abraham on a pedestal?
Read Rom 5:1-5.
– How do these verses support the idea that life is one long journey of faith filled with testing?
– What is the purpose of sufferings or trials?
– Explain the connection between sufferings, endurance, character and hope.
– Why is hope the culmination of faith?
– Why does real hope not put us to shame?
Read Rom 5:12-16.
– Differentiate between the the line of the first Adam and the second Adam, Jesus.
– How does condemnation work to keep us away from the Father?
– Why is judgment not an angry response of God but the natural result of lost children who refuse to come home?
– For the believer, condemnation has been lifted forever. What has it been replaced with?
– Righteousness leads to a clean conscience instead of condemnation. How does this renewed mindset give us the confidence to approach God?
Read Rom 5:17.
– Compare and contrast how death reigned through the first Adam with life reigning in and through Jesus.
– How is reigning in life relate to victory and freedom?
– How does present reigning in life relate with our future eternal life?
– Do Christians ever die?