Romans 12-13

Introduction ✝ In chapter 12, Paul begins to address our lives in Christ. The foundation of God’s grace in Christ has been laid.

Introduction ✝ Verse 1 “Living sacrifices” —This is in contrast to the sacrifices under the Old Testament law that ended up dead on the altar. Christians sacrifice too, but they freely sacrifice their lives to God.

Introduction ✝ Verse 2 “Be transformed.... Then you will be able.” The key to knowing and doing our Lord’s will is to be transformed in our minds. This happens when we go from being under the law of sin and death to being joined with the law of the Spirit of life. The Spirit teaches us to love. The Spirit guides us, enabling us to do what pleases God and to make choices according to his will.

Introduction ✝ Verse 6 “Prophesying” —Prophecy is the gift of communicating God’s Word. In Paul’s time, those with the gift of prophecy often received revelations directly from the Lord and shared them with the church. When we think of prophesying today, we think of preaching and teaching God’s Word.

Introduction ✝ Verse 20 “Heap burning coals on his head.” “Burning coals” describes the feeling a person has when he or she has treated another person badly and that person does only good in return. The person feels bad and may repent. In this way Christians overcome evil with good.

Introduction ✝ Verse 1 “Which God has established” —Note that Paul twice makes the point about the relationship between God and the governing authorities, once from the negative side (“no authority except that which God has established”) and again from the positive side (“the authorities that exist have been established by God”). Paul wants to make this point as strongly as possible. The governments that exist have been established by God, even the evil ones.

Romans 12:1-8 ✝ In verse 1 Paul looks backward and forward. Explain. ✝ He asks us to look back on everything he has said and marvel at the grace God has shown us in Christ. In view of this grace, Paul says we are to look forward to how we will live our lives—offering them to God in thanks for all he has done for us.

Romans 12:1-8 ✝ What are Christians more apt to do, underestimate their spiritual gifts or overestimate them? Which is more detrimental to the church? ✝ Some are tempted to underestimate their gifts and not be concerned about them. But real damage to the church occurs when people overestimate their gifts and push themselves forward, doing work they are neither gifted nor called to do.

Romans 12:1-8 ✝ Paul says that each member of God’s church belongs to all the others. What can you do for your fellow members in Christ? How do Paul’s words help shape your motivations as you carry out the work you are doing now? ✝ We do not work for our own satisfaction but for the good of our fellow believers.

Recap Romans 12:1-8 ✝ Paul points us back to God’s grace. He begins encouraging us to live lives in service to God.

Romans 12:9-21 ✝ In verse 9, Paul places the words love and hate close together. Why does he do this? ✝ True love will always speak out against sin because it hates sin. Only insincere love will allow sin to go uncontested.

Romans 12:9-21 ✝ Verse 12 captures the essence of the Christian life. Describe the lives of Christians who shape their lives according to Paul’s words in this verse. ✝ We are filled with hope because of our joy in Christ. We know suffering accompanies our Christian lives, so we bear with it patiently. We know the power of prayer, so we pray faithfully for the growth of the church and our own faith.

Romans 12:9-21 ✝ How would our sinful nature like to change Paul’s words in verse 15? ✝ Out of jealousy, we would like to mourn when others rejoice and rejoice when others mourn.

Romans 12:9-21 ✝ Why does Paul qualify his words in verse 18 with the words, “if it is possible”? How might our sinful nature try to misuse those words? ✝ Sometimes the other person makes it impossible to get along. But we dare never use this as an excuse not to try to live in peace.

Romans 12:9-21 ✝ Paul tells us to be devoted to one another in brotherly love. How does that shape the way we view our fellow worshipers on Sunday morning? ✝ We see our fellow members as brothers and sisters in Christ. Personality issues fade away, as does competition and favoritism.

Recap Romans 12:9-21 ✝ Paul continues teaching us how to show our love as people who have received God’s grace.

Romans 13:1-7 ✝ When a person rebels against the government, what is the real sin that person is committing? ✝ He or she is sinning against God. ✝ What is the government’s purpose? ✝ It is to serve its citizens and punish wrongdoers. It has the power of life and death and the power to wage war against aggressors.

Romans 13:1-7 ✝ Who has given the government the “right of the sword”? ✝ God. The government has the right to carry out capital punishment.

Romans 13:1-7 ✝ Up to now, Paul has been addressing Christians in the same way he would address anyone—if you do wrong, you will be punished, because the government has the responsibility and power to do that. In verse 5 Paul addresses Christians and gives them another reason to honor the government. What is that? ✝ Christians know it pleases God to honor the government. Honoring the government, therefore, does not become something we are compelled to do but something we want to do. We want to keep our consciences clear before God, so we honor his representatives.

Romans 13:1-7 ✝ Read Acts 4:19,20. What is the only God- pleasing reason for not obeying the government? ✝ We can disobey the government only if it tells us to go against God’s Word.

Recap Romans 13:1-7 ✝ Paul encourages Christians to honor and obey the governmental authorities.

Romans 13:8-14 ✝ How does it feel to be in debt? What debts should we pay off? What debt should we never consider as being paid off? ✝ When you are in debt, you feel under pressure. We should pay off our debts, particularly those to friends or relatives who need the money they loaned us. There is one debt, however, that if we ever “pay off,” we will have lost our faith. As long as we live, we have the need (the “pressure”) to love one another.

Romans 13:8-14 ✝ In John 13:34, Jesus told his disciples that he was giving them a new command: to love one another. Use these verses of Romans to explain why that was a new command. (Hint: The “newness” refers not to the action the person performs but to the motivation behind the action.) ✝ The love God has shown us in Christ frees us to love others. This is the new commandment Jesus has given us. It is new because it is based on the love of the crucified and risen Savior. This love prompts us to fulfill the commandments.

Romans 13:8-14 ✝ What does night refer to in verse 12? What does day mean? ✝ The night refers to our time in this dark world of unbelief and sin. The day is our future life in heaven.

Romans 13:8-14 ✝ What beautiful gospel message is there in the word daytime ? What should the message of that word lead us to do? ✝ The day of heaven is coming. But even now we live in the daytime of peace and hope in Christ’s forgiveness. Since this is the case, how could we go back and live like those who are in the darkness of unbelief?

Romans 13:8-14 ✝ Describe the armor of light. (See Ephesians 6:10-18.) ✝ As there is time, read through this section and comment on each of Paul’s phrases.

Recap Romans 13:8-14 ✝ Paul encourages us to love one another and to keep watch, for our eternal life is near.