Romans discussion this Wednesday, June 21, at 7PM

Time just zipped on by since our first meeting on March 1. And now it's time for our final meeting this Wednesday, June 21, at 7PM. I'm not sure what the future holds for hosting another group, but I do plan on enjoying the summer -- and I hope the same for you.

Christian small groups can be quite diverse. Some, like ours, tend focus on content, as in studying the details of a specific topic or book of the Bible. Other groups meet for informal fellowship and spiritual/emotional support. Then there are task-oriented groups that meet for some type of service, mission or outreach purpose. Whatever the emphasis, it seems to me that a Christian small group should have an intentional, focused dynamic to it. Members should ask, "What are we trying to accomplish?"

What is your purpose for going to church? This beautiful Catholic
monastery, built in 1938 for a Franciscan order of nuns, stands on the
Mount of Beatitudes, overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Israel.

I had two goals in mind for starting this group. First, to encourage the deep study of God's Word. Second, to encourage discussion. Most Christians would probably agree that it's important to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible. But how important is discussion? I think it's very important. It seems to me that Christianity is too much of a spectator sport. We go to church, sit in our chairs or pews, sing a few songs, and then take in the main event -- the sermon. It's possible (though unlikely) to enter and leave a church without actually talking to someone.

A big reason for focused small-group discussion is so Christians can learn how to express their faith. Another big reason is so we can edify and build each other up. How often do you participate in deep, spiritual discussions with your brothers and sisters in Christ? If you're like me, it seldom occurs -- even in church. Why do you think that is?

During our final meeting, I'd like us to ponder the "big picture" of the Christian life. What is the big picture to you? Please share your answer with the group this Wednesday. Related are two more questions I'd like us to discuss. First, apart from essentials of conversion, what are five important things you should know about your life as a Christian? Second, what are five important things about your Christianity that you should apply? Don't fret too much over your answers. I'm hoping for some variety from the group. Whew, I'll get out a pen and paper and work on my fives tomorrow...while sipping lemonade (or something ) under the shade of an Oregon ash.

Blessings,
Tom

PS -- The Romans discussion notes for chapter two include a few additions that you might find helpful.

* * *

Outline for Romans Discussion: Meeting #8

(Wednesday, June 21, 2017)

I. Opening prayer

II. Each person shares:

• New person introductions
• What’s been happening in your life in the last two weeks?

III. Announcements:

• Community news, events?
• This is the final meeting of "phase one" of Home Group Leaburg. If we do a "phase two" starting in late summer or early fall, how does the second and fourth Thursdays of each month sound? Denise and I will be attending an Essentials series at First Church of the Nazarene on Wednesday nights beginning in September.
• Potluck sometime in July?
• Mission, service and outreach news. 

IV. Romans discussion:

Q: Would someone like to read Philippians 3:8-11?

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Q: Would someone like to read 1 John 3:1-3

1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Q: Could someone read Philippians 1:9?

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight

Q: Do you think Christians avoid discussing deep, spiritual things? If so, what keeps us from entering deep waters?
Q: To you, what is the "big picture" concerning your Christian life?

Q: Apart from conversion requirements, what are five important things you should know about your life as a Christian?

Q: What are five important things about your Christianity that you should apply?

* * *

• In the last meeting, we discussed Romans 2:1-16, where Paul focuses on a self-righteous group that John Stott calls "critical moralizers." This group definitely includes Paul's fellow Jews and possibly moral Gentiles.
• In Romans 2:17-3:8, which we will start tonight, the focus shifts solely to self-righteous Jews.
• We are continuing with the broad theme of sin and wrath, presented throughout Romans 1:18-3:20. In review, according to theologian John Stott, Paul focuses on four people groups who are “under sin” (3:9) and under God’s wrath:

1. Depraved Gentile society (1:18-32) -- which we previously discussed
2. Critical Moralizers (self-righteous Gentiles and Jews) (2:1-16) -- which we discussed in the last meeting
3. Self-confident Jews (2:17-3:8) -- which we will discuss tonight
4. The Whole Human Race (3:9-20)

Q: Is there anything from the previous meeting that you have questions about or would like to comment on?

* * *

ROMANS 2:17-29

• In this section, Paul directly addresses his fellow Jews, continuing with the diatribe literary style.

Q: Would someone like to read vv. 17-24?

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Q: Any comments on this section?
Q: The Jewish people were the guardians of the Hebrew scriptures and therefore especially qualified to teach and preach God's truth. Paul criticizes them for not practicing what they preached. As Christians, how sinless do we need to be before we are qualified to share the Gospel?
Q: Paul is being tough on his fellow Jews. Do you think Paul is accurate in his assessment of the Jewish people or is he using hyperbolic language to make a point?
Q: The Jewish people believed they were a privileged, chosen people in God’s sight. Why would they believe that?

• The following are three privileges given to the people of Israel: 1) The Abrahamic covenant  2) Keepers of the OT Scriptures (the Law and the Prophets)  3) Circumcision

1. Privilege one: Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17)

[Assign the following verses to individuals]:

Q: Could someone read Gen. 17:3-8? 

3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Q: How does the Abrahamic covenant make the Jews privileged? (vv. 6-8)

• I'd like to focus a bit on how the Abrahamic covenant applies to Christians under the New Covenant.

[Assign the following verses to individuals]

Q: Could someone read Romans 4:16-18?

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

Q: Could someone read Galatians 3:16?

16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

Q: Could someone read Galatians 3:29?

29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Q: Could someone read Romans 4:13?

"It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith."

Q: Could someone read Romans 8:15-17?

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Q: Could someone read 1 Corinthians 15:50-53?

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Q: Based on the above NT verses, how does the Abrahamic covenant extend to Christians?

• I see the following progression leading to all Christians being "spiritual" recipients of the Abrahamic covenant:

1. The covenant blessing extended to Abraham's offspring (Romans 4:16-18)
2. Jesus is the primary offspring (Galatians 3:16)
3. All Christians are heirs with Christ, God's adopted children, therefore we are Abraham's "spiritual" offspring (Romans 4:16 and 8:15-17)
4. After we suffer in this current world, we will obtain the "promise" of glorification and eternal life, inheritors of the Kingdom. (Romans 8:15-17, 1 Cor. 15:50-53)
5. Like Abraham, we receive this promised blessing "through the righteousness that comes by faith." (Romans 4:13)

2. Privilege two: Keepers of the OT scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) (Romans 3:2 “…the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.” )

Q: In 3:2, Paul states that the Jews have an advantage because they were entrusted with the OT scriptures. But having the Law isn’t enough, says Paul. What more do the Jews need to do to attain righteousness before God?

• Romans 2:13  “13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”

Q: In vv. 21-24, Paul accuses his fellow Jews of blatant hypocrisy. What examples in the OT back up Paul’s harsh accusations?

3. Privilege three: Circumcision. Moo writes, “Circumcision, like the law, was a sign of the Jew’s privileged position as a member of the chosen people, participants in the covenant that God established with Abraham (Gen. 17).”

Q: Could someone read vv. 25-29?

25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Q: Any comments on this section?

Q: Could someone read Genesis 17:10-14?

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

• Timothy Keller writes, “What is the symbolism of circumcision? It was a visual sign of the penalty for breaking covenant. In ancient times, you didn’t sign your name to bind a deal. You acted out the curse that you would accept if you broke covenant.”
• So, circumcision was a small cut to remind them of the greater penalty of being cut off from Israel if they broke God’s covenant

Q: Although circumcision is a sign of the covenant between the Jews and God, Paul says it’s not enough. What else are the Jews required to do?(Answer: Romans 2:13 and 25 -- obey the law)
Q: In v. 29, who is a true Jew?
Q: Could someone read Jeremiah 9:25?

25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

• Deuteronomy 10:16 (Moses speaking): “16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”
• Jeremiah 4:3-4 -- "3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
• Ezekiel 36:26 -- "26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

• The ESV study notes says about Ezek. 36:27 “I will put my Spirit within you predicts an effective inward work of God in the ‘new covenant.’”

Q: What is circumcision of the heart?
Q: In v. 29, what is “the letter?”

• John Stott writes, “What Paul looks for is… ‘a circumcision of the heart that completely replaces the physical rite and does not merely complement it’. It will also be by the Spirit, not by the written code [the letter] (29b). That is, it will be an inward work of the Holy Spirit, such as the law as an external written code could never effect.”
• Writes Moo, “Paul’s ‘letter/Spirit’ contrast is a salvation-historical one, ‘letter’ describing the past era in which God’s law through Moses played a central role and ‘Spirit’ summing up the new era in which God’s Spirit is poured out in eschatological fullness and power. It is only the circumcision ‘in the Spirit’ that ultimately counts. For the first time, then, in Rom. 2, Paul alludes to Christians.”

Q: Could someone read Colossians 2:11-14?

“11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Q: Any comments on this section?

• Timothy Keller writes, “He tells them [Colossian believers] that they have in fact been circumcised, in Christ, on the cross. In his death, Jesus was cut off. He was forsaken by his Father, cut off from him (Mark 15:34)”
• So, our heart circumcision reminds us of the ultimate “cutting off” that Christ experienced on the cross.
• Perhaps: circumcision of the heart is a mark of the New Covenant. Circumcision of the flesh was a sign of the Old Covenant.

* * *

ROMANS CHAPTER THREE

• Romans chapter three is divided into three parts:

1. Verses 1-8 continue with the theme of “self-confident Jews” from chapter 2.
2. Verses 9-20 focuses on the sinfulness of “the whole human race (John Stott),” both Jews and Gentiles. We can then breathe a sigh of relief, since this marks the end of the long “sin and wrath” section that FF Bruce titled Sin and Retribution: the Universal Need Diagnosed.
3. Verses 21-31 mark a major transition in the epistle, focusing on the good news of the gospel -- the righteousness of God imputed as a gift to those who place their faith in Christ. This section continues through chapters 4 and 5. FF Bruce appropriately titles this new section The Way of Righteousness: the Universal Need Met.

• But first let’s conclude: The Sinfulness of Humanity and God’s Retribution (Romans 3:1-20)

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:1-8?

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”

5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Q: Would you like to comment on anything in this passage?

• In Douglas Moo’s commentary, he quotes 19th century Swiss theologian Frederic Louis Godet, who describes this section (verses 1-8), as “one of the most difficult, perhaps, in the Epistle.”
• It’s a hypothetical Q&A, where Paul deals with some of the questions his Jewish critics may have had. Many feel this section raises more questions than it answers.
• Timothy Keller puts it diplomatically, “These objections are not critical to Paul’s argument, and they may not be objections we often hear raised today.”

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:9-18?

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 in their paths are ruin and misery,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Q: What does Paul charge in verse 9?
Q: What does verse 10 say?

• In verses 10-18, Paul combines seven (Stott) OT quotations using the LXX (Septuagint -- Greek version of Hebrew Bible, translated 3rd and 2nd c. BC), mostly from the Psalms, one from Isaiah.
• Stott quotes another scholar: “Paul ‘follows here a common rabbinical practice of stringing passages together like pearls.’”

Q: Based on this section, what is Paul’s opinion of humanity?
Q: In verses 13-14, Moo identifies sins of speech. What anatomical organs of speech are mentioned?
Q: In verses 15-17, Moo identifies sins of violence against others. What are they?
Q: Verse 18 describes the “root error” (Moo) that influences human sin. What is this root error?
Q: The doctrine of total depravity is based in part on vv. 10-18? How depraved do you think human beings are?
Q: What is original sin?
Q: Do humans have any good in them? If so, how much?

• John Stott explains the doctrine of total depravity: “It [total depravity] has never meant that human beings are as depraved as they could possibly be. Such a notion is manifestly absurd and untrue, and is contradicted by our everyday observation. Not all human beings are drunkards, felons, adulterers or murderers. Besides, Paul has shown how some people sometimes are able ‘by nature’ to obey the law (2:14, 27). No, the ‘totality’ of our corruption refers to its extent (twisting and tainting every part of our humanness), not to its degree (depraving every part of us absolutely). As Dr. J. I. Packer has put it succinctly, on the one hand ‘no one is as bad as he or she might be,’ while on the other ‘no action of ours is as good as it should be.’”
• Bruce Ware likens total depravity to mixing a few drops of black ink (100% sin) into a glass of clear water (100% moral purity). All of the water becomes tainted, a shade of grey, but it doesn’t become 100% black.

Q: Verse 11 says, “no one understands; no one seeks for God.” What do you think this means?

• Many evangelical scholars believe this pertains to an aspect of total depravity, where non-Christians refuse to seek God on their own. There are differing views on how this plays out in the salvation process.

1. One view, known as “irresistible grace,” holds that the unsaved will not choose God unless He first regenerates their heart. Then that person will “seek” God by placing their faith in Christ. So, humans are dependent on God’s sovereign choice. Human free will doesn’t seem to be a factor in this election process. Some will not be chosen.
2. Another view, known as “prevenient grace,” holds that God the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all unbelievers, drawing them just enough so they can make a freewill choice for or against Christ. If they choose to repent and place their faith in Christ, then regeneration will follow. So, all have a fair opportunity to believe and be saved. Election is seen more as foreknowledge.
3. There are many other views concerning how God saves those who don’t seek Him on their own.

Q: How do you think God saves those who won’t seek Him on their own?
Q: Any other comments or questions on total depravity?

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:19-20?

“19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Q: What stands out for you in this passage?

• John Stott, FF Bruce and Douglas Moo interpret “the law” in this section as referring to the OT scriptures as a whole.
• Moo points out courtroom imagery in this passage, such as law, accountable to God the judge, and justified.

Q: In verse 19, what do you think it means to be “under the law?”
Q: Why would every mouth be stopped?
Q: Why can’t human beings be justified (be declared righteous) through works?
Q: What is the purpose of the law in verse 20?

* * *

• We now come to a major transition in Romans. Paul has spent over two chapters making a point that all human beings are under sin, under God’s wrath, and unable to justify themselves before God. Indeed, our mouths are stopped. Fortunately, Paul doesn’t leave us hanging for too long.
• We now enter part 2 of the main body of Romans, which includes chapters 3:21-4:25. Stott titles this section God’s Righteousness Revealed and Illustrated. Stott outlines it as follows:

1. Righteousness in the cross, the basis of the Gospel of justification (3:21-26)
2. Paul defends the Gospel against Jewish critics (3:27-31)
3. Justification by faith illustrated in Abraham’s life (4:1-25)

Q: As we read Romans 3:21-26, make a mental note of the words righteousness, justified, just and justifier -- all words that share the same basic root. Would someone like to read this section?

“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

• Stott writes: “Verses 21-26 are six tightly packed verses, which Professor Cranfield rightly calls ‘the centre and heart’ of the whole main section of the letter, and which Dr. Leon Morris suggests may be ‘possibly the most important single paragraph ever written.’”

Q: Why would Dr. Morris think this section of Romans is perhaps the most important paragraph ever written?

• Righteousness is listed as a noun in verses 21, 22, 25 and 26,with differing emphasis’.

1. In v. 21 it’s a justifying act of God, coming from God. God focused.
2. In v. 22 it’s something we receive by faith. Human focused.
3. In vv. 25 and 26 it describes God’s character, integrity, consistency and justness. The focus is on who He is, one who acts in a righteous manner.

Q: The word “law” is used twice in verse 1. How do their meanings differ in this verse?
Q: In verse 22 we are given righteousness by faith in Christ. In verse 24, what does it mean that we are justified by His grace as a gift?

• Moo quotes Blaise Pascal, “Grace is indeed needed to turn a man into a saint; and he who doubts it does not know what a saint or a man is.”
• In vv. 24 and 25, Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin is mentioned for the first time in Romans. Moo defines redemption as “liberation through payment of a price.”

Q: What price was paid for our justification?

• In the ESV, the word “propitiation” (Greek: hilasterion) is used in verse 25, “…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

Q: What do you think propitiation means?

• The NIV renders verse 25 differently, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” So, “sacrifice of atonement” is used instead of the word propitiation.
• This general phrase is used in the NIV because scholars differ in their interpretation of the Greek word hilasterion.  It could also mean:

1. “mercy seat” (the golden cover on the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies where the high priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrificial bull on the Day of Atonement, once a year)
2. “expiation” (according to bible.org: "Expiation means to remove something. In biblical theology it has to do with taking away or removing guilt by means of paying a ransom or offering an atonement. It means to pay the penalty for something. Thus, the act of expiation removes the problem by paying for it in some way, in order to satisfy some demand. Christ’s expiation of our sin means that He paid the penalty for it and removed it from consideration against us.")
3. “propitiation” (a sacrifice that appeases or satisfies God’s wrath).
4. "remission" (definition by H.E. Jacobs: "Sins are remitted when the offender is treated as though the offense had never been committed. Remission is restricted to the penalty, while forgiveness refers more particularly to the person, although it may be used also of the sin itself.")

• Says Moo, “When…we add the evidence of the context of Rom. 1-3, where the wrath of God is an overarching theme, the conclusion that hilasterion includes turning away of God’s wrath is inescapable.”

Q: What do you think hilasterion means?

Q: What is meant in 25b “because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”?

• J. Vernan McGee writes, “And so the “sins that are past” [KJV] means that up to the time when Christ died, God saved on credit. God did not save Abraham because he brought a sacrifice. God never saved any of them because they brought a sacrifice. A sacrifice pointed to Christ. When Christ came, He paid for all the sins of the past and also for the sins this side of the Cross.”
• Hebrews 10:3-4 says, “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Q: If in the OT, the animal sacrifices didn’t remove sin, how did the people get saved?

Q: Any comments or questions on what we’ve covered so far?

• In Romans 3:27-4:25, the emphasis shifts toward the topic of faith.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:27-31?

“27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

• Moo  interprets the word “law” in v. 27 as meaning a metaphorical principle or rule, not the Law of Moses.

Q: Jews and Gentiles are compared in vv. 29-30. How are the two groups justified by God?
Q: Scholars differ in how they interpret v. 31. What do you think it means?

• Here are three different interpretations (though more exist) of v. 31:

1. Justification by faith results in obedience to God's law. Paul anticipates the accusation of antinomianism by traditional Jews, who would say that justification by faith would demotivate people to obey God's laws. "Do we overthrow the law by this faith?" the critics ask. Paul answers, "By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." The primary debate concerns Paul's answer, "...we uphold the law." What does that mean? The NIV study notes refer us to Romans 13:8-10.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 13:8-10?

"8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

So, in this first view, Paul says that love fulfills the law -- and Christians are to love one another in word and deed (upholding the law). Just because we are saved by faith, that doesn't give us license to live a life of disobedience to God’s law of love. Rather, faith gives us new life, motivation and strength to obey God’s commands.

2. Justification by faith is seen in the Old Testament. This view is a bit more complex and very different than the previous view. J. Vernan McGee sees “the law” in v. 31 as being the “entire Old Testament revelation,” which teaches justification by faith. This is illustrated in the lives of Abraham and King David, who were very imperfect men. Abraham lived before the Law of Moses and David occasionally violated the Law. In chapter 4, they will be used as examples of how faith justified people, even in the Old Testament. Paul is not nullifying the OT scriptures by promoting faith, as his critics accuse him of doing. Rather, justification by faith is evident throughout the OT (the law), therefore faith upholds the OT scriptures. So, in this view upholding the law does not refer to our obedience to rules. 

3. Justification by faith results in God's righteousness being imputed to us, therefore the law is fulfilled, completed and upheld in us legally, not based on our performance. In this view, Jesus was the one who actually fulfilled the law by living a sinless life of perfect obedience to the Father. Christ fulfilled and upheld the law on our behalf. So, the Father sees us as perfect (though our actual behavior indicates otherwise).We stand before God wearing pure white robes of Christ's imputed righteousness. An early Christian saying stated, "All our sin was imputed to Christ; all His righteousness was imputed to us." This implies the substitutionary atoning death of Christ for the sins of humanity.

Q: Do you agree with any of the above views? Both? Neither? Why?
Q: Any questions or comments about chapter 3?

Romans Discussion this Wednesday, June 7 at 7PM

Greetings fellow Romans groupies! Time has gone by so fast. It's hard to believe only two sessions remain (June 7 and 21) until the declared end of the Romans discussion group. Thank you to Jim and Lynn for their help in moving all that stuff from the McKenzie Valley Presbyterian parsonage to the DRACO community sale. That service project helped fulfill one of the goals of our small group --  to look outward and help others. Although the primary focus has been within the group (fellowship and the study of Paul's epistle to the Romans), we should often look outside of ourselves, whether it be through service, mission or even evangelism. I must confess, my natural tendency is to be private and inward focused, so serving others requires a very conscious effort on my part. Also, having Mary Haag (missionary to Cambodia) as a guest speaker helped fulfill a missional goal for the group.

Stoic philosopher Seneca, tutor to Nero, was considered a critical moralist.

I've really enjoyed facilitating the discussions and studying various Romans commentaries. My desire is to start another group later in the summer. However, my greater desire is to do God's will. Please pray that God will make it clear whether I should continue leading a small group. I've been struggling with this decision and I really need a sense of "rightness" about it all -- that my purposes fall in line with His purposes.

Lately, I've been reminded of the proper basis for my identity and worth. What we do (our gifts, abilities, careers) tend to form our sense of purpose, identity and self-worth. This is natural and okay to a certain extent. However, what we do can be temporary and fleeting. Fortunately, it's who we are that's most important, as it concerns our identity and worth. So who am I (and you)? Time for four bullet points:

• I am loved by God (1 John 4:9-10)
• I am justified by faith in Christ and have been imputed with the very righteousness of Christ, thanks to His atoning sacrifice on the cross -- therefore I'm fully pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:21-25)
• I am reconciled to the Father through the death of His Son, and I'm now a child of the King and a co-heir with Christ -- therefore I'm approved and accepted by God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Romans 8:16-17, 1 John 3:1)
• I am regenerated, born again -- therefore I have a new heart and the Holy Spirit dwells within me (Romans 8:15, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Did you notice that the four bullet points represent eternal things that can't be taken away from Christians? They are very solid truths forming the proper basis of our identity and worth. Anyway, lately I've been reminding myself of these truths, because I've been overly focused on basing my worth on my activities and others' approval. Hey, if God approves of me as I am (in Christ), then why should I seek others' approval?

See you Wednesday!

* * *

Outline for Romans Discussion: Meeting #7

(Wednesday, June 7, 2017)

I. Opening prayer

II. Each person shares:

• New person introductions
• What’s been happening in your life in the last two weeks?

III. Announcements:

• Community news, events?
• Final meeting in two weeks, Wednesday, June 21, not June 14 as mistakenly mentioned earlier. Pray about the possibility of a "phase two" of Home Group Leaburg later in the Summer. I know I want to do it!
• Potluck sometime in July?
• Mission, service and outreach news. Thank you Jim Stump and Lynn Humphreys for helping move stuff from McKenzie Valley Presbyterian to the DRACO sale. 

IV. Romans discussion:

• In the last meeting, we finished discussing Romans chapter one, where we studied the sinfulness of the ancient Gentile world and God's wrath against it. As we begin chapter two, we'll continue with the theme of sin and wrath, which the apostle Paul presents throughout Romans 1:18-3:20. Scholar F.F. Bruce titles this long section Sin and Retribution: the Universal Need Diagnosed.
• According to theologian John Stott, Paul focuses on four people groups who are “under sin” (3:9) and under God’s wrath:

1. Depraved Gentile society (1:18-32) -- which we previously discussed
2. Critical Moralizers (self-righteous Gentiles and Jews) (2:1-16) -- which we will discuss tonight
3. Self-confident Jews (2:17-3:8)
4. The Whole Human Race (3:9-20)

Q: Is there anything from the previous meeting that you have questions about or would like to comment on?

* * *

ROMANS CHAPTER TWO

• Chapter 2 continues with the theme of human sinfulness, but focuses on self-righteousness and hypocrisy.
• In chapter 2, John Stott divides Paul’s audience into 2 camps: critical moralizers and self-righteous Jews.

1.  Critical Moralizers -- both Jews and Gentiles (vv.1-16)

• “…O man, every one of you who judges.” Paul uses the second person singular in the “ancient” diatribe style, “…in which questions or objections are put into the mouth of an imagined critic in order to be answered or demolished.” (FF Bruce)
• Jews not singled out until verse 17
• Moral Gentiles existed in the ancient world. F.F. Bruce uses the Stoic moral philosopher, Seneca, as an example: “What about a man like Paul’s illustrious contemporary Seneca, the Stoic moralist, the tutor of Nero? Seneca might have listened to Paul’s indictment and said, ‘Yes, that is perfectly true of great masses of mankind, and I concur in the judgment which you pass on them -- but there are others, of course, like myself, who deplore these tendencies as much as you do.’” Bruce continues, “But too often he [Seneca] tolerated in himself vices not so different from those which he condemned in others -- the most flagrant instance being his connivance at Nero’s murder of his mother Agrippina.”

2. Self-righteous Jews (vv.17-29). In this section, Paul directly addresses his fellow Jews, continuing with the diatribe literary style.

Q: Could someone read Romans 2:1-5?

1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Q: What stood out to you in this section of scripture?
Q: In verse 1, why does Paul start with the word therefore?

• Douglas Moo thinks therefore refers to 1:18-19, “…which functions as a kind of heading for all of 1:18-3:20.…” Moo writes, “On this reading, Paul would be saying in  2:1 that because God’s wrath is revealed against all people, and because all people have been given knowledge of God, therefore even the person who judges is “without excuse” before God.”

Q: Who are “those who practice such things” in vv. 2 and 3? Answer: depraved gentile society from 1:18-32
Q: In verse 1, why does Paul accuse the critical moralizers of “practicing the very same things” as the depraved gentile society?
Q: Could someone read Romans 1:29-31?

“29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

Q: Which of these sins are the hypocrites from chapter 2 committing?

• Moo believes Paul is likely referring to the heart sins listed in 1:29-31. “Many of these sins--for example, pride, arrogance, gossiping, maligning others, and lack of affection--are as prevalent in the Jewish as in the Gentile world.”

Q: Verse 5 refers to the future, final day of judgment and wrath, in contrast to the present wrath mentioned in chapter one. Is Paul referring to God’s judgment against both major hypocrites and minor hypocrites?

Q: Would somebody like to read vv. 6-11?

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Q: Anything stand out to you here?
Q: In vv. 7 and 10, is Paul describing Christians or another group of people? [read the verses]

• Let’s fast-forward a bit to chapter 3:20, which says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Q: If we’re not justified by works, then what’s with the apparent contradiction between 3:20 and 2:6-11?

• Moo states, “But the context strongly suggests that Paul is not directly describing Christians in vv. 7 and 10.

Q: What is Paul’s purpose for stating in 2:6-11 that eternal life will be given to those who do good -- and wrath for those who do evil?

• Moo writes, “We think, therefore, that vv. 7 and 10 set forth what is called in traditional theological (especially Lutheran) language ‘the law.’ Paul sets forth the biblical conditions for attaining eternal life apart from Christ.”

Q: Does it make more sense to interpret verses 6-11 as pertaining to those who are under the law apart from Christ’s redemptive work?”

Q: Would someone like to read vv. 12-16?

12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Q: Any comments on this section?
Q: What do you think “the law” is in verse 12?
Q: Who are those that have sinned without the law?
Q: Who are those that have sinned under the law?

• Moo writes, “The division of the world into those who sin ‘without the law’ and those who sin ‘in the law’ corresponds to the distinction between Jews and Gentiles (cf. vv. 10, 14). This means that the ‘law’ in question is the law of Moses, the body of commandments given by God through Moses to the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai.”

Q: Concerning v. 13, are the doers of the law Christians?

• Moo writes, “Paul affirms the principle that doing the law can lead to salvation; but he denies (1) that anyone can so ‘do’ the law; and (2) [Paul denies] that Jews can depend on their covenant relationship to shield them from the consequences of this failure.”

Q: In vv. 14 and 15 what do you think Paul means by asserting that Gentiles “by nature do what the law requires” and “show that the work of the law is written on their hearts”?

• Moo writes, “For Paul is almost certainly pressing into service a widespread Greek tradition to the effect that all human beings possess an ‘unwritten’ or ‘natural’ law -- an innate moral sense of ‘right and wrong.’”

Q: Do you have any questions or comments on vv. 12-16?

Q: Would someone like to read vv. 17-24?

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Q: Any comments on this section?

• Vv. 17-29 marks a shift from John Stott’s “critical moralizers” (Jews and Gentiles) to the “self-confident Jews.” Paul continues with the diatribe style.

Q: The Jewish people believed they were a privileged, chosen people in God’s sight. Why would they believe that?

1. Privilege one: Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17)

Q: Could someone read Gen. 17:3-8? 

3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Q: How does the Abrahamic covenant make the Jews privileged? (v. 7)

2. Privilege two: Keepers of the OT scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) (Romans 3:2 “…the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.” )

Q: In 3:2, Paul states that the Jews have an advantage because they were entrusted with the OT scriptures. But having the Law isn’t enough, says Paul. What more do the Jews need to do to attain righteousness before God?

• Romans 2:13  “13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”

Q: In vv. 21-24, Paul accuses his fellow Jews of blatant hypocrisy. What examples in the OT back up Paul’s harsh accusations?

3. Privilege three: Circumcision. Moo writes, “Circumcision, like the law, was a sign of the Jew’s privileged position as a member of the chosen people, participants in the covenant that God established with Abraham (Gen. 17).”

Q: Could someone read vv. 25-29?

25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Q: Any comments on this section?

Q: Could someone read Genesis 17:10-14?

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

• Timothy Keller writes, “What is the symbolism of circumcision? It was a visual sign of the penalty for breaking covenant. In ancient times, you didn’t sign your name to bind a deal. You acted out the curse that you would accept if you broke covenant.”
• So, circumcision was a small cut to remind them of the greater penalty of being cut off from Israel if they broke God’s covenant

Q: Although circumcision is a sign of the covenant between the Jews and God, Paul says it’s not enough. What else are the Jews required to do?(Answer: Romans 2:13 and 25 -- obey the law)
Q: In v. 29, who is a true Jew?
Q: Could someone read Jeremiah 9:25?

25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

• Deuteronomy 10:16 (Moses speaking): “16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”
• Jeremiah 4:3-4 -- "3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
• Ezekiel 36:26 -- "26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

• The ESV study notes says about Ezek. 36:27 “I will put my Spirit within you predicts an effective inward work of God in the ‘new covenant.’”

Q: What is circumcision of the heart?
Q: In v. 29, what is “the letter?”

• John Stott writes, “What Paul looks for is… ‘a circumcision of the heart that completely replaces the physical rite and does not merely complement it’. It will also be by the Spirit, not by the written code [the letter] (29b). That is, it will be an inward work of the Holy Spirit, such as the law as an external written code could never effect.”
• Writes Moo, “Paul’s ‘letter/Spirit’ contrast is a salvation-historical one, ‘letter’ describing the past era in which God’s law through Moses played a central role and ‘Spirit’ summing up the new era in which God’s Spirit is poured out in eschatological fullness and power. It is only the circumcision ‘in the Spirit’ that ultimately counts. For the first time, then, in Rom. 2, Paul alludes to Christians.”

Q: Could someone read Colossians 2:11-14?

“11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Q: Any comments on this section?

• Timothy Keller writes, “He tells them [Colossian believers] that they have in fact been circumcised, in Christ, on the cross. In his death, Jesus was cut off. He was forsaken by his Father, cut off from him (Mark 15:34)”
• So, our heart circumcision reminds us of the ultimate “cutting off” that Christ experienced on the cross.
• Perhaps: circumcision of the heart is a mark of the New Covenant. Circumcision of the flesh was a sign of the Old Covenant.

* * *

ROMANS CHAPTER THREE

• Romans chapter three is divided into three parts:

1. Verses 1-8 continue with the theme of “self-confident Jews” from chapter 2.
2. Verses 9-20 focuses on the sinfulness of “the whole human race (John Stott),” both Jews and Gentiles. We can then breathe a sigh of relief, since this marks the end of the long “sin and wrath” section that FF Bruce titled Sin and Retribution: the Universal Need Diagnosed.
3. Verses 21-31 mark a major transition in the epistle, focusing on the good news of the gospel -- the righteousness of God imputed as a gift to those who place their faith in Christ. This section continues through chapters 4 and 5. FF Bruce appropriately titles this new section The Way of Righteousness: the Universal Need Met.

• But first let’s conclude: The Sinfulness of Humanity and God’s Retribution (Romans 3:1-20)

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:1-8?

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”

5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Q: Would you like to comment on anything in this passage?

• In Douglas Moo’s commentary, he quotes 19th century Swiss theologian Frederic Louis Godet, who describes this section (verses 1-8), as “one of the most difficult, perhaps, in the Epistle.”
• It’s a hypothetical Q&A, where Paul deals with some of the questions his Jewish critics may have had. Many feel this section raises more questions than it answers.
• Timothy Keller puts it diplomatically, “These objections are not critical to Paul’s argument, and they may not be objections we often hear raised today.”

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:9-18?

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 in their paths are ruin and misery,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Q: What does Paul charge in verse 9?
Q: What does verse 10 say?

• In verses 10-18, Paul combines seven (Stott) OT quotations using the LXX (Septuagint -- Greek version of Hebrew Bible, translated 3rd and 2nd c. BC), mostly from the Psalms, one from Isaiah.
• Stott quotes another scholar: “Paul ‘follows here a common rabbinical practice of stringing passages together like pearls.’”

Q: Based on this section, what is Paul’s opinion of humanity?
Q: In verses 13-14, Moo identifies sins of speech. What anatomical organs of speech are mentioned?
Q: In verses 15-17, Moo identifies sins of violence against others. What are they?
Q: Verse 18 describes the “root error” (Moo) that influences human sin. What is this root error?
Q: The doctrine of total depravity is based in part on vv. 10-18? How depraved do you think human beings are?
Q: What is original sin?
Q: Do humans have any good in them? If so, how much?

• John Stott explains the doctrine of total depravity: “It [total depravity] has never meant that human beings are as depraved as they could possibly be. Such a notion is manifestly absurd and untrue, and is contradicted by our everyday observation. Not all human beings are drunkards, felons, adulterers or murderers. Besides, Paul has shown how some people sometimes are able ‘by nature’ to obey the law (2:14, 27). No, the ‘totality’ of our corruption refers to its extent (twisting and tainting every part of our humanness), not to its degree (depraving every part of us absolutely). As Dr. J. I. Packer has put it succinctly, on the one hand ‘no one is as bad as he or she might be,’ while on the other ‘no action of ours is as good as it should be.’”
• Bruce Ware likens total depravity to mixing a few drops of black ink (100% sin) into a glass of clear water (100% moral purity). All of the water becomes tainted, a shade of grey, but it doesn’t become 100% black.

Q: Verse 11 says, “no one understands; no one seeks for God.” What do you think this means?

• Many evangelical scholars believe this pertains to an aspect of total depravity, where non-Christians refuse to seek God on their own. There are differing views on how this plays out in the salvation process.

1. One view, known as “irresistible grace,” holds that the unsaved will not choose God unless He first regenerates their heart. Then that person will “seek” God by placing their faith in Christ. So, humans are dependent on God’s sovereign choice. Human free will doesn’t seem to be a factor in this election process. Some will not be chosen.
2. Another view, known as “prevenient grace,” holds that God the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all unbelievers, drawing them just enough so they can make a freewill choice for or against Christ. If they choose to repent and place their faith in Christ, then regeneration will follow. So, all have a fair opportunity to believe and be saved. Election is seen more as foreknowledge.
3. There are many other views concerning how God saves those who don’t seek Him on their own.

Q: How do you think God saves those who won’t seek Him on their own?
Q: Any other comments or questions on total depravity?

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:19-20?

“19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Q: What stands out for you in this passage?

• John Stott, FF Bruce and Douglas Moo interpret “the law” in this section as referring to the OT scriptures as a whole.
• Moo points out courtroom imagery in this passage, such as law, accountable to God the judge, and justified.

Q: In verse 19, what do you think it means to be “under the law?”
Q: Why would every mouth be stopped?
Q: Why can’t human beings be justified (be declared righteous) through works?
Q: What is the purpose of the law in verse 20?

* * *

• We now come to a major transition in Romans. Paul has spent over two chapters making a point that all human beings are under sin, under God’s wrath, and unable to justify themselves before God. Indeed, our mouths are stopped. Fortunately, Paul doesn’t leave us hanging for too long.
• We now enter part 2 of the main body of Romans, which includes chapters 3:21-4:25. Stott titles this section God’s Righteousness Revealed and Illustrated. Stott outlines it as follows:

1. Righteousness in the cross, the basis of the Gospel of justification (3:21-26)
2. Paul defends the Gospel against Jewish critics (3:27-31)
3. Justification by faith illustrated in Abraham’s life (4:1-25)

Q: As we read Romans 3:21-26, make a mental note of the words righteousness, justified, just and justifier -- all words that share the same basic root. Would someone like to read this section?

“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

• Stott writes: “Verses 21-26 are six tightly packed verses, which Professor Cranfield rightly calls ‘the centre and heart’ of the whole main section of the letter, and which Dr. Leon Morris suggests may be ‘possibly the most important single paragraph ever written.’”

Q: Why would Dr. Morris think this section of Romans is perhaps the most important paragraph ever written?

• Righteousness is listed as a noun in verses 21, 22, 25 and 26,with differing emphasis’.

1. In v. 21 it’s a justifying act of God, coming from God. God focused.
2. In v. 22 it’s something we receive by faith. Human focused.
3. In vv. 25 and 26 it describes God’s character, integrity, consistency and justness. The focus is on who He is, one who acts in a righteous manner.

Q: The word “law” is used twice in verse 1. How do their meanings differ in this verse?
Q: In verse 22 we are given righteousness by faith in Christ. In verse 24, what does it mean that we are justified by His grace as a gift?

• Moo quotes Blaise Pascal, “Grace is indeed needed to turn a man into a saint; and he who doubts it does not know what a saint or a man is.”
• In vv. 24 and 25, Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin is mentioned for the first time in Romans. Moo defines redemption as “liberation through payment of a price.”

Q: What price was paid for our justification?

• In the ESV, the word “propitiation” (Greek: hilasterion) is used in verse 25, “…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

Q: What do you think propitiation means?

• The NIV renders verse 25 differently, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” So, “sacrifice of atonement” is used instead of the word propitiation.
• This general phrase is used because scholars differ in their interpretation of the Greek word hilasterion.  It could also mean:

1. “mercy seat” (the golden cover on the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies where the high priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrificial bull on the Day of Atonement, once a year)
2. “expiation” (according to bible.org: "Expiation means to remove something. In biblical theology it has to do with taking away or removing guilt by means of paying a ransom or offering an atonement. It means to pay the penalty for something. Thus, the act of expiation removes the problem by paying for it in some way, in order to satisfy some demand. Christ’s expiation of our sin means that He paid the penalty for it and removed it from consideration against us.")
3. “covering” (in the OT, animal sacrifices "covered" sins, but did not "remove" sins.)
4. “propitiation” (a sacrifice that appeases or satisfies God’s wrath).
5. "remission" (definition by H.E. Jacobs: "Sins are remitted when the offender is treated as though the offense had never been committed. Remission is restricted to the penalty, while forgiveness refers more particularly to the person, although it may be used also of the sin itself.")

• Says Moo, “When…we add the evidence of the context of Rom. 1-3, where the wrath of God is an overarching theme, the conclusion that hilasterion includes turning away of God’s wrath is inescapable.”

Q: What do you think hilasterion means?

Q: What is meant in 25b “because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”?

• J. Vernan McGee writes, “And so the “sins that are past” [KJV] means that up to the time when Christ died, God saved on credit. God did not save Abraham because he brought a sacrifice. God never saved any of them because they brought a sacrifice. A sacrifice pointed to Christ. When Christ came, He paid for all the sins of the past and also for the sins this side of the Cross.”
• Hebrews 10:3-4 says, “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Q: If in the OT, the animal sacrifices didn’t remove sin, how did the people get saved?

Q: Any comments or questions on what we’ve covered so far?

• In Romans 3:27-4:25, the emphasis shifts toward the topic of faith.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:27-31?

“27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

• Moo  interprets the word “law” in v. 27 as meaning a metaphorical principle or rule, not the Law of Moses.

Q: Jews and Gentiles are compared in vv. 29-30. How are the two groups justified by God?
Q: Scholars differ in how they interpret v. 31. What do you think it means?

• Here are three different interpretations (though more exist) of v. 31:

1. Justification by faith results in obedience to God's law. Paul anticipates the accusation of antinomianism by traditional Jews, who would say that justification by faith would demotivate people to obey God's laws. "Do we overthrow the law by this faith?" the critics ask. Paul answers, "By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." The primary debate concerns Paul's answer, "...we uphold the law." What does that mean? The NIV study notes refer us to Romans 13:8-10.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 13:8-10?

"8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

So, in this first view, Paul says that love fulfills the law -- and Christians are to love one another in word and deed (upholding the law). Just because we are saved by faith, that doesn't give us license to live a life of disobedience to God’s law of love. Rather, faith gives us new life, motivation and strength to obey God’s commands.

2. Justification by faith is seen in the Old Testament. This view is a bit more complex and very different than the previous view. J. Vernan McGee sees “the law” in v. 31 as being the “entire Old Testament revelation,” which teaches justification by faith. This is illustrated in the lives of Abraham and King David, who were very imperfect men. Abraham lived before the Law of Moses and David occasionally violated the Law. In chapter 4, they will be used as examples of how faith justified people, even in the Old Testament. Paul is not nullifying the OT scriptures by promoting faith, as his critics accuse him of doing. Rather, justification by faith is evident throughout the OT (the law), therefore faith upholds the OT scriptures. So, in this view upholding the law does not refer to our obedience to rules. 

3. Justification by faith results in God's righteousness being imputed to us, therefore the law is fulfilled, completed and upheld in us legally, not based on our performance. In this view, Jesus was the one who actually fulfilled the law by living a sinless life of perfect obedience to the Father. Christ fulfilled and upheld the law on our behalf. So, the Father sees us as perfect (though our actual behavior indicates otherwise).We stand before God wearing pure white robes of Christ's imputed righteousness. An early Christian saying stated, "All our sin was imputed to Christ; all His righteousness was imputed to us." This implies the substitutionary atoning death of Christ for the sins of humanity.

Q: Do you agree with any of the above views? Both? Neither? Why?
Q: Any questions or comments about chapter 3?

Romans Discussion notes for Wednesday, May 17

Hello dear group members. This is a "redo" blog post of the May 17 meeting. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, June 7 at 7PM. I'll post an update on Monday, June 5. Hasn't the weather been great? We finally got some vegetables planted. I'm sowing corn soon. Good fun! 

Blessings,

Tom

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
 have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
 in the things that have been made." Romans 1:20

* * *

Outline for Small Group Meeting #6

(Wednesday, May 17, 2017)

I. Opening prayer

II. Each person shares:

• New person introductions
• What’s been happening in your life in the last two weeks?

III. Announcements:

• Community news, events?
• Three week break between May 17th  and June 7th meetings.
• Potluck sometime in July?
• Service opportunity. Would you like to team up and help remove junk/semi-valuable stuff from the parsonage at McKenzie Valley Presbyterian Church? If it’s something you are interested in, perhaps we could set a time to work 2 hours.

IV. Romans discussion:

• In the last meeting, we began part one of the main body -- Romans 1:18-3:20. F.F. Bruce titles this long section Sin and Retribution: the Universal Need Diagnosed.
• According to John Stott, Paul focuses on four people groups who are “under sin” (3:9) and under God’s wrath:

1. Depraved Gentile society (1:18-32) -- which we will discuss tonight
2. Critical Moralizers (self-righteous Gentiles and Jews) (2:1-16)
3. Self-confident Jews (2:17-3:8)
4. The Whole Human Race (3:9-20)

Q: Is there anything from the previous meeting that you have questions about or would like to comment on?

Q: Could someone read verses 26-32?

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

• Questions concerning Romans 1:26-32:

Q: Would you like to comment on this section?
Q: Anything bother you here?
Q: In verses 26-32, a long list of sins is mentioned. In fact, it's the longest continuous list of sins in the New Testament. Why do you think Paul emphasizes all this sin?
Q: How does this dirty laundry list make you feel?
Q: How are modern human beings similar or different than those Paul describes in vv. 18-32?
Q: Some of those sins seem rather minor. Do you see any that apply to you? No need to share this with the group.      
Q: Verse 32 says, “…they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die.” Do you think God is justified in his wrath against sinful humanity? Why or why not?
Q: Since God is perfectly righteous and just, does this obligate Him to judge sin in a precise manner?
Q: At times, God grants mercy and withholds judgement on a sinner. At other times he inflicts judgement and wrath. Why is He merciful to some and wrathful towards others?
Q: Could someone read Romans 9:13-23?

"13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[fn] but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory...."

Q: Back in verses 16 and 17, Paul’s main thesis is that salvation and righteousness are given to us through faith. Why does Paul abruptly switch from that positive message to all this negativity about God’s wrath against the sins of humanity?
Q: If the Gospel is such good news, then why in Romans 1:18-3:20 does Paul dwell on such really bad stuff like human sin and God's wrath?
Q: Is Paul's primary purpose of the long "sin list" to shame the Roman church (and us) into better behavior? If yes, why? If no, then what is Paul's purpose?

• In his commentary on Romans, J. Vernon McGee wrote this about these dismal verses, “My friend, this is ‘sinnerama.’ The universal fact is that man is a sinner. We can put down the axiom that the world is guilty before God; all need righteousness. In this section Paul is not attempting to prove that man is a sinner. All Paul is doing is stating the fact that man is a sinner.” McGee then says, “Actually, if you want to know what salvation really is, you have to know how bad sin is. Wrath is the antithesis of righteousness, and it is used here as a correlative.”

Q: If you see a sin in the list that applies to you, do you think the Romans epistle will show a way for you to escape God's wrath?

• Tom’s summary of 18-32. In verses 18-32, Paul shows a cause-and-effect downward progression of humanity:

1. God has revealed aspects of Himself to humanity through natural revelation.
2. Human beings “clearly perceived” this knowledge of God, but suppressed this truth.
3. Instead of worshipping God, they worship the creation.
4. Because of this, God “gave them up” to a variety of sins. This is His present wrath.

Q: I think we need to pause and momentarily fast forward two chapters for a taste of the blessed good news. Can someone read Romans 3:20-25?

“20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

Q: Romans 1:18-32 shows that “depraved Gentile society” is lost in sin and under God’s wrath. They need saved. How does the good news in Romans 3:20-25 provide forgiveness, justification and salvation for sinners?
Q: We’ll discuss this significant passage in more detail when we get to chapter 3. Any questions or thoughts on this or anything else we’ve covered up until now?

* * *

ROMANS CHAPTER TWO

• Chapter 2 continues with the theme of human sinfulness, but focuses on self-righteousness and hypocrisy.
• In chapter 2, John Stott divides Paul’s audience into 2 camps: critical moralizers and self-righteous Jews.

1.  Critical Moralizers -- both Jews and Gentiles (vv.1-16)

• “…O man, every one of you who judges.” Paul uses the second person singular in the “ancient” diatribe style, “…in which questions or objections are put into the mouth of an imagined critic in order to be answered or demolished.” (FF Bruce)

• Jews not singled out until verse 17
• Moral Gentiles existed in the ancient world. F.F. Bruce uses the Stoic moral philosopher, Seneca, as an example: “What about a man like Paul’s illustrious contemporary Seneca, the Stoic moralist, the tutor of Nero? Seneca might have listened to Paul’s indictment and said, ‘Yes, that is perfectly true of great masses of mankind, and I concur in the judgment which you pass on them -- but there are others, of course, like myself, who deplore these tendencies as much as you do.’” Bruce continues, “But too often he [Seneca] tolerated in himself vices not so different from those which he condemned in others -- the most flagrant instance being his connivance at Nero’s murder of his mother Agrippina.”

2. Self-righteous Jews (vv.17-29). In this section, Paul directly addresses Jews, continuing with the diatribe literary style.

Q: Could someone read Romans 2:1-5?

1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Q: What stood out to you in this section of scripture?
Q: In verse 1, why does Paul start with the word therefore?

• Douglas Moo thinks the therefore refers to 1:18-19, “…which functions as a kind of heading for all of 1:18-3:20.…” Moo writes, “On this reading, Paul would be saying in  2:1 that because God’s wrath is revealed against all people, and because all people have been given knowledge of God, therefore even the person who judges is “without excuse” before God.”

Q: Who are “those who practice such things” in vv. 2 and 3? Answer: depraved gentile society from 1:18-32
Q: In verse 1, why does Paul accuse the critical moralizers of “practicing the very same things” as the depraved gentile society?
Q: Could someone read Romans 1:29-31?

“29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

Q: Which of these sins are the hypocrites from chapter 2 committing?

• Moo believes Paul is likely referring to the heart sins listed in 1:29-31. “Many of these sins--for example, pride, arrogance, gossiping, maligning others, and lack of affection--are as prevalent in the Jewish as in the Gentile world.”

Q: Verse 5 refers to the future, final day of judgment and wrath, in contrast to the present wrath mentioned in chapter one. Is Paul referring to God’s judgment against both major hypocrites and minor hypocrites?

Q: Would somebody like to read vv. 6-11?

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Q: Anything stand out to you here?
Q: In vv. 7 and 10, is Paul describing Christians or another group of people? [read the verses]

• Let’s fast-forward a bit to chapter 3:20, which says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Q: If we’re not justified by works, then what’s with the apparent contradiction between 3:20 and 2:6-11?

• Moo states, “But the context strongly suggests that Paul is not directly describing Christians in vv. 7 and 10.

Q: What is Paul’s purpose for stating in 2:6-11 that eternal life will be given to those who do good -- and wrath for those who do evil?

• Moo writes, “We think, therefore, that vv. 7 and 10 set forth what is called in traditional theological (especially Lutheran) language ‘the law.’ Paul sets forth the biblical conditions for attaining eternal life apart from Christ.”

Q: Does it make more sense to interpret verses 6-11 as pertaining to those who are under the law apart from Christ’s redemptive work?”

Q: Would someone like to read vv. 12-16?

12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Q: Any comments on this section?
Q: What do you think “the law” is in verse 12?
Q: Who are those that have sinned without the law?
Q: Who are those that have sinned under the law?

• Moo writes, “The division of the world into those who sin ‘without the law’ and those who sin ‘in the law’ corresponds to the distinction between Jews and Gentiles (cf. vv. 10, 14). This means that the ‘law’ in question is the law of Moses, the body of commandments given by God through Moses to the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai.”

Q: Concerning v. 13, are the doers of the law Christians?

• Moo writes, “Paul affirms the principle that doing the law can lead to salvation; but he denies (1) that anyone can so ‘do’ the law; and (2) [Paul denies] that Jews can depend on their covenant relationship to shield them from the consequences of this failure.”

Q: In vv. 14 and 15 what do you think Paul means by asserting that Gentiles “by nature do what the law requires” and “show that the work of the law is written on their hearts”?

• Moo writes, “For Paul is almost certainly pressing into service a widespread Greek tradition to the effect that all human beings possess an ‘unwritten’ or ‘natural’ law -- an innate moral sense of ‘right and wrong.’”

Q: Do you have any questions or comments on vv. 12-16?

Q: Would someone like to read vv. 17-24?

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Q: Any comments on this section?

• Vv. 17-29 marks a shift from John Stott’s “critical moralizers” (Jews and Gentiles) to the “self-confident Jews.” Paul continues with the diatribe style.

Q: The Jewish people believed they were a privileged, chosen people in God’s sight. Why would they believe that?

1. Privilege one: Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17)

Q: Could someone read Gen. 17:3-8? 

3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Q: How does the Abrahamic covenant make the Jews privileged? (v. 7)

2. Privilege two: Keepers of the OT scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) (Romans 3:2 “…the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.” )

Q: In 3:2, Paul states that the Jews have an advantage because they were entrusted with the OT scriptures. But having the Law isn’t enough, says Paul. What more do the Jews need to do to attain righteousness before God?

• Romans 2:13  “13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”

Q: In vv. 21-24, Paul accuses his fellow Jews of blatant hypocrisy. What examples in the OT back up Paul’s harsh accusations?

3. Privilege three: Circumcision. Moo writes, “Circumcision, like the law, was a sign of the Jew’s privileged position as a member of the chosen people, participants in the covenant that God established with Abraham (Gen. 17).”

Q: Could someone read vv. 25-29?

25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Q: Any comments on this section?

Q: Could someone read Genesis 17:10-14?

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

• Timothy Keller writes, “What is the symbolism of circumcision? It was a visual sign of the penalty for breaking covenant. In ancient times, you didn’t sign your name to bind a deal. You acted out the curse that you would accept if you broke covenant.”
• So, circumcision was a small cut to remind them of the greater penalty of being cut off from Israel if they broke God’s covenant

Q: Although circumcision is a sign of the covenant between the Jews and God, Paul says it’s not enough. What else are the Jews required to do?(Answer: vv. 13 and 25 -- obey the law)
Q: In v. 29, who is a true Jew?
Q: Could someone read Jeremiah 9:25?

25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

• Deuteronomy 10:16 (Moses speaking): “16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”
• Jeremiah 4:3-4 -- "3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
• Ezekiel 36:26 -- "26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

• The ESV study notes says about Ezek. 36:27 “I will put my Spirit within you predicts an effective inward work of God in the ‘new covenant.’”

Q: What is circumcision of the heart?
Q: In v. 29, what is “the letter?”

• John Stott writes, “What Paul looks for is… ‘a circumcision of the heart that completely replaces the physical rite and does not merely complement it’. It will also be by the Spirit, not by the written code [the letter] (29b). That is, it will be an inward work of the Holy Spirit, such as the law as an external written code could never effect.”
• Writes Moo, “Paul’s ‘letter/Spirit’ contrast is a salvation-historical one, ‘letter’ describing the past era in which God’s law through Moses played a central role and ‘Spirit’ summing up the new era in which God’s Spirit is poured out in eschatological fullness and power. It is only the circumcision ‘in the Spirit’ that ultimately counts. For the first time, then, in Rom. 2, Paul alludes to Christians.”

Q: Could someone read Colossians 2:11-14?

“11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Q: Any comments on this section?

• Timothy Keller writes, “He tells them [Colossian believers] that they have in fact been circumcised, in Christ, on the cross. In his death, Jesus was cut off. He was forsaken by his Father, cut off from him (Mark 15:34)”
• So, our heart circumcision reminds us of the ultimate “cutting off” that Christ experienced on the cross.
• Perhaps: circumcision of the heart is a mark of the New Covenant. Circumcision of the flesh was a sign of the Old Covenant.

* * *

ROMANS CHAPTER THREE

• Romans chapter three is divided into three parts:

1. Verses 1-8 continue with the theme of “self-confident Jews” from chapter 2.
2. Verses 9-20 focuses on the sinfulness of “the whole human race (John Stott),” both Jews and Gentiles. We can then breathe a sigh of relief, since this marks the end of the long “sin and wrath” section that FF Bruce titled Sin and Retribution: the Universal Need Diagnosed.
3. Verses 21-31 mark a major transition in the epistle, focusing on the good news of the gospel -- the righteousness of God imputed as a gift to those who place their faith in Christ. This section continues through chapters 4 and 5. FF Bruce appropriately titles this new section The Way of Righteousness: the Universal Need Met.

• But first let’s conclude: The Sinfulness of Humanity and God’s Retribution (Romans 3:1-20)

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:1-8?

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”

5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Q: Would you like to comment on anything in this passage?

• In Douglas Moo’s commentary, he quotes 19th century Swiss theologian Frederic Louis Godet, who describes this section (verses 1-8), as “one of the most difficult, perhaps, in the Epistle.”
• It’s a hypothetical Q&A, where Paul deals with some of the questions his Jewish critics may have had. Many feel this section raises more questions than it answers.
• Timothy Keller puts it diplomatically, “These objections are not critical to Paul’s argument, and they may not be objections we often hear raised today.”

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:9-18?

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 in their paths are ruin and misery,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Q: What does Paul charge in verse 9?
Q: What does verse 10 say?

• In verses 10-18, Paul combines seven (Stott) OT quotations using the LXX (Septuagint -- Greek version of Hebrew Bible, translated 3rd and 2nd c. BC), mostly from the Psalms, one from Isaiah.
• Stott quotes another scholar: “Paul ‘follows here a common rabbinical practice of stringing passages together like pearls.’”

Q: Based on this section, what is Paul’s opinion of humanity?
Q: In verses 13-14, Moo identifies sins of speech. What anatomical organs of speech are mentioned?
Q: In verses 15-17, Moo identifies sins of violence against others. What are they?
Q: Verse 18 describes the “root error” (Moo) that influences human sin. What is this root error?
Q: The doctrine of total depravity is based in part on vv. 10-18? How depraved do you think human beings are?
Q: What is original sin?
Q: Do humans have any good in them? If so, how much?

• John Stott explains the doctrine of total depravity: “It [total depravity] has never meant that human beings are as depraved as they could possibly be. Such a notion is manifestly absurd and untrue, and is contradicted by our everyday observation. Not all human beings are drunkards, felons, adulterers or murderers. Besides, Paul has shown how some people sometimes are able ‘by nature’ to obey the law (2:14, 27). No, the ‘totality’ of our corruption refers to its extent (twisting and tainting every part of our humanness), not to its degree (depraving every part of us absolutely). As Dr. J. I. Packer has put it succinctly, on the one hand ‘no one is as bad as he or she might be,’ while on the other ‘no action of ours is as good as it should be.’”
• Bruce Ware likens total depravity to mixing a drop of black ink into a glass of clear water. All of the water becomes tainted, but it doesn’t become 100% black ink.

Q: Verse 11 says, “no one understands; no one seeks for God.” What do you think this means?

• Many evangelical scholars believe this pertains to an aspect of total depravity, where non-Christians refuse to seek God on their own. There are differing views on how this plays out in the salvation process.

1. One view, known as “irresistible grace,” holds that the unsaved will not choose God unless He first regenerates their heart. Then that person will “seek” God by placing their faith in Christ. So, humans are dependent on God’s sovereign choice. Human free will doesn’t seem to be a factor in this election process. Some will not be chosen.
2. Another view, known as “prevenient grace,” holds that God the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all unbelievers, drawing them just enough so they can make a freewill choice for or against Christ. If they choose to repent and place their faith in Christ, then regeneration will follow. So, all have a fair opportunity to believe and be saved. Election is seen more as foreknowledge.
3. There are many other views concerning how God saves those who don’t seek Him on their own.

Q: How do you think God saves those who won’t seek Him on their own?
Q: Any other comments or questions on total depravity?

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:19-20?

“19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Q: What stands out for you in this passage?

• John Stott, FF Bruce and Douglas Moo interpret “the law” in this section as referring to the OT scriptures as a whole.
• Moo points out courtroom imagery in this passage, such as law, accountable to God the judge, and justified.

Q: In verse 19, what do you think it means to be “under the law?”
Q: Why would every mouth be stopped?
Q: Why can’t human beings be justified (be declared righteous) through works?
Q: What is the purpose of the law in verse 20?

* * *

• We now come to a major transition in Romans. Paul has spent over two chapters making a point that all human beings are under sin, under God’s wrath, and unable to justify themselves before God. Indeed, our mouths are stopped. Fortunately, Paul doesn’t leave us hanging for too long.
• We now enter part 2 of the main body of Romans, which includes chapters 3:21-4:25. Stott titles this section God’s Righteousness Revealed and Illustrated. Stott outlines it as follows:

1. Righteousness in the cross, the basis of the Gospel of justification (3:21-26)
2. Paul defends the Gospel against Jewish critics (3:27-31)
3. Justification by faith illustrated in Abraham’s life (4:1-25)

Q: As we read Romans 3:21-26, make a mental note of the words righteousness, justified, just and justifier -- all words that share the same basic root. Would someone like to read this section?

“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

• Stott writes: “Verses 21-26 are six tightly packed verses, which Professor Cranfield rightly calls ‘the centre and heart’ of the whole main section of the letter, and which Dr. Leon Morris suggests may be ‘possibly the most important single paragraph ever written.’”

Q: Why would Dr. Morris think this section of Romans is perhaps the most important paragraph ever written?

• Righteousness is listed as a noun in verses 21, 22, 25 and 26,with differing emphasis’.

1. In v. 21 it’s a justifying act of God, coming from God. God focused.
2. In v. 22 it’s something we receive by faith. Human focused.
3. In vv. 25 and 26 it describes God’s character, integrity, consistancy and justness. The focus is on who He is, one who acts in a righteous manner.

Q: The word “law” is used twice in verse 1. How do their meanings differ in this verse?
Q: In verse 22 we are given righteousness by faith in Christ. In verse 24, what does it mean that we are justified by His grace as a gift?

• Moo quotes Blaise Pascal, “Grace is indeed needed to turn a man into a saint; and he who doubts it does not know what a saint or a man is.”
• In vv. 24 and 25, Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin is mentioned for the first time in Romans. Moo defines redemption as “liberation through payment of a price.”

Q: What price was paid for our justification?

• In the ESV, the word “propitiation” (Greek: hilasterion) is used in verse 25, “…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

Q: What do you think propitiation means?

• The NIV renders verse 25 differently, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” So, “sacrifice of atonement” is used instead of the word propitiation.
• This general phrase is used because scholars differ in their interpretation of the Greek word hilasterion.  It could also mean:

1. “mercy seat” (the golden cover on the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies where the high priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrificial bull on the Day of Atonement, once a year)
2. “expiation” (wiping away sin)
3. “covering” (simple forgiveness)
4. “propitiation” (a sacrifice that appeases or satisfies God’s wrath).
5. "remission"

• Says Moo, “When…we add the evidence of the context of Rom. 1-3, where the wrath of God is an overarching theme, the conclusion that hilasterion includes turning away of God’s wrath is inescapable.”

Q: What do you think hilasterion means?

Q: What is meant in 25b “because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”?

• J. Vernan McGee writes, “And so the “sins that are past” [KJV] means that up to the time when Christ died, God saved on credit. God did not save Abraham because he brought a sacrifice. God never saved any of them because they brought a sacrifice. A sacrifice pointed to Christ. When Christ came, He paid for all the sins of the past and also for the sins this side of the Cross.”
• Hebrews 10:3-4 says, “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Q: If in the OT, the animal sacrifices didn’t remove sin, how did the people get saved?

Q: Any comments or questions on what we’ve covered so far?

• In Romans 3:27-4:25, the emphasis shifts toward the topic of faith.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 3:27-31?

“27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

• Moo  interprets the word “law” in v. 27 as meaning a metaphorical principle or rule, not the Law of Moses.

Q: Jews and Gentiles are compared in vv. 29-30. How are the two groups justified by God?
Q: Scholars differ in how they interpret v. 31. What do you think it means?

• Here are three different interpretations (though more exist) of v. 31:

1. Justification by faith results in obedience to God's law. Paul anticipates the accusation of antinomianism by traditional Jews, who would say that justification by faith would demotivate people to obey God's laws. "Do we overthrow the law by this faith?" the critics ask. Paul answers, "By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." The primary debate concerns Paul's answer, "...we uphold the law." What does that mean? The NIV study notes refer us to Romans 13:8-10.

Q: Would someone like to read Romans 13:8-10?

"8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

So, in this first view, Paul says that love fulfills the law -- and Christians are to love one another in word and deed (upholding the law). Just because we are saved by faith, that doesn't give us license to live a life of disobedience to God’s law of love. Rather, faith gives us new life, motivation and strength to obey God’s commands.

2. Justification by faith is seen in the Old Testament. This view is a bit more complex and very different than the previous view. J. Vernan McGee sees “the law” in v. 31 as being the “entire Old Testament revelation,” which teaches justification by faith. This is illustrated in the lives of Abraham and King David, who were very imperfect men. Abraham lived before the Law of Moses and David occasionally violated the Law. In chapter 4, they will be used as examples of how faith justified people, even in the Old Testament. Paul is not nullifying the OT scriptures by promoting faith, as his critics accuse him of doing. Rather, justification by faith is evident throughout the OT (the law), therefore faith upholds the OT scriptures. So, in this view upholding the law does not refer to our obedience to rules. 

3. Justification by faith results in God's righteousness being imputed to us, therefore the law is fulfilled, completed and upheld in us legally, not based on our performance. In this view, Jesus was the one who actually fulfilled the law by living a sinless life of perfect obedience to the Father. Christ fulfilled and upheld the law on our behalf. So, the Father sees us as perfect (though our actual behavior indicates otherwise).We stand before God wearing pure white robes of Christ's imputed righteousness. An early Christian saying stated, "All our sin was imputed to Christ; all His righteousness was imputed to us." This implies the substitutionary atoning death of Christ for the sins of humanity.

Q: Do you agree with any of the above views? Both? Neither? Why?
Q: Any questions or comments about chapter 3?