12: Overcoming Evil with Good – Discussion Starters
- Where are we headed? Working our way through the book of Romans, we now enter a discussion of every-day thoughts about living the Christian life. With so much wisdom and practical advice in Romans, do you think that Paul’s writings make following Jesus as born-again Christians harder than before to follow? Would it be easier to follow whatever impulses come to us, trusting our instincts to lead us in the right direction? If not, why not?
- Your reasonable service. “Faith without works is dead,” the disciple James thunders in the book by his name in the New Testament. Is Paul being just as
emphatic when he tells us that we need to be transformed by God? Does Paul emphasize the benefits of preferring others instead of promoting ourselves? What if we possess a talent or a cluster of abilities that is definitely better than those of fellow Christians? There’s a subtle hint in our lesson that we all need to learn a lot more humility. Do you accept that idea? - The Christian and the state. Do you agree with Paul that “the authorities that exist are appointed by God”? and that resisting the authorities brings heavenly judgment on us? Wait a minute. Should we blindly follow whatever government authorities require? Did the rulers over the part of the world Paul lived in love and follow the principles of Jesus? What principle should guide us in our determination to obey God and man?
- Love one another. How should our love for God be reflected in how we treat our fellow human beings? How does the love-everybody principle apply to living the Christian life? Paul writes that if we love others we have fulfilled the law. All of the law? All of the time? No matter what? How is our relationship with God reflected in our relationship with fellow humans? Is it possible for Christians like you and me to love others the same way that God loves us? How?
- Now is our salvation. In Romans 13:11 Paul declares that “now” it is “high time” to wake up before our salvation comes. Was Paul telling the early Christians that Jesus’ second coming was very soon? You know a person who is struggling with sin. His character doesn’t change except for getting worse. He dies in a traffic crash. When did his “salvation” come? How far are you or I from our final breath? Is it true for you and me that it is time (and “high time”) to turn away from sin and embrace Jesus and His love in full surrender to Him?
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Hi Sister Joyce Griffiths seasons greetings. Let me take this opportunity to that you fro the wonderful job you are doing whereby you took the time to study the lesson ad post these wonderful lesson questions. I always uses them i the sabbath school forum that I facilitate! Please keep up the good works and God bless you
You have sent a beautiful testimony to your work as a Sabbath school forum facilitator stating that you have found the discussion questions I send to be useful in your work for the Lord. Keep working for Him!