8 Who is the Man of Romans 7? – Discussion Starters
- Who is the Man of Romans 7? Our lesson this week begins with a question and a warning. You know the question. What is the warning? Do we struggle with the same issues that troubled Paul? Do you think Paul’s discussion of the struggle with sin is based primarily on his personal experience? If so, what leads you to that conclusion? Why doesn’t it matter whether Paul is speaking of his experience before conversion or afterwards? If not, why not?
- Dead to the law. What is the connection between the story in Romans 7:3 and worship services at Mount Sinai? Put yourself for a few minutes in the Roman church. What fundamental Christian belief was Paul trying to bring to the attention of Roman Christians? What is the stumbling block of many people in accepting all of the Ten Commandments as spoken to the Israelites except for the Sabbath commandment? What is the basis of people’s conclusion that the Sabbath law doesn’t matter an more? What is your conclusion?
- Sin and the law. What system passed away at the cross? With that event, did sin obtain a different definition? The Jewish system passed away at the cross, but what did not dissipate? What did Paul mean when he said he had no sense of right or wrong concerning the commandments–until, that is, “the commandment came”? What advice would you give to someone facing a situation like that, believing all of the commandments in the face of common belief that the fourth one has been set aside?
- The law is holy. The law is good. The law his holy. But what is the one gift the law cannot give us? If we aren’t saved by obeying God’s law, what is our hope of salvation? Or, on the other hand, why should we obey the law of God if it doesn’t save us? In Romans 7:14, what is it about Paul that he says shows him to be a terrible sinner? What is the only cure to the sin-laden situation where Paul found himself? What about for you and me?
- The man of Romans 7. Do you ever struggle with sin? Is struggling a good course to follow when you are tempted? or when you sin? After declaring with one unanimous vote that they would obey God’s law, what did the children of Israel do? What do you think it was that they could not comprehend about forgiveness and the law? Do contemporary Christians today ever stumble over the issue of the law and the Christian life?
- Saved from death. What does Paul mean by speaking boldly about the “law of sin”? After determining to live free from sin, what happened to Paul? Does the same thing happen to us today? Why do you think Paul struggled so much with sin? Was he living a life of sin? If not, what was his problem? What about you and me? Do we sometimes reach out to Jesus with one hand and hold on to our sinful ways with the other? How can we be rescued from his hopeless condition?
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Good day, can someone please help me understand the relationship of "Matthew 22:34-40" to our current topic. "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the lord thy God with all thy heart,and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets".
Is it that in keeping these two we will be full filling all?
Andrew
How are you brother Andrew, the ten commandments are divided into two, the first four commandments is our obligation towards God, while the second part of the ten commandments is our obligations to our fellows i.e. the last six commandments. That's why Jesus said the first is all about Love your God with all your heart, the second is Love your neighbor as yourself.
Thanks. Have a blessed day.