生命之道

Category: 罗马书

  • Romans 7 – Struggling with the sinful nature

    Romans 7 – Struggling with the sinful nature

    Review:

    Romans Chapter 6

      • Baptism
      • Unified with Christ, death, burial, resurrection and future glory.
      • From slaves unto sin to slaves unto righteousness
      • Once we obeyed the call of the sinful nature, now we obey the call of Jesus.


    4 Questions asked in Romans 7 (v1, v7, v13, v 24)

    Marriage to illustrate death to the Law (v1 – 3)

      • Marriage is covenant that the Jews and experts at the laws are familiar with.
      • Law only has power on someone who is alive.
      • We who are unified in Christ has our old self died on the cross with Jesus

     

    Marriage to illustrate life with Christ

      • Death to the law to belong to Christ.
      • One purpose of marriage is to bear good fruit
      • our sinful nature bore fruits of death (v5)
      • Marriage requires that we change for the better for our partner
      • Once we worshiped in a fleshly, earthly way, now we are to do so in a spiritual way(v6)

    The Law is good

      • Law shows what is sin and can point out what is sin.
      • The law was meant to give life. (v10) (Deut. 30:16)
      • The law comes from God it is Holy (v12), it is spiritual (v14)
      • Sin, not law, is what causes death.
      • The law did not fail, our flesh, our bodies failed. (v5)
      • The law does not have the power to clean someone or wash someone of sin.

     

    Living in the flesh

      • What the law tells us to do, we rebel against( v7-8, v21)
      • When Sin lives, we die (v9)
      • Flesh and spirit opposed (Gal 5:17)

     

    Living in the spirit

      • Answer is not a how… its a who! Jesus Christ. (v25)
      • Crucified with Christ (Gal 5:24)
      • Even those justified face the struggles of sin.
      • Paul said of himself as unspiritual (v14)
      • Church of Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:1)
      • Everyone sins even Christians(1 John 1:8 – 1:10)
      • Christians ideally would not habitually sin. They will repent.
      • Solution is to live by the Spirit (Gal 5:16)
      • Keep in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25)
      • Spirit will lead you to bear fruits (Gal 5)
  • Romans 6 – Baptism: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

    Romans 6 – Baptism: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

    Big Picture

    Romans 1:18 – 5:11
    • Romans 1:18 – 3:20
      • Men sinful acts
    • Romans 3:21 – 5:11
      • Justification by faith in Jesus Christ
      • Christ’s blood covers our sins
      • Believers are credited as righteous
    Romans 5:12 – 8:39
    • Romans 5:12 – 5:21
      • Sinful nature
      • Sin entered the world through Adam
      • God’s grace came by Jesus
    • Romans 6 – 8:39
      • Santification
        • Romans 6
        • Baptism – Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
          • Slave of righteousness
        • Romans 7
          • Struggling with sinful nature
        • Romans 8
          • Live according to the Holy Spirit

    Meaning of Baptism

    1. It is an outward symbol of an inward experience
    2. Baptism pictures the reality – transformation of a person when he believes
    3. Baptism alone does not save us from sins, we must believe and repent
    4. When a believer is baptized, he is baptized into Jesus death, he is buried with Jesus, and resurrected with Jesus (v3-v4)
    5. Full water immersion (Act 8:36-39) vs. sprinkling
    6. We baptize because we obey Jesus’s command (Matt 28:19)
    God’s way of dealing with our sinful nature
    1. God sent Jesus to dead for our sins. Jesus’s blood covers our sins, if we believe, we are credited as righteous, our sins are forgiven.
    2. However, because sinful nature is in us, believers will continue to sin even after believing in Jesus Christ
    3. God’s salvation plan is a complete plan, He has not only saved from our sins, He has also given us the solution to live a holy life – sanctification
    4. God sets us free from the dominion of sin, not by strengthening our old self (man), but by crucifying him. (v6)
    5. We used to be slaves of sin. We had no freedom. When we believe in Jesus, our old self has died with Him, we have been freed from sin (v7)
    6. Just as Jesus has resurrected and live forever (Rev 1:18),we’ve also resurrected with Christ so we can live a new life (v4). We are new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We were born again.

    4 Steps of How to live a new life (v6-v14)

    1. Know our old self has die (v6)
      • Although when we believe in Jesus, our old self has die, however if we do not know it, it has no effect in our life
    2. Believe we are resurrected and live with Christ (v8)
    3. Count (consider, reckon) yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (v11)
      • Let our knowledge becomes reality in our daily life
    4. Offer (Present) yourselves to God (v13)
      • offer our body as instruments of rightenousness to God, to be used for His kingdom

    Slaves to sin vs. Slaves to righteousness (v15-v23)

    1. We are slaves to the one whom we obey (v16)
    2. Before we were saved, we were slaves to sin, free from righteousness (v20), which leads to death (Spiritually, physically, eternally) (v16, v21)
    3. After we were saved, we were slaves to righteousness (v18) and slaves to God (v22), free from sin (v18), which leads holiness (santification) and eternal life (v22)
    4. The new life of believers is a life of submission and obedience to God
  • Romans 5:12-21 – Adam vs. Jesus Christ

    Romans 5:12-21 – Adam vs. Jesus Christ

    Justification by Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone

    God looks at all people and sees only two persons : Adam and Jesus Christ. 

    From Adam: (Sin,Death)

    • First man was of dust (1Cor15:47)
    • Sin enters the world because of the sin of one man(v.12)
      • Adam and Eve are one body because of marriage (Gen)
    • Death enters world because of sin
      • Before Adam and Eve sinned, nothing on Earth died
      • Wages of sin is death (Rom )
    • Through Adam, death to many
      • Death “reigned” from Adam to Moses(v14)
      • No law before Moses
        • Death because of sin due to Adam’s line and not breaking of commands
        • (v20) Law increased the trespass, but trespass was present before law
      • All of us are descendants of Adam and Eve thus we are all sinners
      • The one sin brought condemnation to all (v19)
      • We bear the likeness of Adam because we are his descendants (1Cor15:48)
    • Adam was disobedient(v18)

    From Jesus Christ: (Righteousness, Grace=> Life)

    • Second man is of heaven (1Cor15:47)
    • Grace enters through Jesus Christ (v15)
    • Gift of God (charisma) over judgment(v16)
      • Eternal life (v21)
    • New creation when we belong to Christ and no longer to Adam( 2 Cor 5:17)
    • Jesus was obedient(v18)
      • Jesus obeyed the will of the father (Phillipians 2:8)
  • Romans 5:1-11 – Blessings of Justificaiton by Faith

    Romans 5:1-11 – Blessings of Justificaiton by Faith

    After we were justified by our faith in Jesus Christ, we can enjoy God’s blessings in the past, in our daily life, and in the future.

    1. Past – have peace with God (v1)
      1. Man had peace with God in the garden of Eden
      2. Man sinned, and lost his peace with God – Man afraid and hid from God (Gen 3:10)
      3. Man became enemy of God (v10)
      4. God restored the peace by sending His Son to die for our sins
      5. Jesus saved us from God’s wrath – God’s judgement (v9)
      6. Righteousness and peace kiss each other (Ps 85:10)
      7. When we are sinners we are at war with God, when we are declared righteous we are at peace with God
    2. Present – live in God’s grace – love (v2)
      1. We are justified by God’s grace (3:24)
      2. We now have access to God (v2)
      3. We continue to live in God’s grace (v2)
      4. God’s grace is shown with His love for us (v5)
      5. God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (v5)
      6. The job of Holy Spirit – Teach us all things and remind us of Jesus’s teaching (John 14:26)
      7. While we were still sinners God demonstrates His own love for us by sending Jesus to die for us (v8)
      8. Living in God’s grace does not mean we will not experience suffering. In fact Jesus said in this world we will surely face suffering (John 16:33).
      9. Suffering work for believers, instead of against him.
      10.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (8:39)
      11. Meaning of tribulation – tribulum – separate wheat from chaff
      12.  Instead we should rejoice
        1. Rejoices in suffering (v3)
        2. Rejoices in the Lord, the Lord is our rejoice (v11)
        3. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (v2)
    3. Future – Hope to the glory of God (v2)
      1. God created men in His image and likeness (Gen 1:26)
      2. God original plan is to let men rule over God’s creations (Gen 1:26)
      3. God desires to let men to reveal God’s authority over the earth and creatures
      4. God desires men to reveal His’s glory
      5. However men sinned and fall shorts in God’s glory (3:23)
      6. God sent Jesus to reconciled with us (v10)
      7. We have been justified by Jesus’s blood (v9)
      8. God like to conform us to the likeness of Jesus (8:29)
      9. God uses suffering to mold us into the likeness of Jesus (8:17)
      10. Because suffering produces perseverance, character and hope (v3)
      11. God’s will is to bring many children of God into glory (Heb 2:10, 8:30)
      12. We will rule the earth for God – God plan will be fulfilled
      13. Like Abraham, against all hope, he believed (4:18). We too have hope while we suffer, because God’s words tell us that He loves us.
      14. More on glory on Romans Chapter 8
  • Romans 4 – Faith

    Romans 4 – Faith

    1. Abraham and David as examples (v1 and v6)
    2. Justification is by faith and not by works
      1. Abraham could only boast if he was justified by works (v2)
      2. Abraham was credited as righteous because of his faith (v3; Genesis 15:6)
    3. By Works vs By Faith
      1. Work is due wages which is an obligation (v4, 14-15)
        1. Man alone is only able to sin and receive its “wages” (Romans 6:23)
      2. Faith in God credits one with righteousness (v5)
    4. Abraham’s demonstration of faith
      1. Trust (v5)
        1. Belief God’s promise that he will be a father of many nations. (v18)
        2. Belief that God will provide a son in his old age. (v19)
        3. Belief in a resurrected life and He who creates all things (in Jesus)(v17)
        4. Belief in the seed(Gal 3:16)
    5. Law vs. Grace
      1. Living by the Law is opposite of living by faith (v14)
      2. Abraham and his descendants lived when the Law was not established
      3. Law is used to reveal grace (v15)
      4. Grace is what allows us to be heirs of Abraham(v16)
    6. David’s demonstration of faith (Psalm 32)
      1. David can do nothing to redeem himself for his sins. Only God can deal with salvation (v6-8)
    7. Abraham was father of many nations (v18)
      1. Father of the uncircumcised (v 11)
        1. Father of those who believe but are not circumcised (v11)
        2. Blessings came to those with faith before circumcision(v9-10)
      2. Father of the circumcised
        1. Ancestor to all the Jews who are circumcised AND walk in the faith
    8. God’s promise to Abraham endures today
      1. Promise was made by faith (v16)
      2. Guaranteed for all of Abraham’s offsprings (spiritual or physical)
      3. We who believe are offsprings of Abraham (v17)
      4. We will also partake in the rewards of faith (v 24)
  • Romans 3:21-32 – God’s Plan of Redemption

    Romans 3:21-32 – God’s Plan of Redemption

    God’s Plan of Redemption for Men -Chapter 3:21-31

    Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (3:23). Men are hopeless, God has hope. God has offered a solution apart from the law! (3:21)

    God has revealed His plan through His laws and prophets (3:21)

    • God will raise up someone else other than Moses to save us (Deut 18:15)
    • OT laws are the shadows of good things to come (Hebrew 10:1)
    • OT prophets have been prophesying about the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 53)
    • God’s said those who were not His people will be His people (Hosea 2:23)

    The righteousness of God is revealed in us when we believe in Jesus Christ. (3:22).

    •     there is no distinction, the gospel is offered to everyone (1 John 2:2) who believe. either men or women, Jews or gentiles, young or old, rich or poor. (3:22,3:30)

    We are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (3:34)

    • salvation is grace from God, as a gift, there is nothing we can do to earn it (3:27)
    • however we need to accept the gift, only the one who accepts the gift will be saved (3:25)
    • Redemption
      • God redeems us from the law (Gal 4:5) with His blood (3:25)

    God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith (3:25)

    1. Propitiation – means:

    • mercy seat (cover of the ark of covenant) – before salvation we were before God’s judgment seat, after salvation we are before God’s mercy seat
    • Jesus covers our sins with His blood

    2. We must receive by faith
    3. The result – God’s righteousness is revealed, and believers are justified (3:26)

    Do we overthrow the law by this faith? (3:31)

    • No, on the contrary we upload the law
    • Jesus have not came to abolish the Law, but to fulfill them (Matt 5:17)
  • Romans 2 – The Judgement of God

    Romans 2 – The Judgement of God

    1. Basis of Judgment
      1. Based on truth (2:2)
        1. Wicked men suppress the truth(1:18)
        2. Also they reject the truth (2:8)
      2. Based on what each person has done(2:6)
        1. *Not based on works

           2. Contents of Judgment

      1. Judge what is within and not on the outside(2:14-16)
      2. Real circumcision vs. Fake circumcision (2:25;2:28-29)
        1. Obey vs. knowing (2:13)
      3. Orderly (2:9-10)

    3. Authority of Judgment

      1. Not for us to judge (2:1 ,1Cor 4:5)
        1. Human judgment, prone to hypocrisy (2:3)
      2. Jesus appointed to judge(2:16, Jn 5:22, 27, 30)

    4. Receivers of Judgment

      1. Unrepentant heart (2:5)
      2. All people (Jews and Gentiles)
        1. Those who do evil(2:9)
        2. No one seeks God(3:10-11)
        3. Those who pass judgment (2:1)

            5. Result of Judgment

      1. Leads to repentance 2:4
      2. Rewarded (2:6)
        1. Glory,honor,peace(2:10)
      3. Separation
        1. Circumcised/Uncircumcised
        2. Useful/Not useful to God
      4. Reveals what is hidden (2:16)
  • Romans 1:18-32 – The Multitude Sins of Men

    Romans 1:18-32 – The Multitude Sins of Men

    1. Outlines of chapter 1 to 4
    a) Romans 1:1-17 is the introduction
    b) Romans 1:18-32 talks about multitude sins of men
    c) Romans 2:1-3:20 talks about God’s judgment
    d) Romans 3:21-4:25 talks about God’s grace and justification by faith

    2. Two sides of the Gospel(1:17, 3:25-26)
    a) Men is justified (Men is considered righteous) when believe
    b) God righteousness is revealed

    3. The wrath of God is against all ungodly and unrighteous men (1:18)
    a) Ungodly inside, unrighteous outside
    b) Ungodly towards God, unrighteous towards men
    c) Ungodly is the cause, unrighteous is the effect
    d) Ungodly is described from v21-v25. Unrighteous is described from v26-v32
    e) suppress the God’s truth – definition of unrighteous acts is anything that is against God’s
    truth

    4. God has revealed Himself through His creations (1:19-20)
    a) God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so men could know God (Gen 2:7,
    Rom1:19)
    b) When we look at the orderly of the universe, the beauty of the nature, the complexity of
    human minds, it is hard to deny the existence of God (1:20)
    c) Bible is full of verses the described the nature reveal the existence of God. (Ps 19:1)

    5. However
    a) Men do not honor God as God (v21)
    b) Men do not give thanks to God (v21)
    c) Men became futile (foolish, meaningless) in their thinking (v21)
    d) Men heart was darkened (v21. Eph 4:17-18)

    6. God gave them over (1:24,26,28)
    a) When people constantly abandon God, God will abandon them.
    b) Lusts begin in men hearts and move to the shame of body (v24)
    c) God abandon men temporary, eventually God give men a way out through Jesus

    7. Three categories of sins
    a) sins against God (v21-25)
    b) sins against our own body (v26-27)
    c) sins against other human (v28-31)

    8. Death is their worthy punishment (1:32)

  • Romans 1 – The Power of The Gospel

    Romans 1 – The Power of The Gospel

    1. Book of Romans is a book about God’s Gospel (v1)
    2. Gospel is God’s promise within the Bible (v2)
    3. Gospel is about God’s son (v3)
      1. Became flesh
      2. Resurrection
    4. Gospel concerns service (v9)
      1. Serve with a whole heart
    5. We all owe a debt to the Gospel (v14)
      1. Owe debt to Gospel
      2. Attitude when spreading the Gospel
    6. Gospel is our salvation (v16)
      1. Called to belong to Christ (v6)
        1. Life->Children of God- Calling->servants
        2. New position
      2. Faith(v5, v16,v12,v17)
        1. Righteousness by faith
        2. Salvation by faith
      3. Called to be saints (v7)
        1. Set apart for his use
      4. Christ’s servant (v1)
        1. Call Jesus Lord, so we are servant
      5. Called to spread Gospel (v1)
        1. Jesus commands us to do so
      6. Receive spiritual gift’s/receive duty (v11, v5)
        1. God’s work, He is responsible
      7. Bearing fruits among the nations (v13-14)
    7. Gospel reveals God’s righteousness (v17)

     

    Power of Gospel

      • (1:20) Creation  – From nothing into everything
      • (1:4) Resurrection – From weak to strong
      • (1:16) Salvation  – From sinners to righteousness
  • Romans 1:1-5 – Seven Major Themes

    Romans 1:1-5 – Seven Major Themes

    When we compare 1:1-5 with 16:25-27, we will discover seven major themes in Romans.

    1. God
      1. Gospel of God – God is the origin of gospel (1:1)
      2. God has promised in scriptures through His prophets (1:2)
      3. God gave up His Son (1:3-4)
      4. God strengthens us (16:25)
      5. God has commanded us to tell the nations about obedience of faith (16:26)
      6. God is the only wise God (16:27)
      7. God deserves all the glory forevermore (16:27)
    2. Gospel
      1. Romans letter that explains gospel (1:1)
      2. This gospel is according to scriptures – Bible (1:2)
      3. The content of the gospel is Jesus Christ (1:3, 16:25), Son of God (1:4)
    3. Jesus Christ
      1. Meaning of Jesus (Hebrew Yeshua – Joshua) – Jehovah is savior
      2. Jesus is Christ (Messiah) (1:1, 1:4, 16:25,16:27)
      3. Jesus is the Lord of all preachers (1:1)
      4. Jesus is the content the gospel (1:3)
      5. By fresh Jesus is descendent of David (1:3)
      6. By Spirit Jesus is Son of God (1:4)
      7. Jesus dead and resurrected (1:4)
      8. Jesus called people to serve Him (1:5)
      9. Jesus is the central of our preaching (16:25)
    4. Prophetic writings
      1. God promised in holy Scriptures (1:2, 16:26)
      2. Example: 1:17 – The righteous shall live by faith – Habakkuk 2:4, Gal3:11,Heb10:38
      3. 3:10-18 – None is righteous, no, not one – Ps 14:3,5:9, 36:1, 140:3, Isiah59:7-8
      4. At least 10 references to OT in Chapter 10 alone
    5. Declared/Disclosed/Revelation
      1. Declared to be Son of God by His resurrection (1:4)
      2. the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed (16:25-26)
    6. Paul
      1. Servant of the Lord (1:1)
      2. Apostle (1:1)
      3. Received grace and apostleship (1:5)
      4. Preach the gospel among all the nations (1:5,16:26)
      5. Paul explains his spiritual struggle in Chapter 7
      6. Paul talked about his willingness to be cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of his kinsmen – Israelites (10:3)
      7. Paul asked us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. (12:1)
      8. Minister of Jesus Christ, as priest of the gospel of God (15:16)
      9. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Cor11:1)
    7. Obedience of faith (1,5;16:26)
      1. Two major concepts in Romans: Believe and Obey. To receive the gospel, we must believe in Jesus Christ (1:16:3:22)
      2. 2nd, After we believe, we must be obedience, offer our body as living sacrifice (12:1) because it is the everlasting God’s command (16:26)
      3. God’s will is so that through obedience to Holy Spirit (8:5) that is living in us, we will confirmed to the image of His Son (8:29), so that one day we will enter into God’s glory, become heirs of God, and reign the universe with our Lord. (8:17)