Paul G

Q3. (Romans 8:26-27) How does the Holy Spirit act as a Helper or Mediator or Intercessor in verses 26-27? ANS - The Holy Spirit knows us, and knows our weaknesses. He steps in, prays, and intercedes for us in a supernatural way, and in a way we cannot understand - He prays & intercedes in accordance with God's will. He helps us as a Father would help His children. What similarities do you see between the Holy Spirit's ministry here with Jesus' teaching of the Spirit's ministry as Counselor/Comforter/Paraclete in John 14:16 and 15:26)? ANS - It is very similar and a parallel description - He is our counselor, and lives within us. "Pareakletos" - He is our mediator, our intercessor, and our helper. Why do you think we tend to take the Holy Spirit for granted or fail to understand His ministry to and through us? ANS - Because we would rather depend on our own strength and efforts to get us through life's difficult situations, rather than through the help of the Holy Spirit. And it may be that too many Christians just don't know how to intercede in the Spirit, nor understand or see its benefits. We don't take time to discipline ourselves to get close to, and get intimate with, the Holy Spirit.

Q2. (Romans 8:17-22) In what ways was suffering Jesus' lot in life? ANS - Suffering was an integral part of Christ's life, both during his life, and at the end of his life. Isaiah 53 is an awesome chapter in the Old Testament which prophecies the coming of Christ and his sufferings. Psalms 22 and 69 prophecy of Christ's suffering upon the Cross. Why do we suffer? ANS - To allow His character to be developed within us. Also, to reveal his love, his compassion, promises, and faithfulness to us. The fact is, there is sin in this world with all its far reaching affects, which, since we live in the world we as believers cannot escape. Just think of the atrocities of war. Wow. Also, as we suffer we identify with His suffering. We can know that no matter what we go through He also went through. And we can know that as He achieved victory in His sufferings so can we. Why does all creation seem to be suffering? ANS - Because of sin in the world! It began to suffer after the fall of Adam and Eve, when sin was allowed to enter the world. As mankind does, so does creation groan because of the sin in the world. What will signal the end of that downward cycle of suffering, decay, and death? ANS - Christ's return to this earth! Is there anything good to look forward to in this present life? ANS - Absolutely. To enjoy the blessings of living for Jesus in this present life. As believers we are not under the bondage of sin, but are set free from sin, and life can be lived as God intended it to be, to its fullest. John 10:10

Q1. In Romans 8:14-21, 28, how many times is the idea of being sons and daughters of God alluded to? ANS - It appears at least seven times. What are the promises made to these sons and daughters? ANS - We are proclaimed as the sons of God when we become believers. We become adopted into the heavenly family, with full rights and privileges of being part of God's family. We have full inheritance of everything he as our heavenly Father has promised us. What do we learn about our future and our role in the future of all creation? ANS - We will share in His glory in Heaven to come. Our bodies will become redeemed, and will have a heavenly body. Creation awaits the coming of Christ, and the believers' redemption. Creation will become as it was originally created to be, without decay and death.

Q5. (Romans 8:13-14) What does it mean to "mortify" or "put to death" the deeds of the body by the Spirit? ANS - By the power of the Spirit, and by daily walking with him, we put to death those sinful acts that have kept us captive over the years. What would it look like to watch a person do this? ANS - This person becomes a new person with a different heart, attitudes, desires, and purpose in life. I've truly lived this experience, previously being bound by ***********, but then after recommitting my life to Christ and committing myself to a long (going on 3+ years now) renewal process my my tells me I am truly a different person than I was 3 years ago. I am not the same person she knew back then. What does it mean to be "led" by the Spirit? What does this look like in actual practice? ANS - WE must daily make the decision to grow in Him and yield to Him. As we do the Holy Spirit works within us. How do "putting to death" and being "led" by the Spirit fit together? How much of this is the Spirit and how much is us? ANS - It's a simultaneous process and Christian lifestyle. In our inner heart we must decide. We must make a willful decision to be His disciple and follow in his footsteps. As we do we allow His spirit to lead us and to do his work within us.

Q4. (Romans 8:12) Do we have to sin? Are we compelled to sin? Is it possible to live for two hours of wakefulness without sinning? Four hours? One day? Two days? ANS - We do NOT have to sin. Absolutely not. We are set free in Christ; and are controlled by the Holy Spirit, as we live in Him and stay yielded to Him. Sin is no longer our task master. We are a bond servant to Jesus Christ. Where do we Christians get such a defeatist attitude towards sin? From Scripture? ANS - Frankly, in my many years of being a Christian, I have never run into someone who says we have to sin, as Christians. Maybe this comes from the world value system, and our carnal nature within us.

Q3. (Romans 8:9) Is it possible to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit residing in us? ANS - No! What is the difference (if any) between the indwelling of the Spirit and the fullness of the Spirit? ANS - When we become believers the Holy Spirit dwells within us, because it is the Holy Spirit which represents Christ on earth, and gives evidence in our life that we are the sons of God. We thus walk in the Spirit, and are guided by the Spirit. The fullness of the Spirit is initially experienced as evidenced in Acts 1:8; 2:4; 10:44-46, 11:15, 16; and and 19:2,6, where the initial evidence of being "baptized in, or receiving the fullness of the Spirit" is experienced. However, the continuing evidence of a life lived in this fullness of the Holy Spirit is seen through the manifestation of the power, the gifts, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. How do we remain "full" of the Spirit? ANS - Daily submission to the Holy Spirit, daily walking in Him. I ask the Lord to fill me with his Holy Spirit daily, and to allow any sin. and anything that stands in His way to be forgiven and removed. To be an open channel for His Spirit to flow.

Q2. (Romans 8:5-6) Exactly what does it mean to set your mind on the things of the Spirit? How do you do this? ANS - Our mind and heart must be fixed on Christ, and our heart of an attitude to be listening to the Holy Spirit throughout each day. How can you recognize when the things you're setting your mind on relate to your sinful nature? How much of this is deliberate? How much is habit? What part does the Holy Spirit have it this? Or is this primarily right living by force of will? ANS - When we experience symptoms of the old, sinful, carnal nature. How much is deliberate depends on how close we walk to Holy Spirit, and allow Him to control our lives on a day to day basis, and experience Romans 12:1, 2 daily.

Q1. (Romans 8:3-4) Why can't obedience to the law save us? What is the weak link? What then does it take to save us? ANS - Because nobody can completely obey the law, except Christ. If any one sins, even in one law, he is guilty of all, and is condemned. It took Christ's death on the cross to provide the only solution to the sin problem, and to bring us back into fellowship with God.

Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). ANS - I think that Paul was attempting to describe the struggle against the human flesh that Christians in general have, him understanding the temptations and struggles we go through on a day to day basis. He may have experienced this himself, but then goes on in Romans 8 to describe the victory we can have, based on what was revealed to him, and based on his own experience. Based on a broader understanding of the Pauline epistles they don't give the impression that Paul was struggling with sin, but in fact was living a life of victory and freedom. Sure, he had to deal with temptations and situations that we all do, but had learned to live a life of victory.

Q4. (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 7:24) What is the doctrine of "total depravity"? Put it in your own words. ANS - It is the belief that our heart is evil and flawed at its very core. Outside Christ the heart cannot be made good. Does it mean that none of God's original goodness shows through? Then what does it mean? ANS - The basic goodness of God can be seen in mankind, but that it is flawed, contaminated, and tainted with sin. Why does modern man tend to believe that man is basically good? How does this differ from what the Bible teaches? ANS - Because man is deceived by satan himself. Satan lies that man can save himself by his own efforts.

Q3. (Romans 7:12; 8:3) What does the law do well? ANS - The law does well at teaching us God's commandments and instructions in right and wrong living, and living according to his truth. It teaches us basically what sin is, what holy living is, and how to please God. What does it do poorly? ANS - The law points out wrong doing, and what sin is, but doesn't provide the eternal solution to the sin or heart problem itself. It provided a temporary fix, as it were, through sacrifices, but that was symbolism of what was to come. Why is the law (knowing right and wrong) powerless to save us? What is the problem here? ANS - It was the only the instruction book, but didn't provide the spiritual solution to the underlying problem of sin itself.

Q2. (Romans 7:7-8) The law reveals sin for what it is. Why wouldn't we be better off just not knowing that we should not covet, for example? ANS - Knowing something is wrong is the first step towards truth. If we understand something is sin (by naming it), the we understand that we have to deal with it, so that we can be free from it, be forgiven of it, and get victory over it. Why does the flesh respond to being told "Do not covet" by coveting all the more? ANS - It is like a little monkey that latches onto our shoulder and rides around. "Oh, isn't this so cute?". He (the sin) gets hungry so we feed it. He begins to grow, until eventually he gets so big he hangs onto our neck, and we can't get rid of him, and eventually he chokes us to death. So with sin, it demands to be fed. And the more we feed it, the more destructive it becomes in our life.

Q1. (Romans 7:5) Paul uses the word "flesh" (or NIV "sinful nature") many times in chapters 7 and 8. In your own words, what does Paul mean by "flesh" in these verses? ANS - Our sinful, selfish, unrighteousness nature - the old nature, the old man, our fallen nature which is rebellious against God and leads us to all the sins as described in Galatians 5:19-21

Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? ANS - No, we either are living in Christ, or we are living in our "old man", the "old life", the life of sin and slavery to it. Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? ANS - We want to life unto our self, the very philosophy of the world system around us. Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? ANS - Its oftentimes easier to live in the middle, on the fence, and live in a world of compromise, to go the "easy path", lest we stand out and be labelled as a "radical" in this world of liberal thinking.

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? ANS - The fruits of what we truly believe in is seen in how we live on a day to day basis. Why should we honor good doctrine? ANS - It guides our lives, our churches, our communities, and our nation. If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? ANS - The doctrine and philosophies of this world system, everything that doesn't line up with the truth of God's Word.

Q3. (Romans 6:15-18). What does obedience have to do with slavery? ANS - In the spiritual sense, whoever we obey, beit God's Word & truth, or our own desires, and the false teachings of the enemy, determines who you are slaves to. In what way does doing acts of righteousness demonstrate your slavery to God? n what ways does doing bad things demonstrate a slavery to sin? ANS - By the fruits in your life, those around you can tell who you serve, beit God or Satan and the worldly system. How is such a slavery or bondage broken? What part does obedience have in breaking this bondage? In what areas is God speaking to you about a fresh obedience in your life? ANS - We must repent of our sins, yield ourselves to Christ, without reserve, and began to obey him wholeheartedly.

Q2. (Romans 6:13) In what ways do you "offer the members of your body" to either sin or God multiple times in a day? ANS - Living a life of obedience means yielding every part of our body in whatever we do through the day - either to the Lord, or the enemy. Why is it that we can sin unconsciously? ANS - Allowing compromise in our lives to slip in will make us less acute to the spirit of the Lord working in our lives. How can we begin to offer our members deliberately to God? ANS - Make conscious decisions each day to serve him, be obedient to Him, and to do His will always. What changes will it take in our daily life to do this? ANS - Allowing the Holy Spirit to put His finger on that area of my life that needs to be brought into conformity with His will.

Q1. (Romans 6:12) What does obedience have to do with the "reign" of sin? ANS - Whoever we choose to obey will become our master and will reign over us. If we follow Christ, give ourselves to Him, and obey him, sin no longer has control over us,and no longer reigns in our life. We are no longer subject to its evil desires.

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? ANS - "It's a definite or determined fact" Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? ANS - By no means! It is a fact of history, and of scripture, of which we must accept by faith! What will be the effect in our lives if we actually do consider it to be true that we died with Christ's death with regard to sin? ANS - Sin and death will no longer have power over us. We will be set free in him, free to live in newness of life, and the ability to live a victorious life in Christ!

Q4. (Romans 6:6-7) In what way has our "body of sin," our "flesh," our old nature been made powerless because of our crucifixion with Christ? ANS - Because our sinful nature has been struck a mortal blow. Because he gained victory over death and sin, so we have that same victory. WE are no longer slaves to sin. In what way have we been freed from slavery? ANS - We are free from the compulsion to obey sin, to blindly follow the whims of our old nature. Like slaves we have been emancipated from bondage. What difference does this understanding make in our struggles against temptation? ANS - We can walk in confidence that we are free from the grip and power of sin, and are free to walk in liberty, and to have victory over sin. Refer to I Corinthians 10:13m,

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? ANS - He is referring to a historical, actual death, which was not only physical, but there was a spiritual victory over sin on the cross. When we came to know Christ we united with Him, and in our identification with Him, sin in our own life was crucified. Whose death is he talking about? ANS - It was Christ's death on calvary! How does this death become our own? ANS - When we accept Him as Lord and savior, and when we become baptized we also identify with his death. To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? ANS - Christ's death on the cross was fortold since the time of Adam, and prophecy foretold it. It actually happened, and now through our faith in Him we become a part of it, and accept His power into our life. "The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in us. He will quicken our mortal bodies."

Q2. (Romans 6:3-4) In Paul's reference to baptism in 6:3-4, what does "buried" (6:4a) correspond to in the act of baptism? ANS - Going down into the water in baptism symbolizes our identification with Christ in his death on the Cross and burial in the grave. It also represents our death to sin and the old life. What does "Christ was raised from the dead" (6:4b) correspond to in baptism? ANS - When we come up out of the water, it symbolizes Christ's resurrection from the grave, and also represents our rising to a new life in Christ.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? ANS - We identify with him in His death on the cross. In baptism we are baptized into His death and become, as it were, one with Him. Baptis symbolizes not only our having died to sin and the old nature, but also his death and burial, and our identification with Him.