smurf1948

Q1. (5:1-2) What do you learn about the responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer"? What stood out to you as you considered these words? We are to care for the needs of the flock God entrusted to us. We must look after them spiritually as well as all aspects of their needs. We are chosen by God as the leaders of the church. Thus we have a great responsibility. We must do this by being in the word and listening to God in all things.

Q1. (5:1-2) What do you learn about the responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer"? What stood out to you as you considered these words? We as leaders are responsible for our flock. We are to tend to their needs. God has chosen us to look after his flock till his return. We are to look after them spiritually and in all their needs. The huge responsibility God has entrusted us with. That I really need to be in Jesus all the time to fulfill this trust.

Q4. Why is a willingness to die, if need be, essential to healthy Christianity during persecution. What happens when we aren't willing to die, when we are afraid to "take up our cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and follow Jesus? What does this have to do with "commiting ourselves to a faithful Creator"? It shows that we are fully committed to Jesus. We have trust in him. We have placed our faith in him and know our reward is Heaven. If were not willing to die for him or take u our cross, were not committed to him and need to reexamine our faith. If were not fully trusting in Jesus we might need to repent and recommit our live to him.

Q3. (4:14) If we are never persecuted, what does that say about how people view us? In what way should persecution make us happy? They don't view us as Godly they don,t see Jesus in us. They only see another person like any other. We should be happy because were doing whats right in the Lord. People can see a difference in us and long for what we have. We know we are on of God's children and doing the right things.

Q2. (4:13) When you meditate on the idea of partaking of or being a sharer in Christ's sufferings, what perspective does it give you on whatever persecution you may experience? When I go through these things then I know I'm on the right path. Because if I wasn't suffering then I would not be close to Jesus. He suffered and me must also if were a biblical Christian. Were spreading the news of Christ and living according to him and the devil doesn't like it. Thus we know were doing what is right.

Q1. (4:12) What's the danger of trying to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ? Have you ever been distracted by persecution from what you should have been doing? Have you ever observed this in other Christians? The danger would be that you would move away from God. They are part of being one of God's children. These trials and ordeals will make us stronger in Christ. We sometimes try to avoid the painful things but it usually doesn't work. Were afraid we will be ridiculed or mocked.

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? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? There's no place for it because your either a slave to sin or to God. We like to think we are our own person, capable of making our choices. Do whats right on our own. We know whats best for us. Unfortunately this is not so.

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? Why should we honor good doctrine? If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? Good doctrine is based on the teaching of Jesus and we must honor him. Following good doctrine will help us live a righteous live thus effect the way we live and what others see in us. We should be avoiding false doctrine. We must make sure what we follow is according to Christ's teaching. It must be biblical.

Q3. (Romans 6:15-18). What does obedience have to do with slavery? In what way does doing acts of righteousness demonstrate your slavery to God? In what ways does doing bad things demonstrate a slavery to sin? 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? What ever your obedient to is what your a slave to. Because you become a slave to it. Doing righteous things becomes what your a slave to thus brings you into slavery in God. By believing in Jesus he died to break the bondage of sin. Then we must be in his word doing righteousness. If were obedient to God we won't be obedient to sin. Listening and responding to gossip. Keeping a clean thought process letting the Holy Spirit guide me.

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? Why is it that we can sin unconsciously? How can we begin to offer our members deliberately to God? What changes will it take in our daily life to do this? People can do this with their moths hands body language etc. By gossiping, stealing , even their thoughts. Because we were born with a sin nature and the devil working on us. Those two things make it come easy. Through prayer and being conscious of our actions and keeping our eyes on God. Let the Holy Spirit work through us.

Q1. (Romans 6:12) What does obedience have to do with the "reign" of sin? When were obedient to God we are no longer slaves to sin. Sin no longer reigns over us. We can turn from sin because it is dead to us.

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? 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? That we believe what Jesus said as truth. That we can rely on him and what he did for us. Through him him sin has no hold on us. No that we are relying on Gods truth. Counting on something that is true that really happened. Jesus told us he is the truth. The effect will be that we are no longer slaves to sin.We can turn from it and live a righteous life through Jesus because now he is in us.

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? In what way have we been freed from slavery? What difference does this understanding make in our struggles against temptation? Our death with Christ on the cross rendering sin powerless We died to sin. Death took sins power away so that we no longer have to give in to it, We have the power to defeat sin turn from it. We can follow God's truth we now have the ability to turn from sin to live a righteous live with Jesus.

Q4. (4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? Their sense of self-worth? Their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory? I would say they are self serving. Wanting all the glory for themselves instead of giving it to God. Their self worth is probably very low and their trying to boost their ego. Their immature Christians and not humble but prideful. I'm still trying to learn what God has for me but he does have in a position as a Deacon working in the church.

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? Whose death is he talking about? How does this death become our own? To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? I don't think he is talking about our death but our death to sin with Christ. We died to sin when Christ was crucified. It has a basis in reality in that we have to live a righteous life like Christ.

Q3. (4:5-7) Why don't non-Christians like the idea of giving an account of their actions? Why don't we Christians like it? What should the realization that we must give an account of our actions inspire in us? With what attitude should we live as a result? They feel like their in control and should do what they want. Giving an accounting would mean being judged and they don't like being judged. They don't like to think of the prospect of hell. We don't like it because of our sin nature. It should inspire us to lead Godly righteous lives. Our attitude should be of alertness clear minded and self control.

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? What does "Christ was raised from the dead" (6:4b) correspond to in baptism? Being buried corresponds to the submerging in the water. Being raised from the corresponds to coming up out of the water as a new reborn Christian.

Q2. (4:3-4) Why do non-Christians try to get you to sin with them. Why are we tempted to do so? How can we resist this temptation? People don't like to think of what their doing as sinning. So if we sin along with them then maybe were wrong about sin and death and what their doing is okay. We are tempted because we don't like to be teased or ridiculed so its easier to go along with the crowd,or maybe were afraid we will lose our friends. We must keep our focus on the Lord.

Q1. (4:1-2) When the scripture says "arm yourselves with the same attitude" as Christ had, how should this attitude help keep you from sin? What attitude are we talking about? We are to know that sin died with christ and we are to live like sin is dead. We are to live a righteous life like Jesus. The attitude is that sin is dead therefore we no longer have to live in sin. He died to rid us of sin once and for all. Therefore we can live the life God wants for us.

Q4. (Romans 6:2-5) According to this passage, at what point do we move from being under the headship of Adam to the headship of Christ? Is there anything we must do to bring about this change in headship? What are the implications of us having died with Christ? When Jesus died for us he defeated death giving us over to his headship. We declared this by our baptism. We bring about the change by acknowledging that Christ came to earth was crucified and was risen from the grave. We also need to ask him to forgive our sins and ask him to be our Savior. This brings the change. Him having died for us freed us from sin and gave us eternal life with him in Heaven.

Q4. (3:20-21) Various Christian traditions have different practices of baptism -- the mode (sprinkling, pouring, immersion) and the age (infant vs. an age when a person can profess his or her own faith). Let's not argue about that in this forum. Let me ask you the crucial question for you -- Have you pledged your faith in Jesus Christ and promised to serve him as his disciple? How does this pledge relate to your own baptism? (Remember, no criticism of another's understanding of baptism in the forum. No fighting. No setting people straight -- seriously!) I think the baptism displays to everyone your commitment to Jesus and your promise to him. I have pledged my faith to Jesus and and promised to serve him, He saved me from death and i wouldn't have it any other way. He died a horrible death for us and that means a lot to me that someone would love me that much to go through that.

Q3. (3:18a) Meditate for a few minutes on this verse: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." Now personalize it to imagine (1) your sins, (2) your unrighteousness, and (3) your reconciliation with God. Each of these ideas is awesome! Which of these three aspects of the verse has God impressed most strongly on you today? Select one of the three and share it. Reconciliation with God is mine. The fact that he chose me and that i can have that personal relationship with him. Also that he wiped my slate clean. That I can know he is in control and i don't have to worry i can put things in his hands.

Q3. (Romans 5:15-19) By what right does Adam represent all humankind? By what right does Christ become head of all who become his disciples? If Christ is not our "representative" or "head," how can his death for sins be effective for us? He was the first creation of God and through him we were all born thus he represents all mankind. He is God and by his death and resurrection rid of sin and defeated death. So if we believe in him and become his desciples we are in the body of Christ and he is the head. It cleansed us and insured our eternal life if we give our life unto him.

Q2. (3:15-16) Why is it so hard for us to be a witness when we're persecuted? Why is it easy in tough places to be the wrong kind of witness? Which one of Peter's four instructions do you find most needed in your particular situation? Were afraid to be laughed at or made fun of. That we might even be attacked or lose a friend. Our human nature is afraid of rejection. Our human sin nature takes over and maybe the devil interceding when were in the tough place causing us to be a bad witness. I think for me its a combination of two of these thats most need my focus on Jesus in the situation putting him first and afraid i won't give the right answer not being ready.

Q2. (Romans 5:13, 20) What is Paul saying in these verses? Can there be sin without law? In what sense does the "trespass increase" (5:20) when the law is present? Sin existed all the time. even Satan sinned when he rebelled against God. Then Adam when he went against God's commands. The Law was given so that people could have a guide line to follow and see what was right and wrong. It made people more aware of sin. There for the trespass increases because you are now more aware that you are sinning when you have the law.