Read the passage: Romans 1:1-7 (ESV, Bible Gateway)
Getting started
These first questions are designed to get your group discussing Romans as a letter, and to help you grasp what experience they’ve had in reading it, talking about it or to understand things they’ve heard about it.
Don’t lose too much time on these introductory questions, and if your time is limited, you can skip them altogether.
- What do you know about Romans?
- What are some famous verses?
- What controversial issues does it deal with?
- Have you read any parts and wondered ‘What is this saying?’ ?
- What would you say Romans is about?
- Looking at history, who has this book had an impact on and why?
A few helpful facts
Author – Paul
Year of writing – c. 57 AD
Purpose – There are tensions in the Roman church. Although Paul himself has never been there and doesn’t know the Christians personally, he knows what they need: the gospel.
Read Romans 1.1-7
Verse 1
- How does Paul see himself?
- How do you tend to see your relationship with Christ?
- How would seeing Jesus as your master, and you as His servant/slave change things?
- What is an apostle?
- What is ‘the gospel of God?’
- How does understanding that the gospel is an announcement of good news, of victory over an enemy, of the triumph of a king on the field of battle AND NOT good advice, change the way we see it and relate to it and God?
- In what sense was Paul ‘set apart’ for this gospel?
Verse 2
- How does the Old Testament point forward to the gospel?
- What OT prophecies in particular come to mind when you think of it foreshadowing the gospel?
Verses 3-4
- What does Paul tell us about Jesus here – and why do each of these points matter?
- Break down the phrase ‘Jesus Christ our Lord’. What does each part mean and what are the implications for us?
- What happens if you forget or downplay one of these?
- Is there one that you tend to forget/downplay more than the others?
- Break down the phrase ‘Jesus Christ our Lord’. What does each part mean and what are the implications for us?
Verse 5
- What is the ‘obedience of faith’?
- Why does it matter that we get this right?
Verses 6-7
- How does Paul describe the Christians in Rome (and, by extension, us)?
- In a culture that can leave us feeling adrift and without roots, constantly seeking the approval of others, how does the gospel answer our deepest needs?
Take it deeper
As we will see over the next weeks, the book of Romans is all about the gospel.
The verses you have just studied already contain many key elements to it!
As a group, try to come up with a summary of the gospel based on and including elements of the verses you’ve just read, in such a way that you could use to explain to a non-Christian.
Leader’s notes
Getting started
- What controversial issues does it deal with?
faith/law/works/new perspective on Paul; homosexuality; Israel/Gentiles; predestination/election; role of government - Looking at history, who has this book had an impact on and why?
Augustine (his conversion), Martin Luther (salvation through grace)…
Verse 1
- What is an apostle?
An apostle – apostolos – was someone who was sent by another, with the authority to represent them, or speak on their behalf. We might call them an ambassador. - What is ‘the gospel of God?’
gospel = euangelion = an announcement, typically of good news, of victory. It is not a list of Dos/Don’ts; it is not good advice - In what sense was Paul ‘set apart’ for this gospel?
Paul was called by Christ in dramatic fashion on the road to Damascus. He was ‘set apart’ specifically for Christ’s service in the gospel while actively opposing Christ (Acts 9:1-6). However, in a more general sense, and as is the case for all Christians, at his conversion Paul was set apart – sanctified – by the Holy Spirit, and transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of God’s Son. And this is the case regardless of his calling to be an apostle of Christ. (Col 1:13; 1 Peter 1:2
Verse 2
- How does the Old Testament point forward to the gospel?
think the Fall, the Law, sacrifices, temple, kings (shepherd king), prophets- What OT prophecies in particular come to mind when you think of it foreshadowing the gospel?
For example, Gen 3:15; 12:3; 15:5-6; Deut 18:15; 2 Sam 7:12-16; Psalm 2; 22; 110; Is 7:14; 9:1-7; 11:1-10; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-4; Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 34:11-16; 36:25-27; Dan 7:13-14; Mic 5:1-5; Zech 9:9-10; 13:7; Mal 3:1-4. The idea is not that you read all these verses in the group. They’re provided to give a taste of the depth of what God was promising in the Old Testament. And this omits reference to all the OT sacrifices/temple/priesthood/kings/wisdom literature, all of whom foreshadowed Christ.
- What OT prophecies in particular come to mind when you think of it foreshadowing the gospel?
Verses 3-4
- What does Paul tell us about Jesus here – and why do each of these points matter?
- Break down the phrase ‘Jesus Christ our Lord’. What does each part mean and what are the implications for us?
Jesus = the LORD saves; Christ = the anointed one, the messiah, the king; Our Lord = He is our Lord (and not Caesar)
- Break down the phrase ‘Jesus Christ our Lord’. What does each part mean and what are the implications for us?
Verse 5
- What is the ‘obedience of faith’?
It is the obedience that comes from faith.- Why does it matter that we get this right?
It is key to the gospel. We obey because we first trust Christ for salvation and experience changed hearts that want to obey. We are not saved by obedience or even by obedience AND faith
- Why does it matter that we get this right?
Verses 6-7
- How does Paul describe the Christians in Rome (and, by extension, us)?
Called to belong to Jesus; loved by God; called to be saints
Download the complete study: Bible study on Romans (PDF) and leader’s guide (PDF)