Romans 3
Icebreaker: What was the worst childhood misadventure that you got away with?
Point of this chapter: You are only saved by grace, through faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:1-8 1What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” 5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
1. What advantages did the Jews have spiritually over non-Jews? (Romans 3:1-2, 9)
2. What advantages do children have growing up in a Christian home?
3. What can we do to get God’s Word into the hearts of our children? What are you doing to get God’s Word in your heart?
4. Why do we deserve God’s wrath even though our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly? (Romans 3:5; 2 Tim 2:13)
2 Tim 3:13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Romans 3:9-18 9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e] 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
5. Who do you think Paul is talking about; all people, or non-Christians, and non-believing Jews? Explain your answer!
6. How does the truth that we are all under the power of sin, affect us as Christians/disciples? (Romans 3:9)
7. What does the fact that there is none righteous, yet God still seeks to save all of us, say about God? (John 3:16-17; 1 Tim 2: 3-4)
John 3:16–17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
8. What is the purpose of the law if not to make us righteous? (vs19,20)
9. What should be our relationship to the law if it does not make us righteous?
Romans 2: 21-31 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
10. Does going to church and being good save us? If not, how are we saved? ((Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23,28, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Ephesians 2:8–10 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
11. How does Christ’s death on the cross demonstrate the righteousness of God? (Romans 3:23-26)
Justify: to show to be righteous, declare righteous
Redemption: a release effected by payment of ransom
Atonement: the wrath of the God shall be appeased; a means of propitiation
12. How do we demonstrate faith in Christ? (Colossians 2:7)
Colossians 2:6–7 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
13. What can we do to promote building faith in ourselves and others?