Paul's Introduction:
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
Who is Paul?
What for Paul was called to be?
Why Paul was separated?
What God promised before?
How and When God promised the gospel of God?
What concerns His Son Jesus Christ our Lord?
What the Gospel is all about? or What is the essence of the Gospel?
Through whom Paul got the apostleship?
Why Paul got this apostleship?
Who is Paul?
What does bondservant means?
Application: Are you bondservant of Jesus Christ?
What for Paul was called to be?
What does apostle means?
Who ordain/give this apostleship to believers?
Is apostleship is earned by believers? or Is it a gift from Jesus Christ?
Application: Why Jesus Christ gives these gifts?
What are the responsibilities of an apostle?
Who are called "The Apostles"?
Who is the 12th apostle? or Who replaced Judas Iscariot?
Is Paul is 12th apostle in place of Judas Iscariot?
Is it important that Paul needs to be the 12th apostle?
Why they make Paul's apostleship a big deal? or Why some want to deny the apostleship of Paul?
Why they want to get rid of Paul's epistles?
Is the apostle gift is ceased after this initial twelve "The Apostles"?
Do we need apostles now? Does Jesus still ordaining apostles now?
Let us Find answers from reality or existence of apostles available in present day:
Can you name few evangelist around your area serving our Lord?
Can you name few apostles around your area serving our Lord?
Why? Following question answer us.
Is there any modern or different name available for apostle?
What is the modern name for apostle?
From where did this modern name come from?
Why Paul was separated?
What does gospel means?
When Paul was separated for the Gospel?
What the Gospel/Good News is all about? or What is the essence of the Gospel/Good News?
To whom this Good News/Gospel is for?
How and When God promised the gospel of God?
Through whom Paul received grace and apostleship?
What is Grace?
Is Mercy and Grace are same?
What is Mercy?
Why Paul received this apostleship?
Did Jesus anoint Paul to be an apostle for specific group of people?
Did Paul fulfill the apostle responsibilities?
What role/responsibility God has given to you in His service? or What for God called you?
Are you building on top of the foundation laid by apostles, prophets and Jesus Christ?
Letter to Romans:
6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established-- 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
To whom Paul addressing this letter?
How believers in Rome are called?
How Paul greets them?
Whom Paul is thanking?
Why Paul is thanking?
How Paul prays for them?
What is Paul asking God in his prayer?
Why Paul wants to see/visit them?
What do the spiritual gifts do to them?
What will Paul's visit do to both of them?
What is God's response to his prayer request in Romans 1:10?
What one more reason Paul wants to see/visit them?
To whom Paul is debtor?
Why Paul is debtor to them?
To whom Paul addressing this letter?
Who are called of (to belong) Jesus Christ?
Among whom they are called of (to belong) Jesus Christ?
How believers in Rome are called?
What is saint means?
Are they not called to live a holy life since the meaning of saints is holy?
Why then there is a new word "saints" is used here instead of holy?
How this word saints originate from?
How this word saints is used in Old Testament scriptures? or Analyze few usages of saints in Old Testaments and understand better?
How this word saints is used in New Testament scriptures? or Analyze few usages of saints in New Testaments and understand better?
Is saint is a special title/position earned by believers through their great service to God?
Is Paul in Romans 1:1 called to earn the apostleship?
Are all the believers of God or Jesus Christ are called "saints"?
How many times the word "Christian(s)" referred in the Bible?
How many times the word "believer(s)" referred in the Bible?
Warnings:
What are the problems if anyone interpret saints as a special anointed believer who earn the title by their unique work/service of God?
Is it ok to prefix believers names with Saint(St.) like St. Nicolas, St. Thomas, St.(San in Spanish) Francisco, ...?
Application:
Are you saint?
How Paul greets them?
Where this peace comes from?
Application: How to receive this peace and apply/experience in our Christian life/walk?
What main thing this peace with God does to believers?
Whom Paul was thanking?
Application: Did you accept this God Almighty Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
Why Paul was thanking?
How their faith spoken of all over the world?
What Paul might have heard about their faith?
What one more think that really made their faith spoken of all over the world?
Is their faith spoken of all over the world because Rome was dominated by Christians at that time?
Application: How is your faith spoken of in your home, work, extended family (among relatives), community, church, throughout the whole world?
How Paul prays for them?
How often Paul prays for them?
Why God is witness to Paul?
Application:
Did you sincerely pray for those whom you have promised to pray for?
Are you continuously praying for those whom you have emailed/said that "I am praying for you"?
Are you praying continuously for anyone or for anything?
What did Paul ask God in his prayer?
What was God's response to his prayer request in Romans 1:10?
Is it hard/expensive for Paul to visit Rome?
Why Paul was asking permission to God?
Did Paul go to Rome?
How Paul went to Rome?
Who hindered/stopped Paul from going to Rome?
Is this hindrance is due to Satan?
Application: How do you identify whether this type of hindrance/delay is caused by Satan or God?
Why God didn't allow Paul to go to Rome immediately? or Why God didn't grant permission immediately to Paul's request to visit Rome?
Did Paul lack/week in faith so that God is not answering?
Did Paul not asks others to pray for this matter? or Did Paul lacks corporate prayer?
Why then God didn't allow Paul to go to Rome immediately?
Application:
Are you requesting your needs/wants to God or directing God to bless your needs/wants? or
Are you being honest and open before the Lord in humility, or are you telling Him what to do?
Why Paul wants to see/visit Romans?
List all the reasons Paul has given in Romans 1:11-15.
What do the spiritual gifts do to them?
What is spiritual gift? Who gives that?
What are all spiritual gifts referred in the Bible?
How do these spiritual gifts helps us to establish?
Is the spiritual gifts are given to establish their personal needs/wants such as job, home, car,...?
Why did God give this spiritual gifts?
How Paul may be encouraged when he meet with Roman believers?
Application: Are you encouraged when you hang around with believers in Christ?
What is fruit?
What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Why these are called the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Is the fruit of the Holy Spirit means producing just good characters or the agape Love?
What more fruits that believers in Christ can bear?
Is Paul is talking about the fruit of the Holy Spirit that produces good characters?
What fruit Paul might have expecting from Romans?
Application:
Are you producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Are you producing fruit among non-believers around you? or Are you producing fruit among believers around you?
What is debtor?
What is the main objective/aim/goal for a debtor toward the creditor/lender?
What happens of the debtor if they could not payoff the loan to the lender forever and the lender has no other alternative to leave the debtor without paying off the loan in full including interest?
Is this how Paul feels as a debtor?
Why did Paul feel as a debtor?
How God put His burden or desires in the believers heart?
Application:
Do you feel obligated/burdened/debtor to preach the Gospel to the unreached?
Do you feel obligated/burdened/debtor to serve God by equipping the saints/believers?
Why Paul was ready to preach the gospel to Romans?
Is Paul going to preach the gospel to the Roman believers or non-believers?
Did Paul preach gospel in Rome?
How ready Paul was to preach the gospel?
Application:
Are you equipped to preach the Gospel?
Why we need Savior?
Is it possible to go to heaven just by doing good or by obeying the law?
Why?
Why God send Jesus Christ?
What the new convert/believer need to do when they accept the Lord as their personal savior?
Did you learn the culture, background, language,... of the people whom God is leading you to reach out?
Did you learn apologetics (the branch of theology concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity.)?
Are you going through the word of God from the beginning till the end both Old and New Testament?
Are you growing in the grace of God?
In your conversation do you allow God/Holy Spirit to lead or intervene?
Are you ready to preach the Gospel?
Are you living now with only the old testimonies?
Is Jesus is still actively working in your life? or
Do you have on going relationship with Jesus Christ?
God's Righteousness Revealed or The Gospel Announced:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
What for Paul is not ashamed?
Why Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel?
To whom the Gospel is available/applicable?
In what order the Gospel made it available?
What is revealed in the Gospel?
To whom the righteousness of God is revealed?
How the just has to live?
Why Romans 1:16,17 verses are very important?
What for Paul is not ashamed?
Why Paul was writing that he was not ashamed of the Gospel?
Did Paul in any point in time ashamed to share the Gospel?
Is anyone around Paul were ashamed of the Gospel?
Why anyone ashamed of the Gospel?
Application: Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ?
Why Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel?
What is "the power of God to salvation" means?
Application: Is it must to share the Gospel/Good News to the non-believers or just share how God blessed us when we accept Him as a Lord and Savior?
To whom the Gospel is available/applicable?
In what order the Gospel made available to all? Why?
What is revealed in the Gospel?
What is righteousness and righteous means?
How this righteousness represented/referred in the Bible?
Whose righteousness is revealed in the Gospel?
Why the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel?
What the Bible says about the righteousness of God?
How God has expressed/revealed His righteousness to the humanity before the Gospel?
Why God has expressed/revealed His righteousness to the humanity before the Gospel?
What the Bible says about our righteousness?
Why the Bible says our righteousness are like filthy rags?
What is the penalty/wages of sin?
Are we able to enter into heaven by our righteousness?
What then we need to get saved or enter into the Heaven?
Summary:
Do we have that God's Righteousness?
Do we need that God's Righteousness?
Why we need the righteousness of God?
How the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel?
What are all the Gospel/Good News contains so far in Romans 1:1-17?
Define the Gospel/Good News?
Where in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed/demonstrated?
How these reveals God's righteousness?
Why Daniel thrown into the Lion's den?
Why not the king Darius pardon/excuse Daniel and rescued him from this great punishment?
Is there anything the king Darius might have done to rescue Daniel from this great punishment?
To whom the righteousness of God is revealed?
What is faith?
Why this faith is so important?
Who then can be saved or enter into the Heaven?
What is "from faith to faith" means?
What is "The just shall live by faith." means?
What is "The just" means?
From where Paul is referring this quote?
Application: How believers in Christ need to live by faith?
Does the Gospel/Good News impacted your life?
How the Gospel/Good News impacted your life?
What believers in Christ need to do with the Gospel?
God's Wrath Revealed or The Judgment/Condemnation Announced:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
What is revealed? From where it is revealed?
Against whom the wrath of God is revealed?
Why the wrath of God revealed on them?
How God has shown Himself to them?
Will God excuse them?
Why God will not excuse them?
What is revealed? From where it is revealed?
What is the wrath of God?
Against whom the wrath of God is revealed?
Who suppress the truth?
Why the wrath of God revealed on them?
What is "manifest in them" means?
How God has shown Himself to them?
What attributes of God are clearly seen through this world?
Is anyone exempted in the History from this general revelation of God?
Is anyone exempted in any geographical location from this general revelation of God?
Will God excuse them?
When God will pour out His wrath/punish/condemn/judge them?
Why God will not excuse them on the judgment day?
Do all human race has capacity/ability to know/identify the truth before they become believer in Christ?
Compare this passage Romans 1:18-21 with Ephesians 2:1:
What Paul means in Ephesians 2:1 that all human race are dead due to their trespasses and sins before they become believers?
Application:
From what the believers in Christ are saved from?
Is this wrath of God is revealed to the believer's who sins?
How anyone desire can escape this wrath of God?
God's Wrath Revealed to Pagans, Idolaters or Idol worshipers, Homosexuals, Adulterers:
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Why the pagans/idolaters suppress the truth?
How the pagans/idolaters suppress the truth?
What is God's response to them?
Did they know about the righteous judgment of God?
What punishment do they deserve?
What are they doing in addition to what they practice?
Why they suppress the truth?
How pagans/idolaters suppress the truth?
Why they replace the living God with idol or something else?
Compare this passage with Romans 1:21 and answer:
Application:
In what way this passage applies to our life?
What is God's response to them?
What it means that God gave them up?
Why God gave them up?
How many times this phrase "God gave them up/over" appears in this passage?
To what God gave them up?
What two major sin you grab from this passage?
Which specific sin is against the nature?
What Paul is conveying about homosexuality?
Why some want to be homosexual?
What is the Penalty for the homosexuals?
Is this passage in Romans 1:27 just talks about the homosexual or any more to it?
Finally to what God gave them over?
What is debased mind means?
What other sins Paul listed in Romans 1:29-31?
How many specific sins listed here?
Is envy a small sin?
Did they know about the righteous judgment of God?
What punishment do they deserve?
What is death here means? or Is death here means just absent from the body?
What are they doing in addition to what they practice?
Is there a hope for these group of people to enter into heaven?
What is the outcome of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
What is Blasphemy against Holy Spirit?
How God has revealed to all people? or How God is working among all people?
How God is reaching out all people through His Holy Spirit? or What more God is doing among all people through this Holy Spirit? or What is the work of the Holy Spirit?
Did they blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
What is our (believers in Christ) responsibility?
Are you eagerly seeking the truth or suppressing the truth?
Are you practicing any of these sins?