Romans 12 Questions

Introduction:

Our Relationship with God (1,2):

Surrender your body to God - Romans 12:1

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

• How does Romans 12:1 starts?

• How many major "therefore" Paul has used to conclude major doctrinal points so far in this letter to Romans?

• What is Paul urging/beseeching all believers to do?

• What does "present your bodies a living sacrifice" mean?

  • How did you use your body before you become a believer in Christ?

  • What is special about your body once you become a believer in Christ?

  • Why Jesus took on Himself a body?

  • What we need to do with our body as a believer in Christ?

• Why do we need to present our bodies a living sacrifice?

• How perfect does a believer's sacrifice need to be?

  • Application:

    • Is it hard to sacrifice?

    • Why it is hard to sacrifice?

Surrender your mind to God - Romans 12:2a

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

• What should believers not do?

• How do believers conform to this world?

• What should believers do?

• What does transform mean?

• Why do believers needs to be transformed by the renewing of mind?

• How do believers transform by the renewing of your mind?

• What are some of the pitfalls of Christians that makes them to think that they are not confirming the world even though they really confirming the world?

• How do you know whether you are confirming or transforming?

Surrender your will to God - Romans 12:2b

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

• Why do Paul wants all believers to surrender their body and mind to God?

• Is it possible to control our willpower with our own strength?

• In whose strength can we control our willpower?

• How will you surrender your will to God?

• Why is Paul urging us to surrender our body, mind and will?

Our Relationship with fellow believers (3-16):

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• How should the believers not think about themselves? or How should a believer not think of himself/herself?

• How should the believers need to think about themselves? or How should a believer think of himself/herself?

  • What is sober means?

  • What is think of soberly means?

  • What is measure of faith?

• Is it a good practice for the Christians to think too lowly about themselves than they are?

• How highly or how lowly can a believer think about himself/herself?

• Application:

  • How do you think about yourself?

  • Can you share at least two or more positive and negative things (strength and weakness) about you? or Can you tell about you?

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Do you have single member (body part) in your body?

• How many major external members are there in our body?

• Do the members of our body do the same function?

• Describe the functions of few members of our body:

• Do we suffer when anyone member/body part suffer?

• How our body and members of our body spiritually relates?

• Who defines/assign the function for the each members i.e. believers in Christ?

• What will be given to those believer once the tasks/functions are defined by God?

• Who will give the gift to accomplish the tasks/functions assigned by God?

• What are those gifts? and How to use those gifts to accomplish the tasks/functions defined by God?

  1. The gift of Prophecy:

     • What does prophecy mean?

     • What does "prophesy in proportion to our faith" mean?

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       • Can we say that the proportion of faith is the proportion of the faith of the recipient/audience of the prophecy?

         • Is this correct? Why?

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     • How do you identify whether the thought comes from above from God or not?

     • Can we desire to have this gift?

     • What is the major advantages of the gift of prophecy?

     • What are the challenges believers face in the gift of prophecy?

  2. The gift of Ministry:

     • What does ministry mean?

       • Does this mean specific service/ministry to God?

     • Application: Does this mean only those believers who has the gift of ministry/service need to minister/serve the kingdom of God?

  3. The gift of Teaching:

     • What does Teaching mean?

     • Is preaching is same as teaching?

     • What the Bible teacher needs to teach?

       • Do you know why Jesus came to the earth?

     • Why the Bible teacher needs to teach the truth?

     • Who will have this gift of teaching?

       • Do all pastors have the gift of teaching? or Who will have this gift?

     • How Jesus taught the truth?

     • How often Jesus taught the truth?

     • What specific truth the teacher needs to teach?

     • Is systematic verse by verse teaching is very important? Why?

     • Is topical teaching is equally important?

     • What additional gift God bless with the gift of teaching?

     • Is there any warning associated with this gift of teaching?

     • Application: Does this mean only those believers who has the gift of teaching need to teach the truth?

       • • Are you bold and wise enough to correct if a leader teaches wrongly certain important theological points?

         • Are you teachable like Apollos?

  4. The gift of Exhortation:

     • What is gift of Exhortation means?

       • What does exhort mean?

     • What way exhortation differ from teaching?

     • What happens when a church/fellowship has gifted teacher but no one to exhort?

     • What happens when a church/fellowship has gifted exhorter but no gifted teacher?

     • What should be our  response?

     • Application: Are you doers of the word, or just hearer?

  5. The gift of Giving:
     6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

     • What does gift of Giving means?

       • What does give means?

       • To whom believers needs to give?

       • What believers needs to give?

     • How much do a believer needs to give?

       • What Jesus says about how much to giving?

       • Why Jesus expects everything from believers?

         • • What it means that they "give themselves to the Lord"?

     • Do the recipient of God's gift or tithe needs to give back to God?

     • Do all believers needs to give liberally?

     • How to give liberally?
       Application:

       • Did you give yourself to the Lord?

       • Are your ready to give away whatever God is asking you to give?

       • Are you giving liberally?

  6. The gift of Leading:
     6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

     • What does gift of Leading means?

       • What does lead means?

       • Does this leading means lord it over the people?

     • How to lead diligently?

       • What does diligence means?

       • Do leader needs to submit to anyone?

       • To whom leaders need to submit?

       • Application: Are we asking permission to God?

     • Do a leader discouraged and/or give up?

     • What is the big warning for the leaders and to all Christians?

       • Application: Are you pleasing people or pleasing God?

  7. The gift of Mercy:
     6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

     • What does gift of Mercy mean?

       • What is mercy?

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       • What is the difference between mercy and grace?

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       • Who needs mercy?

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       • Do God shows mercy based on any condition?

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     • Does all believers commanded to show mercy?

     • Application: How are you showing mercy to others?

     • How to show mercy cheerfully?

       • What does cheerful mean?

     • Application: Are you showing mercy cheerfully?

• What gift do you have? or How can you know which gift is yours?

• Which gift is greater?

• Are these gifts are given only to matured believers?

• What will happen if we didn't use these gifts as God instructed?

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

• What is most important than having gifts of the Holy Spirit?

  • What is that?

• 9a Let love be without hypocrisy.

  • What does love mean?

  • What does "without hypocrisy" mean?

  • Is the love with hypocrisy is real love?

  • Is loving hypocritically common in Christianity?

  • How do you pretend loving others? How someone pretend loving others? or or How someone love with hypocrisy?

  • List few examples from the Bible:

  • Why Christians pretend loving others? And why it is common among Christians?

  •  Is it possible to love others sacrificially/unconditionally as God expects?

  • How to love others unconditionally as God expects?

  • Application:

    • Are you showing love without hypocrisy? or Is your love is real?

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• 9b Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

  • What does Abhor means?

  • List few evils that is appropriate here:

    • (WM)

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  • How to treat the evil?

  • Do the believers in Christ needs to practice both?

• 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

• 10a Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,

  • What does brotherly love mean?

  • How do you be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love?

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• 10b in honor giving preference to one another;

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• 11a not lagging in diligence,

  • Diligence means accomplishing the task given by God by earnestly putting all your efforts and energy with the help and direction of God. You can read more details from What does diligence mean?

• 11b fervent in spirit,

  • What does fervent mean?

• 11c serving the Lord;

• 12a rejoicing in hope,

  • • For more details read What is hope? topic from the notes of Romans 8:23-25.

    • Does this hope disappoint us?

• 12b patient in tribulation,

  • • What is tribulation?

    • Is tribulation, persecution, suffering, trial and temptation all the same?

      • What is persecution?

      • What is suffering?

      • What is trial?

      • What is temptation?

    • Do Christian escape from tribulation?

    • What are all the ways believers in Christ may come across tribulation?

      • Does tribulation comes because of physical attack?

      • Does tribulation comes because of mental attack, affliction, or distress?

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• 12c continuing steadfastly in prayer;

• 13a distributing to the needs of the saints,

• 13b given to hospitality.

  • What does “hospitality” mean?

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• 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

  • What does persecute mean?

  • Who persecute the believers?

  • What does Paul teaches here?

    • Paul is teaching to the believers that "Bless those who persecute(attack, offend, bugging, nagging, ...) you; bless and do not curse."

  • Is this new teaching Paul is admonishing all believers to follow?

  • Can you list few important scriptures that teaches to "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse"?

  • Why do believers need to bless those who persecute you? or Why do believers must not curse but bless those who persecute you?

    • What could be the natural response of anyone if someone persecute, attack or offend them deeply?

    • What we need to do break this cycle?

      • What happens when we do good?

  • How to bless those who persecute you?

  • Application:

    • Are you blessing those who offend or persecute you?

    • How are you blessing those who offend or persecute you?

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

• What does rejoice mean?

• Is it easy to rejoice with those who rejoice?

• Why we are not always able to rejoice with those who rejoice?

• How to rejoice with those who rejoice?

• What the Bible says about when and why we need to rejoice?

• What does weep mean?

• Is it easy to weep with those who weep?

• Why we are not comfortable to weep with those who weep?

• How do you weep with those who weep?

16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

1. 16a Be of the same mind toward one another.

   • What does "be of the same mind toward one another" mean?

   • Do we need to be of the same mind toward one another in everything?

   • In what we need to be the same mind toward one another?

   • How to be the same mind toward one another?

2. 16b Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.

   • What does "set your mind on high things" mean?

   • Where do we need to be set our mind?

   • How to "associate with the humble"?

3. 16c Do not be wise in your own opinion.

   • What makes you to be wise in your own opinion?

   • Why we should not be wise in your own opinion?

   • How to not be wise in our own opinion?

Our Relationship with Our Enemies: Vengeance is the Lord’s department. Man’s responsibility is to love.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

• What do believers in Christ need to do when they were harmed by someone?

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    • What does "Have regard for good things in the sight of all men" mean?

    • Why did God saved us?

    • Is it possible to always live peaceably with all? Why?

• What believers in Christ should not do? Why?

  • • What does "do not avenge yourselves" mean?

    • What does "but rather give place to wrath" mean?

    • When will God repay the vengeance?

• How we need to accomplish?