Romans 8 Questions

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

1. What is condemnation?

2. Who will not be condemned?

   1. What is "in Christ Jesus" means?

3. Who will be condemned?

4. Who will set us free from law of sin and death or from the inner struggle described in Romans 7:14-25? or Why Christians or believers in Christ are not condemned with non-believers?

5. From what we were free in Romans 8:1,2?

6. Does the law save us from condemnation?

7. What does the law do through our flesh? What is the real drawback of the law?

8. How believers in Christ are not condemned with non-believers?

9. How the righteous requirement of the law are fulfilled in us?

   1. Does Paul adding condition to our salvation?

   2. Then who has fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law in us? How?

10. Why Paul has added "who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."?

11. Application:

    1. Is it ok for the Christians to have split personality or a believer lives a divided lifestyle?

    2. Why many Christians never experience this freedom but still continue to live in sin or remain slave to sin?

12. Summary:

 The futility of trying to please God in the flesh (5-8)

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1. What are the differences between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit?

2. What is "set their minds on the things of the flesh" means?

3. What is the outcome for those who are carnally minded?

4. What is "live according to the Spirit" means?

5. What is "set their minds on things of spirit" means?

6. What is the outcome for those who are spiritually minded?

7. Application:

   • Do you think only notorious sinner set their minds on the things of the flesh?

8. Is it ok to live in carnal mind?

9. Why it is not ok to live in carnal mind?

10. Why carnally minded is enmity against God?

11. What is our state without God?

12. Application: How to become friend with God?

13. What is "those who are in the flesh" means?

14. Is it possible to please God if you live in flesh as per the leading of your carnal mind (heart or flesh)?

15. What we really needed to please God?

16. Why we need to please God?

    • Do we need to please God to get saved?

17. What are all the ways we can please God? or How we can please God?

18. Do we need to  please people?

The Christians/believers in Christ are in the Spirit or The Spirit of God dwells within the Christians/believers in Christ (9)

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

1. Does Paul is describing two kinds of Christians?

   • Do Christians (or believers in Christ) are in the flesh or in the Spirit of God?

   • How Christians (or believer in Christ) will encounter with the Holy Spirit?

2. Does this mean that Christians always walk perfectly in the Spirit and non-believers never do good things?

3. Is it possible to be a Christian (or believer in Christ) without the Spirit of God within them?

4. How do you know that you have the Spirit of God?

5. Why some Christians are active in the Spirit and some or not?

The Spirit of God dwells within the Christians/believers in Christ is powerful (10,11)

10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

1. What it means "if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness"?

   • Does this mean as translated in NLT, GNB or NASB?

   • What it means "the body is dead because of sin"?

   • What it means "the Spirit is life because of righteousness"?

     • Is this our spirit or God's Spirit (the Holy Spirit)?

2. Did God give believers in Christ a timid, powerless spirit or spirit of fear?

3. Then what type of Spirit God has given to believers in Christ?

   • Is raising from death is common?

   • Why God raised Jesus Christ from the death?

   • What was revealed about our God by sending Jesus Chris to die and raising Jesus Christ from His death?

4. Does God has given His powerful Spirit to receive only material blessing?

5. Why almighty sovereign God has given His powerful Holy Spirit to His believers?

The Christians/believers in Christ has to put to death the deeds of the body/flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit/God's Spirit (12,13)

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

1. What is "debtors of flesh" means?

2. Are believers in Christ debtors of flesh?

3. What is the outcome of living by flesh?

4. To whom the believers in Christ are debtors? Why?

5. Is it possible to payoff this debt by believers in Christ?

6. How believers in Christ will live?

7. By what believers in Christ put to death the deeds of the body?

8. Application: How to put to death the deeds of our body/flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit? or How do believers in Christ effectively use the Spirit of God who lives within them?

   • What really blocking us to use the power of the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of our flesh?

   • What we need to do to overcome our body/flesh and use the power of the Holy Spirit to put to death our sinful deeds?

     • What do you see difference between Ananias and Joseph?

The work of the Holy Spirit within a Christian/believer in Christ life (15,16) or

The Christians/believers in Christ has to walk as per the leading of the Holy Spirit/God's Spirit (14,17)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

1. Who are all the sons of God?

   1. What we need to be led by the Spirit of God?

   2. How we get that?

2. Do the believers in Christ become son's of God only after they led by the Spirit of God?

3. What dose the Spirit of God do once He dwells within a Christian/believer in Christ? or
   What first few things the Spirit of God do to every new believers in Christ when they accept  Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?

4. How God give assurance that the believers in Christ are the children of God?

5. How do the Christians/believer sin Christ know that they are children of God?

6. What type of Spirit the believers in Christ didn't receive?

7. What does the spirit of bondage do to a person?

8. Do the Christians/believers in Christ enslaved by the Spirit of God?

   1. Does this mean that our God always keeps/leads us in our comfort zone?

9. What is adoption in the New Testament means?

10. What does "the Spirit of adoption" do to a believer in Christ?

11. What more will the Spirit of God do to the believers in Christ?

12. How God speaks to the Christians\believers in Christ?

13. Does God speak to us only through His Spirit?

14. Do the Christian\believers in Christ understand what the Spirit of God speaks to them?

15. What are all the ways God speaks to Christians/believers in Christ through the Holy Spirit?

16. Why does God speak to us?

17. Why does God has to lead us even though He has given His commandments to us?

18. How does the Spirit of God leads the believers in Christ?

19. Where does the Spirit of God leads the believers of God?

    1. Where do God leads the believers personally?

    2. Where do God leads the believers corporately?

20. Where does the Spirit of God leads you and me now?

21. Application:

    1. Where does the Spirit of God leads you now?

    2. What is your response?

22. What should be our response to the Holy Spirit's leading? or What do the believers in Christ needs to do?

    1. As a matured Christian do you choose to do something special for God as per your desire?

    2. Do you always dust off of your feet and move to next city, or other group of people or endure like Stephen until to his death if someone whom you preached opposed, denied or blasphemed against you?

    3. Do you receive the task from God and accomplish based on your ability or accomplish as per your desire or accomplish based on the response/feedback?

    4. Are you (unmarried) trying to please God by marrying a widow/widower, poor, not good looking, lame, blind, low cast, ... ?

    5. Are you ready to obey as per the dynamic leading of the Holy Spirit as God led Peter in Acts 10?

23. What is the outcome of being children of God in addition to the Holy Spirit's leading?

    1. 
       

       • What it means that "we suffer with Jesus Christ"?

         • Do Christians (believers in Christ) suffer?

         • Do believers in Christ suffer due to their sins?

         • Do believers in Christ suffer due to lack of faith?

         • Do believers in Christ suffer due to their strong faith?

           • Why Jesus suffered?

       • Why God allows suffering to His faithful believers or Christians?

24. Application: Do you suffer with Jesus Christ?

Summary:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

1. How long believers in Christ suffer due to their faith?

2. How often believers in Christ will suffer due to their faith?

3. Is it worthy to go through suffering?

4. Why it is worthy to suffer now?

5. In future, does God's glory given to us or revealed in us?

6. Does this mean believers in Christ has already received the glory of God now?

7. When believers in Christ received God's glory? or When God shared His glory to believers in Christ?

8. Why God has shared his glory to us?

   • Did God shared his glory to shine like how Moses shone when he meet with the LORD?

9. Does the glory that God shared remains within us without changing?

10. Application:

    • Are you suffering and considering that as worthy in your life?

    • Are you experiencing God's glory in your life?

    • Are you transforming from glory to glory in your life?

11. What is "groaning" means?

12. Whom all are groaning? (V19-27)

13. What is creation doing right now?

14. Why is creation waiting?

15. What is "revealing of sons of God" means?

    • Application: Are you sure that you will come back with Jesus Christ in His second coming?

16. To what creation was subjected?

17. Does creation willingly subject to futility?

18. Who left the creation to wait?

19. When will creation be delivered?

20. What is creation doing while they are waiting?

21. What pain does creation go through while they are groaning?

    • Does this mean that there is end for this suffering/groaning?

22. When and why was creation subjected to futile and it is groaning?

    • How creation was before it become futile? How creation is going to be in future once it is delivered when believers of God revealed with Jesus Christ' second coming?

23. Application: Are you experiencing God's deliverance from laboring/sweating in work?

23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

1. What is hope?

   • What does the hope do for us?

2. What is the difference between hope and faith?

   • What is Faith?

3. Application:

   • Is your faith produces work?

   • Is your hope produces patience?

4. Do the believers in Christ are included in the rest of the creation?

5. Why are the believers in Christ not included in rest of the creation?

6. What are the believers in Christ doing?

7. Why are the believers in Christ groaning instead of just waiting?

8. Why are the believers in Christ eagerly waiting? or What for the believers in Christ are eagerly waiting?

   • Are we (the believers in Christ) not redeemed and adopted already as the children of God?

   • Why then Paul is saying again here that we (the believers in Christ) are eagerly waiting for the adoption?

9. What makes the believers in Christ to eagerly wait for their adoption as sons, and the redemption of their bodies?

10. How the believers in Christ needs to eagerly wait? or What is our responsibility?

11. Application: Examine yourselves:

    • Are you eagerly waiting for the adoption as His child, the redemption of your body?

      • Are you really groaning within yourself?

      • Are you experiencing the love of God by continuously?

Romans 8:23-25 - 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Romans 8:26,27 - 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

1. What is the Spirit of God do for us?

2. What is our weakness?

3. How is the Spirit of God helps in our weakness?

4. Who is searching our heart?

5. Who is interceding for us in Romans 8:27?

   • Application: Is there anyone else interceding for us?

6. Does the Holy Spirit intercede according to our will or God's will?

7. Does this groaning by the Spirit of God means speaking in tongues? or Does the Spirit of God intercedes for us in unknown tongue? (Answer the following referring 1 Cor 12:7-11,30; 1 Cor 14:1-15)

   • Who gave this gift of tongue to the believers in Christ?

   • As per whose desire/will the Holy Spirit gives the gift of tongue?

   • What is speaking in tongue means?

   • Why the Holy Spirit gave this gift of tongue to believers?

   • Do all speak in tongues?

   • In whose spirit does believers in Christ speak in tongue? or Do the believers who has the gift of tongue speak through the Holy Spirit or speak through their own spirit?

   • Does the Spirit of God helps in our weakness if the Spirit of God prays on our behalf in the unknown tongue?

8. Does this mean praying in the Spirit?

9. Application:

   • What way the Spirit of God helps the believers practically?

God help believers in Christ during their suffering:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

I. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

1. What do we know?

2. To whom all things work together for good?

3. Who are those who love God and called according to His purpose?

   • Are these believers in Christ?

4. Do all the believers in Christ needs to love God?

   • What makes us to love God?

   • What the love of God will do to us?

   • How do we continue in this love relationship with God?

5. Application: Do you Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind?

6. Do all the believers in Christ are called according to His purpose?

   • Did He not called only the apostles like Paul, Peter,... according to His purpose?

   • Did God has the unique plan for each believer?

7. Application: Do you believe that God has unique and the best plan for your life?

8. Who is making all things work together for good to those who love God?

9. Application: Do you panic or worry when you face suffering or persecution even though you love God sincerely and serve Him as per His leading?

10. 
    

II. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

1. Whom all are predestined?

2. Where God predestined those whom He foreknew?

3. What more does God do to those He predestined?

4. What is foreknew?

5. Who are those whom God foreknew/foreordain/chose?

   • Did we choose God? or Did God choose us? or
     Did we choose God because God chose us first? or
     Did God choose us because we chose God?

   • How then God foreknew/chose certain group of people as His believers/followers? or What basis did God really choose us?

     • Did God foreknew/elected/chose certain group of people to be a believers of Him as per His will and leave the rest to perish?

       • Does it raise any question/thought in your mind if we interpret God chose certain group of people as per His desire/will and not based on free will?

6. Application:

   • Application: Warnings: How not to interpret the word of God?

   • Do we really need to reach out all non-believers even though God foreknew those who will believe in Him?

7. Summary:

8. What is predestined?

9. Whom all are predestined?

10. Is predestination is only for Christians(i.e. true believers in Christ)?

11. Where does God predestined Christians or believers in Christ?

12. Now, What?

13. Do Christian or the believers in Christ has free will to deny God utterly?

    • Do Christian or the believers in Christ has free will?

    • Do Christian or the believers in Christ has free will to disobey God?

    • Does God respect believer's free will?

    • Does believers hold on to their will like how they were before accepting Christ?

    • What happens to the free will of the Christian or the believers in Christ?

14. What really does God do as a part of predestination to Christians or the believers in Christ?

15. When did God add/write believers names in the Book of Life?

    • Do God keep adding and removing names from the book of life?

    • Is it hard for our God to foreknew whether a person will in Him or not before the foundation of the world?

    • Is it hard for our God to foreknew whether a person produce fruit once he believe in Him?

16. Why God predestined Christians or believers in Christ?

17. Application: Do you leading your life as per your plan? or Do you allow God to lead and follow Him as per His leading according to His plan and purpose?

18. What are all the Christian's or the believer's responsibilities?

19. How predestination and the believer's responsibility works together?

    • Does God work independently without the believers and complete the work He started in them?

    • Does every believer are perfect from the day one they become a believer and obey or follow God perfectly?

    • Does God let the believers go astray or allow enemy to snatch them away?

    • How then God has predestined us to confirm to the image of Christ?  and How then God will complete the work that He started in every believer in Christ?

      • Does God discipline His believers or His children?

      • Does God's discipline is gentle or painful?

      • Does God discipline every believer?

20. What more God does to Christians once He predestined?

21. Does this mean "once saved always saved"?

    • • Which is correct interpretation?

      • Who is really saved according to this parable and the Bible?

22. Application:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

  • To whom God is for? or Is God is for terrorist/jihadist?

  • Does God is for all believers or Does God draw near to those who draw near to Him?

  • How God demonstrated or proved to all of us that God is for all the believers?

  • Whom all are can be against believers? (Come up with your list)

  • Can they conquer believers?

  • Why they cannot conquer believers?

• 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

  • Can anyone charge against believers?

  • Who can charge against believers?

  • Can the believers charged/punished because of their accusation?

  • Why the believers are not charged/punished because of their accusation?

  • What one main thing happens through the work of justification?

• 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

  • Can anyone condemn believers?

  • Who can condemn believers?

  • Can the believers condemned because of their accusation?

  • Why the believers are not condemned because of their accusation?

  • Why Jesus intercedes for us?

  • Application: What really you learn from this truth?

• 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Who and what shall separate the believers from the love of Christ?

    • What these list in Romans 8:35b points to?

    • What are these list in Romans 8:35b imply to the believers?

    • Shall any of the list in Romans 8:35b separate us from the love of Christ? or Can these intense sufferings separate us from the love of Christ?

    • Why does intense suffering will not separate the believers from love of Christ?

    • Is there anything that can separate us from God?

    • Does these sins separate us from the love of Christ?

  • Application:

    • Have you persuaded/convinced that nothing can separate you from love of Christ?

    • What should be your response?

• What are the advantages if God is for the believers?