1) Paul begins in v. 1 with a conclusion: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ the Spirit of life sets me free from the law of sin and death. It is worth noting that Calvin thought that the "law of sin and death" referred to our fallen desires and death in general, not to the Old Testament law. His reason is that Paul, while speaking of the OT law's stirring up in us rebellion, is also quick to say that the law is good and from God. Wesley, on the other hand, thinks Paul is referring to the Old Testament. In verse 3, Paul goes on to say that wile the law was powerless to save us ecause it was weakened by the sinful nature, God was able to do by sending his Son to be a sin offering so that the righteous requirements of the law would be met in us. This is a good summary statement of the purposes of God in sending Jesus Christ to earth.
What are the different ways that the term condemnation can be understood in verse 1? Who do you think is right in the interpretation of the "law of sin and death" in verse 2? Keeping in mind that Paul is giving a theological history of God's interraction with humanity, how does this passage show what God's purposes are with regard to His relationship with us?
2) In verses 5-17, Paul talks about the difference in having a mind controlled by the Spirit and one controlled by the sinful nature. Paul begins by saying that whichever nature one lives according to, that is what a person's mind will be set on.
--What does this passage have to say about the interraction between the will/appetites and one's mind?
In verses 6-8, Paul states that the sinful mind is death and hostile to God's law, unable to submit to Him. As a result, the person controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Conversely, the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Wesley notes that two signs of a spiritual life is that it brings life to others, and is at peace with God. Calvin is quick to note that this passage shows that the power of free will does not exist with respect to submission to God, and that this passage shows man is totally corrupt and totally unable to come to God, even with His help.
--What does it mean when Paul says a person controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God? How does this tie in to the fact that such a person cannot submit to Him?
3) In verses 9-11, Paul speaks of being controlled by the Holy Spirit. He begins by saying that a person is controlled by the Spirit and not the sinful nature if the Spirit lives within us. Further, any person not having the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him--is not a Christian. Wesley puts it as the person is not in a state of salvation. Calvin notes that gratutious salvation cannot be seperated from regeneration. Paul goes on to say that if we have Christ, our body is dead due to sin, but our spirit is alive because of righteousness and in the end God will provide us with eternal life.
--What does it mean to be controlled by the Spirit? What is our interraction with the Spirit? What should be the results?
4) In v. 12, Paul says we have an obligation not to live according to the sinful nature, and reiterates (v. 13) that to live according to the sin nature brings death, while to live according to the Spirit and put to death the misdeeds of the body means life and being a son of God (v. 14).
3/27/2005
3/13/2005
CANCELLATION: Sunday School 3/13/05
Due to an ongoing chest cold, I am forced to cancel this week's DTS bible study. We will resume next week with Romans 8. Thanks for your understanding.
3/05/2005
Killearn DTS Romans 7: 14-25
In this section of Romans, Paul writes about his difficulty in following the law. Whether Paul is describing his pre-Christian experience or Christian experience has been a matter for debate among commentators.
1) Paul reiterates in v. 14 that the law is spiritual, but that "I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin." Wesley comments that this provides an indicator that Paul is speaking of the time when he was totally under the power of sin. Wesley considers the section of Romans that we are covering in this week's study an example of the process of coming to Christ. Calvin states that while the passage shows that the sinful nature itself is controlled by sin, but that here Paul is talking about a voluntary servitude of the Christian.
--Who do you agree with, Wesley or Calvin? Does Paul statement that he is sold as a slave to sin appear consistent with what he has said is pre-Christian experience or post-Christian experience? What is the context in which this passage is written?
2) Paul states that "what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." (v. 15) In other words, his motivations are good, but he is unable to follow through on them. In acting contrary to the law, Paul understands that the law is good. (v. 16). Calvin states that this is a statement of Paul's struggle with sin as a Christian. We can see this conclusion in Calvin's theology. Since man is totally depraved apart from God, then Paul's statement that he cannot do what he knows is good and wants to do would not make sense in Calvinist theology. In that system, the pre-Christian person is totally depraved and would not have a motivation to do good.
--As a practical matter, do you see this maxim of Paul's at work in your life? If so, does that lend support to the view that this passage refers to current Christian experience?
3) Paul goes on to say that it is no longer he who commits these sins, but the sin living in him and that he is aware that nothing good lives in his sinful nature. (v. 17-18) He then reiterates his maxim that he acts contrary to his good desires, and says that since he really does not want to do these things, it is not he who commits the sin but rather the sin in him. (v. 19-20).
--Calvin states that the "Flesh" is "everything in man, except the sanctification by the Spirit." He goes on to say that the Spirit is the part of our soul that God regenerates when he saves us, but that the evil desires of the flesh remain. Since Calvin states that Paul is describing his current Christian experience, does that mean that God only changes the heart, but that in salvation the flesh (body) is not changed? Manicheeism is a dualistic view of the world in which everything that is mind/spirit is good and of God, while all matter is evil and of the Devil. St. Augustine was a Manichee before becoming an orthodox Christian, and his writing influenced Calvin. Is Calvin's view of regeneration Manicheean?
4) From his experience Paul develops a spiritual law, so to speak, that when he wants to do good, evil is right there with him. This means that although Paul delights in the law "in my inner being" (v. 22), he sees another law at work in his body that wages war against his mind and makes him a prisoner of the law and the sin at work in his fleshly body. (v. 23).
--Wesley, in backing up his view that this passage is a description of the process of coming to God, notes that Paul says here he delights in the law, which is closer to acceptance of God than agreement that the law is good (v. 16). Do you agree with Wesley, or is he making too much of these terms? Did you find that before you became a Christian, you engaged in a process of coming to God, whereby you slowly came to faith? If so, does this back up Wesley's view of the passage?
--Calvin states that this is an example of Christian struggle, quoting Augustine. Do you ever in your Christian experience actively desire to disobey the law? Not merely that you do what you do not want to do, but rather, that you commit sin and want to do it. Is this possible under Calvin's view of the passage?
5) After saying that he is a "prisoner of the law of sin" (v. 23), Paul asks "Who will rescue me from this body of death? (v. 24) He then provides the answer: "Thanks be to God--Through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (v. 25). The passage concludes with Paul reiterating that in his mind, he is a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature, a slave to the law of sin.
--Wesley states that through the struggle with trying to be a moral, but being unable to do it, a person is brought to the point of desperation and looks for rescue. The person's reason and conscience declare for God, but his fleshly desires remain and bring the person to the point of weariness. Does the fact that Paul is writing in the present tense throughout this passage contradict Wesley's argument that Paul is speaking of his past, pre-Christian experience? On the other hand, does Paul's statement that he is a prisoner of sin back Wesley's point up? Do you think Paul would have called the Christian life an imprisonment to sin?
-- When Paul says Christ will rescue him from the body of sin, is he referring to a rescue in this life, or in the life to come?
6) Chapter 8 may provide some answers as to what Paul is talking about. Read ahead and see whether that influences your opinion of the passage. Also, be sure to note what Paul says about how the battle against sin within us is changed in the Christian life. That will be the focus of the next lesson.
1) Paul reiterates in v. 14 that the law is spiritual, but that "I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin." Wesley comments that this provides an indicator that Paul is speaking of the time when he was totally under the power of sin. Wesley considers the section of Romans that we are covering in this week's study an example of the process of coming to Christ. Calvin states that while the passage shows that the sinful nature itself is controlled by sin, but that here Paul is talking about a voluntary servitude of the Christian.
--Who do you agree with, Wesley or Calvin? Does Paul statement that he is sold as a slave to sin appear consistent with what he has said is pre-Christian experience or post-Christian experience? What is the context in which this passage is written?
2) Paul states that "what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." (v. 15) In other words, his motivations are good, but he is unable to follow through on them. In acting contrary to the law, Paul understands that the law is good. (v. 16). Calvin states that this is a statement of Paul's struggle with sin as a Christian. We can see this conclusion in Calvin's theology. Since man is totally depraved apart from God, then Paul's statement that he cannot do what he knows is good and wants to do would not make sense in Calvinist theology. In that system, the pre-Christian person is totally depraved and would not have a motivation to do good.
--As a practical matter, do you see this maxim of Paul's at work in your life? If so, does that lend support to the view that this passage refers to current Christian experience?
3) Paul goes on to say that it is no longer he who commits these sins, but the sin living in him and that he is aware that nothing good lives in his sinful nature. (v. 17-18) He then reiterates his maxim that he acts contrary to his good desires, and says that since he really does not want to do these things, it is not he who commits the sin but rather the sin in him. (v. 19-20).
--Calvin states that the "Flesh" is "everything in man, except the sanctification by the Spirit." He goes on to say that the Spirit is the part of our soul that God regenerates when he saves us, but that the evil desires of the flesh remain. Since Calvin states that Paul is describing his current Christian experience, does that mean that God only changes the heart, but that in salvation the flesh (body) is not changed? Manicheeism is a dualistic view of the world in which everything that is mind/spirit is good and of God, while all matter is evil and of the Devil. St. Augustine was a Manichee before becoming an orthodox Christian, and his writing influenced Calvin. Is Calvin's view of regeneration Manicheean?
4) From his experience Paul develops a spiritual law, so to speak, that when he wants to do good, evil is right there with him. This means that although Paul delights in the law "in my inner being" (v. 22), he sees another law at work in his body that wages war against his mind and makes him a prisoner of the law and the sin at work in his fleshly body. (v. 23).
--Wesley, in backing up his view that this passage is a description of the process of coming to God, notes that Paul says here he delights in the law, which is closer to acceptance of God than agreement that the law is good (v. 16). Do you agree with Wesley, or is he making too much of these terms? Did you find that before you became a Christian, you engaged in a process of coming to God, whereby you slowly came to faith? If so, does this back up Wesley's view of the passage?
--Calvin states that this is an example of Christian struggle, quoting Augustine. Do you ever in your Christian experience actively desire to disobey the law? Not merely that you do what you do not want to do, but rather, that you commit sin and want to do it. Is this possible under Calvin's view of the passage?
5) After saying that he is a "prisoner of the law of sin" (v. 23), Paul asks "Who will rescue me from this body of death? (v. 24) He then provides the answer: "Thanks be to God--Through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (v. 25). The passage concludes with Paul reiterating that in his mind, he is a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature, a slave to the law of sin.
--Wesley states that through the struggle with trying to be a moral, but being unable to do it, a person is brought to the point of desperation and looks for rescue. The person's reason and conscience declare for God, but his fleshly desires remain and bring the person to the point of weariness. Does the fact that Paul is writing in the present tense throughout this passage contradict Wesley's argument that Paul is speaking of his past, pre-Christian experience? On the other hand, does Paul's statement that he is a prisoner of sin back Wesley's point up? Do you think Paul would have called the Christian life an imprisonment to sin?
-- When Paul says Christ will rescue him from the body of sin, is he referring to a rescue in this life, or in the life to come?
6) Chapter 8 may provide some answers as to what Paul is talking about. Read ahead and see whether that influences your opinion of the passage. Also, be sure to note what Paul says about how the battle against sin within us is changed in the Christian life. That will be the focus of the next lesson.
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