ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

FROM SUNDAY 14 OCTOBER 2007

ROAMING ROMANS SESSION 3: ROMANS 2

1. To refresh your grasp of Paul's basic agenda for this letter, begin by reading verses 16-17 of chapter 1. What does the gospel set out to do? How does it achieve it?

2. If the gospel is as great a display of God's power as Paul says it is, why do you think he feels the need to assert that he is 'not ashamed' of it? Why might he be? Under what circumstances might you be ashamed of the gospel?

3. The rest of chapter 1 picks up the theme of God's wrath against sin, a theme which Paul develops in a particular direction in chapter 2. Read verses 1-6, the main focus of this study. Paul has in mind those who think that God's wrath is going to be directed at other people. What do they do in order to support their view of themselves as being immune from God's judgement?

4. Jesus teaches along similar lines in Matthew 7:1-5. Take a moment to read this passage together. Then, if you have time, read this introduction from a blog entitled 'Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee':

My name is Kevin and I am a recovering Pharisee! I thank God for that! I used to judge people based on their lifestyle, looks, money, the way they talked and other ways. God has a way of changing you. I used to condemn “sinners” for all of their mistakes and sins while patting myself on the back for what an awesome man of God I was. After all, I didn't drink, smoke, have sex or any other of the “big” sins! My dad pointed out to me that I was a spiritual snob. It took me months of thinking about this rebuke to realize how right he was. My best friend at school was active in our church with me and we were close. We were discipled together and both had paper rounds. We hung out all of the time. He was a great friend. In Febuary of my final year at school, he told me that his girlfriend was pregnant and he wanted me to be the best man at his wedding (2 weeks later). Had this been anyone else I would have looked down on him and pointed fingers at what a sinner he was. But this was Tommy, my best friend. I really cared about him. Sure he had made a mistake, but what he needed was a friend. My parents were very supportive and allowed me to be the best man in his wedding and I stood beside him in more ways than just the wedding. Unfortunately, I was a member of a church full of Pharisees. Like I said I was the chief of them up until Tommy's crisis. I could not believe how badly our church treated Tommy. In his time of need, they, we dropped the ball. We could have reached out to Tommy and Jane but the church turned their back on him. This led to Tommy dropping out of church and 2 years later divorcing Jane (after another child was born). To this day I don't believe Tommy is living for God. It is because of Pharisees like me. My name is Kevin and I am a Pharisee.'

5. What strikes you about Kevin's account? What light does it shed on the first few verses of Romans 2?

6. Moving on, what grounds do those Paul is addressing in this passage have for believing that God's judgement isn't something they will ever have to worry about?

7. How would you answer someone who claimed that an all-loving God would never consign anyone to eternal punishment? How does what Paul says here help?

8. If you have time, read on down to verse 16. What do you notice?

9. What practical difference would it make to us if we really believed in the judgement of God? What are the implications for us personally? And for us as a church?

10. Pray together in the light of this study - both for yourselves and for the wider church family.

This Thursday is our monthly prayer day, when we shall be focusing particularly on Marion Burke and her work in Peru. I will send the prayer details as a separate email rather than posting them on the church's website.

David Stone
14 October 2007