Chichii

Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think that Paul was actually referring to himself at the time of writing. Even though he must have been at a level spiritually that most of us can't even begin to fathom I think as a human being he still had areas in his life that God was working with him to change or improve on. even though he was living a victorious christian life, I think as long as we are still clothed by flesh there will be times when we are less that victorious and that is why Christ shed his blood and advocates for us before the Father so we can be forgiven and fight again till we conquer that part and attain new levels of faith or right living.

Q4. (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 7:24) What is the doctrine of "total depravity"? Put it in your own words. It teaches that man is a mixture of good and evil so much so that even the good we do is often tinted with selfish motives. Does it mean that none of God's original goodness shows through? There is some good in us but again one can never be sure that the intentions are totally pure. Then what does it mean? Why does modern man tend to believe that man is basically good? I guess because if you don't know you have a problem you can't fix it. So if we believe that we are basically good we are not alert to search our hearts and be sure that out true intentions are pure. Also we will not cry out for a saviour. How does this differ from what the Bible teaches? The Bible teaches that a man's heart is deceptive and conniving and no one can truly know their heart.

Q3. (Romans 7:12; 8:3) What does the law do well? It tells us what is sin and what is not What does it do poorly? It doesn't tell us how to stop doing things that are wrong. Why is the law (knowing right and wrong) powerless to save us? What is the problem here? The knowledge of right and wrong is not what saves us or what enables us to stop sinning, the problem is that the flesh is too weak to withstand temptation.

Q2. (Romans 7:7-8) The law reveals sin for what it is. Why wouldn't we be better off just not knowing that we should not covet, for example? We need the consciousness of sin so that we realise we can not by our strength stop sinning and know that we need a saviour. Someone or something other than oursleves that can purify us. Why does the flesh respond to being told "Do not covet" by coveting all the more? I think that because the flesh is contrary to God whenever it knows that this is what God wants it instinctively does the opposite.

Q1. (Romans 7:5) Paul uses the word "flesh" (or NIV "sinful nature") many times in chapters 7 and 8. In your own words, what does Paul mean by "flesh" in these verses? In my opinion flesh is man's innate desire to do things his own way which is usually contrary to what God wants us to do.

Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? There is no middle ground. We are either for God or for the devil. Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? I think that our longing for independent freedom is in itself a temptation and deception of the devil. It allows one to live unconsciously and without taking responsibility for ones actions. Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? For me I hesitate sometime because I fear being judged that is I fear that if I take sides and make my position clear and then slip up that people will laugh, sneer or call me a hypocrite.

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? Why should we honor good doctrine? If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? Good doctrine is a pattern or instruction for living so it helps me interpret the words of the Bible and explains how I can practically apply it to my life in my age or time. We honour good doctrine by obeying it. We should avoid doctrine that is not Bible based or that dilutes what the Bible says.

Q3. (Romans 6:15-18). What does obedience have to do with slavery? In what way does doing acts of righteousness demonstrate your slavery to God? In what ways does doing bad things demonstrate a slavery to sin? How is such a slavery or bondage broken? What part does obedience have in breaking this bondage? In what areas is God speaking to you about a fresh obedience in your life? It is no good if I say that I am free from slavery of sin but still obey the call of sin. When I obey the flesh to sin then even though I am free I am still doing the bidding of the former and so technically am the slave of the former. But when I choose to obey God then I show the I have truly been set free to righteousness. For it is who we obey that is our master. Till I show that I can do other than the bidding of sin then I am truly free from slavery of sin. For it is when I obey that I show who my master is, a servant can only do the bidding of its master. God is speaking to me about my temper, the need to be right and forgiveness.

Q2. (Romans 6:13) In what ways do you "offer the members of your body" to either sin or God multiple times in a day? In all our daily choices, I can chose to do this. For instance if I'm offended I can choose to remain angry and offer my mind to sin or to forgive and offer the same mind instead to God. Why is it that we can sin unconsciously? I think I sin unconsciously when I begin to live unconsciously. Whenever my connection with God is weak in especially in times of stress, anxiety, or when I get too busy to spend time with God, I find that I fall quite easily to sin. How can we begin to offer our members deliberately to God? What changes will it take in our daily life to do this? Spending time with God consistently, putting God first no matter what. By thinking about my actions and consciously deciding to choose God's way. Listening for the direction of the Holy Spirit and obeying promptly.

Q1. (Romans 6:12) What does obedience have to do with the "reign" of sin? it is who or what we obey that we are slaves to. So if we obey our flesh and do as it wants then we are inadvertently continuing the reign of sin in our lives and submitting once more as slaves to sin even though we have been freed and no longer are controlled by sin.

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? This means a logical deduction much like the IF statements in mathematics. One logical conclusion flowing from another. It also calls for a person to add think on what this statement means to their individual life or it's effect on ourselves. Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? No as mentioned above it is a logical deduction based on a historic event. What will be the effect in our lives if we actually do consider it to be true that we died with Christ's death with regard to sin? We are empowered by this knowledge, I know I have been very empowered by this because I know now when sin comes calling that Jesus who is daily delivering me will find me a way out and I can make the choice not to fall head long into the temptation. Even if I fall for it, I am aware that I don not have to repeat the cycle again and keep on falling, I can choose now to receiev instruction from God's Word and His prompting in my heart and stand firm next time.

Q4. (Romans 6:6-7) In what way has our "body of sin," our "flesh," our old nature been made powerless because of our crucifixion with Christ? It has made our "flesh" ineffective for sin and so has liberated us from slavery to sin. In what way have we been freed from slavery? As we have died in the spiritual with Christ we have also delivered from the power of sin or freed from slavery to sin. What difference does this understanding make in our struggles against temptation? I guess this means that we know we don't have to succumb to whatever temptation we are facing. If we know that we are freed from sin controlling us then at the point of temptation we can choose to do the right thing instead of just going along with whatever we feel like doing.

Comments, anyone? Hi Guitar Jim I so feel you on the paradigm shift for the mind. Like you I did go through immersion baptism because that was what Jesus did. It is a new frontier looking at these verse this way but I do know that the spiritual is real and that what we see in the natural is a product of whatever has happened in the spiritual. Living as a new creature is hard, I just like you am still struggling with old habits and sometimes even ones that I thought were long dead start creeping up. But I have faith that Christ will not abandon me especially since the study before this (Rom 5:9) so who am I to give up on myself. So when I feel bad I just dust myself off, confess my sin or repent of the thought, read more of the Word and begin again. I Know and the Bible tells me that sanctification is a process so like you though I struggle now I believe all of the Bible and it tells me I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I just believe and wait for one day when I can truly say that though I have not fully apprehended I have fought a good fight. Hang in there, you're not alone.

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? He's referring to a historical, actual death. Whose death is he talking about? How does this death become our own? To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? Paul is referring to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. It becomes our own death to sin when we are baptised and enter in to union with Christ. It does have basis in reality because this happens in the spiritual and not in the physical. Just as we all are tainted by Adam's sin in the garden, Jesus's sacrifice washes us clean of sin and gives us the ability to live free of the control by sin.

Q2. (Romans 6:3-4) In Paul's reference to baptism in 6:3-4, what does "buried" (6:4a) correspond to in the act of baptism? Buried corresponds to being submerged in water. What does "Christ was raised from the dead" (6:4b) correspond to in baptism? Being lifted out of the water.