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Q5. (Ephesians 2:22) In what ways should your congregation be "a dwelling place for God in the Spirit"? According to verse 22, how do the members of the congregation help bring this about? What shape should this take in your own life? In the life of your own congregation? Our churches are communities where we are gathered together in Christ to love the Lord our God and our neighbour as ourselves. God has always been a God of community. He promised Abraham a great family as a community. God through the pain and suffering of Joseph saved jacob's family from starvation. Through Moses God liberated the Hebrew people. God lived in the midst of the Israelites in a tent for sake of the community. In the same fashion God saves us through the salvic action of Christ so that we as a community will be saved. God lives through the Holy Spirit in our communities the churches just as He lives in our Spirit through the action of the Holy spirit. We bring this about by living inside the community in faith, trust, belief and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ who is risen and lives in our communities the churches just as God lived in the tabernacle of old. We should live in love and in sharing with the members of our church community in love of God and for our fellows and transmit the radiance of Christ's love as we love God and others. we also need to live in Hope, a hope which does not fail, a hope in the promise of the new covenant which God made with people through Jesus Christ our Lord. All in the cingregation should do the same and then the strength of the whole will be greater than the some of the parts.

Q4. (Ephesians 2:20-21) How do "the apostles and prophets" contribute to your life today? To the life of your congregation? In what way should Jesus Christ serve as a cornerstone to your congregation? In what sense does a congregation "grow" (KJV, NRSV) or "rise" (NIV) into a holy temple in the Lord? In what way does growth occur to bring this about? The prophets and the apostles are the foundation of our faith. The whole structure of what we believe is built not unlike a building where each part is interconnected with the whole. Each part supporting the other so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Abraham was called and so were the rest of the patriarchs. Than there was Moses and the prophets. We have their stories and their faith statements in the words of the Old Testament. At the appropriate time God sent the cornerstone to knit the whole of the story of Israel together by sending his promised Son that those who believe in him would not perish. The apostles who responded to Jesus' call gave their understanding of the culumative story as preached by Peter at Pentacost. The church fathers deliberated, taught and wrote about their understanding. The church as a household continued the understanding as theologians down through the centuries have also participated in the understanding. Today Jesus is still the cornerstone for if we lose the hope provided by the resurrection of Christ we have nothing but an empty shell. We must preach Christ and Christ risen. The church continues to grow for Christ is the vine and we are the branches. At times there are hard times and the plumage may wither but the vine is everlasting and promises nourishment for our souls for eternity. At this moment the church in North America has faded but in the world as a whole the church is growing really quickly. Soon-some time North America will revive, it may be by a great preacher , it may spread as it did with Paul or it may even be re-evangelized from the Southern hemisphere. But God has a plan and it will bear fruit. (Jesus walks may be the tool for a new flame to reignite in America. Praise be the Lord!

Q3. (Ephesians 2:19b) What does the phrase "members of God's household" tell us about the nature of the Church and about the nature of God? What does it tell us about the kind of fellowship that is appropriate in the local congregation? What are the implications for those Christians who aren't faithful to gather with the local congregation? "Members of the household" is the Greek noun oikeios, "persons who are related by kinship or circumstances and form a closely knit group. (notes) Paul is here describing for the ephesians and any subsequent reader the nature of the group. It is a household. In Roman times the welfare of a large household was dependant upon all of the parts of the household working together- from the paternal leader to the lowliest slave. If one did not do their part the whole body of the household would be affected. Each had a responsibility to look after the other. Paul saw his small house churches in the same fashion -all for one and one for all. In the same fashion in the modern church it should be all for one and one for all. A speaker stold a story in the days of the coal fire in the hearth. The red coals all glow faithfully when they are together in the hearth but if one is picked out of the fire with tongs and swt by itself it soon loses its glow. So it is with Christians-we need to attend church regularly despite the quality of the speaker or the music. Perhaps all that is needed for a spark is the one that is missing.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:19a) If we are fellow-citizens with the Jewish believers, what are we citizens of? In what sense are we "holy" or "saints"? Consequently we are citizens of the kingdom of God and members of God's holy household. But really the relationship, because of Jesus' intervention we become heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ. If we think of the love the father of the prodigal so had for his heirs we can get some sense of the welcome we get as we are usurered into the kingdom of God by our Lord Jesus Christ. We are holy in the sense that we are set apart by God through Jesus.

q1. (Ephesians 2:16-18) Why is "access to the Father" important? In what way is access to the Father similar having diplomatic relations? How did we obtain this access? Extra credit: How does this access fulfill the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:36-40) and God's purpose for us? Prior to the Christians baptism with the Spirit we are really in a conflict with God. Jesus opens the door so we have access to God the Father. Jesus ushers into the presence of "the Father" -- his Father -- and lets us sit there and talk to the Father about whatever is troubling us. Jesus has made peace and brought us to God.(notes) God the Father who seats upon the throne is very above our accessibility. Without Christ we would not have access to the Father. To love God and our neighbour a very special type of love that comes only through Jesus by way of the Spirit. In order for Jesus to open the door of the sheep fold we need to love Jesus and draw closer to Him. than as he is the door we can pass through to access to the Lord.

(Ephesians 3:20-21) Where does God's power work according to verse 20? How much power is at work there quantitatively? Why isn't it more evident? How does exercising Christ's power on earth bring glory to God? There seems to be two reasons that Paul prays in this verse. 1) so that God's incomparable great power is available for us so that a) we ourselves will be resurrected as was Jesus with a new body with extended power and abilities and that in this side of our dying in this mortal body we can have access to this power. There is as much power as we need to do the word of God! However we are not always able to discern this incomparable power because the fleshy aspects of the world's power clouds our eyes and hence our view and sense of the power of the Lord. If we exercise God's power in the name of the Lord then we will be exhibiting the glory of God.

(Ephesians 1:23) What does it mean for us Christians that Christ is "head over everything for the church"? What does this say about the Church's power? If God the Father set everything under the feet of the Lord Jesus this implies, strongly, that Jesus is all powerful-He is the leader and the shepherd of the flock and has power over the principalities and the powers. And if "[...The Church] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (1:23) then the church must also,in effect, have the same powers as the Christ-the awesome and incomparable power of the Lord God who raised Jesus from the dead. And we as the member parts of the church of access to that wonderful power.

(Ephesians 2:6) From the standpoint of power, what is the significance of Paul's statement that "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus...."? Think of that awesome incomparable power that God unleashed to raise Jesus from the dead and sit him at the right hand of God with authority and power. We must know then and recognize, as the notes say " For you battle against the spiritual forces of evil (6:12) not from a position of weakness, but of strength. Not from a place of inferiority, but of superiority. Yes, it is all by grace. But it is true and it is real." Glory to God in the highest for His incomparable power.

(Ephesians 1:20-22) The . What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as[ weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. The Ephesians are familiar with many of the pagan religions that speak of heavenly realms so Paul being all to everybody for Christ uses the terminology that is familiar to the Ephesians so that Paul may win them to Christ. Paul means that Christ has all these powers under control and they are under his feet. When Jesus was on earth in a physical body he often showed his power over the evil Spirits. (example Mark 5) When Jesus ascended to His father and our father his powers would have increased therefore he has even more control over the evil Spirits. And this incomparable great power is available to us.

(Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Verse 19: his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, There seems to be two reasons that Paul prays in this verse. 1) so that God's incomparable great power is available for us so that a) we ourselves will be resurrected as was Jesus with a new body with extended power and abilities and that in this side of our dying in this mortal body we can have access to this power. Until we allow the Holy Spirit full rein in our lives we will not know the full extent of God's incomparable power. Our eyes are often clouded by the fleshy powers of this world and until we see Christ in his transfigured form we will not have access to the full powers of the Lord. This power of God operates in this world and the next. This power can be seen in the miraculous work that God has done in overcoming death and destruction by the resurrecting of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is risen indeed.

Q4. (Romans 8:35-36) What kinds of perils were the early Roman Christians likely exposed to? What kinds of perils are Christians exposed to today? How does this passage reassure us? In what sense do we Christians "overwhelmingly conquer" (NASB) despite the obstacles we face? Perils include: "Persecution", Tribulations, "Hardship", "Nakedness", famine, peril, sword. (notes) Around the world Christians are exposed to all of these. Here in North America persecution and perils of often more subtle. The notes proclaim - " Some people see every problem and difficulty as a sign of God's disfavor. Wrong! An enemy has done this. ...We are still living in a war zone. But none of these thing [(ABOVE] have power to drive a wedge between us and God. " We cannot allow this to happen. ​We as Children of God overwhelmly conquer, for we have the Lord our God on our side."If god is for us who is there who can be against us"(31) Despite all the perils the only one that is fatal is the choice of freewill- does one chose good or evil. Otherwise we are God's children and with His aid, the suffering and death of His Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit, we will overwhelmingly conquer. None of the above perils, nothing suffering or even death will separate us from the Love of Jesus Christ the Lord.As Origen wrote "If I suffer persecution and confess Christ before men, I am certain that he will confess me also before his Father. Famine cannot not disturb me , for I have the bread of life which comes down from Heaven... Nakedness does not confound me , because I am clothed in the Lord Jesus Christ." Origen in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, Gerald Bray , 240.

Q3. (Romans 8:31-32) What is the significance of the statement: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Who might our enemies be? What is the evidence presented that God is for us? How does this statement make you feel? How does it affect hope? How does it allow you to act? What might: "...graciously give us all things" refer to? If God is for us is an awesome concept. The panoramic God who is all powerful, who created the universe and everything within is for us. He is cheering for us. He is on our side. This God who is so much on our side that he gave his only son... wow! There then is nothing that we can not do. He is for us and His Holy Spirit abides in us as we abide in Christ. We are co-heirs of the kingdom of God with Christ and our brothers and sisters. What is some suffering now when the hope of the future spreads before us in a panoramic view. and The Holy and divine God is for us. Wow!. We might have enemies but really they do not rate against the God who is on our side. The Devil, now there is a formidable fellow but, after all is is just created the sam as we people are. Satan may cause as pain as he did Job but only in the short term for God is nigh and will redeem us as he has redeemed Job. The evidence, well we have the word of God as recorded in the Holy Book, the Bible. we have the church who, in despite of its weakness tells us that we are children of God and co-heirs with Christ and with our brothers and sisters. We also have th Holy Spirit who speaks to us and confirms that the Lord is near and that his mighty right arm will save us. This Holy Spirit is a down payment a guarantor that God's promise of love and care for us, our fervent hope is not futile but is a promise steady and true. This guarantee gives use a freedom to act as the Spirit would direct us to act. We need not be worried about the damnation of our souls for God has promised that If we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved and our families also. (Acts 16. 31). To be graciously given all things is to be promised a relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son and God the Holy Spirit for all eternity. When we have been there 10,000 years we will only just gegun. What a party where all are welcome.

Q2. (Romans 8:29) What does it mean to "be conformed to the likeness of his Son"? In practical terms, what does that involve in our lives? Why does Paul support this statement with ideas of our destiny? Why does he support this with ideas of brotherhood with Jesus? To "be conformed to the likeness of his Son" should mean to be made more and more like the Lord jesus Christ. As it is used in verse 29 it seems to have the sense of a continuing process after we become believers in the living Christ- much like John wesley's concept of sanctification after one is justified by Christ. Here it seems to follow the Greek word proorao which is often translated in English as predestined- a term which has had a long and troubled use in Christianity. Strong's concordance also suggests predetermined as a possible translation, a term which does not bring up as many negative thoughts as predestion. As the Greek proorao is used after foreknew-implying God knew which way ones free will would lead in the question of good and evil- and before conform would seem to apply, in this corner, that proorao is being used as a connector that is simply asserting that in God's mind it has been predetermined which side of the freewill question that one will lean. For our lives it means that we must determine on whose team we are on- God's or the Devil's. Just as Satan deceived Eve and her mate so does he continue to deceive her descendants as well. We must therefor rely on the grace given by God through the Lord Jesus Christ and believe on him in faith and trust. It is our strong Hope that we will be delivered from the foils of the evil one. To a very large degree Paul is speaking here not to individuals but to communities of believers and it is really only in community that we are truly able to grasp and understand the word of God. It is really only in the church that we are able to receive the promises of the Lord. We must therefor work with our brothers and sisters in the Lord to complete our common request-thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Q1. (Romans 8:28) What is the actual promise contained in verse 28? What does this promise mean? Put it in your own words. What are the two qualifications to the recipients of this promise? How does verse 28 give you hope? God promises here that He will work for the good of those who love him. This seems to mean that God will work for ones good despite the evil of the forces of the devil. God is able to do good out of the evil that happens to us. For example 25 years ago a man I know had a serious heart attack. The heart had stopped and he had to be medically revived. This was hard on the family and for the victim. However, out of the situation the family pulled together and a greater degree of spirituality developed in the family. The man studied theology and has earned the Master of arts degree in in theology. Often God steps in and turns evil to good happenings. Also, in the long term God's gift of grace is our wildcard. We are promised that because o0f the grace of God in the Gift of Jesus we are able to stand before God in righteousness provided for us by the messiah's gift that all who believed in him shall have eternal life. The qualifications for this promise are 1) one must love him, and 2) one must have been called according to his purpose. When Jesus calls we are to respond in a positivefashion.

Q5. (Romans 8:18-25) In what sense do we expect to experience God's glory when Christ comes? How will the suffering creation experience God's glory? How will our mortal bodies experience God's glory? In what way will our spirits experience God's glory? ​It seems as if Paul speaks of two occasions when Christ will come for us. One is that time of which Paul speaks in Philippians 1:21-24. Here Paul is speaking of his passing from this life to be with Christ. Surely he would not long to depart and and be with Christ unless Paul saw an more or less immediate being in Christ. Actually it would only be a shift from the present living with Christ to a dying in Christ. We have a sample of the living with Christ as we die for we have the Holy Spirit as a downpayment of that future day of the Lord when jesus romes for us as he did foe Stephen. The other coming than is that great and glorious day when Christ shall come with the voice of the archangel and the blast of trumpets. On that day all of creation will be renewed and released from suffering. For on that day the Lord will say "“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.(Isaiah 55.1and2) and on that day: "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” of course is the great and glorious day of the Lord We shall experience God's glory as in Isaiah 54.14: In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. John expressed it as : "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.... He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'" (Revelation 21:1, 4-5)[notes]

Q3. (Romans 8:26-27) How does the Holy Spirit act as a Helper or Mediator or Intercessor in verses 26-27? What similarities do you see between the Holy Spirit's ministry here with Jesus' teaching of the Spirit's ministry as Counselor/Comforter/Paraclete in John 14:16 and 15:26)? Why do you think we tend to take the Holy Spirit for granted or fail to understand His ministry to and through us? The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Although weakness in prayer seems to be a major portion of the Holy Spirits aiding of us one can see the the Holy Spirit helps us in other fashions as well. The spirit comforts and strengthens us in times of challenge. Often the Spirit will call to us with a suggestion that we do or say something to help and strengthen others. There are many ways in which the spirit abides in us that are not mentioned in 26-27. However the helping of use in our weakness in prayer may be a major part of the Spirit's work. In the John passage Jesus tells us that the advocate will be with us forever. This seems to be somewhat more all encompassing as compared to the Romans 26-27. we must remember that the self understanding of the Christian movement was still expanding at this time and John being written later than the epistle would probably not have a different understanding but a more developed understanding. Also John is probably from a different tradition than Paul and thus has a different understanding. The author of John seems to have a different understanding of the jesus message than do the other evangelists and Paul. Not contradictory just different. I think that the intuitive way that the Spirit works with many of us causes us to mistake the words, thoughts and suggestions to us as if they came from our own spiritual understanding rarher thhan fom the Spirit. I think of the person who was lost in the woods. For a long period he wandered in circles and did not know which way to turn. Finally he prayed 'Lord help me find the way!". He walked a short distance and noticed a familar sight and knew where he was and which way to go, "ah! he said "A wasted prayer." We often miss God and we often miss the Holy Spirit. We think that we, ourselves are so clever.

Q2. (Romans 8:17-22) In what ways was suffering Jesus' lot in life? Why do we suffer? Why does all creation seem to be suffering? What will signal the end of that downward cycle of suffering, decay, and death? Is there anything good to look forward to in this present life? "Who has believed what we have heard?" cries Isaiah in 53.1a. What has been heard? Isaiah is in the midst of telling of the suffering and anguish of the messiah, the suffering servant. Are we not all surprised of the role the anointed of the Lord must play? we also must suffer as followers of jesus. It is our lot. It is our role. Today in North America we are not persecuted severely but we have the pressure of modern commercial world system that encourages us to abandon our ethics and turn to commercialization. The flesh calls for us to give in to the pressure and it is not always easy. People in other parts of the world however are physically persecuted by the system. Many are poverty stricken by the modern system and are barely able to survive. But Isaiah writes "Out of his anguish he shall see the light." We also in our anguish shall see the light of the resurrection of Jesus and we also see in Him our own resurrection on the last day. Karl Barth writes " Participation in suffering means to suffer in Christ, to encounter God as did Jeremiah and Job encountered him; to see him in the tempest, to apprehend him as Light in the darkness, to love him when we only feel the roughness of His Hand."(epistle to the Romans, 302) He continues "Our present human existence- -- is overshadowed by suffering, as by a dark mantle, by a drawn sword, by an overshadowing wall.""(302) But what of this suffering? Is it futile? Barth answers "In the Spirit, suffering endured and apprehended, can become our advance to the glory of God. ...This apprehension of God in suffering, is God's action in us."(302)Thus according to Barth there is purpose in our suffering as we participate in the suffering of the Lord. what greater privilege can humans have than to suffer for the Lord. In medieval times the kings lords and knights felt privileged to fight and day for their earthly king. How much more should we glory in suffering with and for the Lord for suffering "...is also the guarantee that we are the children of God and, as such, heirs of his glory. Thus this is what we can look forward to in this life- the glory of the kingdom which we experience in this world and the next. In this world in spite of suffering we are able to experience the joy of the Lord though the work of the Holy spirit who is also a guarantor of our glory in the world to come. The end of this cycle of suffering is only to be ended by the coming of the day of the Lord. This day seems to be two fold. Firstly, the day of our mortal death and the transfiguration of our bodies and spirits to that of the new creation in Christ and secondly in the day of the New Creation when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven to this tortured earth. This is the way of the Lord.

Q1. In Romans 8:14-21, 28, how many times is the idea of being sons and daughters of God alluded to? What are the promises made to these sons and daughters? What do we learn about our future and our role in the future of all creation? The idea of being sons and daughters of God, heirs, is alluded to eight times. Firstly we have a wonderful relationship with God the father where we are able to refer to him as did Jesus- "Abba, Father". Secondly, as heirs we inherit the kingdom of God. We are not just anyone in relationship but we are co-heirs with Christ. The thought is humbling-that we are in the same relation to God as is jesus, our co-heir of God. Thirdly we share in the glory. This is a wonderful promise for the ordinary citizen of the world who live in the world in a degree of squalor- our existence here is all relative for this present body is somewhat limited. Our resurrection includes the transformation of our body to a new and glorious creation, a new creation in God-a new personality which is liberated from all disease, frailty, pain, decay and death a transfiguration if you will. There will be a new correspondence between message and medium. The resurrected body will be a perfect vehicle for our redeemed personality.(J W Stott, The Message of Romans , 227) In God's New Creation in the Day of the Lord, a time when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, a time when all the trees will clap their hands we, as the heirs of God will have full participation in the serving of the new community of the new creation. We will be first and as the first we shall be last and we will have the privilege to serve in the New Creation.

Q6. (Romans 8:15-16) How does the Holy Spirit inspire us to pray 'Abba, Father'? What is the significance of us referring to God as our Dad? What happens in our lives if we don't have some kind of personal assurance of our salvation? How do we receive this kind of personal assurance? Paul writes ""The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (8:16) Thus the Holy Spirit convicts us by the presence, by a sincere sense of the love of God, a sense that God so loved the world (Jn 3.16), by, as Wesley says warms our heart in a strange way and we KNOW that we are loved and that the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the God who gave us the new covenant in Jesus will not see us perish but give us eternal life in this world and will hold us closely and warmly in His embrace forever. With this personal assurance by the Holy Spirit we are then free to become comfortable with God; no longer is he the feared judge but he now becomes Abba-Daddy. Without this personal assurance we tend to fear God but once we are assured of our place in the kingdom of God, both now and in eternity we can relax and enjoy the ride. For the promise is to good to be true and we have the assurance of the Holy Spirit that our hope is not in vain!

What does it mean to "mortify" or "put to death" the deeds of the body by the Spirit? The Greek Thanatoo is translated as "Mortify" (KJV) or "put to death" (NIV, NRSV) is thanatoō, "put to death, kill," then by extension, "to cause total cessation of an activity, put to death, extirpate." (notes) When we "mortify" or "put to death" the deeds of the body by the Spirit we are allowing the Holy Spirit to eradicate the deeds of the flesh from the body. Ihe process can be seen as a process of sanctification where the Spirit gradually sets us apart from the deeds of the flesh and we become holy , set apart for God and for His service. To watch a this process in a person would be to see a change in the persons action and attitudes- a change from evil to good, a change in attitude from the attitude of evil to and attitude. Gradually this person would become more active in the church and from time to time and gradually we will come to the point where we will be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks for the reason for the hope we have.(1Peter 3.15) Christ has risen! He lives! To be lead by the Spirit is to allow the Spirit to live in us, to listen to the Spirit and to follow the Spirit's direction. It is a process where by God's grace we put to death the sins of the flesh and live unto the Lord. In Galatians Paul writes :"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:24-25) "putting to death" and being "led" by the Spirit fit together in that they two phrases have the same goal-victory through the Spirit over the flesh and living to God in the Spirit. This whole process has little or nothing to do with us, it is offered by the grace of God. We are just an open vessel into which the Lord pours His Grace and we will be and can be used . There seems to be in all of this something of the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. I cannot see of the God I love and serve creating creatures only to predestinate them to a eternity in hell. Yet Arminianism seems to allow for human self worth to be part of salvation. But God gave us the grace of free will- the choice between good and evil. If we choose the good than God's grace through the Lord Jesus is poured out upon us, if not then are we turned over to the wrath. Most times in the Bible wrath is not used with the 'of God' so often seen in translations. It is possible that the wrath is the result of not following the principle of the Lord and of the created world. If we treat a person badly and unfairly then we will reap the consequences. If we step outside the laws of our country we will probably be punished. If we violate the laws of nature then we reap the consequences. The wrath creeps up on us and upon humankind and people, countries and societies have been wiped. However if we turn to the Lord and are led by the Spirit we will in some fashion escape the wrath.

What does it mean to "mortify" or "put to death" the deeds of the body by the Spirit? The Greek Thanatoo is translated as "Mortify" (KJV) or "put to death" (NIV, NRSV) is thanatoō, "put to death, kill," then by extension, "to cause total cessation of an activity, put to death, extirpate." (notes) When we "mortify" or "put to death" the deeds of the body by the Spirit we are allowing the Holy Spirit to eradicate the deeds of the flesh from the body. Ihe process can be seen as a process of sanctification where the Spirit gradually sets us apart from the deeds of the flesh and we become holy , set apart for God and for His service. To watch a this process in a person would be to see a change in the persons action and attitudes- a change from evil to good, a change in attitude from the attitude of evil to and attitude. Gradually this person would become more active in the church and from time to time and gradually we will come to the point where we will be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks for the reason for the hope we have.(1Peter 3.15) Christ has risen! He lives! To be lead by the Spirit is to allow the Spirit to live in us, to listen to the Spirit and to follow the Spirit's direction. It is a process where by God's grace we put to death the sins of the flesh and live unto the Lord. In Galatians Paul writes :"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:24-25) "putting to death" and being "led" by the Spirit fit together in that they two phrases have the same goal-victory through the Spirit over the flesh and living to God in the Spirit. This whole process has little or nothing to do with us, it is offered by the grace of God. We are just an open vessel into which the Lord pours His Grace and we will be and can be used . There seems to be in all of this something of the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. I cannot see of the God I love and serve creating creatures only to predestinate them to a eternity in hell. Yet Arminianism seems to allow for human self worth to be part of salvation. But God gave us the grace of free will- the choice between good and evil. If we choose the good than God's grace through the Lord Jesus is poured out upon us, if not then are we turned over to the wrath. Most times in the Bible wrath is not used with the 'of God' so often seen in translations. It is possible that the wrath is the result of not following the principle of the Lord and of the created world. If we treat a person badly and unfairly then we will reap the consequences. If we step outside the laws of our country we will probably be punished. If we violate the laws of nature then we reap the consequences. The wrath creeps up on us and upon humankind and people, countries and societies have been wiped. However if we turn to the Lord and are led by the Spirit we will in some fashion escape the wrath.

Q4. (Romans 8:12) Do we have to sin? Are we compelled to sin? Is it possible to live for two hours of wakefulness without sinning? Four hours? One day? Two days? Where do we Christians get such a defeatist attitude towards sin? From Scripture? Sin is inherent in our natural mortal bodies. By ourselves we are not ab le to not sin, yet with the power of the Spirit living in us we are able to champion over sin. we know and are able, with the aid of the spirit to conquer but our natural bodies do commit sins. Paul writes in v.13 "For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live" Here Paul is saying that by the Spirit the misdeeds of the body are mortified. It is not us that kills sin-we are unable. But by the Spirit we are able to control sin and in the end when we are completely we will have victory over death and stand covered by a cloak of righteousness provided by the Lord we stand before the judge and are lovingly accepted into the kingdom of God. Our presence life with the Holy spirit is a guarantee of the promise of God for the future of the Day of the Lord. Our defeatist attitude comes from not living our lives completely in the Spirit- where the in is from the Greek 'en' which carries the meaning "under the control of, under the influence of, in close association with. (notes)

Q3. (Romans 8:9) Is it possible to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit residing in us? What is the difference (if any) between the indwelling of the Spirit and the fullness of the Spirit? How do we remain "full" of the Spirit? No, according to Paul "...there is no such thing as a believer without the Spirit dwelling in his or her life."(Ben Witherington III, Paul's Letter to the Romans (Erdmans:Grand Rapids, 2004,)217) The Spirit indwells in all believers. The fullness of the Spirit seems to apply to one who has a degree of the Spirit where that one has the fruits of the Spirit in an abundance. We can remind full in the Spirit by allowing the spirit full control of our lives.

Q2. (Romans 8:5-6) Exactly what does it mean to set your mind on the things of the Spirit? How do you do this? How can you recognize when the things you're setting your mind on relate to your sinful nature? How much of this is deliberate? How much is habit? What part does the Holy Spirit have it this? Or is this primarily right living by force of will? In these verses Paul is describing two completely different and contrasting styles. He is speaking of two different people, lives or mentalities. One is the life in the flesh, the other the life in the Spirit. The former is a life which is controlled by the 'flesh'- the sinful nature of people. Lusts and desires run free. There are different degrees to which the control of the flesh can go. However this is not the way of God. The spirit filled life on the other hand is a life where the whole being of the person is centered on the Spirit of God. Once we are baptised by the Spirit we are immersed in the power of the Spirit and the Spirit than tends to influence all parts of our bodies mind and Spirit-our lives become totally dependent upon the Lord. Our whole life is filled with the things of God- the lusts of the body gradually have less and less power and control upon us This process is not something that we ourselves can do. It is beyond our control-it is in the hands of God. All we must do is 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and (we) shall be saved. And part of this salvation is a life in the Spirit. The whole process of living in the Spirit, of having our minds on the spirit can be thought of, as did John Wesley, a process of sanctification. When we come to God, baptized in the Holy spirit, the Spirit than begins the process of sanctification and gradually we begin to think and do the things of the Spirit.

Q1. (Romans 8:3-4) Why can't obedience to the law save us? What is the weak link? What then does it take to save us? Paul writes "...the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,..." . The law as given by God to Moses is holy and just and gives to humanity a basic look at the moral character of God and of His morality. It also suggests that these laws are ones to which humans should hold but because of the basic flaw of sin which appears as inherent in the human character people are unable to complete the laws of God and are thus condemned. The weak link here is not in the law but in the weakness of human sinful nature and our in ability by ourselves not to sin against God and His laws. There seems to be some paradox here in that the God who created us sinful is Himself sinless!But God being God did and does have a plan-by'... sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man (sarx) to be a sin offering(8.3b) ' we humans can by belief in the truth that was thus expressed by God the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit humans might live within the power and love of Christ and to be justified before God by the Son and sanctified by the work of the Spirit. God does have a plan that is promised in hope and provided by the power of the Lord.