Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Henry T. Blackaby is the author of Experiencing God, which has sold more than 7 million copies and has been translated into 50 languages. He is president of Blackaby Ministries International, an organization he founded to help people experience God in a more intimate way.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Encounters with God The Book of ROMANS

Thomas Nelson

Contents

An Introduction to the Book of Romans....................................9An Overview of Our Study of the Book of Romans...........................11Lesson #1: Our Need for Salvation........................................15Lesson #2: The Relationship Between Faith and Works......................27Lesson #3: Choosing the Call to New Life.................................37Lesson #4: Set Apart for Service by the Holy Spirit......................49Lesson #5: The Destiny of God's People...................................59Lesson #6: Living with Other Believers...................................69Lesson #7: Living as a Christian in an Ungodly World.....................81Notes to Leaders of Small Groups.........................................91

Chapter One

OUR NEED FOR SALVATION

Sin: a breach in a person's relationship with God as the result of disobedience to God's commands. Righteousness: being in right-standing with God. Salvation: the bridge between man's sinful state and God's perfection, made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

B Bible Focus

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17). Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel (Romans 2:4-16). But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:21-26).

Paul makes it very clear in writing to the Romans that the same rules apply to everyone. God doesn't play favorites! No one is exempt from the need for salvation. And no one-on the basis of their previous religious background, culture, nationality, or socioeconomic status-will be denied salvation if that person truly believes in Jesus Christ and accepts the reconciliation with God the Father that Jesus has made possible.

This is good news! Your ability to have a fully reconciled relationship with God does not depend on any factor related to your birth. Rather, your salvation is totally related to all factors corresponding to Christ's death and subsequent resurrection. Everyone enters into a reconciled relationship with God the Father through the same door labeled salvation. The key to that door is faith, or belief.

Paul was writing to two groups of Christians in the church at Rome.

First, there were the Jews, who grew up keeping the Law of Moses, but who had become followers of Jesus. Paul told them, "Don't think that because you have been saved by faith, you are freed from all constraints related to repentance. You are freed from sin's binding constraints so that you might freely live a life in full accordance with the Law. You have not been freed to live a life apart from the definitions of godly behavior spelled out by the Law. You must have patient 'continuance in doing good.'" (See Romans 2:7.)

In today's age, some people have grown up in very strict or traditional denominations or even pagan religions. They accept Jesus as Savior and feel such spiritual freedom in their new relationship with God the Father they believe they are freed of all restraints. Not so! Paul's message to them would be the same as to the Jews who found Christ in Rome-God requires a godly life. Paul makes it very clear that glory, honor, and peace are to everyone who works what is good, and indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish are to everyone who does evil (Romans 2:8,10). God's standards regarding right behavior haven't changed!

Also in the church at Rome were Gentiles who had not grown up with the Law and who basically had led lawless lives. To these believers, Paul writes that in many ways, the law rooted in a person's conscience is as exacting as the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, their salvation is not a result of their good deeds or good nature. They, too, needed to receive Jesus Christ as Savior to be in right relationship with God.

Neither keeping the Law, nor doing good deeds as a good person, produces salvation. Salvation only comes by belief in Jesus Christ as God's Son and mankind's Savior.

In turn, salvation does not give license to lay aside the Law, to think any person in any position is above the Law, or to dismiss one's conscience. Rather, Jesus Christ empowers His followers to live a godly life.

No matter who you are, you need what Jesus came to give. You need to be saved.

No matter your background, you are called to receive God's offer of salvation made possible...