Romans 8 Questions (select verses)
Warm up question in pairs: Name one thing you cannot do that only God can do. Do you have an example from your life when God did something for you?
Romans 8:1-11
- Which people on earth fall into the category of not being under condemnation? Only those who are “in Christ.”
- What is the opposite of being “in Christ”? In Adam
- What question does 8:2 answer? It gives the reason that those who are in Christ are not under condemnation.
- Who was the only one who could do what the law could not do? God
- What did exactly do God do? He sent his only Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin. For further insight, see Philippians 2:7, Hebrews 2:14, 17 and Hebrews 4:15.
- Is there any significance that Paul only used “Holy Spirit” seven times in chapters 1-7 and twenty plus times in chapter 8? Absolutely. In our struggle with the flesh and lower nature, yielding to the Spirit and walking in the Spirit is the key.
- What exactly in the flesh? Here are insights from various sources: The entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit; a life without God; sense and reason without the Spirit; carnal thoughts and purposes.
- How exactly is death used in this chapter? Comprises all the miseries that arise from sin both here and the hereafter.
- What do those who live according to the flesh set their minds on? Things of the flesh
- What do those who live according to the Spirt set their minds on? Things of the Spirit
- Who or what is hostile to God? The mind set on the flesh
- Can the flesh please God? No
- If we do not have the Spirit of Christ, do we belong to Christ? No!
- Have you ever taken time to think about the fact that the Spirit who indwells you is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead? On a scale from 1-10, how amazing is that? 10
Romans 8:12-17
- What is Paul referring to in 8:13 when he says that those who live according to the flesh will die? Read Romans 6:13 for further insight. Death is used here in the sense of separation from God.
- What is one characteristic of a son or daughter of God? He or she will be led by the Spirit of God.
- What are some of the key words in this section? Sons, adoption, Abba Father, children, heirs. What do all these have in common? These are family matters and refer to those in the family of God because of being “in Christ.”
Romans 8:18-25
- How do the sufferings of this life compare to the next life? No comparison
- What does creation, including our bodies, have to look forward to in the future? Being restored to the original state before the Fall
- Do we hope for things we can see or can’t see? The latter
Romans 8:26-30
- What is the Holy Spirit doing for believers right now? Interceding for us with groanings too deep for words and according to the will of God
- Is 8:28 often taken out of context and misunderstood? One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible when taken out of context. I like what F.F. Bruce says: “The NEB revives an ancient and attractive interpretation which has received little attention from translators and commentators, according to which the subject of ‘works together’ is the subject of the previous verse-the Spirit. Its rendering, then, is, ‘he pleads for God’s own people in God’s own way; and in in everything, as we know, he cooperates for good with those who love God…’ See I Cor.2:9 for the blessings prepared for those who love God.”
- According to 8:29, what did God predestine us for? To be conformed to the image of Christ.
Romans 8:31-39
- What is Jesus doing for us? Interceding
- Name one thing that can separate us from the love of God. There is nothing.