26-0503sc - Detailed Summary

Steve begins the class with a prayer to the Heavenly Father. He thanks God for His grace and mercy that restore humanity to friendship and fatherhood with Him. The prayer acknowledges Jesus' willingness to come, live among people, demonstrate the desired life, and die on the cross as propitiation for sins, providing forgiveness and righteousness. Steve expresses gratitude for the opportunity to study God’s Word, specifically Romans, asking for understanding and insight into Paul’s thoughts on relationship with God and restoration. He praises God for creating humans with the ability to comprehend and for providing the necessary information.

Steve concludes the prayer by asking for blessings on the study in Jesus' name. Amen.

Steve explains his habit of reading the entire Book of Romans weekly for overall context before focusing on specific chapters. He shares a new insight from reading the opening verses, switching between versions including the New International Version and Christian Standard Bible. He reads Romans 1:1-6, highlighting Paul’s mission as a servant and apostle called to bring Gentiles to obedience that comes from faith for Christ’s name’s sake.

Steve emphasizes that Paul’s focus is on obedience, particularly for Gentiles who lack the Law of Moses. He notes that neither Gentiles nor Israelites are obedient, making obedience a key concept. Obedience equates to righteousness, and righteousness implies obedience. He compares this to childhood obedience to parents, which brings approval rather than correction and disapproval. God is viewed as the ultimate authority and Father, deserving obedience. Steve stresses that Paul’s goal is to bring Gentiles into step with God through faith, as faith pleases God by believing He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

Steve highlights Hebrews 11, referencing Enoch who pleased God by walking in step with Him. He encourages memorizing that God is pleased when people are obedient and in step with Him.

Steve draws from personal employment experiences, such as his first job at International Harvester. He describes expectations to follow instructions and how he tried to be obedient out of appreciation for having a job.

Steve recounts coworkers who disliked following orders and resented his obedience. This led to disapproval from peers. He ties disobedience to sin and obedience to righteousness, noting how Jesus learned obedience and was crucified due to sin. Scribes, Pharisees, and others who disregarded God’s ways were disobedient, prompting Jesus to confront their hypocrisy.

Steve explains that Jesus' obedience reflected poorly on the religious leaders who had gone their own way. They wanted Him removed because His life exposed their hypocrisy. This gave outsiders reason to ridicule God, as noted in Romans 3. Steve advises equating righteousness with obedience unless referring to God Himself, who is inherently true to His word and promises, as seen with Abraham. Obedient children bring glory to parents; similarly, obedience allows God to glory in His followers. God withholds punishment to allow repentance and reconciliation rather than disowning.

Steve compares human parenting to God’s approach: extending opportunities to repent instead of immediate disfellowship. God reaches out for reconciliation, forgiveness, and recommitment so people can walk in step with Him. Paul’s purpose includes reaching Jews first and then Gentiles, calling them from disobedience to harmony with God through faith motivated by love, not mere legal duty. This respects God and restores fellowship lost since Adam and Eve.

Steve discusses how obedience stems from love for God and authorities. Disobedience separates people from fellowship, but God offers restoration through Christ. Obedient people may face hatred from others whose sins are exposed, as Jesus brought light (obedience) into the world, and the world hated it for revealing their misalignment.

Steve affirms the insight linking obedience and righteousness. He moves into Romans chapter 5, noting justification through faith brings peace with God. This ties to Jesus' sacrifice as propitiation, restoring relationship due to God’s love and grace.

Steve reads and explains Romans 5:1-2: since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. He contrasts the guilty conscience of disobedience with the clear conscience of obedience, eliminating fear in God’s presence. Access to grace comes by faith, allowing boasting in hope of God’s glory and eternal inheritance in heaven. Both God and Jesus extend grace for this restored standing.

Steve continues reading Romans 5, explaining that believers not only boast in the hope of God’s glory but also glory in sufferings. Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Hope does not put believers to shame because God’s love is poured into their hearts through the Holy Spirit given to them. He stresses that obedience requires a backbone and perseverance. When standing for what is right, others may try to pull one down, making perseverance essential.

Steve references James chapter 1, verses 2-4, urging to consider trials as pure joy because testing of faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so one may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. He adds that if anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault. This ties back to developing backbone through obedience amid trials.

Returning to Romans 5, Steve notes the Holy Spirit is given when believers conform their lives to God’s will, specifically at baptism for the remission of sins. He believes the Holy Spirit indwells Christians, providing encouragement, stamina, strength, and willpower for obedience. The Holy Spirit also serves as a guarantee or down payment, assuring eternal life with God in heaven as described in Ephesians.

Steve invites observations from the class on these points.

Steve explains that the Holy Spirit verifies righteousness and obedience. Just as the Holy Spirit confirmed Jesus passed the test of obedience, He does the same for believers who must also pass their test.

Steve reads Romans 5:6-11. At the right time, while people were powerless and sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Rarely would anyone die for a righteous person, though possibly for a good one, but God demonstrated His love by Christ dying for sinners. Being justified by His blood, believers will be saved from God’s wrath through Him.

While enemies, reconciliation came through Christ’s death; now reconciled, they will be saved through His life. Believers boast in God through Jesus, through whom they received reconciliation. Steve connects this to observing the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, demonstrating appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice.

Steve ties the passage to the concept of righteousness underpinning God’s actions. In chapter 3, Paul discusses righteousness by faith. Here, faith is defined around Jesus and His resurrection. This counters ideas of faith alone in the Reformation by showing the product of faith is obedience, which is action.

Steve recalls that all have sinned, and sin is disobedience, walking out of step with God. God seeks reconciliation. Paul addresses whether God cares, countering claims of self-sufficiency. God is angry with those out of step, disobedient, and disregarding His authority, as shown in Romans 1.

Steve emphasizes God’s wrath targets the disobedient who ignore His authority. Yet God desires restoration and offers His obedient Son as propitiation for reconciliation.

Jesus, the obedient one, acts as agent for reconciliation. He wants people in step with God, enjoying its benefits rather than the consequences of being out of step detailed in Romans 1, such as various sins including idolatry, sexual immorality, and disobedience to parents.

Paul’s job is to bring those out of step back into harmony with God, authorized to represent Jesus. Jesus, loving humanity, willingly went to the cross, looking forward to it to pay the debt and offer propitiation for whosoever will. Jesus calls people to become His disciples, believe in Him, join His church built on the confession of Him as the Son of God, and be baptized, reenacting His death and resurrection to walk in newness of life. No other name saves; Jesus alone is authorized as intercessor at God’s right hand.

Steve summarizes that much ground was covered. The class will continue the rest of chapter 5 next week. He notes the discussion from chapter 3 onward is profound, urging deeper study beyond elementary teachings as per Hebrews.

Steve discusses how Jesus, sinless, could not be held by death, unlike others who merit condemnation through sin. Righteousness is a gift, not earned. He references blessings on those whose sins God forgives and does not count. Chapter 5 compares Adam and Christ: death transfers through sin from Adam, while righteousness transfers through Christ. Justification comes by faith believing Jesus provides righteousness. Chapters 4-6 explain this transfer, including baptism into Christ’s death, crucifixion with Him, and resurrection to new life. Baptism is obedience; water itself does not save, but faith that God grants righteousness through the obedient act does.

Steve notes time is up. He reaffirms commitment to obedience and reconciliation through Christ. He prepares the class for the next lesson with a potentially different slant.