Into the Heart of Romans
A Deep Dive into Paul’s Greatest Letter
Romans 8 in Context
Pages 1-9
Romans 3:22-26 (NIV) This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood, to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (NIV) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Revelation 21:3 (NIV) I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God
In what ways can we, as members and leaders of the church, become “biblical taxi drivers”, people who deeply know the landscape of Scripture and can help others navigate it with wisdom and love? What practical habits or disciplines might help us cultivate this kind of familiarity with God’s Word?
In what ways might a church tradition or teaching claim to be "biblical" without truly reflecting the heart of Scripture, and how can believers today ensure that each generation continues to “go deeper” and let the Bible speak afresh?
How does God’s faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham (even when Israel failed to live up to their part) reveal His unchanging commitment to redeem and restore humanity through Jesus, the Messiah?
How does the Bible’s vision of God coming to dwell with His people (from the Tabernacle and Temple to Jesus and ultimately the new creation) shape our understanding of what salvation and human purpose truly mean? What does it mean to have/be The Messiah’s “Inheritance”?