HEADS UP
The Epistles of Paul are harder to understand than the first five books of the New Testament.
If you are willing to put in the effort to study and ponder them, they will reward you greatly.
You can’t cover it all, so focus on the verses and sections you feel prompted by the Spirit to share.
Consult a different translation of the Bible (like the RSV or the NIV) to increase comprehension and clarity, but always teach from the King James Version.
MAJOR ISSUE
The major issue Paul is addressing here in Romans is the tension between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. Many Jewish Christians either felt that the Gentiles needed to become Jews first, and live their laws, be circumcised, and celebrate their feasts or they felt they were superior to the Gentile converts, since they were Jewish, God’s covenant people. And this is causing some contention in the church. So Paul is going to try to help them understand that nobody has a spiritual “edge” over anybody else, just because of how and where they were born. Just being Jewish didn’t guarantee God’s approval. So if you keep that in mind as a backdrop, you’ll see evidence of that message throughout the book of Romans.
BRIEF SUMMARY
Romans 1:16-18 God offers Salvation to the Righteous, and wrath to the unrighteous.
Romans 2:11 God doesn’t play favorites though. He respects righteousness . . .
Romans 3:23 But nobody is completely righteous, we are all sinners . . .
Romans 4:11 Righteousness saved Abraham, not circumcision. It’s righteousness that matters. . .but remember we’re all sinners, therefore . . .
Romans 5:11 We need an Atonement,
Romans 6:11 and then strive to live like Christ.
HOOK/ICEBREAKER
Good News, Bad News
Pope Joke:
The Pope is sitting in his office when one his Cardinals comes running in frantically and says “Your Holiness, some good news and some bad news, which would you like to hear first?” The pope responds with, “well, why don’t you tell me the good news first”. And the cardinal says“Ok, We just got a phone call from Jesus informing us that he has returned to the earth to begin his reign of peace and glory for 1,000 years”. To which the Pope jumps up excitedly saying “That’s wonderful, how on earth could there be any bad news.” And the cardinal looks at him sheepishly and says “Well, He’s calling from Salt Lake”.
TRANSITION
We’re going to take a look at some good news and bad news today in the book of Romans.
Q: Which would you like to hear first?
Let them choose and go with the majority.
Choose which sections and verses you wish to cover from there. (Not time to do them all)
ROMANS 1:16
Q: Does anybody know what the word “GOSPEL” actually means?
A: In Old English and Greek, it literally means “GOOD NEWS”. The gospel is good news.
Q: Can you find a verse on p. 1416 that shows us how Paul felt about the Good News of the Gospel?
A: Romans 1:16
Q: What reason does Paul give in that verse for why he’s not ashamed of the gospel of Christ?
A: Because it is the power of God unto salvation.
Q: How does knowing that help us not to be ashamed of the gospel?
A: And I would say that Paul knows that the gospel will bring salvation and understanding and light into people’s lives just as it did for him. So why would he be hesitant or ashamed to share that gospel with others. You wouldn’t be ashamed for offering first aid to somebody that was injured, you wouldn’t be ashamed for giving food to somebody that was hungry, you wouldn’t be ashamed to give somebody a warning of impending danger, you wouldn’t be ashamed to tell someone a bit of good news. Likewise, we shouldn’t be ashamed to live or share the gospel, it’s the power of God unto salvation. Captain Moroni understood this when he wrote down his beliefs and waved them on the end of a pole for everyone to see. He wasn’t ashamed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego understood this when they refused to bow down to the kings idol when everybody else did. They weren’t ashamed. Missionaries all over the world walk up to people and knock on doors and share the gospel with anybody who will listen. They’re not ashamed. Jesus understood this when he asked us to be the light of the world and not to put our candle under a bushel or to hide our light from others, he asked us not to be ashamed.
JOSEPH F. SMITH STORY
Written Account:
Video Link:
He’s camping with a group of other missionaries when an armed mob rides into the camp threatening to kill anyone who was a Mormon. All of the men scattered except for Joseph F. Smith, he stood his ground. One of the mobbers rode up to him, pointed a gun in his face and asked “Are you a Mormon?” To which Joseph answered with a big smile “Yesiree, dyed in the wool, true blue, through and through” Which was an early western way of saying. Yep, you bet I’m a Mormon and proud of it”. To which the mobber responded by putting his gun down and saying “Well, you are the pleasantest man I ever met! Shake, young fellow, I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions.” After which they rode off.
Q: You will probably never be put into a situation like Joseph F. Smith, but how could somebody today show that they are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ in one of the following places?
At school
In your workplace
To your neighbors
To the world in general
SHARE
Share a story of a time when you showed you were not ashamed of your faith or standards.
Ask if any of them have ever had a time when they showed that they were not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
CONCLUSION
I invite you to look for opportunities this week to show you are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Think of a situation that you will probably face this week and ponder what you will do when it comes. I promise you the Lord will help you and give you the strength you need to “not be ashamed”.
ROMANS 1:!8-32
Q: What is some Bad News according to Romans 1:18? (And encourage them to check the JST footnote for 18:b)
A: The wrath of God is against those who love not the truth and remain in unrighteousness.
We are going to take a look at things from a bit of a diabolical perspective. Let’s say you are a devil trying to destroy somebody’s soul. How would you go about doing that? Paul will show us how, so that we won’t fall for it when he tries.
SEARCH ACTIVITY
How to Destroy a Soul in 4 Easy Steps
STEP 1
Q: According to the following verses, what doctrine does Satan typically attack first?
A: The Doctrine of the Godhead
:20 They don’t recognize the testimony of his creations, and what he made
:21 They don’t glorify God
:23 Change his glory into something else, something corruptible
:25 Change the truth of God
:28 Don’t retain God in their knowledge. An effort to try to get God out of our thoughts and consciousness.
Step 1: Destroy their understanding of God and his character.
JOSEPH SMITH QUOTE
"It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another."[12]Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p 345
Q: What was the first doctrine restored in the Restoration?
A: The Godhead.
Restored Doctrine of the Godhead
God and Jesus are separate beings.
They have bodies of flesh and bone.
They speak to man
They know us
STEP 2
Q: What does Satan get you to worship instead of God according to vs. 25?
A: Worship the creature rather than the creator
Q: What do you think that means?
Step 2: Get them to worship or focus on pleasing the natural man rather than God
STEP 3
Q: What does worshipping the creature lead to according to
:24 uncleanness, lusts, dishonor
:26-27 sexual sin
:29-31 many sins
A: It leads them to all sorts of sin.
Step 3: Guide them into all manner of sin
STEP 4
Q:According to vs. 32 how do you know that you have sunk to a deep level of wickedness? You not only do wicked things yourself, but what else?
A: You have pleasure in others doing them too
Step 4: Cause them to find pleasure in the sins of others
SUMMARY
So in summary, how do you destroy a soul?
STEP 1-Attack their belief and understanding of God and his character
STEP 2-Get them to worship and serve the Creature rather than the Creator
STEP 3-Guide them into all manner of sin
STEP 4-Cause them to find pleasure in the sins of others
And I suppose we could add one more step here, but this comes more as a consequence than a step the adversary takes. It’s what God does.
STEP 5
Q: When we go down this path, according to vs. 18, what is revealed in our lives?
A: The wrath of God
Q: How is the wrath of God revealed though? Is it through punishment, and chastisement, and consequences? No, I would argue those things actually show his love. But the fullest extent of his wrath appparently is shown by doing what? Look for the answer in the following verses?
:24 give them up
:26 give them up
:28 give them over
A: By giving us over to our agency.
Laman and Lemuel are good examples of this
C.S. LEWIS QUOTE
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done."
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
So Step 5: God gives them up to their agency
CONCLUSION:
But there is more Good News though! the scriptures never offer a problem without the solution being somewhere nearby. If we don’t want to go down that path, we need to stop the problem all the way back at step one, we need to do the opposite of what Satan wants us to do. if I can stop the problem there, then I won’t be sucked down that whirpool. I think vs. 21 holds the key. Just do these three things:
KNOW GOD
GLORIFY GOD
THANK GOD,
BE HUMBLE BEFORE GOD
LIKEN
Q: So right now, let’s fight back against Satan, let’s foil his evil plan by taking part in these antidotes. Would anyone be willing to help protect us from the adversary by doing one of the following?
Tell us how you have come to know God is real or something about his nature
Glorify God by bearing your testimony of him
Thank God for something he’s given you or done for you.
Tell us something you do that helps you to be humble before God.
ROMANS 2-6
ICEBREAKER
Q: Paul has some bad news for us and you find it in Romans 3:9-10 and 3:23. What is it?
A: We are all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God.
And as long as we’re talking about bad news, I’ve got some more for you! Why not! D&C 1:31— For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;
TRUTH
We are all sinners and are unworthy of God’s glory or living in his kingdom.
PIT ANALOGY
Draw a little diagram on a whiteboard or chalkboard or piece of paper or show a picture of a pit. It’s like we've all fallen into a deep pit. Even the scriptures use that imagery, we talk about the Fall of Adam and Eve.We are fallen man. And If we remain in that pit we will die spiritually. We will never be able to be in God’s presence again. So we’re in a fairly dire situation, that’s bad news. We need to be saved. Is there any hope for us? YES!
There is good news, what’s the good news? God has provided a way out of the pit. He throws a rope down to us. And now we have a way out. And this sets us up for the classic theological question that has plagued Christianity for centuries. What saves us?
SALVATION VS. EXALTATION
Salvation=Overcoming death through resurrection and receiving a Kingdom of Glory
Exaltation=Returning to the presence of our Father in Heaven in the Celestial Kingdom and becoming like Him
ACTIVITY
Q: In our pit analogy, which of these three is going to get us out of the pit?
A. Our trust or belief that the rope can get us out.
B. Our work or efforts to climb out of the pit
C. The rope itself
Then assign your students to be a number 1, 2 or 3 and say: Let’s see what Paul says. Look up the references assigned to your number and decide what does Paul seem to say will save us, and which letter you feel is the best match for his solution.
1. 3:24, 5:6, 5:11, 5:15
2. 1:17, 3:28, 5:1
3. 2:13, 6:13, 6:15
ONES
We are saved by grace
TWOS
We are saved by faith
THREES
We are saved by works
Q: Which of the three things will save us?
A: All three
A=Faith
B=Works/Obedience
C=Grace
ROMANS 4:16
We are justified (or exalted) by faith and works, through the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ.
(Rock Climbing Story)
Grace is more than just rope. It’s Christ helping us. Belaying us. Encouraging us. Comforting us. Strengthening us, Pulling us past impossible parts, etc.
ADDITIONAL CROSS REFERENCES
The definition of Grace in the Bible Dictionary
2 Nephi 25:23
D&C 76:69
Philippians 4:13
LIKEN
Christianity has struggled for centuries to find the balance between faith and works, but do you struggle sometimes as well? Some tip too far one way and feel that they will never be enough, that because they are imperfect and weak, that they will never “earn” their way into heaven. On the other hand, some tip too far the other way and begin to excuse themselves in sin or put forth little effort into obedience because they think, hey, I’m good enough.
Q:Are you in balance?
Q: If you are off balance at all, which side do you fall on? Too much of a focus on works, or too much of a focus on faith and grace?
Paul has a message for both
Instruct them to pick one of the sides and then read Paul’s message to them. Inform them that this will be personal, and nobody else needs to know which side they picked.
TOO FOCUSED ON GRACE
2 Nephi 28:8-9
8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines,
Paul’s message to that attitude is:
Romans 2:4-6, and Romans 6:1-4
The goodness of God, or his grace, should lead to repentance, not to more sin.
TOO FOCUSED ON WORKS
Romans 4:18-21
Against hope believed in hope
being not weak in faith
staggered not a the promise
was strong in faith,
fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
BALANCE
I think the key word here in all of this is balance. We should strive to find the happy medium between these two dysfunctional extremes. And I feel the Spirit can help us to find it.
CONCLUSION
Q: These truths that we’ve talked about today should bring us what 3 emotions according to
Romans 5:1, 2, and 11
A: Peace, Hope, and Joy
A: How has the atonement and grace of Christ Brought you one of these emotions.
