Weekly Bible Study Review
March 27, 2011

 


Missed an Issue?

No problem. 

View our Archives.


In This Issue
Cafe Class
Read-to-Believe Class
Dichotomy of the Week
Class Schedule
Go to www.theocentrix.org click on the "Events" tab
for maps and more information.


Cafe Class
Culture Cafe
1359 N Altadena Drive
Pasadena CA 91104
Wednesdays 10:00 am

classroom
Read-to-Believe Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life Room 201
309 N Lake Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101
Thursdays 6:30 pm

peacock 1
Arbo Class
LA County Arboretum
301 N Baldwin Ave
Arcadia CA 91007
Saturday 12:00 noon
Once per month

January 22

February 26

March 26

 April 30
May no class
June 4
July 9
August 13
September 17
October 15
November 12
December 10

 
topofpageGreetings! 

This newsletter is sent to everyone who attends Sandy's weekly Bible studies. The left column has a table of contents and the current class schedule. Be sure to watch for the links in each article. Clicking on them will lead you to charts, diagrams and additional articles related to your class.  
Anyone can subscribe to this free newsletter by using the link in the upper left corner. If you would like to forward this issue to a friend all you have to do is click on the link below.




cafeclassWednesday Cafe Class 
Romans

Romans 1:1-32     

This letter was written by the apostle Paul around 57-58 AD. He had not yet been to Rome but was planning to visit them soon.

v. 1 Paul became an apostle, not by human appointment but because God made him one. The gospel is "the gospel of God." It's God's message not Paul's personal message.

 

v. 2-3 This gospel was promised by God "beforehand" through the prophets. The "Holy Scriptures" Paul mentions here are the writings that we call the Old Testament today. God told people about His Son through the writings of the OT prophets. Jesus is both a descendant of David and the Son of God.

 

v. 4 Jesus "was declared with power" to be the Son of God through His resurrection from the dead. This was proof that Jesus is God's Son. Paul mentions the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in this passage-- again alluding to the Trinity without explaining how God can be three in one.

 

v. 5 Through Christ and for His name's sake Paul and his fellow workers (we) were given the task of "calling people from among the Gentiles" (not every individual Gentile but rather individuals from Gentile nations) to faith in Christ. It was no longer only the Jews who were called the people of God.

 

v. 6-15 "You" (the first century Roman readers) are also called to belong to Christ. Paul addresses his letter to the believers in Rome. He thanks God for them because of their faith in Christ. Paul wants to come visit them for mutual encouragement but has been prevented from doing so until now. He must preach the gospel to Greeks and non-Greeks (that is, to all people).

 

v. 16-17 Paul is not ashamed of the gospel. It's the power of God to save both Jews and Gentiles. "First to Jews" because the gospel went to them first at Pentecost and then it went out to Gentiles. In the gospel "a righteousness from God" (not from law, or works, or anything else) is revealed. This righteousness starts with faith and ends with faith. This righteousness is Jesus Christ.   

 

v. 18-20 "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven" (present tense) against the godlessness of wicked men who suppress (or hold down) the truth by their wickedness. They know something of God because God has revealed Himself to them. Since the creation of the world people have been able to see His power and divinity through nature. Therefore men (and women) are without excuse for suppressing this truth.

Click to read more...  

rtbclassThursday Read-to-Believe Class  Romans

Romans Review of Chapters 1-11

We've spent a few weeks going through the first 11chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans. Those chapters were filled with heavy theology and laid a good foundation that every believer needs to know. In the next 4 chapters Paul will move on to how the readers should apply this to their everyday lives. It's typical of Paul to spend a great deal of time explaining the "why" to his readers before telling them "how" they should live it. 

 

It seemed appropriate to take a little time this week to review chapter 1-11 before moving on. In class we used a worksheet to remind us of the main points of each chapter. The sheet has room to add notes or better yet sketch out a little diagram to help us see and remember Paul's well-crafted argument that Jesus is the Messiah and salvation comes only through faith in Him.  

 

Here's a link to the worksheet so you can go through it yourself and fill in your own diagrams. Click here. 

 

Next week we'll begin chapter 12 and learn how to live "in view of God's mercy" (Roman 12:1).   

--Sandy Blank 

Dichotomy of the Week
A dichotomy divides people into two groups that do not overlap. In other words, it's impossible for a person to be in both groups at the same time. Here are some of the dichotomies found in Paul's epistles: "in Adam" or "in Christ"
              "under law" or "under grace"
              "darkness" or "light"

Last week we saw that the believers are no longer under condemnation because of the saving work of Christ. This also means that their minds are no longer controlled by "the sinful nature." Paul establishes a clear dichotomy in Romans 8:5 when he says, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

A person's mind follows either the lead of the sinful nature or of the Spirit of God, but not both. In 8:6 Paul associates the mind of sinful man with death. Those who follow the sinful nature are not concerned with pleasing God. But the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.

Although believers still sin, the Spirit convicts them and leads them to repentance. Their sins are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Jesus. It's important to see that even though believers sin they are no longer under condemnation (8:1) and the judgment of God. Therefore, they can live with joy and thankfulness as they are led by the Spirit of God.
--Albert Baroody

Since ancient times the Bible has been read aloud to groups of people who were eager to hear the words of Life. We're really no different today. Believers still look to the Bible for wisdom and instruction. We belong in the Word together. Thank you for your participation in these classes. I hope you will pass this email on to others and invite them to attend a Bible study.

Grace and peace,
Sandy Blank


cafeWednesday Cafe Class (continued)
Romans 1:1-32
v. 21-23 Paul tells his readers that these wicked people knew God but 1) they didn't glorify Him as God and 2) they didn't thank Him. So "their thinking became futile" and their hearts were "darkened." They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for idols that are not even alive.

 

v. 24-27 Three times Paul says "God gave them over." First God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts; secondly He gave them over to shameful lusts; and lastly He gave them over to a depraved mind. Remember, Paul uses repetition for emphasis. God didn't lose control of these "men who suppress the truth by their wickedness," He simply let them continue to go their own way.

 

v. 28-32 "They did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God" that they were given through what they could see in the physical world. They (these men who suppress the truth by their wickedness) became filled with every kind of evil, greed, immorality, etc. And they were not neutral toward God, rather Paul calls them "God-haters." They know that God disapproves of their attitudes and behaviors but they continue in this lifestyle and approve of others who live this way.

 

Next time we'll read chapter 2 where Paul abruptly shifts from "them" to "you."  

--Sandy Blank
Back...
This newsletter is maintained by Sandy Blank (Ph.D. Educational Studies, Biola; MA Biblical Studies, Grace University). If you would like further information about any of her classes or would like to know how to start a Bible study in your area please contact her at [email protected]. This newsletter is sponsored by Theocentrix, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting God-centered Bible literacy. Visit www.theocentrix.org for more information.