Romans Midterm

Question 1

What are the theories concerning the origin of the church in Rome?

Answer 1

1. Peter started it (Catholic tradition)
2. Traveling missionaries started it (probably Gentile)
3. Jews that were saved on the Day of Pentecost and had gone back home to Rome started it

Question 2

What was the ethnic makeup of the church in Rome?

Answer 2

There was a mix of Jews and Gentiles.

Question 3

What were the internal struggles existing in the Roman church?

Answer 3

Jews thought themselves above Gentiles. Gentiles gained influence in the church when the Jews were temporarily kicked out of Rome. Dynamics of race and status (ethnic and caste) were at play.

Question 4

Know the four part outline for the book based in the term “righteousness”.

Answer 4

I. Righteousness Required - Ch. 1-4
II. Righteousness Received - Ch. 5-8
III. Righteousness Rejected - Ch. 9-11
IV. Righteousness Revealed - Ch. 12-16

Question 5

Understand the significance of Paul using the term “servant” to describe himself.

Answer 5

Paul wanted to be known as a slave because he wanted them to understand how he saw himself and because he wanted them to take on the same mentality for themselves.
The term for servant Paul uses describes a person who is owned by somebody else, who serves with a disregard for their own interest, whose individual will is swallowed up in the will of his master and who has no legal rights.

Question 6

Be able to follow the theme of “servant” as it s used throughout the book.

Answer 6

Paul describes himself as a servant. Though we are free in Christ we voluntarily choose to serve God. Jesus is our example of being a servant.

Question 7

What does the phrase “obedience of faith” mean?

Answer 7

The obedience of faith means that as we truly accept the Gospel and let it work in our lives we are motivated to voluntarily serve the Lord. The outworking of our faith into our actions.

Question 8

Why does Paul want to preach the Gospel to people who are already believers?

Answer 8

There’s something in the gospel that applies to believers. The gospel is to have a lasting affect on our lives; it helps us reign in life situations and frees us from controlling situations and motivate us to voluntarily serve the Lord. The gospel includes the process of sanctification.

Question 9

Does the Gospel save everyone?

Answer 9

The Gospel saves all who believe.

Question 10

What are the first two responses to the revelation mentioned in Ch. 1:16-17?

Answer 10

There is the response of faith and the response of suppressing the truth; accepting it or rejecting it.

Question 11

What are the first two mistakes made by people who go down the spiral of sin in verses 18-28?

Answer 11

They are unwilling to give glory/honor to God and they are unwilling to give thanks.
Other potential answer: Suppression of truth and lack of appropriate response

Question 12

What does the phrase “God gave them up” mean?

Answer 12

God releases them to the consequences of their own choices.

God is judicially giving them up to another authority (to their own desires).

Question 13

What does “reprobate” mean? Be able to use a natural illustration to describe the condition.

Answer 13

A reprobate is someone who doesn’t let the knowledge of God affect the way he lives; he knowingly gives himself to sin. It is like silver that will not separate from the worthless rock it is attached to.

Question 14

How does the term “moralist” describe the person in chapter 2?

Answer 14

They thought the law was good, but they didn’t live up to it and they condemned others with it.

Question 15

What is their source of deception?

Answer 15

They were deceived by an exclusive or preferential attitude. They were deceived by their knowledge of the truth and hardness of heart.

Question 16

Understand the essence of legalism.

Answer 16

Legalism means you receive truth and become very religious, but your religion does not change who you are. It is rooted in selfish ambition and self-centeredness. Idolatry, telling God how good you are, self-righteousness.

Question 17

How does legalism affect the reputation of God?

Answer 17

The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because they see a people who call themselves God’s covenant people, who say one thing but live another.

Question 18

Did the Jews have an advantage? What? Did it help them?

Answer 18

Yes, the Jews had the advantage of having special revelation from God, the Law (oracles of God). However this advantage did not help them (for the most part) because they did not respond properly to it.

Question 19

Understand the questions being asked in Chapter 3. What type of things are the readers questioning?

Answer 19

The people are questioning the character of God.

1. The advantage or benefit of what God has given
2. God’s faithfulness to his plan
3. The fairness of God
4. The justice of God
5. Whether all people are on an equal spiritual level
6. What people can take credit for
7. Whether faith nullifies the law

Question 20

What is the purpose of the Law?

Answer 20

The law was intended to make us realize that we are fallen and in need help.

Question 21

Does “faith righteousness” destroy the Law?

Answer 21

No faith doesn’t destroy the law because faith must be in the cross based on the fact that we are condemned by the law without faith.

Question 22

Explain how Abraham can be the father of all who believe (4:10-11)

Answer 22

Abraham’s righteousness was not counted to him after he was circumcised (as if it were based on works), but before, while he was still uncircumcised. This makes him the father of all who believe (all who follow in his example of receiving righteousness by faith).

Question 23

Describe how righteousness is imputed.

Answer 23

Righteousness is imputed by faith in Jesus. Just as sin was inherited by Adam because we are his natural descendants, so righteousness is inherited by the new birth in Christ.

Question 24

What were the two things that Abraham believed GOd could do that gave him hope that the promises made to him would be fulfilled?

Answer 24

1. God can bring life out of death

2. God can call into existence that which does not exist

Question 25

Be able to duplicate the chart represented in 5:1-2.

Answer 25

Through FAITH we are JUSTIFIED then we have access to God which brings PEACE and GRACE, these give us HOPE in the GLORY OF GOD.

Sin/No Hope…Having been Justified by Faith…Jesus…Peace and Grace…Rejoicing/Hope/Glory

Question 26

What produces hope? Why does hope not disappoint?

Answer 26

Hope is produced through our right response to tribulation. Tribulation brings forth perseverance, which brings about proven character, which brings about hope.
Hope does not disappoint because it is not based on something that can fail, but it is in something that is secure and a sure thing.

Question 27

Review the similarity and contrast between the affects of Adam and Christ.

Answer 27

Similarity - one man affects many
Dissimilarities -
1. how people are connected to each (birth vs. faith),
2. the result of the each person’s affect (innocence to fallen vs. fallen to reigning),
3. the resulting state with God (condemned vs. justified),
4. the resulting nature of man (sinner vs. righteous),
5. the spiritual state of man (sin reigns over them vs. they reign in life),
6. the number of people affected by each (all vs. all who receive the gift)

Question 28

How does the phrase “reigning in life” relate to the message of the next chapter.

Answer 28

Chapter 6 deals with the working out of sanctification, which is related to reining in life. Reigning in life means that our new spiritual state actually takes affect and makes how we live different, reining over sin.

Question 29

What are the three terms used to describe the process of sanctification?

Answer 29

Know (intellectual), consider (volitional), present (practice)