Bereans of Trinity

Paul moves on from addressing the general condition of man in his sin to the specific situation of the moralist who claims to be morally superior to others. What is a diatribe, and how does Paul use that here? Is Paul addressing only Jews here, or moralists more generally? How do we know that the moralist is doing the very things he judges in others? What does the bible really teach about our judging others? What does the moralist think about himself and God's judgment? How do we regard lightly the riches of God's kindness? What is God's tolerance of our sin intended to do? (58 min)

Continuing the lesson from last week, we consider a couple more points on homosexuality and the third wrath of God revealed against man's rebellion. Is homosexuality the end result of man's depravity? How do those who reinterpret this passage prove Paul's point? What play on words does Paul use to emphasize how God's third wrath is appropriate for what man has done with the knowledge of God? What is Paul trying to say by his list of twenty one vices? How do we know that men know that their sin deserves death? What is the end extent of man's depravity? What is the "fourth exchange," and how does that answer our condition? (59 min)

The verses we look at in this study reveal the progression of man's rebellion against God, and God's response to that rebellion. What happens in the mind of the person who refuses to acknowledge the God revealed in creation? What are the three exchanges that such people make, and what are God's responses to those exchanges? With what did man replace the glory of the true God? What does Paul mean by his thrice repeated statement that "God gave them over?" How does the desire mentioned in God's first judgment differ from the desire mentioned in his second judgment? How do people who favor homosexual tolerance view this passage? What does Paul mean by his use of the word "natural?" How should one view homosexual desire as opposed to homosexual behavior? (63 min)

In this passage Paul begins his explanation of why the Gospel is necessary and why it is necessary that its power be activated by faith. To do this Paul writes about all of mankind's terrible predicament of being under the wrath of God for our sin. Why do we shrink from believing in God's personal, intentional wrath? How is God's wrath different from man's? When is this wrath revealed of which Paul speaks? Against what does God reveal such wrath? What did man know and what did he do with that knowledge? Do men still retain that knowledge? How was Paul so certain that men know about God? What about God is revealed in His creation? What happens to man when he suppresses his knowledge of God? (64 min)

In this lesson Rick discusses why Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God to salvation. What does Paul mean by "salvation" in this passage? Who are the beneficiaries of this remarkable power? What is it that makes the Gospel powerful? Why was verse seventeen such a troublesome verse to Martin Luther? What did Paul mean by the "righteousness of God?" How is that righteousness revealed in the Gospel? What does Paul mean by the phrase "from faith to faith?" What is the significance of Paul's quotation from the prophet Habakuk? (62 min)

In these verses Paul continues his introductory remarks, but is moving into the substance of his letter. His remark that he does not want the Romans to "be unaware" is not a throw away line. It introduces an important subject to the Romans and to Paul. Though Paul claims to have been hindered in coming to Rome, he does not explain here what hindered him. There is something far more important for the Romans to know, and that is what did not hinder him. Did Paul ever face the temptation to be ashamed of the Gospel? Why does he emphasize here that he is not ashamed? Why might someone be ashamed to take the Gospel into Rome? What was the view of both Gentiles and Jews to the preaching of the cross? What was the "scandal of the cross?" (52 min)

The city of Rome, the "Eternal City," was the center of the Roman world, a cosmopolitan city which ignited the imagination of people throughout the empire. It was to this city with its vast and diverse population that Paul wrote this epistle. Yet he wrote to a small and very select group within this remarkable metropolis. How did Paul identify those to whom he wrote? What does it mean to be a saint? How did Paul begin in addressing these people? What was the fame of these to whom he wrote? What was Paul's longing regarding these Romans? What did he wish to impart to them, and why? What did Paul hope to receive in return? Did he ever receive this? Do you ever feel like you are "in Rome?" (55 min)

In this lesson we are introduced to Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, or the Epistle to the Romans. We consider how we should think about this book and our ability to understand it. We learn about the importance of Romans to Christian belief. We contemplate the history of the church in Rome, and how that history has a bearing on the things Paul writes to them. We discuss the purposes of Paul's letter and the question of the theme or themes of Romans. Finally we considered the stories of four men in church and what happened in their lives as they encountered the book of Romans. In conclusion, we asked how we can ensure that our own lives are impacted by this book as we launch our study. (61 min)

In this concluding study of the book of Genesis we considered Joseph's final words, including his confidence of what God was doing when his own brothers were planning evil against him. How does this passage help us understand the problem of evil? How should we view evil and respond to it? We also took a brisk walk through the entire book of Genesis, recalling some of the important things we have learned. Finally we ended by considering the faith of Joseph and the other saints of Genesis as they all died "without receiving the promises,” but by faith" welcomed them from afar." (60 min)

After Jacob's death, the brothers of Joseph fear that he harbors a grudge which he will now feel free to express. Why, after all that has happened, and Joseph's care for the family for seventeen years, do the brothers have such fears? What had they left undone when they were first reconciled to Joseph that left room for such suspicions? Were the brothers telling the truth about what they said Jacob had said to them. What lessons are we to learn about experiencing God's forgiveness from this narrative? How were the brothers trying to leverage forgiveness from Joseph? What was wrong with this? Why did Joseph weep when he received the message from his brothers? What did Joseph mean by saying he was not in God's place? What is forgiveness? What is the relationship between forgiveness and retribution? (62 min)