TextLab

Will and David are BACK for a new season of the Text Lab! On this episode, they take a look at Romans 4:1-8 and its significance as the summit of what chapters 1-3 have been building towards.
• In what ways does Romans 4:1-8 pick up where 1-3 left off?
• How does this text show the meaning of what desperate dependence is?
• What does Paul signify when he looks at Abraham and quotes David?

This week Will & Jake discuss Romans 3:8-20 and how God is right to judge the world because of each person's own sin. The depth of the law points us to look at our sin, and to turn from it towards Jesus in a desperate and dependent way.

• Why do you think Paul uses the Psalms the way he does in verses 12-18?
•  What is Paul’s main point of this text? 
• Why is it important that we have a right view of the Law?
• Why is God’s holiness so important for us?
• Having spent the past few months reflecting on our sin and depravity, how has it affected our spiritual lives?
• How have the first 3 chapters of Romans shaped your view of sin? 

This week David & Jake discuss Romans 3:1-8 and how God is faithful, even when we are unfaithful. When we recognize our true desperate dependence, we are able to respond in worship and humility while receiving the abundant grace of God’s love towards us.

• What does Paul mean when he says, “What if some are unfaithful? Will that affect God’s faithfulness?”
• How does it change our understanding of God to understand that He is always faithful, even if we are unfaithful? Is there a limit to His faithfulness?
• How does an understanding of our desperate dependence lead us into continual repentance and humility?

This week David and Jake discuss Romans 2:17-29 and how everyone is in need of the Gospel; nothing saves us except the work of Christ, who desires to bring about a transformation process in our hearts and lives.
Reflection Questions:

• When in your life did you realize that you were guilty before God and were going to be judged by the same standard as everyone else? At what point did you realize your need for the Gospel?
• What are some examples in our culture that indicate that we believe we will be judged differently from other people?
• What does the process of ongoing spiritual transformation (OST) look like in your life? 

This week, Will and David dig into Romans 2:12-16. Paul equalizes the early Roman church by helping them realize that all are guilty and in need of Christ’s forgiveness, and how everything in creation points to the existence of God and our need for a Savior.

Reflection Questions:

• What is the distinction between a hearer of the law and a doer for their context?
• How would you summarize what Paul is saying in this paragraph?
• How does your understanding of God’s judgment relate to your understanding and experience of God’s love and grace?
• How does living in a post-Christian post-modern society bring this text to life?

In this episode, Will and David unpack Romans 2:6-11 and Paul’s specific instruction to the Roman church that every person, no matter what background they come from, are desperate and dependent for Christ and need the power of the Gospel to transform their lives.

Reflection questions:

• What is the Big idea Paul is trying to express in this text?
• Paul describes two different types of people in v.7-10. In your own words, how does he describe those who will receive eternal life?
• What does the text tell us about the character of God?
• In what ways are you seeking the glory of God, His honor and the unfading joy and peace of His presence?

In this episode, Will and David unpack what it means “not to judge” and how God’s loving kindness leads us to live desperate, dependent, humble lives full of repentance.
For reflection:

• What is the difference between “not judging” and moral relativism? (i.e. live and let live)
• What is the difference between “love the sinner and hate the sin” vs. “love the sinner and hate my sin”?
• How does the loving kindness of God bring us into daily repentance before Him? 

In this episode, Will and David examine Paul's definition of sin, how sin is viewed in our world, and the way that Paul expresses that there is only one judge.
Reflection Questions:

• According to Paul, why is the wrath of God being revealed?
• What is the essence of the truth Paul tells us that people are suppressing?
• How do we have conversations about sin with yet to believe friends, neighbors, or coworkers? Where is the best place to start in these conversations?

In this episode Will and David unpack Paul's Thesis statement in Romans, how the gospel unifies believers and sends them to live on mission everyday.

Reflection Questions:

• Why is this text so important for the rest of the letter Paul writes to the Romans?
• How does this text unify us?
• How does this text encourage us to step into relationships with the yet to believe?

In this episode Will and David discuss Paul's love for the Romans, how the book is a missionary treatise, and how the Gospel unites all people. Communitas is a uniting of all different sorts of people that have a common Master and a common mission.
Reflection Questions:

• In your own words, why is Paul thankful for the believers in  Rome?
• What does Paul mean by “preach the gospel”?
• Over your life who do you think are the one or two people whose faith has most encouraged yours? What was it about their faith that helped to build your faith?