The Regular Guys Bible Study

Send us Fan Mail

Ken and Steve conclude their study of Romans with chapter 16, exploring Paul's final greetings and warnings to the Roman church.

• Recognition of women in ministry, including Phoebe who served as a deacon
• The significance of Priscilla and Aquila as a husband-wife ministry team
• Paul's personal connection to many believers shows his investment in relationships
• Warning against those who cause divisions through smooth talk and flattery
• The importance of reading Scripture to avoid being deceived
• Cultural context of greeting with a "holy kiss"
• Paul's signature doxology that brings glory to God

Come back for our next study on First Thessalonians after a short one-week break!

Send us Fan Mail

Diving into Romans 15, we explore the relationship between strong and weak believers and how Christ exemplifies bearing others' burdens rather than pleasing ourselves.

• Scripture teaches that strong believers should support those who are weaker in faith
• The Old Testament remains essential for Christian growth and understanding
• Everything written in Scripture was designed to teach us and give us hope
• Christ's example shows us how to put others before ourselves
• Unity among believers is crucial despite personal differences or annoyances
• Each Christian has a unique "priestly duty" assigned by God
• Paul's missionary strategy focused on reaching places where Christ wasn't known
• We should listen during quiet time to discover our specific calling
• Paul faced real dangers in his ministry but remained committed
• Praying for safety and protection in ministry work is appropriate and biblical

We encourage you to reflect this week on what specific "priestly duty" God might be calling you to fulfill in His kingdom, and to practice intentional listening during your quiet times.

Send us Fan Mail

Ken and Steve explore Romans 14, examining how Christians should handle disputable matters and differences in faith convictions without judgment or contempt. They wrestle with Paul's teaching on accommodating those with "weaker faith" while maintaining personal freedom in Christ.

• Paul instructs believers not to quarrel over "disputable matters" like food choices and observing special days
• Our personal freedom in Christ should never cause another believer to stumble in their faith
• Both those who eat anything and those who abstain are seeking to honor the Lord in their actions
• We should ask if our actions might offend others rather than assuming our freedoms trump their convictions
• The burden lies with the "stronger" believer to accommodate those with more restrictive convictions
• Personal convictions about disputable matters should be kept between yourself and God
• Everything that doesn't come from faith is sin, meaning actions against one's conscience are sinful for them
• The Kingdom of God isn't about food and drink but about righteousness, peace, and joy

Join us next week as we continue our study with Romans 15, the penultimate chapter in our journey through this powerful epistle.

Send us Fan Mail

Ken and Steve explore Romans 13, examining how Christians should navigate the tension between biblical submission to authorities and faithfulness to God's higher commands. They unpack Paul's teaching about government, debt, love, and spiritual armor through both historical context and personal application.

• Understanding when to submit to authorities and when to prioritize God's commands
• Exploring biblical examples like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who disobeyed rulers
• Distinguishing between personal disobedience and organized rebellion against authorities
• Examining what it means to "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love"
• Connecting the "armor of light" with Paul's teaching on the armor of God in Ephesians
• Discussing the contrast between behaviors done in darkness versus living in the light
• Recognizing our need to clothe ourselves with Christ rather than gratify fleshly desires

Read Romans 14 before next week's episode and join us as we continue our journey through Paul's letter to the Romans.

Send us Fan Mail

The transition from doctrine to practice begins as we discuss how offering our bodies as living sacrifices is our true act of worship and the key to knowing God's will.

• Being transformed by the renewal of our minds through Scripture helps align our thinking with God's
• Spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit but may build on natural abilities or be developed over time
• We must love sincerely, not just pretending to care about others but genuinely caring
• Christians should associate with people of low position, regardless of how they came to be there
• Leaving room for God's wrath means not taking revenge into our own hands
• We overcome evil with good, not to embarrass others but to genuinely show Christ's love
• Peace with others should be our goal "as far as it depends on us" though it's not always possible

Text us through Buzzsprout or leave comments at https://theregularguysbs.kas-m.com . We'd love to hear from you!

Send us Fan Mail

https://theregularguysbs.kas-m.com

Ken and Steve dive into Romans 11, exploring God's complex relationship with Israel and the inclusion of Gentiles in His redemptive plan. They wrestle with difficult theological questions while maintaining their approachable "regular guys" perspective.

• Paul explains that God has not rejected the Jewish people, using himself as evidence
• The concept of a "remnant chosen by grace" shows God's continued work among faithful Jews
• The olive tree metaphor illustrates how Gentiles are "grafted in" where unbelieving Jews were "broken off"
• Warning against Gentile arrogance toward Jews, as God can remove the grafted branches too
• Discussion of whether this passage suggests believers can lose salvation
• Paul reveals that Israel's hardening is temporary until "the full number of Gentiles comes in"
• The mystery that "all Israel will be saved" once Gentiles have been brought into God's family
• Understanding that God's gifts and calling to Israel are irrevocable
• Celebrating God's wisdom in His plan to show mercy to all through the doxology

Next week we'll be studying Romans chapter 12. Read it beforehand so you can follow along with our discussion!

Send us Fan Mail

We examine Romans 10, exploring how salvation comes through faith in Christ rather than through human efforts or adherence to the law. This chapter reveals the critical distinction between seeking righteousness through our own actions versus receiving it through belief in Christ's death and resurrection.

• Paul expresses his desire for Israel's salvation while acknowledging their misguided zeal
• Christ is the culmination of the law, providing righteousness for everyone who believes
• Salvation doesn't require extraordinary efforts—Christ has already come and risen from the dead
• The powerful formula: declare with your mouth and believe in your heart to be saved
• The universal availability of salvation to both Jews and Gentiles who call on the Lord
• The importance of gospel messengers—people cannot believe what they haven't heard
• Faith comes through hearing the message about Christ
• God continues to reach out to the disobedient and obstinate
• Christians often unconsciously seek righteousness through works rather than faith

Join us next time as we continue our study with Romans chapter 11. Visit our website at http://theregularguysbs.kas-m.com to leave comments and suggest future books to study.

Send us Fan Mail

Ken and Steve dive into Romans 9, exploring Paul's profound declaration that he would sacrifice his salvation for his fellow Israelites and the complex theological questions about God's sovereign election.

• Paul expresses his deep sorrow for unbelieving Israel, saying he would be willing to be "cursed and cut off from Christ" for his people's salvation
• Not all physical descendants of Israel are spiritual Israel – God's promises come through the children of promise, not merely physical lineage
• God's choice of Jacob over Esau before their birth demonstrates election based on God's sovereign will, not human works
• The tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility challenges our understanding of salvation
• We must live as though our choices matter while recognizing God's ultimate control
• The Jews stumbled over the "stumbling stone" (Christ) because they pursued righteousness through works rather than faith
• God works purposefully in our lives like a potter forming clay, even through difficult circumstances

Join us next week for Romans 10!

Send us Fan Mail

We explore Romans 8:18-39, unpacking how our present sufferings cannot compare to the glory that awaits us, and examining the biblical concept of hope as confident expectation rather than wishful thinking.

• Creation itself groans like childbirth pains, awaiting liberation from decay
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans when we don't know how to pray
• God works all things together for good for those who love Him
• The challenging concept of predestination exists alongside human free will
• Nothing can separate believers from God's love – not hardship, persecution, or death
• We are "more than conquerors" through Christ who loved us
• Troubles in this life don't mean God has abandoned us

Join us next week as we tackle Romans chapter 9. Don't forget to share your thoughts on predestination and God's sovereignty at http://theregularguysbs.kas-m.com !

Send us Fan Mail

Ken and Steve dive into Romans 8:1-17, exploring the profound contrast between living according to the flesh versus living by the Spirit, and what it means to be free from condemnation through Christ Jesus.

• The chapter begins with "no condemnation" for those in Christ Jesus
• Living by the flesh versus living by the Spirit is a daily choice we must make
• Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh but remained sinless
• Our sinful nature remains with us throughout life, but we can choose not to be ruled by it
• Different seasons of life bring different temptations and struggles
• As believers, we have an obligation to live by the Spirit
• The Spirit brings adoption to sonship, allowing us to call God "Abba, Father"
• Being co-heirs with Christ means sharing both in his sufferings and his glory
• True suffering for Christ comes from carrying the gospel, not from consequences of our own choices

Read Romans 8:1-17 before listening to get the most from this episode, and join us next week as we continue with the second half of Romans 8.

https://theregularguysbs.kas-m.com/wp/