Summary:
Although everyone is a sinner by nature and choice, some people who live according to the conscience God gave them do live moral lives in comparison to the average person. This would include religious people who do not have the Holy Spirit but live by moral laws in their religion’s teachings.
The problem is that moral people tend to make themselves the standard for morality, and then judge and look down on others as being morally inferior. The standard of morality is God and, in comparison to God, we are all sinners who need a Savior. Since pride is perhaps the worst sin of all, people who are proud of their morality are perhaps the worst sinners of all, as these were the arrogant religious types who killed Jesus thinking they were holy, and He was unholy.
People pursuing righteousness have three options. One, if you accept that you are an unrighteous sinner and do not believe anything can be done to change your status, you embrace your lot as a broken and bad person. Two, if you try to fix your unrighteousness by becoming a disciplined moral person, you fall into the trap of becoming self-righteous, which is just another form of being unrighteous. Three, if you accept that you are unrighteous, see Jesus Christ as the standard of righteousness, and accept His righteousness as a gift to you then you escape the traps of being unrighteous and self-righteous through His gift-righteousness.
Don’t forget to ask these 4 questions when reading the text:
Who is God?
What has He done?
Who are we?
What are we to do?
The following questions are intended to help individuals and groups learn Romans.
Please use these questions as tools and not rules. As the Holy Spirit guides your time in Scripture, and as you have discussion with others, the goal is not finishing all of the questions but rather meeting with God through learning the Bible. Consider this time more as a compass pointing you in a direction than a map that directs your every step
MC DISCUSSION QUESTIONS—ROMANS 2:1-4
1. In 2:1-3, Paul talks about the universal human problem to judge others without judging ourselves. Unlike our hypocrisy, God who is holy judges everyone by the same standards in total justice.
2. In 2:4, we are told that the reason people get away with sin is because God is working on them. How has this principle worked to change your life? Who are you frustrated with that God might be working on that you can give some kindness to?
3. Paul talks about “your hard...heart”. Have you had a time that your heart was simply just hard and unyielding about something with God?
4. Read 2:4 and share with one another how God’s loving patience has brought about some big changes in your life to encourage one another.
5. Who do you know that is living in rebellion and you are needing to extend them God’s patience in hope that their life course turns in repentance back to God and grace?
6. Paul compares and contrasts what God saves us from, and what God saves us to. What are some things God has saved you from, and what things has God saved you to that you can share to encourage one another?
7. If you are a Christian, Jesus endured the wrath of God so that you could enjoy the grace of God. Take a few moments to stop and simply thank Jesus Christ for all the things the Holy Spirit brings to mind that you have been saved from.