Thursday, July 15, 2010

Death and Slavery -- The Christian Life!

Have each person in the group describe (in just a few sentences) what it means to "live the Christian life."

Romans 6 is all about "living the Christian" life. In this chapter, Paul uses two pictures to help us understand what it means to live as someone who has been justified by Jesus' work on the cross. The first picture is the picture of death, the second picture is the picture of slavery.

Read Romans 6:3-11. What do you like about these verses? What is confusing about these verses? What is the "main idea" of these verses?

What do you think it means to "die with Jesus"? How does the act of baptism symbolize this death?

If our death in Christ is the end of our old way of life, what kind of things are we now "dead" to?

Having been buried with Christ, we share in his resurrection also. How should our life be different because of the resurrection?

Look at verses 11 and 14. How would you restate these ideas in your words?

Read Romans 6:16-23. What do you like about these verses? What is confusing about these verses? What is the "main idea" of these verses?

Verse 16 talks about two masters, one of which we choose to obey. Give some specific examples of how we might choose or reject each of these slave masters.

Verses 20-22 talk about the "fruit" of obeying each master. If everyone is destined to die, why does Paul say obedience to sin leads to death while obedience to righteousness leads to eternal life? Don't we all die?

How can an "eternal perspective" help someone as they "live the Christian life"?

What is something you are going to think more about this week as a result of this discussion? Is there a clear step you want to take?

How can this group pray for you?

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