Wednesday Night, January 21, 2004  

 

 

Describe your dream boss. What would that person be like? 

How would he/she treat you? 

 

Describe your nightmare boss. What would that person be like? How would he/she treat you? 

When you think of the concept of “grace abuse,” what are your initial thoughts as to how we abuse grace? 

 

 

Read Romans 5 – 7 concentrating on the “grace” principles that Paul addresses in this important letter. Note some of the comparisons Paul makes between the “old” and “new” man.  

 

Romans Then (Now)

5:6 Powerless (Empowered) 

5:8 Enemies Reconciled (made friends) 

5:16 Condemned (Justified)

6:4 Buried with Christ (Raised to new life) 

6:13 Instruments of wickedness (Instruments of righteousness) 

6:16 Slaves to sin, which leads to death (Slave to obedience, which leads to righteousness) 

6:19 In slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness (In slavery to righteousness leading to holiness) 

6:23 The wages of sin is death (The gift of God is eternal life)

7:4, 5 Bear fruit for death (Bear fruit to God)

7:6 Old way of the written code (New way of the Spirit) 

 

 

How does Romans 6:1-14 answer the question, "If grace increases in proportion, why not sin more?"  How does Paul use the contrast of dying and living to help answer this question?  How does verse 13 suggest a way to remain dead to sin and alive to God: "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness"? 

 

Paul suggest in Romans 6:15-23 that we have to decide what form of slavery we will live under.  How would you explain this concept of slavery to someone you were trying to witness to?  What are some examples you could use to help the person understand the idea?  What does Paul mean by what he says in verse 19 "I have put this in human terms"?  

What is the significance of Paul’s usage of marriage as an illustration of not being held to the “old way of the written code” (Rom. 7:1-6)? What is the “new way of the Spirit” that frees us to respond to God’s saving grace differently?   

 

 

 

Is sin enjoyable? Knowing that grace is free and available, do you ever indulge in sin thus “abusing” grace?  

 

Jude warns against changing “the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 4). Why do we crave boundaries, yet crave to break them? 

Have you learned something about grace tonight you wish to share? Do you have questions about grace that have arisen from our discussion tonight?  

 

 

 

Pay attention to your actions this week. Note the times this week that you respond to situations with any thought of “loopholes.”  

The “catch” to receiving the grace of God calls for a response of repentance that opens the doorway to grace. Allow the group to experience this by offering a period for members to confess and share in prayer time.