Discussion Questions
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In his letter to the Romans, how does Paul justify that the Jewish people should accept Christ?
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He first shares about the gentiles need for redemption because of not having the law and then shares that the Jewish people also are sinful. This shows how all are sinful and that all need to be redeemed by Christ.
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He reminds the Jewish people that ALL are sinners and are separated from God, so the only justification available to them is faith in Christ. Their circumcision and keeping the law is not what saves them, but instead it is by recognizing the inward truth that they are sinners, repenting of their sinfulness, confessing their sin and recognizing their need of the Savior, and putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Redeemer.
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Paul establishes the universal sinfulness of humanity. Then he gives the clear plan of salvation — that we are only justified by faith in Christ.
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Paul quotes the Old Testament often to show that Jesus has fulfilled the Law and that He is the only way to salvation. That is why Jews need to accept Jesus as Christ.
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The Jews lived by the letter of the Law. They were so intently waiting and watching for the Messiah that they did not recognize Christ. To the Jew, following the Law was the way to eternal life. Paul pointed out that only acceptance of the Messiah grants eternity in Heaven.
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What similarities and differences does Paul point out between Adam and Jesus Christ? (Recall Romans 5:12-21.) What is the significance of these observations?
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Both Adam and Jesus were men, though Jesus was both God and man. Adam brought sin into the world, but Jesus redeemed the world from sin. It is a beautiful passage using poetic language to show our redemption relating to the beginning of the world.
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The main similarity is that ONE man affected all. Adam was one man who brought sin and condemnation into the world. Jesus Christ was also one man (God incarnate) who affected all mankind but, and herein lies the difference, Jesus brought salvation and the gift of righteousness into the world. One man brought sin and death whilst another brought hope and life. The significance is the contrast between life and death.
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Death came through Adam and everyone is born into sin, but life came through Jesus Christ for all who believe in His death and resurrection. Both Adam and Jesus lived as humans, but Adam sinned, and Jesus was perfect and never sinned.
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Paul points out that both men were individual men that acted in certain ways that affected the entire human race. In each case one particular action namely Adam’s original sin and Christ’s atoning death was key that influenced those who would follow them. The dissimilarities Adam’s action, sin one sin. Christ’s action, salvation for many sins. All heirs of Adam were condemned, and not all of humanity will automatically be saved in Christ, but rather those who are in Christ because they have accepted the gift of eternal life, therefore rightly related to Him.
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Paul points out that some similarities are that they are both individual men and with both of them their actions affected the entire human race. They also both had one action in their lifetime that was a big action that had an effect on all humans. The differences were that one sinned and the other was sinless and came to forgive our sins. One gave us te definition for condemnation while the other saved us from condemnation through salvation.