LOOKING DEEPER: Calvin's Commentary on Romans

Are you enjoying working through the book of Romans?  There's a lot of theological depth and meat here.  If you are interested in looking deeper, consider checking out John Calvin's Commentary on Romans, available online for free!

BONUS COMIC: WWJD?

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: You Alone

THIS WEEK: Review Romans, Chapter 1-4

This week (October 4 thru November 10), please read Romans, chapter 1-4

If you want to read the chapters online, click here. (Free website Biblegateway.Com)

If you need any resources from these past chapters, they're still available on the original posts:

• Romans 1
• Romans 2
• Romans 3
• Romans 4

Study Tip: It's tempting to use review weeks to sit back and watch TV instead of studying the old material.  But these are key opportunities to solidify your knowledge of sections on which you are weak.  Take a moment to read thru the chapters and identify areas of weakness.  Then find someone to sit with and quiz through those rough spots.

Upcoming Events:
- November 23, Quiz Meet in Monroe, CT

CHAPTER REVIEW: Romans 8

If you'll miss practice this week we don't want you to miss out on the review of the chapter.  You can download Coach Mark's lesson by clicking here, or on the image below.

REFERENCE QUESTIONS: Romans 8

Remember, the full list of Reference Questions can always be found in the sidebar or at this link.

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:6, what is death?
ANSWER:  To set the mind on the flesh. (cf Rom 6:23)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:10, what is dead? 
ANSWER:  The body (cf Rom 8:10; Jas 2:17, 26)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:16, the Spirit himself what?
A. Bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (cf Rom 8:26)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:22, we know that what?
ANSWER:  The whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (cf Rom 2:2; 3:19; 6:6, 9; 7:14; 8:22, 28)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:26, the Spirit himself what?
ANSWER:  Intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:28, we know that what?
ANSWER:  For those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (cf Rom 2:2; 3:19; 6:6, 9; 7:14; 8:22, 28)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:32, he did not spare whom? 
ANSWER:  His own Son. (cf Rom 11:21)

QUESTION:  According to Romans 8:36, what is written?
ANSWER:  “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (cf cf Rom 1:17; 2:24; 3:4,10; 4:17; 8:36; 9:13,33: 10:15; 11:8,26; 12:19: 14:11; 15:3,9,21)

Reformation Day

Yesterday was not only a day for candy and costumes.  It was also "Reformation Day" - the anniversary of the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

Martin Luther was a monk and a theologian of the Catholic Church in the 1500s. He had struggled his whole life with overwhelming feelings of guilt and awareness of his own sinfulness. He finally was able to overcome this by studying the book of Romans, where he learned that salvation is a Free Gift and that Jesus Christ had already done everything required by God.  He was known for both his scholarly teaching of students, and his compelling sermons at the local church. 

Pope Leo X needed money to fund the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, so he sent out priests on a fund-raised selling "indulgences".  Indulgences were pieces of paper that could be bought to get loved ones who had died out of Hell and into Heaven.  (This Pope didn't start the practice.  It was well-established by this time.  But it had not been seen in Germany during Luther's lifetime.)  Some of the priests of the time were so zealous to sell indulgences that they used tactics that we'd associate with a "used car dealer" today.   

Luther was outraged to see people selling Christ's "free gift".  He put together his 95 Theses - a list of 95 statements of what Luther believed to be true - and nailed them to the door of the local church.  (This was a common practice of the time for advertisements.)  He intended to have a scholarly debate on the subject with other theologians.  But copied of his 95 These made their way to Rome, and the pope ordered that Luther be tried for heresy (i.e. teaching false things about the Bible and the Church). 

The trial and its results triggered the Reformation, whereby nations and churches broke away from the Catholic Church and formed the many denominations of Christianity we know today.