Romans 1:16-17
16
I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God for the
salvation of everyone who believes: first
for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
17
It’s Time to GROW
For in the gospel a righteousness from
God is revealed, a righteousness that is
by faith from first to last, just as it is
written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans Series
Study Guide
Lesson 3 The Central Theme of the Epistle
Romans 1:16-17
Introduction
We now come to the central theme of
the book of Romans – straight to the
point, not to be missed but
emphasized
and
remembered.
Stemming from an earnest desire
and eagerness to preach the gospel
in Rome which is predominantly
Gentile (Rom 1:15), Paul cited these
words
with
conviction. The
succeeding lessons will allow us to
chew on every word and to digest
the truth of the gospel. In order that
we Christians in the 21st century will
be able to be true to our identity –
representing Jesus Christ here on
earth in a world where the gospel is
not popular and those who believe in
it are mocked and persecuted. The
gospel is the very core of what we
believe in. We need to understand,
grasp and embrace what it truly
means. It is the key to victorious
living.
DISCOVER
START
Talk about “hiya” or feeling shame and embarrassment.
When are those times you see this happen?
STUDY PART 1
Read Romans 1:16-17 and answer the following questions:
1. What is the gospel according to verse 16?
2. How did the power of God manifest in your life when you
responded to the gospel?
3. What do you think does “first for the Jew, then for the
Gentile” mean?
4. What kind of righteousness is described in verse 17?
5. Knowing the truth about the gospel, why is it important to
not be ashamed of it?
DIG
STUDY PART 2 (optional)
1. Examine the following verses on how Paul
further defines the gospel: I Corinthians 15:1-5;
Philippians 1:12-16,27; Colossians 1:15-23.
2. Examine the following verses where the “The
righteous will live by faith” is quoted: Habakkuk
2:4, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:36-38.
3. Examine the following verses that talk about the
importance of not being ashamed of the gospel:
Mark 8:38 and 2 Timothy 1:8,12.
(Women) When are those times that you seem to rely
on yourself to be righteous, to be good or to gain
approval? How does the “righteous live by faith” mean
to you?
(Men) How does strongly believing in something
impact the way you live? What is the gospel’s impact in
your life?
(Married/Couple) How can your marriage show that as
a couple you are not ashamed of the gospel?
(Seniors) What does it mean to experience the power of
God in your life? How have you experienced His power
in your spiritual life?
SHARE
(Youth) Do you feel ashamed to talk about Jesus to
your friends or classmates? Why or why not? How
does this lesson help you talk about Him more?
(Single Adult) How do earthly riches, success and
prestige compare to salvation? How can we pursue
what matters in life?
SAVOR
Journal what you have learned and how to apply it
in your life through the 4 Objectives of the Growth
Group:
_____________________________________________________________________
Prepared by GCF Growth Group Ministry
References
Baker, Kenneth L. (Gen Ed). NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.
Moo, Douglas. The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996.
Stott, John R. W. The Message of Romans: God’s good news for the world. Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
Walvoord, John F. & Zuck, Roy B. (Eds) The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Cook
Communications Ministries, 2000.
Zondervan NASB Exhaustive Concordance by the Lockman Foundation. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
ZondervanPublishingHouse, 2000.
To Grow in Outreach
Who do you need to share the gospel to? What can you say or
do so that the person/s will feel the love of God?
To Grow in God’s Word
What key words/phrases did you learn or encouraged you?
What do you need to remember? How will you practice it this
week?
To Grow in Worship
Write down a prayer declaring the truths you have learned
and what you can commit to God as an action point.
To Grow in Relationships
Who needs to be encouraged by the lesson today? What will
you tell him/her? What can you do for him/her?