Romans: Righteous vs. Unrighteous Living
Last week, we learned that Paul’s desire to visit Rome stemmed from his eagerness to preach the Gospel. New and mature Christians both often forget what exactly the Gospel is, so this week will be a good reminder for us on living by the Gospel and the fruit that it brings into the lives of believers.
First, read Romans 1:16-32 and then journal through these questions:
In your own words, what is the Gospel? If you need a refresher, read this.
What is righteousness? You can find the Greek definition here.
Read Romans 1:16-17. What are the characteristics of righteous living?
Read Romans 1:18-32. What are the characteristics of unrighteous living?
What life choices caused the people to live unrighteously (verses 21-23)?
Let’s take this apart even further:
What does it mean to honor God as God (verse 21)? See also verse 28 about acknowledging God.
What does it mean to be futile in your thinking (verse 21)? Can you think of any examples of futile thinking in our society today?
Verse 24 starts with “Therefore,” which implies a result, so what was the result of the people’s behavior in verses 21-23?
A similar cause and effect structure follows in verses 26-27 and then in 28-31. Describe the behavior and choices of the people and the end result of such behaviors and choices.
Verse 32 speaks not only to people who lived unrighteously, but also those who gave approval to those who practiced such ways. What does it mean to approve of someone living an unrighteous life?
How can we obtain righteousness? Hint: here is what the Bible has to say about righteousness. Write down the Bible verses on righteousness that stood out most to you.
Reflect & Respond
What does this passage teach me about God?
How does this change the way I live?
Scripture to memorize
As a reminder, if you’d like to discuss the above study questions or ask other questions about what we’re reading, post it here and we’ll figure it out together!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yelena is the founder and editor in chief Tirzah. Yelena works as an attorney in tax and in her spare time, she is working on her first book for unmarried twenty-something women in extended waiting seasons and running Tirzah. She has a passion for pointing young women to Christ, and enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with her family.