Romans 12:14-16 Paul continues in these verses his "do list" of Christian character qualities. What is the important distinction we must keep in mind when considering the subject of relating to wrong doers? First in this section is his instruction of how we respond to persecution. How is this relevant to us today? What does it mean to bless them? What does it mean to curse them? What is the significance of Paul's repetition? What are two important examples of the principle of weeping with those who weep? What is the real need that someone who is encountering great suffering have? How is rejoicing with those who rejoice sometimes more of a challenge than weeping with those who weep? Why are we often reluctant to rejoice with those who rejoice? Why is it important to the blessed person that we rejoice with them? What does Paul mean by being of one mind? What are the two possible meanings of his instruction regarding the lowly? (50 min)

Keywords Persecution, Suffering, Rejoicing, One Mind, Humility

Romans 12:9-13 In this passage Paul begins to list for us a number of things that the renewed mind will discover are God's will. Why does the Holy Spirit give us lists like this to consider? What should we do with such lists? Paul begins with the basic truth of love. What is hypocritical love? Why are we to avoid it? What are some misconceptions about agape love? What is our tendency regarding our attitude toward evil? How is love within the church to be characterized? What are two ways to look at Paul's command regarding honoring others? What often happens to our diligence in the things of God? What is the peril of fervency or zeal? What enables us to rejoice in difficult circumstances? What does Paul mean to fellowship with the needs of the saints? (70 min)

Keywords Love, Zeal, Honor, Diligence, Giving, Hospitality

Romans 12:3-8 The first area Paul addresses where our renewed minds can discern the will of God is the area of spiritual gifts. How did Paul know that the Roman believers needed to be instructed in this area? What was the source of Paul's exhortation in these verses? What are the ways in which we think more highly of ourselves in this subject of spiritual gifts? What are we really saying when we deem our spiritual gift to be unimportant or that it can be neglected? What is Paul referring to when he speaks of the allotment of the measure of faith? What is the "analogy of faith?" What are the three things we learn in the analogy of the church to the human body? In Paul's list of gifts, what are the three things he is exhorting us to do with these gifts? What is the difference between gifts, ministries, and effects? What clue do we get in this chapter to how we can discover what our spiritual gift is? (61 min)

Keywords Gifts, Transform

Romans 12:2 In this verse we discover how we are to go about fulfilling the admonition of the previous verse to be a living sacrifice to God. What does the word conform mean? How does the idea of a schematic diagram help us understand this verse? What are some of the ways in which the world pressures us to conform? What are some of the areas in which the world's idea of how we ought to live differs from God's will? When Paul goes on to contrast how we ought to be, he does not use a term that would be opposite of conforming. What is wrong with being a non-conformist? What is the sense of the word transform which Paul uses? What are the acting agents that cause us to be conformed or transformed? What is the "formula" for knowing the will of God? What are the characteristics of God's will that enable us to identify it? (63 min)

Keywords World, Conform, Transform