WARM-UP Questions

1. When is a time that you have experienced reconciliation with another person? What was that like?
2. How much more exciting is the news that we have been reconciled with God?
   

READ Romans 5:1-8

1. What does it mean to have peace with God? How has this peace been made possible?
2. Can you think of a time in your life in which knowing the peace of God has been transformational?
3. What does it mean to ‘stand in the grace of God’? What are the effects of grace that we experience?
4. How can you recognise more – everyday wherever you most spend your time – that it is in this grace that you stand?
5. In verse 2, what does Paul tell us that we boast in? What does he actually mean by ‘boast’? How is this type of boasting completely different to the typical idea of ‘boasting’?
6. How can it be possible to ‘glory’ or ‘boast’ in our sufferings? Does this mean that suffering is good? Why or why not?
7. How does looking to God – and being aware of the hope that we have – radically transform the fruit of our suffering? How have you known this to be true in your life?
8. To what degree has God’s love been poured out in us? What does this amazing news mean to you? How does this differ to the human standard of love that we experience?
9. What is the evidence of God’s love having been poured out in such a radical and complete way? Why is it so important to recognise that we haven’t earned, nor deserve, God’s love?
10. As you reflect on the extent and character of God’s love, how does that inspire you to respond to God and live differently?
    

READ Romans 5:9-11

1. What does it mean to have been transformed from ‘enemies’ of God to being reconciled to him?
2. What are the promises of God for the future that we can be confident in? How does that transform the way that you live and the difficulties that we face?
3. What is the basis and grounds of our confidence for the future?

APPLY (this week): What is one way that you can boast in God this week?

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Video

• ‘Prof. N.T Wright’s Exposition of Romans 5:1-11’ by N.T Wright
• ‘Peace with God’ by Erica Hammence

Audio

• 'Cross, The Way of Endurance’ by Tim Keller
• ‘Peace with God’ by Richard Coekin
• ‘The Peace of God’ by Andrew Price
• ‘Romans 5:1-11’ by Luke Nelson
• ‘The Great Assurance’ by Phillip Jensen

Helpful Books and Articles

• ‘Study and Exposition of Romans 5:1-11’ by Greg Herrick
• ‘What is Justification? What does it mean to be justified?’ from gotquestions.com
• Romans (Read, Mark, Learn Series) by William Taylor (St Helens Bishopsgate
• Romans (The Story of God Bible Commentary Series) by Michael Bird

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