Romans Outline

I've been here for over a year now and never posted any of my assignments. I have decided that it's time. You get to hear all about the time that goes into them, but you haven't actually SEEN any of them. I doubt you'll be able to get through it all, which is fine, but I thought I'd show you the gist of what I do. This is my Romans outline over chapters 6-8. It's not perfect, just let me preface by saying that. It's flawed. But it took me a good 9 hours to get to this point, so I'm going to leave it for now and work on something else...like my Daniel/Revelation timeline that will also probably take me a good 9 hours. Woohoo. Okay, so here it is....

Terms:
Non-routine

Grace (6:1)
United (6:5)
Crucified (6:6)
Reign (6:12)
Impurity (6:19)
Lawlessness (6:20)
Enslaved (6:22)
Jurisdiction (7:1)
Released (7:6)
Bound (7:6)
Deceived (7:11)
Spiritual (7:14)
Bondage (7:14)
Dwells (7:17)
Wretched (7:24)
Condemnation (8:1)
Flesh (8:3)
Offering (8:3)
Set (8:6)
Peace (8:6)
Hostile (8:7)
Subject (8:7)
Dwells (8:11)
Obligation (8:12)
Adoption (8:15)
Testifies (8:16)
Heirs (8:17)
Sufferings (8:18)
Glory (8:18)
Revealing (8:19)
Futility (8:20)
Hope (8:20)
Slavery (8:21)
Corruption (8:21)
Perseverance (8:25)
Intercedes (8:26)
Foreknew (8:29)
Predestined (8:30)
Justified (8:30)
Glorified (8:30)
Delivered (8:32)
Elect (8:33)
Condemns (8:34)
Tribulation (8:35)
Distress (8:35)
Persecution (8:35)
Peril (8:35)
Conquer (8:37)
Principalities (8:38)
Powers (8:38)
Separate (8:39)


Repeated
Died/death (6:2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 11, 13, 16, 21, 23) (7:2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 13, 24) (8:3, 6, 10, 11, 11, 13, 13, 34, 36, 38)
With Him/Christ (6:3, 5, 6, 78, 8)
Sin (6:1, 2, 6, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23) (7:7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 13, 13, 13, 14, 17, 20, 23) (8:2, 3, 3, 3, 10)
Present yourselves/members (6:13, 13, 16, 19, 19)
Slaves (6:6, 16, 16, 17, 18, 19, 19, 20, 22)
Live/Life (6:2, 8, 10, 10, 10, 23) (7:1, 2, 3)
Righteousness (6:13, 16, 18, 19, 20)
Law (6:14, 15) (7:1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 9, 9, 12, 14, 16, 16, 22, 23, 23, 23, 25, 25) (8:2, 2, 3, 3, 7)
I/me (7:7, 7, 9, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 19, 19, 20, 20, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 24, 25)
Good (7:12, 16, 18, 19, 21)
In Christ (6:11) (8:2, 10, 11, 39)
Spirit (8:2, 4, 5, 5, 6, 9, 9, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12,3, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 23, 26, 26, 27)
Flesh (7:18, 25) (8:3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 12, 13)
Mind Set (8:5, 6, 6, 7)
God (8:3, 7, 7, 8, 9, 11, 11, 11, 14, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 27, 28, 28, 31, 33, 33, 34, 39)
According to (8:4, 4, 5, 5, 12, 12)
Hope (8:20, 24, 24, 24, 24, 25)
Waiting eagerly (8:19, 23, 25)
Groan (8:22, 23, 26)
Love (8:35, 37, 39)
Intercedes (8:26, 27, 34)

Cause and effects
Sin = grace increases (6:1)
Baptized into Christ = baptized into His death (6:3)
Christ raised from the dead = we can walk in newness of life (6:4)
United with Him in likeness of death = united with him in resurrection (6:5)
Old self was crucified with him = body of sin done away with = no longer slaves to sin (6:6)
Died to sin = freed from sin (6:7)
Died with Christ = live with Him (6:8)
Raised from dead = death no longer master (6:9)
Dead to sin = alive to God (6:11)
Sin reign = obey its lusts (6:12)
Slaves of sin = death (6:16)
Slaves of obedience = righteousness (6:16)
Freed from sin = slave to righteousness (6:18)
Present self as slave to impurity = lawlessness (6:19)
Present self as slave to righteousness = sanctification (6:19)
Sanctification = eternal life (6:22)
Wages of sin = death (6:23)
Gift of God = eternal life (6:23)
Alive = law has jurisdiction (7:1)
Husband dies = released from law (7:2)
Joined to a man with living husband = adultery (7:3)
Died to Law = joined to another = produce fruit for God (7:4)
Sinful passions aroused by law = fruit for death (7:5)
Released from Law = serve in newness of spirit (7:6)
Law = reveals sin (7:7)
Sin alive = my death (7:9)
Commandment = death (7:10)
Sin = deceived = killed (7:11)
Law in members of body = prisoner of law of sin (7:23)
In Christ = no condemnation (8:1)
Law of Spirit of Life = free from law of sin and death (8:2)
Sent Son as offering for sin = condemned sin in flesh = requirement of law fulfilled (8:3-4)
Walk according to flesh = set mind on things of flesh (8:5)
Walk according to Spirit = set mind on things of Spirit (8:5)
Mind on flesh = death (8:6)
Mind on spirit = life and peace (8:6)
Mind on flesh = does not subject itself to law of God (8:7)
No Spirit in Him = does not belong to God (8:9)
Christ in you = body is dead = spirit is alive (8:10)
Have spirit swelling in you = life to your mortal bodies (8:11)
Live according to the flesh = death (8:13)
Putting to death deeds of body by spirit = life (8:13)
Led by Spirit of God = son of God (8:14)
Children of God = heirs with God and Christ (8:17)
Suffer with Him = glorified with Him (8:17)
Creation waits = revealing of sons of God (8:19)
Creation subjected to futility = set free from slavery to corruption (8:20-21)
In hope = saved (8:24)
Don’t know how to pray = Spirit intercedes (8:26)
Foreknew = predestined to be conformed to image of His Son (8:29)



Comparisons and Contrasts
Death/Life (6:4)
Law/Grace (6:14)
Death/Righteousness (6:16)
Lawlessness/ Righteousness (6:19)
Death/eternal life (6:23)
Wages/Free gift (6:23)
Fruit for God/Fruit for death (7:4-5)
Newness of spirit/oldness of the letter (7:6)
Good/Death (7:13)
Good/Evil (7:19)
Mind serving law of God/ flesh serving law of sin (7:25)
Law of Spirit of life in Christ/ Law of sin and death (8:2)
Law could not/God could (8:3)
Walk according to flesh/Walk according to spirit (8:4)
Death/Life and Peace (8:6)
Flesh is hostile toward God/cannot please God (8:7-8)
Body dead/spirit alive (8:10)
Spirit of slavery/spirit of adoption (8:15)
Suffer/glorified (8:17)
Slavery/Freedom (8:21)
Hope/Wait eagerly (8:25)
Justifies/Condemns (8:33-34)

Lists
With Him
Died (6:8)
Buried (6:4)
United (6:5)
Crucified (6:6)
Live (6:8)
Law (7:12)
Holy
Righteous
Good
True of believers
Died to sin (6:2)
Baptized into his death (6:3)
Buried with him into death (6:4)
Raised to walk in newness of life (6:4)
United with him in death (6:5)
United in His resurrection (6:5)
Old self crucified with Him (6:6)
No longer slaves to sin (6:7)
Died with Christ so live with Him (6:8)
Still have flesh (6:19)
Our relationship to Law
Released from (7:4)
Died to it (7:4)
Free from it (7:3)
Why died to Law?
Joined to Another (7:4)
Bear fruit for God (7:4)
Relationship between sin and Law made death only way (7:5)
Those walking according to the flesh
Set minds on flesh (8:5)
Death (8:6)
Hostile toward God (8:7)
Doesn’t subject itself to law of God (8:7)
Cannot please God (8:8)
Those walking according to Spirit
Requirement of law fulfilled in us (8:4)
Set mind on things of spirit (8:5)
Brings life and peace (8:6)
Spirit of God dwells in us (8:8)
Life to mortal bodies (8:11)
Put to death deeds of body (8:13)
Son of God (8:14)
Spirit
Intercedes (8:26)
Helps our weakness (8:26)
Testifies (8:16)
Dwells in us (8:11)
Puts to death deeds of body (8:13)
Gives life to our mortal bodies (8:11)
What we can conquer through Him (8:35)
Tribulation
Distress
Persecution
Famine
Nakedness
Peril
Sword
Believers (Ch. 8)
Foreknown (29)
Predestined (29)
Will be Conformed (29)
Called (30)
Justified (30)
Glorified (30)
Elect (33)
Christ intercedes for (34)
Can’t be separated from God’s love (35)

Outline Romans 6:1-8:39

I. Freed from the Authority of Sin (6:1-23)
A. Shouldn’t sin so grace can increase (6:1-2)
1. Died to sin
2. Cannot live in what we are dead to
B. Identification with Christ (6:3-10)
1. Baptized into His death
a. Body of sin is done away with
b. No longer slaves to sin
c. Freed from sin
2. Buried with Christ
3. Raised to walk in newness of life
a. Never to die again
b. Death is no longer master
c. Live to God
C. Present yourselves to God as alive from the dead (6:11-23)
1. Choose righteousness
a. Consider self dead to sin and alive to God
b. Don’t let sin reign
c. Don’t obey sin’s lusts
d. Present self as alive from dead
e. Present your members as instruments as righteousness
2. Under Grace
a. Not under law
b. Sin no longer master
c. Grace doesn’t give us freedom to sin as we wish
3. Slaves to Sin
a. Impure and lawless
b. Free in regard to righteousness
c. Outcome is death
4. Slaves to Righteousness
a. Commanded to present self as such
b. Freed from sin
c. Enslaved to God
d. Results in sanctification, which results in eternal life
II. Set free from Law and joined to Christ (7:1-13)
A. Law in Marriage (7:1-3)
1. Bound to husband in life; cannot remarry
2. Released from husband in death
a. Free to marry another if husband dies
b. Must wait until death or is an adulterer
B. Bearing Fruit (7:4-6)
1. Died to the Law
a. Under the law in the flesh
b. Law aroused sinful passions to bear fruit for death
2. Joined to Christ
a. To bear fruit for God
b. Now serve in newness of Spirit
C. Law and sin in us (7:7-13)
1. Law
a. Was to result in life
b. Holy, righteous, and good
c. Reveals sin
2. Sin
a. Dead apart from the Law
b. Uses the Law to produce more sin
c. Always results in death
d. Deceives and kills
e. Is utterly sinful shown by commandments
III. Helpless on our own for deliverance from sin (7:14-25)
A. Two Natures (7:14-23)
1. Flesh
a. Sold into bondage to sin
b. Practice what self hates
c. Nothing good dwells in
d. Cannot produce good
e. Present within
f. Makes prisoner to way of sin in members
2. New Man
a. Desires to do good
b. Does not understand why can’t do good
c. Concurs with law of God
B. Desire to be set free (7:24-25)
1. Cannot set self free
2. Thanks to Christ
IV. Christ is the only answer for deliverance from sin (8:1-4)
A. In Christ (8:1-2)
1. No condemnation
2. Set free from Law of sin and death
3. Now under Spirit of life
B. What Law couldn’t do, God did (8:3-4)
1. Sent son in likeness of flesh
a. As an offering for sin
b. To condemn sin in flesh
2. Fulfilled requirement of Law in us
V. Walk according to truth (8:5-39)
A. Two ways to walk (8:5-8)
1. According to the flesh
a. Set mind on things of flesh
b. Death
c. Hostile toward God
d. Doesn’t subject self to law of God
e. Cannot please God
2. According to the Spirit
a. Set mind on things of Spirit
b. Life
c. Peace
B. Those in the Spirit (8:9-13)
1. God dwells in Him
2. Body is dead because of sin
3. Spirit is alive because of righteousness
4. Have life from Spirit that dwells in them
5. No obligation to live according to the flesh
a. Flesh must die
b. Spirit puts to death deeds of flesh
C. Sons of God (8:14-18)
1. Those led by Spirit of God
2. Received spirit of adoption, not fear
3. Spirit testifies that we are God’s children
a. If children, then heirs of God and Christ
b. Glorified with him if suffer with Him
4. Will be revealed as sons of God in glory
D. Hope of creation (8:19-25)
1. Waits for revealing of sons of God
2. Longs to be set free from corruption
3. Groans and suffers until glory revealed
4. We await our adoption as sons
a. In hope
b. Persevere and wait eagerly
E. Holy Spirit (8:26-27)
1. Helps our weakness
2. Intercedes for us according to God’s will as we do not know how to pray
3. Searches hearts
F. God’s purpose (8:28-30)
1. Work all things together for good
a. For those who love Him
b. Who he foreknew
i. Predestined
ii. Called
iii. Justified
iv. Glorified
2. Conform us to His Son’s image
G. Love of God (8:31-39)
1. For us
a. Gave Son on our behalf
b. Freely gives us all things
2. Causes us to stand un-condemned
a. God justifies, Christ condemns
b. Christ intercedes on our behalf
3. Nothing can separate us
a. Death
b. Life
c. Angels
d. Principalities
e. Things present
f. Things future
g. Power
h. Height
i. Depth
j. Any other created thing
4. Enables us to conquer in all things


Summary
Paul previously told us how we have been justified by faith in Christ. Now he goes on to explain our sanctification. He first tells us how we are freed from the authority of sin. Then he shows us the importance of having died to the Law and sin so that we could be joined to Christ and grace. We then learn that there is a battle within believers between the flesh in us and our new nature and we are powerless to do anything about it. But thanks be to God, who has conquered sin for us! In Christ we have been set free and in Him alone is the power over sin and death. He has given us His life in us and we are to walk in the Spirit in us and when we are, we will not walk in the flesh. This section gives us hope in the struggle against sin and confidence in our security in Christ. Paul began by showing us our depravity and then how God provided for our justification, and now has told us how to live a life pleasing to Him. We know that it is apart from the Law. It also sets us up for the next section, which will be on Israel and Paul’s desire to see them know and walk in these truths.

Whew! It's been a long couple of weeks. It's been busy and hard to find some time to write, but it's really been on my mind that I needed to update this so here I am! :)

First off, after the last post that I put up here, God constantly has been bombarding me with this idea of rest and a reminder that while my job is to appropriate and that is not a passive position, it is His job to grow and my job to "labour unto rest". And so I am attempting to remind myself of these truths and rest in Him, although I'm still working toward that and haven't arrived...naturally.

Second, I should update you on a few things in my personal life. Some of you know that I have been having some issues with my stomach lately. I went to the doctor about a week ago and was tested for celiac's disease, which came back negative (Praise the Lord!), but I am intolerant of gluten. If you don't know what gluten is...well, neither do I. :) I know that it's a protein found in wheat and a few other grains and I can no longer ingest it unless I am okay with not feeling very well for a while. So I am in the process of having a gluten-free diet and figuring out what I can and cannot eat. It's a challenge, but I'm always up for those.

A bit more interesting side of my personal life has to do with a certain young man. :) The story is actually pretty neat...but long. I don't really have the time at this moment to write it all out for you, but his name is Alex and he is in school right now in Texas of all places to finish up a degree in missions aviation (it's actually more technical sounding than that, but since I don't yet know much about aviation, that's the best I can do :) ) and then would like to go into New Tribes Mission, which is the organization that I am currently in training with. He will graduate this December just like I will. Perfect timing. ;) He was able to come up last weekend (Valentine's Day) and meet my family and most of our family friends, and everyone loved him and was so glad to get to meet him. He was able to explain his heart to many of them sitting around the dinner table and I just sat there and smiled because his heart for missions is so neat for me to hear about and to see. Anyways, I know that's not too much information, so feel free to email me if you want the whole story. I'm always happy to share it. :)

I'm not sure if I wrote about this on here, but I have been doing language helping with a Korean woman here at school. It has been going well, although I keep telling her how silly I feel when she asks me to explain things that we do or phrases that we use and I have absolutely no idea how to explain things to her! Sometimes the things we say are just silly and don't actually make much sense....we just don't realize it until we are forced to explain our idioms. :) But it's been really neat to be able to interact with someone trying to learn our language and see a glimpse of what it will be like when the roles are reversed and I am the one trying to learn a different language!! It's a really neat opportunity and I am so thankful for it. :)

One of the things that I have been seeing in the Scriptures, mainly Psalms and Revelation, is how off my view of God is. I have this idea of God as being this God of justice to non-believers and a God of love toward believers. When I picture Him, I picture Him as my Daddy and my friend, and while these are true statements, that does not fully encompass the God that I serve. It's been convicting to me to be reading through the Psalms and seeing all the attributes of God and realizing that my view of God does not always cause me to fall on my knees before His throne. And it should...EVERY TIME. So I've been trying to immerse myself in His word and highlight all times I see a description of who God is. It's been pretty challenging and while I know that I cannot produce change in my life, God wants me to be actively engaging my mind in His truth and seeing the light of it and walking in that light. It's been a neat study and I'm excited to see what else I see of Him and how my view of Him changes over time. I hope that it continues to be more complete in the revelation that He has given us.

I am so thankful that I have the Word of God to study. And I am burdened for those who don't. They can see Him in creation, but Romans 1 tells us that they reject Him. God has called us to confront them with the truth of His word, to share with them His Word. But they can't hear it unless they have His word, and they can't have it unless we go. I am so excited to be a part of what GOD is doing to bring His word to people who have never had an opportunity to hear. Thank you for your prayers as I am on this journey of preparation (although I know I will always be) and as God continues to teach me and mold me.

Winter Wonderland

If only I had the time to blog everyday. My thoughts would definitely make more sense as I would be able to expound upon them more, but nevertheless, I will do my best! If you live on the east coast, you know that blizzards have been falling upon us. Yesterday and today we got our first REAL Michigan snow. Now, for those of you who don't know, my school and dorm are all in the same building. I never have to leave the school at all...except for church, youth group, and the times when I'm just plain nutty from being cooped up in one building with 150 other people 24/7. :) BUT, one of the amazing things about my community is how we all work together to take care of each other. While this is "required," it really is a blessing. For instance, when we have big snow storms, all the guys are split up on snow crew teams and get up in the wee hours of the morning and shovel. I can't tell you what a blessing that is! It's neat to see students with a servant's heart, faithfully taking care of the needs of the student body. And the staff even scraped off all the cars in the parking lot today! What an amazing act of service. So thank you to all who partook in serving us in the snow.

Snowy days like today are perfect for curling up on my bed and reading. :) And I have quite a large supply of reading these days. Today one of my assignments was called "What is the believer's rule of life" by George Zeller. To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to reading it, but God has definitely used it to reveal His truth in my life. We are about to start Romans chapter 7 tomorrow in class and this reading was on whether a believer is under the Law or not, and if not, what rule a believer is to follow. The article was very challenging in many different ways, but one thing really stuck out to me.

"What then is the Christian life all about? The Christian life is simply knowing a PERSON, loving HIM, seeking to please HIM, walking with HIM, honoring HIM, obeying HIM, thanking HIM, rejoicing in HIM, delighting in HIM, trusting in HIM, growing in HIM, talking to HIM, talking to others about HIM, abiding in HIM, learning of HIM, learning from HIM, sitting at HIS feet and enjoying HIS presence. Note the emphasis on HIM (on a person). As we go through each day, are we walking with a person and enjoying Him or are we following a religious, ritualistic, legalistic routine?"

I read this and sat there and thought, is this how I view my walk with God? Yes, I have a relationship with Him. But He doesn't want simply a relationship; He wants a friendship. Do I do the things that I do because I LOVE Him, because my desire is to please Him like a wife's desire is to please her husband, or do I do it because I have to? Butch was talking today in Revelation 2 on the church at Ephesus and how they had lost their first love. He was talking about a marriage where the wife had "vacant eyes" and was doing the things she was supposed to, but the flame was gone. Honestly, it didn't click in that class....well, it did in reference to the church, but not to me. But when reading the above paragraph it suddenly clicked. I have been just like that church. I have a relationship with my Savior, and I have had a friendship in the past where I wanted to please Him, but now it has been reduced to my duty. It pains me to write that. Sometimes I think I'm ridiculous for writing things on here for the whole world to read because then they will all see what a failure I am...but this is the truth. This is where I am at. This is what God is teaching me and revealing to me and this is the depths to my sinfulness. I want to do things because I love Him. I want to know Him more and to get to know Him and for that to be more important to me than anything else. Him and only Him. I don't want to do things out of duty. I want my heart behind it to be because I love my Savior...because He is the only one deserving of my love. I can't believe I've forgotten that and I am honestly just so incredibly fed up with me and my selfish heart. I want to intimately know His heart and respond to it in love, not obligation. And I know that's what He wants for me too. I know that I cannot change any of this by my own strength. Honestly I'm just a bit perplexed as to where to go from here...what my response needs to be. And that's my prayer...that I don't know, but I know that God is faithful to teach me and that He will. Please be praying for me. :) Thank you guys.

Day of Prayer

I should be doing homework right now. I have a busy day ahead of me and lots of homework to be getting done, but I wanted to write. Today was Day of Prayer at school. I have always loved Day of Prayer, because it's really easy to just get so caught up in homework and learning and miss God. I know that sounds silly because I am attending a Bible school where EVERYTHING is about God, but it's so easy to just learn head knowledge and not use the time as time to get to know the one true God. I'm a bit ashamed saying that, but it's the truth. Sometimes I just look at my list of homework and things to do and think, "Oh my goodness, I have no idea how I am going to get all of this done!" (And you're thinking, GET OFF THE COMPUTER THEN! But seriously...if I didn't have times of reflection and honest times of sharing what God is laying on my heart, the work I do here would be pointless.) What ends up happening sometimes is that I just get busy and rush through reading and don't take the time to grasp the truth. Even in classes, it's the same thing. You have to engage and not only engage, but you have to walk in faith. I cannot explain to you how everything I am learning has seemed to come together today and hit me right between the eyes, because that would just be too much information and would probably come out a jumbled mess, but I know this: I'm sick and tired of myself. I'm fed up with me...I despise me...I'm done. I've been sitting in Romans and getting so excited, learning and hearing and seeing things I've never seen before. I've been learning new truths and completely believing them, but letting it end there. And today it hit me: I'm learning about my utter depravity and believing it, knowing that it's true, but my response hasn't been to look at Him. My response hasn't been dependence upon Him. And I know that's WHY He reveals to us our depravity...so that we understand that our only option is to turn to Him. But I've been running away from that. I know the truth but honestly, in my heart I've been rejecting it. I sat here in my room this morning and just cried. I didn't even get that I had been rejecting it. I knew that it was truth and I knew that God would use time to appropriate it in my life, but I was content to just sit back and not take Him at His word. It's like I reverted back to the whole "magical" mindset...you know, someday it will just click and I'll get it and do it all the time. How wicked is my heart?! How incredibly deceitful. I'm sick of it. I want to take God at His word. I don't want to just hear truth and to know truth and believe it, I want to walk in it. WALK. And I know that this is a moment-by-moment thing and that I will choose to walk in it some times and not in others, but I'm done making excuses for myself and being content to just learn and believe. I want to take Him at His word, because that is the ONLY truth and the only TRUE way to live.

Prayer

Hey guys. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated; our internet hasn't been allowing us to connect to this website for some reason. But it is fixed now.

I have a prayer request to send out to you all. My friend Heather Faehnle, who was only 22 years old, passed away on Saturday. Please be praying for her family. She was a beautiful woman who had such a passion for the Lord when we were in high school...she was someone that I looked up to. She always had a joy about her and was such an encouragement to me. She died unexpectedly and I think it would be wonderful if the body of Christ could just intercede on behalf of her family and just be lifting them up in prayer. She will be missed dearly. Thank you guys so much.