The Language of Liberty
May 13, 2010
“The Language of Liberty: An Examination of Our Freedom in Christ”
Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study
West Broad Church of Christ
May 9 and 16, 2010
J.L. Nesmith, Jr., D.Min., Facilitator
Introduction:
Too many believers seem to be unaware of the freedom they have in Christ. We will consider today the “language of liberty” as it is seen in Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome. As we learn that language, what steps can we take to realize and enjoy biblical freedom as we worship and work in downtown Richmond?
I. An Overview of the Roman Church
The Christians at Rome lived in the heart of the civilized world. By Paul’s time, the church was well-established.
· A comment from history
· Theological questions and tensions
Paul writes to address these questions and provide further teaching on the significance of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. We shall delve into his ideas today.
II. Consideration of Our Liberty
The book of Romans presents universal acceptance, forgiveness, faith, and redemption through Jesus Christ. The Romans were slaves of sin, but their condition was divinely altered. Question: Does this new condition present a paradox? How? The Roman Christians are free in the Lord. What does that freedom entail?
· Freedom from Condemnation (8:1-4). Question: Do you truly trust God, and God alone, for your salvation?
· Freedom from Sin (6:7-14). Too many Christians are like the Frankenstein monster. They want to live new lives with the same dead body parts.
Paul’s language of liberty shows us the incompatibility of new life in the same dead body. We have been made free to achieve much more.
Summation:
We see in the church at Rome a body of believers existing in a major urban center. This existence presented special challenges, but those challenges could be overcome if the Christians remembered (1) who they were and (2) what they had through Christ Jesus. This is Paul’s “language of liberty.” Are you ready to learn that language as a member of Christ’s body at West Broad?
