Knowing Christ
Reflection
Begin your study by sharing thoughts on this question.
1. What steps have you taken to deepen your relationship with Christ?
Bible Reading
Read Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou thou
judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the
judgment of God is according to the truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man,
that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God. 4 Or despisest
thou the riches of his righteousness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
the to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day
of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7
To them who be patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: 8 But
unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation
and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honor,
and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect
of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have
sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers
of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained
in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in
their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing
one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the gospel.
Discovery
Explore the Bible reading by discussing these questions.
2. Why did Paul advise the Romans to avoid judging others?
3. Why do people tend to take God's kindness lightly?
4. What guidelines will God use to reward or punish people?
5. If hearing the law does not make people right with God, then what does?
6. How can we tell right from wrong?
Inspiration
Here is an uplifting thought from the Inspirational Study Bible.
I've wondered, at times, what kind of man this Judas was. What he looked like, how he acted, who his friends
were.…
But for all the things we don't know about Judas, there is one thing we know for sure: he had no relationship
with the Master. He had seen Jesus, but he did not know him. He had heard Jesus, but he did not understand him.
He had religion, but no relationship.
As Satan worked his way around the table in the Upper Room, he needed a special kind of man to betray our Lord.
He needed a man who had seen Jesus, but did not know him. He needed a man who knew the actions of Jesus, but had
missed out on the mission of Jesus. Judas was this man. He knew the empire but had never known the Man.
We learn this timeless lesson from the betrayer. Satan's best tools of destruction are not from outside the
church, they are from within the church. A church will never die from the immorality in Hollywood or the corruption
in Washington. But it will die from corrosion within—from those who bear the name of Jesus but have never met him,
and from those who have religion, but no relationship.
Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Christ. Let's make it our goal to know … deeply.
(From On the Anvil by Max Lucado)
Response
Use these questions to share more deeply with each other.
7. What similarities do you see between Judas and the people Paul addressed in this letter?
8. What is the difference between being religious and being right with God?
Question 8. This question will challenge the group to acknowledge the difference between having religion
and having a relationship with Christ. You might follow up with this question: How can you determine whether you
truly know Jesus?
9. Why is hypocrisy harmful to the church?
Question 9. Hypocrisy is acting like something you are not or pretending to be religious when your heart
is far from God. Jesus' teaching on the subject is recorded in Matthew 6:2–8; 7:1–6; 15:5–9; 23:1–36 and Luke 6:41,
42; 12:1, 2.
Prayer
Father, we have all failed you in some way. We have taken wrong paths and made wrong choices. We know your law,
yet we choose to ignore it. We strive to impress others with our knowledge of you when our hearts are far from
you. Forgive us, Father. Guide us into a truer, deeper relationship with you.
Journaling
Take a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.
What can I do to deepen my relationship with Christ? How can I know him better?
Additional Questions
10. What examples of spiritual corrosion do you see in the church today?
11. In what subtle ways does Satan try to corrode your relationship with Christ?
12. How can you guard against Satan's attacks?
For more Bible passages on developing a relationship with Christ, see Matthew 12:50; John 1:12; 15:5; Romans
8:15–17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 3:8.
To complete the book of Romans during this twelve-part study, read Romans 2:1–3:8.
From Life Lessons from the Inspired Word of God—Book of Romans by Max Lucado. Copyright 1996 by Word Publishing.
