Discussion Questions

The lesson insists Romans 5:1 should read “Let us have peace with God,” not “We have peace with God,” and ties that to the idea that peace can be forfeited by returning to sin; how does that reshape what you think “justified by faith” practically demands after baptism? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Romans 5:1 means “Let us have peace with God,” and peace can be lost by going back to sin, what does “justified by faith” require from you after baptism?

Origen is quoted saying that the one who turns back to sin “rebuilds the barrier of hostility… dissolves the work of Christ… undoes Christ’s suffering on the cross”; what do you think he means by that in real terms, and where do you feel resistance to speaking about sin in such severe, relational categories? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What do you think Origen means when he says going back to sin rebuilds the wall between us and God and “undoes” Christ’s work? Why do you think it’s hard to talk about sin in such strong, relationship-based words?

Chrysostom says Paul pivots to “our manner of living” to prevent people from using faith as “grounds for spiritual laxity,” paraphrasing “let us have peace” as “let us not sin anymore”; what modern Christian instincts or slogans does that confront most directly, and why? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If “let us have peace” basically means “so let’s stop sinning,” what popular Christian sayings today does that correct, and why?

The transcript argues that many scholars preferred “We have peace” for “purely theological reasons,” influenced by Augustine/Luther/Calvin, even calling them “perverse”; what does this accusation suggest about how theology can shape Bible reading, and how should a serious Christian community guard against that in itself? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If some scholars chose “We have peace” because of their theology, what does that show about how beliefs can shape how we read the Bible? How can a church watch out for doing the same thing?

The teacher points to 2 Peter 3:14 (“be diligent to be found in peace”), 2 Corinthians 5:20 (“be reconciled to God”), James’s “adulterers,” and 1 John 2:15 to show apostles warning already-saved people about renewed enmity with God; how do these passages challenge common evangelical assumptions about assurance and the permanence of one’s standing with God? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If the apostles warned already-saved people about becoming God’s enemies again, how does that challenge common ideas about assurance and “once saved, always saved”?

“We obtain peace with God at the time of our conversion in baptism,” yet “it is not once peace, always peace”; how would early Christians—who assumed baptism as the conversion moment—have structured discipleship, confession, and moral vigilance differently than many churches that separate “getting saved” from baptism and ongoing obedience? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If early Christians saw baptism as the moment of conversion but still believed peace with God could be lost, how would that change how they handled discipleship, confession, and staying alert to sin compared to many churches today?

On Romans 5:2, Chrysostom warns: “when you hear of grace, do not think that thereby the need for effort on our part is set aside,” and even says Paul sometimes calls good works “graces” because we need “assistance from above”; how does that blend of grace-and-effort confront either legalism or passivity in your current spiritual habits? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If grace does not remove the need for effort, how does that push back against either trying to earn everything (legalism) or doing nothing (passivity) in your spiritual life?

Origen interprets “hope of the glory of God” as the hope of “seeing God” (linked to “Blessed are the pure in heart”); if the goal of Christian hope is communion and vision rather than merely “going to heaven,” what changes about what you pursue, avoid, and prioritize this week? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Christian hope is mainly about seeing God and being close to Him, not just “going to heaven,” what should you chase after or avoid this week?

Paul’s chain—tribulation → endurance → approval → hope—leads the lesson to conclude: “If endurance brings God’s approval, then His approval is obviously not a certainty… neither is His peace”; what does it look like to seek God’s approval without slipping into performance-anxiety, and what concrete “tribulations” (ridicule, family opposition, ostracism) might God be using in your life to test steadfastness? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How can you seek God’s approval without turning your faith into stressful trying to “perform”? What hard situations in your life might God be using to test your faithfulness?

The transcript presents two readings of “the love of God… shed abroad in our hearts”: (a) God’s abundant love for us given even “before we have endured any struggles,” and (b) our love for God kindled by the Spirit “received at baptism”; how do these two meanings affect how you interpret your spiritual temperature—especially when you’re suffering, tempted, or spiritually dry—and what would “maintaining peace” look like in that condition? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If “the love of God poured into our hearts” can mean either God’s love for us or our love for God stirred by the Spirit at baptism, how does that change how you judge your spiritual health when you feel tempted, suffering, or dry? In that state, what would it look like to keep peace with God?