Summary: In today’s study we discuss the tension between justice and grace. We examine how Christ dying for our sins resolves the conflict allowing us to have a relationship with a righteous God. We explore how we properly respond with faith in order to be a recipient of God’s promise to restore us through Christ’s death.
Break the Ice
- Share about your favorite time when God was faithful.
Bring the Word
Read Matthew 16:13-21
- What do we learn here about Jesus’ type of death?
- How does a sacrifice die?
Read Romans 3:23-26, 6:23
- What attributes of God are mentioned here?
- What does it mean to be righteous? …just? …gracious?
- Without Christ’s sacrifice could justice and grace co-exist? Why or why not?
- What did Christ have to do to make atonement for us?
- Could anything less than death have justified us? Why or why not?
- What separates those justified by the death of Christ and those who are not?
- Is faith different from belief? If so, how?
Bring it Home
Read Romans 4:19-25
- Did Abraham have faith in his circumstances? Why or why not?
- How does our righteousness compare to Abraham’s circumstance?
- Why did Abraham have faith in God’s promise?
- What promise do we have?
- How can we pray for you?
Begin a Discipline
Prayer: Pray you demonstrate your faith in aligning with God’s will!
Reading: Keep reading. A little each day adds up, especially over a lifetime!
Reflection: Reflect on Scripture that stands out. Reflect on God’s response to your prayers.
Journaling: Continue journaling how the passage relates to you and what you learned about God in passage.