‘The Body’

Bible passage: Romans 12:1-21

(1) In Paul’s letter to the Romans, before his teaching about the Church as the body of Christ and his instructions about how we should live, he has spent around 11 chapters explaining the Gospel. So, what is the Gospel? Can you summarise it easily? (e.g. what about, Romans 5:6-8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Ephesians 2:1-10, Colossians 1:21-23)

(2) What has the Gospel got to do with how Christians live? i.e. Is the Gospel simply something we believe in our minds/hearts? (hint: see Romans 12:1-2)

(3) Is our transformation something God does, or something we do, or a combination of both? Where do faith and grace fit in to the renewing of our minds?

(4) Paul describes the Church as ‘one body’, ‘in Christ’. He says that each of us belongs to one another? What do you think this means? Why do you think he mentions ‘gifts’ in this context? (Romans 12:4-8)

(5) The body Paul describes is a group of people who are - amongst other things - loving, caring, joyful, patient, humble, forgiving, generous and sympathetic (Romans 12:9-21). Does this sound like us? How can we develop these characteristics even more?