Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
1. How did you experience God’s patience this past week?
2. Whom did you tell about God’s grace last week?
Ask two people to read aloud Romans 14:1-5, 13-23 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to restate the passage in their own words in a minute or less.
3. What verse stood out to you? Why?
4. Let’s dig deeper into the passage:
• What surface-level issues were people in the church having with one another?
• What deeper issues may have been behind those problems?
• In general, how should we treat people—especially other Christ followers—who see debatable issues differently than we see them?
• Go through the passage and inventory the instructions given to the church for how we should respond (what we should and shouldn’t do) when we disagree with others. Name and then discuss each one, focusing on how these mandates would have affected the original recipients.
• One of the guiding precepts of Christian churches is, “In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love.” How can that principle help us when disputable matters come up?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage?
6. What do you learn about people?
7. What do you learn about living as a part of the body of Christ and God’s kingdom?
8. How can we as a group live out the main principles from this passage—without quarreling over disputable matters! (v. 1)?
• Are there any specific issues discussed in this passage that we as a group should address? If so, which ones, and how should we address them?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. In what area of your life do you need more of God’s peace or joy this week?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Romans 3:9-31 as we continue studying Romans in a new unit that focuses on being “justified.”You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
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