Romans Chapter 5
October 26, 2009 at 7:18 am 2 comments
Click here to download this week's poster!
Here’s a few highlights from this week’s class:
- How it is that we have access to God. The Israelites needed a mediator like Moses or a priest between the people and God. Junior high kids get this, as they often use ‘mediators’ to communicate between their groups of friends (Group ‘A’ sends Bobby to tell group ‘B’ that Billy likes Cindy). Now, Paul tells us, we have direct access to God through Christ!
- The difference between earthly and heavenly hope. Our earthly hope is often disappointed, but our hope in Christ is already fulfilled.
- Since yesterday was Communion, we talked a bit about what that means, and also why the Bible, as seen here in chapter 5, uses terms like ‘justified through his blood.’ Why do we celebrate things like eating flesh and drinking blood? This was one of the first of many times this year that I will strongly encourage your kids (esp. 8th graders) to consider making profession of faith.
- Word for the week: RE-CON-CILED. Ask your kids what it means.
- We didn’t get as much time as I needed to go through the second half of the chapter. It’s kind of technical, so here’s a synopsis:
- 1 man’s sin infected the whole world (see the poster above).
- Death came because of sin
- Adam was a pattern for the gift
- The gift, the 2nd Adam (Jesus), was also the action of one man, but it brought life instead of death.
- Because Adam was our representative, we are condemned. Because of our second representative, Jesus, we are justified (JUST AS IF I’D never sinned).
- I explained a bit about the doctrine we derive from this called original sin. We’ll spend some more time on this next week before moving on to chapter six.
NEW CLASS MEMORY VERSE! – 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
FANTASTIC STUDENT QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “If all people are born in sin, was Jesus sinful at birth? Why or why not?” Go ahead, adults- take a stab and see if you’re smarter than an 8th grader!
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CW
1.
Gina Tyhuis | October 26, 2009 at 8:30 am
I do not pretend to be smarter than an 8th grader because this question is asked by many adults. This is a great question!
I would have to say no, Jesus was not sinful at birth. Jesus was the only one who was without sin for the reconciliation of the world to God.
Below are a few scripture as to why I believe Jesus was not sinful at birth;
Mathew 1:18 Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1 say that in verse 35 an angel said to Mary…”The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born and will be called the Son of God….for nothing is impossible with God”.
2.
CW | October 30, 2009 at 4:30 pm
thanks for your comment, Gina- you’re right on the money. The big difference between Jesus and us in this regard is that, as the Apostle’s Creed says, he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Whereas all of our fathers were sinful, and their sinful nature was passed onto us, Jesus’ Father was sinless, and so Jesus was born like Adam: with the ability to sin, or not to sin (as it says in Romans 5- “Adam was the pattern of the one to come”). Of course, we know the rest of the story; Adam sinned and Christ did not.
The verse you cited are perfect.
Again- great comment! keep ‘em coming!