The Book of Romans: Position and Posture

Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor | February 11, 2024 

Matthew 19:3-5 (NIV)

- 86% of LGBTQ people were raised in a faith community from the ages of 0 to 18.
- 54% of LGBTQ people leave their religious community after the age of 18.
- Only 21% left for theological considerations.
- 96 percent of the study’s participants prayed that God would make them straight.
— Marin, Andrew. Us versus Us: The Untold Story of Religion and the LGBT Community. The Navigators.

How the world perceives Christianity:

anti-homosexual 91%
judgmental 87%
hypocritical 85 %
— Kinnaman, David; Lyons, Gabe. unChristian (p. 27). Baker Publishing Group.

Romans 2:1-4 (NIV)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is your position on God’s view regarding sex and marriage? How have you come to your view? Where is your view supported by Scripture?
2. Do you think we can hold a position on sex and marriage and still have genuine loving relationships with people who think and or live differently? Why or why not? Have you found this easy or difficult?
3. When we look at the list of sins listed in Romans 1:24-32, why do you think the church has tended to make the issue of same sex relationships such a focus over other sins listed there?
What examples do you see in the life and ministry of Jesus where he crosses relational and cultural lines in order to show a posture of love and value of people that may not share his biblical or moral position on an issue? How is this a model for us on how to posture our lives toward people in our culture? What would our lives look like if were modeling the posture of Jesus? Be specific.
4. What groups of people or individuals do you have a difficult time living out a loving posture like Jesus? What makes it difficult? What do you think Jesus would want you to do?
5. What faith step could you take to move toward people that might think or live differently than you? (that don’t hold your same biblical or moral positions)?
6. How do you think the church should engage with and relate to people that think or live differently than our biblical or moral position? What would that look like for Journey Church? Explain your answer.

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Notes Page: https://journeybozeman.com/sermons/notes/2024.02.11.pdf

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