The Lord's Day KJV International Sunday School Lesson, Outline

May 12

Lesson 11 (KJV)

Called to Life in the Spirit

Devotional Reading: Romans 6:1–14

Background Scripture: Romans 8

Romans 8:1–14

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Graphic: evtushenko_ira / iStock / Thinkstock

Key Verse

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.—Romans 8:1

Discipleship and Mission

Unit 3: Call to Life in Christ

Lessons 10–13

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. State two benefits for those who live by the Spirit.

2. Explain Paul’s distinction between living by the Spirit and living by the flesh.

3. Identify a specific area where he or she is not living according to God’s Spirit and make a plan to change.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

A. Spiritual but Not Religious

B. Lesson Context

I. Law of the Spirit (Romans 8:1–4)

A. Freedom from Sin (vv. 1, 2)

Guilt Without Condemnation

B. Weakness of the Law (vv. 3, 4)

II. Indwelling of the Spirit (Romans 8:5–11)

A. Life and Peace (vv. 5–8)

B. Four Facts (vv. 9–11)

III. Leading of the Spirit (Romans 8:12–14)

A. The Good Kind of Debt (vv. 12, 13)

B. The Right Kind of Status (v. 14)

Led by the Spirit?

Conclusion

A. Flesh and Spirit

B. Prayer

C. Thought to Remember

HOW TO SAY IT

Corinthians	Ko-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin).
Ephesians	Ee-fee-zhunz.
Galatians	Guh-lay-shunz.
Lamentations	Lam-en-tay-shunz.
Pentecost	Pent-ih-kost.
Philippians	Fih-lip-ee-unz.
shalom (Hebrew)	shah-lome.
Thessalonians	Thess-uh-lo-nee-unz (th as in thin).

What Do You Think? In what ways will you live differently in the week ahead given the realization that there is “now no condemnation” for you? Digging Deeper Frame your response in terms of one pattern each of behavior, speech, and thought.

What Do You Think? How will you witness to someone who doesn’t accept the Bible’s categories of sin and freedom from it? Digging Deeper How does Paul’s change of tactics between Acts 17:2, 3 and 17:22–31 inform your response?

What Do You Think? What are some ways we can make ourselves more open to the Spirit’s influence? Digging Deeper How do John 14:15–18; Galatians 5:16–26; Ephesians 4:29–32; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; and 1 John 4:1 inform your response?

Visual for Lesson 10 & 11. Use this visual as a backdrop to comparing and contrasting the words condemn, pardon, forgiveness, and exoneration.

What Do You Think? What warning signs should we be alert to that indicate a fellow believer is slipping back into the deadness of life before the Spirit? Digging Deeper Under what circumstances should a church’s intervention to help reverse the problem give way to disfellowshipping to protect the congregation as a whole? Consider in your response Matthew 7:1–5, 15–20; 18:15–17; Romans 2:1–4; 14:1–15:2; 16:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 5:11–13; 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15; 1 Timothy 6:3, 4; and Titus 3:10.

What Do You Think? What guardrails can we erect to ensure that our living by the Spirit doesn’t become a “holier than thou” hindrance to our witness? Digging Deeper How should Paul’s stance of being “all things to all men” in order to “save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22) inform your response, if at all?

To print the reproducible activity page, simply click the highlighted text below to create a pdf file on your hard drive. Then open the pdf file in Acrobat Reader and print.

Activity Page (May 12: Called to Life in the Spirit)

 Krause, Mark S. et al. “Called to Life in the Spirit.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2018–2019. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 66. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2018. 313. Print.