How do people use the
word "sin" in contemporary language and how does that compare with
its original usage?
How did Luther come to
the realization that there is something more radically wrong with
human beings than merely a list of offenses?
How does Paul describe
the human condition in verses 9-12? What does it mean to be
"righteous" in an ultimate sense?
How does Paul describe
the pervasive effect of sin on human nature in verses 11-18?
Christianity offers
both a very high and a very low view of humanity at one and the same time? How
should we maintain the right balance?
Paul's main point is
to emphasize humanity's total inability to rectify our relationship with God. Why
is it important to emphasize that God "must save, and [God] alone"? What would
be the alternative? What practical difference does this make in our life
and faith?