Lesson 1 - The Bible as the Word of God

     The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word βίβλος biblos which means scroll or book. The Bible is a library of sixty six books, composed by approximately forty human authors spanning nearly fifteen hundred years.  “The purpose of God in providing the Bible is that man, to whom the Bible is addressed, may be possessed of dependable information regarding things tangible and intangible, temporal and eternal, visible and invisible, earthly and heavenly.”[1] 
     Internally, the Bible claims to be the word of God (Ex. 17:14; 34:27; Dan. 7:1; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25).  Paul equated the writings of Moses and Luke as Scripture (1 Tim. 5:18), as Peter did the writings of Paul (2 Pet. 3:15-16).  It reveals there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons within the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2): God the Father (Gal. 1:1; Eph. 6:23; Phil. 2:11), God the Son (John 1:1, 14, 18; 8:58; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; 2 Cor. 13:14).  All three are co-equal, co-infinite, co-eternal, and worthy of all praise and service.  The Bible also reveals the origins of the universe (Gen. 1:1), mankind (Gen. 1:26-27), sin (Gen. 3:1-8), salvation (John 3:16), and the future (Rev. 21-22), just to name a few.  The Bible does not reveal all there is to know about God or His plans and actions, but only what He deems important (Deut. 29:29; cf. John 21:25). 
     Externally, the Bible has a wealth of manuscript evidence (13,000 manuscript copies & portions of texts), has been translated into more languages than any other book, has perfect continuity regarding what it reveals about God and creation (Job 26:7; Isa. 40:22), has transformed countless lives, and served as a basis for law and morality. 
     In Summary, the Bible is God’s Word to man, revealing what He deems important, and those who are positive to God accept and live by it.
 
[1]Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Mich. Kregel Publication, 1993), 105.

What it Means to Follow Jesus

     To follow Jesus means we follow Him for who He is and not who we want Him to be. There is a biblical Jesus and a worldly Jesus. The worldly Jesus is the one the world sets forth. He is the ecumenical Jesus who never judges, never offends, never stands up for truth, never divides, embraces other religions, wants to improve the world rather than convert the heart, and lets everyone into heaven. There are many moral people who follow this Jesus, and the world loves them for it. In the end, this is a Jesus of their making who fits their agendas. It’s a Jesus who serves them.
     But what does the Bible reveal about Jesus? The Bible reveals Jesus is God who added humanity to Himself (John 1:1, 14; 5:18; 10:33; 20:28), and that He is worthy of worship (Matt. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9). He lived a sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 John 3:5), willingly went to the cross and died in our place (John 3:16; 10:14-18), and was buried and rose again on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Concerning salvation, Jesus is the only Savior (John 14:6), and it is only by grace through faith in Him that one is eternally saved (Eph. 2:8-9). There is no salvation apart from Jesus (Acts 4:12).
     During His incarnation, there was a time when Jesus was popular with the masses because He fed them (John 6:1-14), but when they wanted to take Him by force and make Him king, He withdrew from them (John 6:15). The same crowd later pursued Jesus, not because they embraced Him or His teaching, but because they wanted another free meal (John 6:24-26) and He corrected their selfish motives (John 6:27). Jesus was kind to the sick and helpless (Matt. 8:1-3; 20:34; Luke 5:13), yet He did not hesitate to condemn the religious and powerful (Matt. 23:13-36). For the most part, Jesus was rejected by the majority of those who heard and saw Him (John 3:19; 12:37; 15:24). At times He caused division (John 7:43; 9:16; 10:19), even among His own disciples (John 6:66), as well as members of a family in the same household (Luke 12:51-53).
     Jesus called men to follow Him (Matt. 4:18-19; 9:9; John 1:43), and He had many female followers as well, several of whom funded His earthly ministry (Luke 8:1-3). To follow Jesus means to learn His teaching, obey His commands and model our life after Him. Followers of Jesus were to share the gospel (Matt. 4:19), not be bound by the world’s values (Matt. 8:19-22), treasure Jesus above one’s profession (Matt. 9:9), be committed to Jesus above family (Matt. 10:34-38; cf. Mark 1:20), and deny self and take up one’s cross daily (Matt. 16:24; cf. Luke 9:23). There is no place for personal glory or selfishness in serving the Lord, as one’s life is given for His glory and the benefit of others (1 Cor. 10:32-33; Phil. 2:3-4). To follow Jesus is a lifelong pursuit.

Biblical Facts About the Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus’ resurrection is an essential part of the gospel.  If Jesus is not raised from the dead, then His death on the cross was not effective, and we have believed in a false Messiah.  However, the Scriptural testimony is very clear: Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion and forty days later ascended to heaven.  Here are several biblical facts about Jesus resurrection:
 
It was predicted by Jesus (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19).
It showed Jesus overcame death (Acts 2:23-24).
It was central to the gospel message (Acts 26:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).
It had many eyewitnesses, including: Mary Magdalene and other women (John 20:10-18; Matt. 28:8-9), two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), the disciples without Thomas (John 20:19-25), the disciples with Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23), Peter, James, and more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor. 15:5-7), Stephen (Acts 7:56), Paul (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:8), the disciples at Jerusalem before His ascension (Acts 1:3-9), and John on the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9-18).
It was argued as true against those who disbelieved (1 Cor. 15:12-19).
It reveals Jesus as the first among many to be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20).
It reveals Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 1:3-4).
It is the basis for our new life (1 Pet. 1:3).
Those who are raised with Christ will not know the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:5-6).

The Biblical Foundation for Christian Faith

John’s Gospel is a written deposition concerning the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  It is written with a bias to persuade the unsaved person to believe (πιστεύω pisteuo) in Jesus as Savior (John 19:35; cf. 20:30-31).  The Greek word πιστεύω pisteuo is a transitive verb, which means it takes a direct object, which is Jesus Christ.  If one accepts John’s report as true concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the logical result is to look to Jesus as our Savior and reap the benefit of eternal life (John 3:16; cf. John 10:28).  It is important that we realize our faith is based on objective truth and not subjective experiences or feelings.  Paul, when sharing the gospel, based his message on the historical reality of Jesus and the eye witnesses of those who knew Him (1 Cor. 15:3-8).  For us, as Christians living long after the events of the cross, we accept the biblical testimony as true, believing Jesus died for our sins, was buried in a grave and was resurrected on the third day.  More so, we understand that salvation is by grace (we don’t deserve it), through faith (a rational response to the gospel), in Jesus Christ (the One who saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life; see John 3:16; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5).  Once saved, we continue to live by faith in God and His Word (Rom. 10:17; Heb. 4:2), applying it to our lives (Rom. 14:23; James 1:22), and realizing it is the only thing that pleases God (Heb. 11:6). 

The Benefits of the Cross

The death of Jesus was an atoning sacrifice that paid the price for our sin (Mark 10:45; Rom. 3:24; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).  This means our sin, which offends God, is actually removed from us (i.e. expiated) and put on Christ (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:26), and He was judged in our place, the innocent for the guilty (Rom. 5:6-8; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18).  The death of Christ was a voluntary act of love, as Jesus gave His life for us (John 10:14-18).  As a result, the Father is forever satisfied (i.e. propitiated) because Jesus paid for our sin (Rom. 3:24-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2), and the Christian will never be condemned (Rom. 8:1).  The blood of Christ is the coin of the heavenly realm that pays our sin-debt and forever satisfies God’s righteous demands for sin.  In addition, the death of Christ removes God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9), reconciles us to the Father (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19), produces lasting peace (Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20), forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), a life of purpose in serving Him (Col. 3:23-24), and a future in heaven (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). 

Dealing with Injustice

God the Father was in complete control of the circumstances surrounding the trials and crucifixion of Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).  Though unjustly attacked, Jesus knew He was doing the Father’s will (John 6:38; 10:14-18; 12:27; 18:11) and did not retaliate against His attackers (1 Pet. 2:21-23).  Unlike Jesus, Christians are capable of sin (Eccl. 7:20; 1 Pet. 4:15), and we should accept our punishment when we do wrong (Acts 25:11).  But like Jesus, there are times when we will experience unjust persecution (1 Pet. 3:14-17; 4:12-19).  We must start with the realization that there are times when God sovereignly permits His people to suffer or die (see Acts 5:40-41; 7:54-60), and other times allows them to escape (Acts 9:23-25).  If possible, the believer can avoid unjust suffering such as when Jesus walked away from His attackers (John 8:59; 10:31, 39), or when Paul avoided stoning (Acts 14:5-6) or an unjust trial (Acts 25:1-12).  However, when there is no escape, the Christian must bear up under such hardships with an attitude of faith, trusting the Lord sees what’s happening and will act as He determines best.  Stephen is a good example of a believer who trusted God when being violently attacked (Acts 7:58-60).  Certainly God will avenge the innocent (2 Thess. 1:6-7); however, there may be times when He surprises us by showing grace and mercy to those don’t deserve it, such as the grace shown to Paul when he was persecuting the church (Acts 9:1-6; Gal. 1:15-16).  By faith, the Christian who suffers unjustly is not to retaliate (Rom. 12:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:21-23), but is called to love and pray for his enemies (Luke 6:27-29), and to bless them (Rom. 12:14; 1 Pet. 3:8-9), if perhaps God may grant them saving grace (2 Tim. 2:24-26). 

Jesus: The King and His Kingdom

God is sovereign over the affairs of mankind and He rules over His creation (Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 2:21; 4:34-35).  God promised David that he would have a son who would rule over an earthly kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16; Ps. 89:3-4, 35-37), and that son would rule in righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:14-15).  God revealed that Jesus is the son of David who will rule (Luke 1:30-33).  Jesus offered the kingdom to Israel (Matt. 4:17; 10:1-7), but the majority rejected both Jesus and His offer, so Jesus began to denounce them because of their rejection (Matt. 11:20), and eventually pronounced judgment upon the nation (Matt. 23:37-39).  Though the kingdom was rejected, the Davidic promise still stands, and Jesus will bring in the kingdom at His second coming (Matt. 19:28; 25:31; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:4).  The millennial kingdom will become an eternal kingdom (1 Cor. 15:24-25; 2 Pet. 3:13).

Our motivation for obedience to God

Jesus loved the Father (John 14:31) and submitted Himself to do the Father’s will (Matt. 26:39-44; cf. Rom. 5:19; Phil. 2:5-8), which included enduring the illegal trials of His accusers, as well as the eventual beatings and crucifixion.  It was prophesied in Scripture that Jesus would suffer and die (Gen. 3:15; Ps. 22:16-18; Isa. 50:4-7; 52:14; 53:3-12; Matt. 26:67; Mark 10:32-34).  As Christians, we are called to a life of obedience to God; which means learning and living His Word (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2). Obedience marks the life of the one who claims to know and love God (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-5).  Obedience to God also means embracing unjust suffering, just as Christ did (1 Pet. 1:19-24; 3:14-17; 4:19).

The Doctrine of Sanctification

To be sanctified (Heb. קָדָשׁ qadash Grk. ἁγιάζω hagiazo) means to be set apart.  God’s essential nature is holy; therefore, He is set apart as righteous (Lev. 11:44-45).  In God’s creation, sanctification has the idea of being set apart for special purpose.  In the OT, sanctification included certain days (Gen. 2:3; cf. Ex. 20:8), people and animals (Ex. 13:2), the nation of Israel (Ex. 19:6), and everything associated with worship, including the altar, its utensils, the laver for washing, and those who executed the priestly ceremonies (Ex. 40:10-13).  In the NT, we are said to be positionally sanctified in union with Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10, 14), experientially sanctified because of our obedience to God’s Word (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:14-16), and will be eternally sanctified when we leave this world and enter heaven (1 John 3:1-3; Rom. 8:29-30; Jude 24-25). 
 
Positional and eternal sanctification are accomplished entirely by God (monergism).  However, experiential sanctification is a collaboration (synergism) in which God directs and empowers us to be set apart from the world to do His will (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:14-16).  The means of experiential sanctification is by learning and living God’s Word (John 17:17; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 4:1, 11-14; Col. 3:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), and walking in dependence on the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:16, 25).  The place where sanctification occurs is in Satan’s world (John 17:14-16; cf. 15:19). 
 
Believers live in a world that is currently under Satan’s control.  Like Joseph in Egypt, or Daniel in Babylon, we serve as God’s ambassadors to a fallen world that is hostile toward us.  Some Christians seek to avoid worldly conflict by withdrawing from it, pursuing monasticism; whereas others avoid conflict by embracing the world and its values.  Biblically, we are to be in the world, in regular contact with unbelievers, graciously lovingly and living God’s will in opposition to the world’s values, and sharing Christ with those who will listen.  We cannot change the world, but we can avoid being forced into its mold by learning and living God’s Word, and sharing the Gospel message that others might be saved out of it.  God Himself will eventually destroy Satan and his world-system and will create a new universe.  Until then, “according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13). 

John 12:21 - The Doctrine of Providence

"Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Ps. 145:9 cf. Mt. 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Ps. 107; Jb. 1:12; 2:6; Gn. 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph. 1:9–12)."[1]
God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His elect.  People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls.  The Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).  God is good and “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11; cf. Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 4:35), and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).  By His sovereign will God created all things in heaven and earth, and sustains and directs them as He desires.  God “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).  The Lord knows all things at all times.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29), and the ever-changing number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30).  He knows our thoughts before we think them (Ps. 139:2), and our words before we speak them (Ps. 139:4).  He knows our wickedness (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-22), and chooses to love us by grace, in spite of our sinfulness (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-9).  Some He elects to purpose, even from the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).  Because God is righteous, all His actions are just.  Because He is loving and good, He directs all things for the benefit of His elect.  The wicked are also under God’s sovereign control, and He uses them for His own ends (Prov. 16:4).  God’s sovereignty, expressed through His providential control, produces confidence in those who know He is directing all things after the counsel of His will.  The growing believer knows “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Where the Bible is silent, the believer seeks to discern God’s will through His providential direction as He guides people circumstantially.  The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His providential plan.
 
 
[1] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979.

God's Love to Us

God is love (1 John 4:8), and He demonstrated His love for us through His Son, Jesus, who humbled Himself to do the Father’s will (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:5-8).  God loved us and gave His Son to die for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10).  He loved us while we were helpless sinners who were in a state of hostility toward Him (Rom. 5:6-10).  He loved us while we were dead in our sins, under wrath, and living in disobedience (Eph. 2:1-3).  The benefits of God’s love for those who believe include: forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), justification before God (Rom. 3:24-28; 8:33-34), peace with God (Rom. 5:1), spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), union with the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 1:13), deliverance from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13), citizenship in heaven (Philip. 3:20), a future resurrection body (1 Cor. 15:50-58), and a future home in heaven (John 14:1-3).  The more we understand and accept His love for us, the more our lives will respond in thankful-obedience to Him (John 14:15, 21, 23-24, 31; 1 John 2:3; 5:3), and will manifest love to others (1 John 4:11, 19-21), even our enemies (Matt. 5:44-45; Luke 6:27-28; 35). 

Dealing with Adversity and Stress

The events leading up to the cross—and Jesus’ words about leaving them—had shaken the disciples and Jesus knew it.  Their souls had become troubled and Jesus sought to stabilize them by strengthening their faith.  The word troubled translates the Greek verb ταράσσω tarasso, which means “to cause inward turmoil, stir up, disturb, unsettle, throw into confusion.”[1]  The passive form of the verb means they had received troubling circumstances into their souls.  The pressures of life are inevitable and none of us are completely impervious to them.  Even Jesus—in His humanity—was troubled when facing the cross (John 12:27; 13:21); however, He was sustained by keeping focus on the Father’s will (John 4:34; 5:30; John 6:38; cf. Matt. 26:39), and there was joy in the midst of the trial (Heb. 12:2).  Each believer is responsible for what he/she allows to enter their heart (Prov. 4:23).  Adversity is unavoidable, but how we handle it is optional.  The believer cannot always control negative circumstances, but neither does he/she have to be controlled by them.  God’s Word—applied by faith—provides a shield for the soul that can stabilize the believer in times of adversity (Eph. 6:16; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; 1 John 5:4). Mental and emotional stability is obtained when the believer looks to God (Prov. 3:5-6; Isa. 26:3-4; Jer. 17:7-8), learns His Word (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), walks in dependence on the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16, 25), lives by faith (Heb. 10:38; 11:1, 6), becomes thankful for adversity (Rom. 5:3-5; Eph. 5:20; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; Jam. 1:2-4), develops a discipline of prayer (Col. 4:2; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:17), and learns to focus on God in everything (2 Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:1-2).
 
[1] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 990.

The Believer's Identity in Christ

     To be in Christ is to be identified with Him in a real and personal way. The Christian who is advancing spiritually must, at some point, learn to live in the reality of his new position in Christ. By faith, his life experience should grow to reflect the reality of his position in Christ and in the family of God. Truth, love, mercy, grace, righteousness, sacrifice, and other Christian virtues should become increasingly evident as the believer engages in his daily pursuit of God, as he seeks to lay hold of the One who in love laid hold of him and by grace saved him and displayed His wonderful riches upon him. Here are just a few the blessings for the believer:
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3).
We are children of God (John 3:6; Gal. 3:26; 1 Pet. 1:23; Tit. 3:5).
We are given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28; 20:31).
We are made ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
We are transferred to the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12).
We are all saints in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:18-19; 2:19).
We are made kings and priests to God (Rev. 1:6).
We are indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 1:13).
We are guaranteed a new home in heaven (John 14:1-3).
We have special access to His throne of grace (Heb. 4:16).
The larger list of blessings are here: http://wp.me/p3bc4W-4Y 

To Love Like Christ

Love is an act of the will that obeys God and seeks His best in others.  God commanded the Israelites to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5) and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18).  Jesus provided a new commandment to love as He loves (John 13:34-35; 15:12).  Jesus’ love modeled obedience to the Father (John 14:31), commitment to His disciples (John 13:1), and humility and sacrifice for the undeserving (John 13:1-17; 1 John 3:16).  Christian love is modeled on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:44-47; Luke 6:32-35; John 13:34; 14:15; 15:12; 1 Cor. 13:4-8a; Eph. 5:1-2; 1 John 3:23; 4:10-11).

Christian Humility

Jesus’ object lesson of washing feet is a picture of forgiveness and humble service to the undeserving.  Jesus stated to His disciples, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).  Here, the Lord instructed His disciples to forgive and humbly serve each other (cf. Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12-13; 1 Pet. 5:5).  In relation to God, Christian humility is not a sense of worthlessness, but unworthiness of the Lord’s love and blessings (Eph. 2:8-9).  In relation to others, humility is not thinking less of self, but more of others (Philip. 2:3-4).  True Christian humility is voluntary—or self-imposed—as the believer surrenders his personal desires in loving service to others for their spiritual and material benefit.  Humility has the notion of child-like dependence, as Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 18:3-4).  The greatest display of humility is found in God the Son who left His glory in heaven (Phi. 2:5-8; cf. John 17:5), became a man (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 10:5), became the servant of others (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17), and ultimately “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phi. 2:8).  The glory of humility is seen at the cross (John 12:23, 32-33), where Jesus gave His life as an atoning substitutionary sacrifice for others (Rom. 5:6-10; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:18).

When Believers Hide

Because of persecution, there have been times, and are times, when God’s people hide (κρύπτω krupto – to hide) themselves, or are hidden by others.  There appear to be both just and sinful reasons for hiding.  By faith, Moses’ parents hid him from Pharaoh (Heb. 11:23).  Obadiah hid one hundred prophets of the Lord and provided food and water for them (1 Kings 18:1-4).  These were true prophets, for a false prophet would not have been afraid of the public hostility of Ahab and Jezebel.  It is recorded that Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto) from an attack by the Jewish leadership (John 8:59).  Certainly there was no sin in Jesus’ action.  In contrast, it appears Elijah, in a state of irrational fear, ran for his life and hid in a cave (1 Kings 19:1-10).  He thought he was the last prophet in Israel and was unaware of 7000 faithful Israelites who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).  It would seem these 7000 believers were concealing their faith for fear of persecution; otherwise, Elijah would have known about them and not thought he was the last of God’s prophets (1 Ki. 19:10).  Some of the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day had “believed in Him” (John 12:42a); however, “because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (Joh 12:42b).  These believers chose to hide their faith for sinful reasons, because “they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43).  One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt. 26:33-35, 69-75).  Scripture reveals Joseph of Arimathea was “a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one (κρύπτω krupto) for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38).  However, after the crucifixion, he exposed his faith for all to see, and apparently did not fear oppression.  Spiritual maturity and strong faith leads the believer to overcome fear and to live confidently in God’s will, seeking God’s glory over personal protection. Full article: https://thinkingonscripture.com/2017/02/04/when-believers-hide/ 

The Doctrine of Providence

"Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Ps. 145:9 cf. Mt. 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Ps. 107; Jb. 1:12; 2:6; Gn. 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph. 1:9–12)."[1]
 
God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His elect.  People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls.  The Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).  God is good and “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11; cf. Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 4:35), and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).  By His sovereign will God created all things in heaven and earth, and sustains and directs them as He desires.  God “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).  The Lord knows all things at all times.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29), and the ever-changing number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30).  He knows our thoughts before we think them (Ps. 139:2), and our words before we speak them (Ps. 139:4).  He knows our wickedness (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-22), and chooses to love us by grace, in spite of our sinfulness (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-9).  Some He elects to purpose, even from the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).  Because God is righteous, all His actions are just.  Because He is loving and good, He directs all things for the benefit of His elect.  The wicked are also under God’s sovereign control, and He uses them for His own ends (Prov. 16:4).  God’s sovereignty, expressed through His providential control, produces confidence in those who know He is directing all things after the counsel of His will.  The growing believer knows “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Where the Bible is silent, the believer seeks to discern God’s will through His providential direction as He guides people circumstantially.  The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His providential plan.
 
[1] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979.

The Divine Perspective

God is sovereign (Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Isa. 46:9-10; Dan. 4:35), controlling kings and nations to do His will (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21).  Though God never creates evil, He can does control those who do (John 6:70-71; 19:10-11; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28).  In sovereignty, the Father has elected some to salvation (John 6: 64-65; Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5), illuminating them to the Gospel (Acts 16:14; cf. Luke 24:45-46), and providing forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21), and eternal life (John 10:28).

Women in the Life and Ministry of Christ

The Gospels give prominence to certain women in Jesus’ life and ministry.  There are unnamed women that Jesus healed: Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31), a widow who had lost her son (Luke 7:11-15), a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years (Luke 13:10-17), and a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years (Mark 5:22-29).  There are unnamed women who were impressed with Jesus: the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), a woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50), those who traveled with Jesus and funded His ministry (some are named and others not; Matt. 27:55-56; Luke 8:1-3), and those who followed Him after His arrest (Luke 23:27).  Those specifically named include: Mary, Jesus’ mother (John 2:1-11; 19:25-27), Joanna and Susanna (Luke 8:3), Mary and Martha of Bethany (Luke 10:38-39; John 11:1-44; 12:1-8), and Mary Magdalene who was the first to see the risen Lord and report His resurrection to others (John 20:1-17).  

Resuscitation or Resurrection

The Bible reveals both resuscitation and resurrection.  Resuscitation means a person who has died is brought back to life but will die again (see Matt. 27:50-53; Luke 7:15; 8:53-55; John 11:43-44; 12:9-11).  Resurrection means a person will be brought back to life with a new body and will never again experience death.  Jesus was the first Person to be resurrected (John 20:1-18; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rev. 1:5).  In the future, Jesus will resurrect Christians at the time of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:14-17), OT saints (Job 19:25-27; Ezek. 37:21-25; Dan. 12:1-2; Matt. 19:28), saints who were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4), and finally all unbelievers at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:5).  What happens between death and resurrection?  Some teach that when a person dies, the soul enters into a state of unconscious sleep, unaware of anything, until the time of future resurrection.  However, the Bible teaches that the soul separates from the body at death (Eccl. 12:7), and continues in a state of consciousness.  Examples include Lazarus and the Rich man (Luke 16:19-31), and Moses and Elijah who appeared alive at Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:1-4).  Further, when talking to the thief on the cross, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).  Since the thief was going to die physically, Jesus must have been referring to his soul, which has consciousness after physical death.  This reality is promoted by Paul, who preferred to be absent from his body in order to be present with Christ (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23).

Pastor Teachers

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as the Shepherd who leads, feeds, and protects His people (Isa. 40:11; Ps. 23:1-6; 80:1; 100:1-3; Ezek. 34:10-16).  Under the Mosaic Law, God appointed human leaders who shared His values and modeled His behavior, to lead His people (2 Sam. 5:1-3; cf. 1 Sam. 17:34-37; Jer. 3:15).  However, throughout Israel’s history there have been many false shepherds who devoured God’s people and gave nothing in return (Isa. 56:9-12; Jer. 23:1-4; Ezek. 34:1-10).  In the midst of such poor leadership, God promised He would raise David to shepherd Israel in the future (Ezek. 34:23-25; 37:24-28).  In the New Testament, Jesus is called the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), who provides (John 10:7-9, 11, 14, 16-17) and instructs His people (Mark 6:34).  In the Church age, God has appointed under-shepherds (i.e. pastors) to lead, feed and protect His people (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28-32; Eph. 4:11-14, 1 Pet. 5:1-2).  Pastors are appointed by God (Acts 20:28; cf. Eph. 4:11).  They are referred to as elders, bishops, and overseers (Acts 20:17, 28; Tit. 1:5-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-5), who work within the church, and with the church, serving as examples, and not “lording” their authority over others (1 Pet. 5:3).  Pastors are servants, doing God’s will and serving others in truth.

Eternal Security and the Life of Faith

When one believes in Jesus as Savior, he/she is born again and given eternal life (John 3:16-18; 10:28). Eternal life is a gift, given by the Lord Jesus Christ, to those who trust Him as Savior (Rom. 4:1-5; 5:6-10; Eph. 2:8-9).  Eternal life means we are eternally secure in our salvation, since it rests entirely in God’s ability to save and keep us saved.  “Eternal security is the work of God that guarantees that the gift of salvation, once received, is forever and cannot be lost. The concept of eternal security emphasizes God’s activity in guaranteeing the eternal possession of the gift of eternal life." (Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology, 379)  Believers may sin (1 John 2:1), and though they may suffer severe punishment (Heb. 12:5-13), even to the point of death (1 John 5:16-17), their salvation is never in jeopardy (John 10:28; Rom. 8:1; 38-39).  Those who are given eternal life are called to a life of righteousness (Tit. 2:11-14), in conformity to God’s word (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18-21).

Sin and Forgiveness

Jesus reveals that sin keeps one out of heaven (John 8:21, 24); specifically the sin of unbelief that He is the promised Messiah (cf. John 16:8-9). When one comes to faith in Christ, he/she is forgiven of all their sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14), past, present, and future (Heb. 10:10-14).  Forgiveness is first judicial, removing the penalty of sin (John 3:18; 5:24; Rom. 8:1; 8:33-34).  Forgiveness is also familial, restoring fellowship with God after we’ve sinned (1 John 1:5-10; cf. Ps. 32:1-5). 

Basic Ministries of God the Holy Spirit

During His discourse in John chapter 7, Jesus spoke of the future ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; cf. John 15:26; 16:7), which would occur after His resurrection and ascension on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit was active in the lives of OT saints such as Artisans (Ex. 31:1-5), Judges (Num. 11:25-29; Jud. 3:9-10), Prophets (Ezek. 2:2), and Kings (1 Sam. 10:6; 16:13); however He did not indwell every believer, and could be removed as an act of divine discipline (1 Sam. 16:14-16; Ps. 51:11).  After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s ministry includes regeneration (John 3:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:3; 23), indwelling (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19), baptizing (1 Cor. 12:13), sealing (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), gifting (1 Cor. 12:4-7), filling (Eph. 5:18), equipping (Eph. 4:11-16), and sustaining each believer (Gal. 5:16, 25).  The work of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to spiritual maturity so that we may be effective in our ministries to others. 

The Doctrine of Division

Biblically, there are legitimate and illegitimate reasons for divisions/separations. God causes some divisions and He calls His people to do the same.
Sin causes universal separation from God (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:23).
Fleshly quarrels cause divisions (1 Cor. 1:10-13); though such quarrels are necessary to distinguish the spiritual from the immature (1 Cor. 11:18-19).
Unbelievers cause division in the church (Jude 1:17-19).
God divided rebellious men at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9).
God separated Israel out from Egypt during the exodus (Ex. 3:1-14:31).
Jesus’ teaching caused division (Luke 12:51-53; John 6:66; 7:40-43; 9:16; 10:14-19).
God separates believers from Satan’s kingdom of darkness and transfers them to His kingdom (Col. 1:13-14).
Christians should not be bound with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
Believers should separate from false teachers (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 1:7-11), and those who live in gross immorality (1 Cor. 5:1-2, 9-11; 2 Tim. 3:1-5).
Jesus will separate people at His Second Coming (Matt. 25:31-33).
Jesus will separate unbelievers to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15).

Revelation, Illumination, and Application

Jesus explained that knowing/accepting God’s word is predicated on a desire to do (ποιέω poieo – to do, make) God’s will (John 7:17). Those who are set against God cannot know/accept His word, because they desire to follow Satan and do his will (John 8:42-44; cf. 1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 3:14-16).  Godly desire leads to biblical learning (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2), and biblical learning leads to divine illumination (Ps. 119:18, 97-99, 130; John 16:12-13; Luke 24:44-45; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Eph. 1:17-18), and illumination leads to spiritual growth (Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) and practical application (Matt. 7:24-27; Jam. 1:22).  The growing Christian who learns and applies God’s word will seek the interests of others over self (Phil. 2:3-4), will love others (1 Cor. 13:4-8a; 1 Thess. 3:11-12; 4:9; 1 John 4:7-11), pray for others (Jam. 5:16), encourage others (1 Thess. 5:11), edify others (Rom. 15:1-2; Eph. 4:29), be kind and forgiving (Eph. 4:32), serve others (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:10), and do good works (Eph. 2:10; Tit. 2:11-14).  

The Doctrine of Testing

It is God’s will to test (Heb. נָסָה nasah & בָּחַן bachan, Grk. πειράζω peirazo & δοκιμάζω dokimazo) us with various trials—blessings or adversity—in order to advance us spiritually. Tests by themselves do not automatically produce growth; rather, it’s our faith response to them that brings spiritual advancement.  Biblical reasons for testing:
To see whether we will follow God’s commands (Gen. 22:1-12; cf. Ex. 16:1-5, 16-20, 26-28; Deut. 8:2; Judg. 2:18-22; 3:4; 2 Cor. 2:9).
To reveal what’s in our hearts and whether we love God or not (Deut. 13:1-4; cf. 2 Chron. 32:30-31; Rev. 3:10).
To produce a healthy fear of God (Ex. 20:18-20).
To produce humility for our good (Deut. 8:16-18).
To prove Jesus’ divinity (Matt. 4:1-11).
To educate the believer concerning God’s ability to provide (John 6:5-13).
To produce godly character (Jam. 1:2-4).
To prove the quality of our faith (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
That we may share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
The humble believer welcomes God’s tests (Ps. 26:1-3; 139:23-24).

Future Judgments of Jesus

Jesus’ future judgments include: 1) rewards for believers at the Bema seat (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), 2) the judgment of the Antichrist, false prophet, and hostile nations at Jesus’ Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21), 3) judgment of Gentile believers and unbelievers at the end of the Tribulation (Matt. 25:31-46), 4) the temporary judgment of Satan who is cast in the abyss (Rev. 20:1-3), 5) rewards for believers who were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4), 6) the eternal judgment of Satan and demons who are cast into the Lake of Fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10), 7) the judgment and punishment of all unbelievers at the Great White Throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).

The Wrath of God

The biblical teaching of the wrath of God means that God hates sin (see Ex. 32:9-10; Deut. 9:7-8; 2 Kings 22:13). God judges and condemns that which He hates.  The Biblical teaching of the love of God reveals that God satisfied every demand of His righteousness by judging our sin in the substitute of His Son, Jesus, who bore the wrath that rightfully belongs to us (Isa. 53:6-12; Mark 10:45; Rom. 5:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; 3:18).  God is completely propitiated by the blood of Christ (Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).  Those who reject Christ as Savior continue under God’s wrath (John 3:36; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Thess. 2:14-16; 5:9-10).  Those who trust Jesus as their Savior receive:
Forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14).
The imputation of God’s righteousness (Rom. 5:17-18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).
No condemnation (Rom. 8:1, 31-39).
Reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19).
Peace with God (Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20).
Immunity from the wrath to come (Rom. 5:8-9; Eph. 2:1-7; 5:1-10; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9-10).
A command not to retaliate when attacked, but to pray for others and leave them to God’s judgment (Rom. 12:17-21; 2 Thess. 1:5-7).

The Tribulation and the Corruption of Men's Hearts

During the seven year tribulation, men will behave poorly and run from God. The corruption of men's hearts will be evident as they refuse to turn to God and continue to worship idols.  Men will seek death rather than turn to the Lord.  

Spiritual Sacrifices of the Christian

Just as the Jewish Priest under the Mosaic Law was to
commit himself to a life of service for the benefit of others, so every
Christian has a specific calling by the Lord to do the same.  Under the Mosaic Law the priesthood was open
only men (Num. 18:21; Deut. 21:5), from the Tribe of Levi (Num. 3:6-9; Deut. 18:1), who had no physical defects (Lev. 21:17-23), and met the age requirements (Num. 8:24-25).  Today, however,
every Christian is a priest to God belonging to “a holy priesthood” and “a
royal priesthood” and has the responsibility “to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).  The “spiritual sacrifices” of every Christian
include:
 
1.    The giving of one’s body for service
to the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2).
2.    The sacrifice of praise for
worship (Heb. 13:15).
3.    The doing of good works and
sharing with others (Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:16).
4.    The sacrifice of one’s life for
the benefit of others (Phil 1:21-26; 2:17).
5.    To walk in sacrificial love (Eph.
5:1-2).

The Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of
Jesus is mentioned numerous times in Acts (Acts 1:22; 2:24, 31-32; 3:14-15; 4:1-2,
10, 33; 5:30; 10:39-40; 13:26-39; 17:18, 30-32; 26:22-23). The word resurrection translates the Greek anastasis (Matt 22: 30-32; Luke
20:33-38; John 11:21-25; 1 Cor. 15:12-26; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; Heb. 6:1-3; 1 Pet.
1:3-5; Rev. 20:5-6). The word raised
translates the Greek egeiro, and
often refers to resurrection (Acts 2:24, 32; 10:40; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). The
“the first resurrection” occurs in stages
starting with Christ, and involves only believers. These believers will live
with Christ during His reign and for all eternity (Rev. 20:5-6).  The final resurrection is for unbelievers
only who will be cast into the Lake of Fire, after the millennial reign of
Christ.  

Expositional Preaching

Biblical Expository Preaching is a verse by verse system of communication
that carefully works through a book of the Bible explaining what each word,
sentence, and paragraph meant to the original audience, explaining linguistic,
historical, and cultural issues as they arise, and then bridging the text and
its theological significance to the current listening audience.  After the sermon, the hearers should better
understand what the passage of Scripture meant to the original audience, and
how to apply it to their own lives.  In Biblical Expository Preaching the
message is driven by the text itself, thus liberating the preacher from any
personal agendas he might be tempted to follow. 
The sermon is authoritative only to the degree that it accurately
communicates the biblical text.  

Overview of Bible Prophecy Part 1

Biblical
prophecy is the pronouncement that God will bring certain events to pass,
primarily in connection with His covenants to Israel.  The biblical covenants rest on the integrity
of God and power of God.  Because they
have never been completely fulfilled and God cannot lie or fail with regard to
His promises (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18), their future fulfillments are certain to
come to pass.

Overview of Bible Prophecy Part 2

Biblical
prophecy is the pronouncement that God will bring certain events to pass,
primarily in connection with His covenants to Israel.  The biblical covenants rest on the integrity
of God and power of God.  Because they
have never been completely fulfilled and God cannot lie or fail with regard to
His promises (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18), their future fulfillments are certain to
come to pass.

Biblical Prayer Part 1

Prayer
is most often an appeal to God to change a difficult or helpless situation.  The Lord sovereignly answers our requests as
His wisdom, righteousness and love dictate; sometimes He answers yes and sometimes no.  The Lord has His reasons
and they always glorify Him.  Sometimes
God changes our situations as we request (i.e. concerning employment, health,
finances, etc.), and sometimes He leaves the situation and seeks to change our
attitude (e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh,
2 Cor. 12:7-10).  When God does not
remove a difficult situation as we request, then He intends for us to deal with
it.  God uses difficult situations to
remove pride (Dan. 4:37; 2 Cor. 12:7-10), or to develop godliness (Jam.
1:2-4).  It’s almost always the case that
we prefer God change our circumstances rather than our attitude; and yet, it
seems both biblically and experientially that God prefers to do the
opposite.  Though the Lord is concerned
about our difficult situations, He’s more concerned Christian character than
comfort.

Biblical Prayer Part 2

Prayer
is most often an appeal to God to change a difficult or helpless situation.  The Lord sovereignly answers our requests as
His wisdom, righteousness and love dictate; sometimes He answers yes and sometimes no.  The Lord has His reasons
and they always glorify Him.  Sometimes
God changes our situations as we request (i.e. concerning employment, health,
finances, etc.), and sometimes He leaves the situation and seeks to change our
attitude (e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh,
2 Cor. 12:7-10).  When God does not
remove a difficult situation as we request, then He intends for us to deal with
it.  God uses difficult situations to
remove pride (Dan. 4:37; 2 Cor. 12:7-10), or to develop godliness (Jam.
1:2-4).  It’s almost always the case that
we prefer God change our circumstances rather than our attitude; and yet, it
seems both biblically and experientially that God prefers to do the
opposite.  Though the Lord is concerned
about our difficult situations, He’s more concerned Christian character than
comfort.

Biblical Prayer Part 3

Prayer
is most often an appeal to God to change a difficult or helpless situation.  The Lord sovereignly answers our requests as
His wisdom, righteousness and love dictate; sometimes He answers yes and sometimes no.  The Lord has His reasons
and they always glorify Him.  Sometimes
God changes our situations as we request (i.e. concerning employment, health, finances,
etc.), and sometimes He leaves the situation and seeks to change our attitude
(e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh, 2
Cor. 12:7-10).  When God does not remove
a difficult situation as we request, then He intends for us to deal with it.  God uses difficult situations to remove pride
(Dan. 4:37; 2 Cor. 12:7-10), or to develop godliness (Jam. 1:2-4).  It’s almost always the case that we prefer
God change our circumstances rather than our attitude; and yet, it seems both biblically
and experientially that God prefers to do the opposite.  Though the Lord is concerned about our
difficult situations, He’s more concerned Christian character than comfort.

Overcoming Stress Part 1

Adversity
comes to everyone, but only the believer – armed with Scripture – has a
sufficient base with which to handle to pressures of life.  Mental and emotional stability comes from
learning and living God’s word on a regular basis.  

Overcoming Stress Part 2

Adversity
comes to everyone, but only the believer – armed with Scripture – has a
sufficient base with which to handle to pressures of life.  Mental and emotional stability comes from
learning and living God’s word on a regular basis.  

Introduction to the Mosaic Law

The Mosaic Law refers to “the statutes and ordinances and
laws which the LORD established between Himself and the sons of Israel through
Moses at Mount Sinai” (Lev. 26:46).  The
Mosaic Law reflects God’s righteous character; therefore, “the Law
is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12).  The Mosaic Law measured Israel’s performance
under the Mosaic Covenant and was the basis for blessing or cursing (see Deut.
28).

Discussion on God's Providence Part 1

Divine
providence means that God controls the circumstances of life in such a way that
He is directing history as He desires according to His predetermined plan from
eternity past.  In short, people are
moved by the circumstances God controls. 
Life is never a series of accidents where one chance event is followed
by another; but rather, it is a series of appointments whereby the sovereign
God of the universe “causes all things to work together for good” (Rom.
8:28).  God never creates evil, but He
does sometimes use it to accomplish His purposes.  

Discussion on God's Providence Part 2

Divine
providence means that God controls the circumstances of life in such a way that
He is directing history as He desires according to His predetermined plan from
eternity past.  In short, people are
moved by the circumstances God controls. 
Life is never a series of accidents where one chance event is followed
by another; but rather, it is a series of appointments whereby the sovereign
God of the universe “causes all things to work together for good” (Rom.
8:28).  God never creates evil, but He
does sometimes use it to accomplish His purposes.  

The New Covenant and the Lord's Supper

The New Covenant is specifically mentioned by the Lord Jesus on the night He was betrayed, before He went to the cross and shed His blood and died.  At the last supper Jesus instituted what is commonly called the Lord’s Supper which is celebrated by Christians today (1 Cor. 11:23-26).  (complete study notes)

Marriage and God

Marriage, according to Scripture, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-33).  Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created in God’s image with the purpose of serving Him and exercising responsible dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).  The husband was created to be the loving leader to guide the relationship into God’s will, and the wife was to walk with him and help him (Gen. 2:18; 21-23; cf. Eph. 5:25-33).   

Marriage and the Bible

Marriage, according to Scripture, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-33).  Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created in God’s image with the purpose of serving Him and exercising responsible dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).  The husband was created to be the loving leader to guide the relationship into God’s will, and the wife was to walk with him and help him (Gen. 2:18; 21-23; cf. Eph. 5:25-33).   

Marriage and Faith

Marriage, according to Scripture, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-33).  Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created in God’s image with the purpose of serving Him and exercising responsible dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).  The husband was created to be the loving leader to guide the relationship into God’s will, and the wife was to walk with him and help him (Gen. 2:18; 21-23; cf. Eph. 5:25-33).   

The Spiritual Marriage

Marriage, according to Scripture, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-33).  Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created in God’s image with the purpose of serving Him and exercising responsible dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).  The husband was created to be the loving leader to guide the relationship into God’s will, and the wife was to walk with him and help him (Gen. 2:18; 21-23; cf. Eph. 5:25-33).   

Marriage - Love and Respect

Marriage, according to Scripture, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-33).  Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created in God’s image with the purpose of serving Him and exercising responsible dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).  The husband was created to be the loving leader to guide the relationship into God’s will, and the wife was to walk with him and help him (Gen. 2:18; 21-23; cf. Eph. 5:25-33).   

The Doctrine of Grace Part 1

The Greek word ca,rij charis is most commonly translated grace, favor, andthank you.  ca,rij charis appears 155 times in the New Testament, and from that number the apostle Paul uses the word 130 times.  Grace refers to the unmerited favor that one person shows toward an undeserving other.  The greatest expression of grace is observed in the love God shows toward undeserving sinners for whom He sent His Son to die in their place so they might have eternal life in Christ (John 3:16-19; Rom. 5:6-10).  (complete set of notes)