So sorry for the late post here - was distracted by things like family and friends... :)
Here are the next 5 questions:
6) Who were Josephs parents?
7) How many shepherds did angels talk to before Jesus' birth?
8) Where was Jesus born (location not city)?
9) Who was the first to see Jesus after Mary and Joseph?
10) Why did Jesus have to be born where He was in #8?
Answers soon....
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas Trivia #2
Merry Christmas to all. I trust all of you are having a great celebration of God Incarnate - Emmanuel!
Here are some trivia answers...
will post answers before the next post but would love to see everyones' answers - remember that your answers are anonymous so answer as you see fit and honest. Let's see what fun we can have...
1) What is the statistical likelihood that the prophecies around Christ's birth would be fulfilled as they were- 1 in how many?
somewhere between 1 in 65 billion and 1 in a trillion
2) How many years was it between Isaiah and Jesus birth?
about 700 years
3) When did the kings (wise men) show up to see Jesus?
when Jesus was around 2 years old
4) Why was it so important that Joseph be Jesus' earthly father?
He was of the descent of David - fulfilling prophecy
5) What is the first mention of Jesus in the bible (the verse)?
Some different answers here - Matthew 1:1 and the like but Genesis 1:26 seems clear...
6 to 10 will be in the next post...
Here are some trivia answers...
will post answers before the next post but would love to see everyones' answers - remember that your answers are anonymous so answer as you see fit and honest. Let's see what fun we can have...
1) What is the statistical likelihood that the prophecies around Christ's birth would be fulfilled as they were- 1 in how many?
somewhere between 1 in 65 billion and 1 in a trillion
2) How many years was it between Isaiah and Jesus birth?
about 700 years
3) When did the kings (wise men) show up to see Jesus?
when Jesus was around 2 years old
4) Why was it so important that Joseph be Jesus' earthly father?
He was of the descent of David - fulfilling prophecy
5) What is the first mention of Jesus in the bible (the verse)?
Some different answers here - Matthew 1:1 and the like but Genesis 1:26 seems clear...
6 to 10 will be in the next post...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas Trivia
Hello everyone! I thought it would be fun to have some answers to some common trivia as well as some stuff to stump even saved believers. Below - and the next couple of posts over the next few days - includes some of these fun items.
I will post answers before the next post but would love to see everyones' answers - remember that your answers are anonymous so answer as you see fit and honest. Let's see what fun we can have...
1) What is the statistical likelihood that the prophecies around Christ's birth would be fulfilled as they were- 1 in how many?
2) How many years was it between Isaiah and Jesus birth?
3) When did the kings (wise men) show up to see Jesus?
4) Why was it so important that Joseph be Jesus' earthly father?
5) What is the first mention of Jesus in the bible (the verse)?
Tomorrow will be 6 through 10...
I will post answers before the next post but would love to see everyones' answers - remember that your answers are anonymous so answer as you see fit and honest. Let's see what fun we can have...
1) What is the statistical likelihood that the prophecies around Christ's birth would be fulfilled as they were- 1 in how many?
2) How many years was it between Isaiah and Jesus birth?
3) When did the kings (wise men) show up to see Jesus?
4) Why was it so important that Joseph be Jesus' earthly father?
5) What is the first mention of Jesus in the bible (the verse)?
Tomorrow will be 6 through 10...
Why did Jesus Come when He did?
Question: "Why did God send Jesus when He did? Why not earlier? Why not later?"
Answer: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law” (Galatians 4:4). This verse declares that God the Father sent His Son when “the time had fully come.” There were many things occurring at the time of the first century that, at least by human reasoning, seem to make it ideal for Christ to come then.
1) There was a great anticipation among the Jews of that time that the Messiah would come. The Roman rule over Israel made the Jews hungry for the Messiah’s coming.
2) Rome had unified much of the world under its government, giving a sense of unity to the various lands. Also, because the empire was relatively peaceful, travel was possible, allowing the early Christians to spread the gospel. Such freedom to travel would have been impossible in other eras.
3) While Rome had conquered militarily, Greece had conquered culturally. A “common” form of the Greek language (different from classical Greek) was the trade language and was spoken throughout the empire, making it possible to communicate the gospel to many different people groups through one common language.
4) The fact that the many false idols had failed to give them victory over the Roman conquerors caused many to abandon the worship of those idols. At the same time, in the more “cultured” cities, the Greek philosophy and science of the time left others spiritually empty in the same way that the atheism of communist governments leaves a spiritual void today.
5) The mystery religions of the time emphasized a savior-god and required worshipers to offer bloody sacrifices, thus making the gospel of Christ which involved one ultimate sacrifice believable to them. The Greeks also believed in the immortality of the soul (but not of the body).
6) The Roman army recruited soldiers from among the provinces, introducing these men to Roman culture and to ideas (such as the gospel) that had not reached those outlying provinces yet. The earliest introduction of the gospel to Britain was the result of the efforts of Christian soldiers stationed there.
The above statements are based on men looking at that time and speculating about why that particular point in history was a good time for Christ to come. But we understand that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and these may or may not have been some reasons for why He chose that particular time to send His Son. From the context of Galatians 3 and 4, it is evident that God sought to lay a foundation through the Jewish Law that would prepare for the coming of the Messiah. The Law was meant to help people understand the depth of their sinfulness (in that they were incapable of keeping the Law) so that they might more readily accept the cure for that sin through Jesus the Messiah (Galatians 3:22-23; Romans 3:19-20). The Law was also “put in charge” (Galatians 3:24) to lead people to Jesus as the Messiah. It did this through its many prophecies concerning the Messiah which Jesus fulfilled. Add to this the sacrificial system that pointed to the need for a sacrifice for sin as well as its own inadequacy (with each sacrifice always requiring later additional ones). Old Testament history also painted pictures of the person and work of Christ through several events and religious feasts (such as the willingness of Abraham to offer up Isaac, or the details of the Passover during the exodus from Egypt, etc.).
Finally, Christ came when He did in fulfillment of specific prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27 speaks of the “seventy weeks” or the seventy “sevens.” From the context, these “weeks” or “sevens” refer to groups of seven years, not seven days. We can examine history and line up the details of the first sixty-nine weeks (the seventieth week will take place at a future point). The countdown of the seventy weeks begins with “the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” (verse 25). This command was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:5). After seven “sevens” plus 62 “sevens,” or 69 x 7 years, the prophecy states, “the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary” and that the “end will come like a flood” (meaning major destruction) (v. 26). Here we have an unmistakable reference to the Savior’s death on the cross. A century ago in his book The Coming Prince, Sir Robert Anderson gave detailed calculations of the sixty-nine weeks, using ‘prophetic years,’ allowing for leap years, errors in the calendar, the change from B.C. to A.D., etc., and figured that the sixty-nine weeks ended on the very day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, five days before His death. Whether one uses this timetable or not, the point is that the timing of Christ’s incarnation ties in with this detailed prophecy recorded by Daniel over five hundred years beforehand.
The timing of Christ’s incarnation was such that the people of that time were prepared for His coming. The people of every century since then have more than sufficient evidence that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah through His fulfillment of the Scriptures that pictured and prophesied His coming in great detail.
Answer: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law” (Galatians 4:4). This verse declares that God the Father sent His Son when “the time had fully come.” There were many things occurring at the time of the first century that, at least by human reasoning, seem to make it ideal for Christ to come then.
1) There was a great anticipation among the Jews of that time that the Messiah would come. The Roman rule over Israel made the Jews hungry for the Messiah’s coming.
2) Rome had unified much of the world under its government, giving a sense of unity to the various lands. Also, because the empire was relatively peaceful, travel was possible, allowing the early Christians to spread the gospel. Such freedom to travel would have been impossible in other eras.
3) While Rome had conquered militarily, Greece had conquered culturally. A “common” form of the Greek language (different from classical Greek) was the trade language and was spoken throughout the empire, making it possible to communicate the gospel to many different people groups through one common language.
4) The fact that the many false idols had failed to give them victory over the Roman conquerors caused many to abandon the worship of those idols. At the same time, in the more “cultured” cities, the Greek philosophy and science of the time left others spiritually empty in the same way that the atheism of communist governments leaves a spiritual void today.
5) The mystery religions of the time emphasized a savior-god and required worshipers to offer bloody sacrifices, thus making the gospel of Christ which involved one ultimate sacrifice believable to them. The Greeks also believed in the immortality of the soul (but not of the body).
6) The Roman army recruited soldiers from among the provinces, introducing these men to Roman culture and to ideas (such as the gospel) that had not reached those outlying provinces yet. The earliest introduction of the gospel to Britain was the result of the efforts of Christian soldiers stationed there.
The above statements are based on men looking at that time and speculating about why that particular point in history was a good time for Christ to come. But we understand that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and these may or may not have been some reasons for why He chose that particular time to send His Son. From the context of Galatians 3 and 4, it is evident that God sought to lay a foundation through the Jewish Law that would prepare for the coming of the Messiah. The Law was meant to help people understand the depth of their sinfulness (in that they were incapable of keeping the Law) so that they might more readily accept the cure for that sin through Jesus the Messiah (Galatians 3:22-23; Romans 3:19-20). The Law was also “put in charge” (Galatians 3:24) to lead people to Jesus as the Messiah. It did this through its many prophecies concerning the Messiah which Jesus fulfilled. Add to this the sacrificial system that pointed to the need for a sacrifice for sin as well as its own inadequacy (with each sacrifice always requiring later additional ones). Old Testament history also painted pictures of the person and work of Christ through several events and religious feasts (such as the willingness of Abraham to offer up Isaac, or the details of the Passover during the exodus from Egypt, etc.).
Finally, Christ came when He did in fulfillment of specific prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27 speaks of the “seventy weeks” or the seventy “sevens.” From the context, these “weeks” or “sevens” refer to groups of seven years, not seven days. We can examine history and line up the details of the first sixty-nine weeks (the seventieth week will take place at a future point). The countdown of the seventy weeks begins with “the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” (verse 25). This command was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:5). After seven “sevens” plus 62 “sevens,” or 69 x 7 years, the prophecy states, “the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary” and that the “end will come like a flood” (meaning major destruction) (v. 26). Here we have an unmistakable reference to the Savior’s death on the cross. A century ago in his book The Coming Prince, Sir Robert Anderson gave detailed calculations of the sixty-nine weeks, using ‘prophetic years,’ allowing for leap years, errors in the calendar, the change from B.C. to A.D., etc., and figured that the sixty-nine weeks ended on the very day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, five days before His death. Whether one uses this timetable or not, the point is that the timing of Christ’s incarnation ties in with this detailed prophecy recorded by Daniel over five hundred years beforehand.
The timing of Christ’s incarnation was such that the people of that time were prepared for His coming. The people of every century since then have more than sufficient evidence that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah through His fulfillment of the Scriptures that pictured and prophesied His coming in great detail.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Notes for this Sunday
Below is one of the items we will be covering the next two weeks in class. These are basic truths we hold dear and sign on to as teachers at LBC.
Truths We Hold Dear
It is our desire to have those presenting the Word of God to be in agreement with the church’s position on essential beliefs. The following represents those beliefs. (Revised 08/06)
- About God – God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
- About the Father – He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe and flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.
- About Jesus – Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Jesus has eternally existed and became fully man at His incarnation. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He bodily arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- About the Holy Spirit – Is the third Person of the Trinity, guiding men into all truth; exalting Christ; convicting of sin, cultivating Christian Character; comforting believers; bestowing spiritual gifts and sealing the believer until the final day of redemption.
- About the Scriptures – The Bible is God’s Word to us. Human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is timeless and is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because God inspired it, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
- About Human Beings – People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation. All of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in our lives.
- About Salvation – Salvation is God’s free gift to us, we must only accept it. We can never make up for our sins by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved.
- About Eternal Security – Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us security.
- About Eternity – People are created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God in Heaven through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell.
- About Baptism by Immersion – Scriptural baptism involves being completely immersed under the water, following the salvation experience. This is how Jesus was baptized as well as all baptisms in the New Testament. Baptism has no saving power but is the first act of obedience for a new believer. It represents the believer’s faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the believer’s death to sin and self. It is the beginning of a new life and a new walk with Christ.
- About the Lord’s Supper – The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming. The bread is symbolic of His body and the juice represents His blood.
- About Tithing – At LBC we believe in giving the tithe – 10% of gross income, which is to be done joyfully, and regularly, according to the scriptures.
- About Evangelism – It is the duty of every born again follower of Jesus Christ and of every church to endeavor to make disciples of all men everywhere. It is the command of Christ for every believer to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by sharing personal testimony and the “Good News”of Jesus Christ.
- About Church Unity – To live in harmony with other believers is clearly the teaching of the New Testament. It is the responsibility of each believer to endeavor to live in fellowship with each member of the congregation. It is further the responsibility of each member to bring all gossiping and backbiting to an end.
I agree with and will teach according to these essential beliefs ________________________ Date________
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
November 21, 2010 - Notes for Class
Hello! I trust all of you are having a great week IN THE LORD.
Here are some questions getting ready for this Sunday's Lesson:
Please read Romans 2 in it's entirety.
Please read Romans 2:12-16.
The principle of impartiality has to face a problem as soon as the two groups, Jews and Gentiles, are considered together. God has not dealt with them in a similar fashion. To the Jew He has given special revelation of Himself in scripture that has been denied to the Gentile. But in this section Paul shows that the Gentile does have a law, and this suffices for a basis for judgement. Before discussing this law, however, Paul sees in it no power to save.
v 12 - Who is Paul speaking to in this verse? Why was that important to the Roman church?
v 13 - What is the difference between hearing and obeying the law? Where do you see this happening? What is the difference in the person that hears and obeys (inside of the person)? Does motivation have anything to do with this or is this included here?
v 14-15 - Does this mean that the Gentiles have a more intimate law than the Jews that had it spoken to them? Who is the judge here? Where is the battle between what is good or not go on?
v 15 - The word conscience is used although not a great translation as it was not used in the OT. This is particular to the Greek influence on Paul. What is written on their hearts? Is that not written on the Jews hearts? What does that mean today for those that have seen and heard the bible vs those that have not? Is there any timeless truth here?
v 16 - What ultimately will happen? What judgement will be made? What will be judged? Is there anything else besides there will be (a time), a judgement (an account), of internal things (secrets and motives)?
v 16 - How does 'through Jesus Christ' make any difference to this verse? What does that mean for those that are saved and those that are not? Paul ultimately says that the gospel he preaches includes the prospect of judgment and that it will be conducted through the mediation of Christ. What does that do for/against those that are not saved?
Are you saved? Do you know that you know that you know???
See you Sunday!
Here are some questions getting ready for this Sunday's Lesson:
Please read Romans 2 in it's entirety.
Please read Romans 2:12-16.
The principle of impartiality has to face a problem as soon as the two groups, Jews and Gentiles, are considered together. God has not dealt with them in a similar fashion. To the Jew He has given special revelation of Himself in scripture that has been denied to the Gentile. But in this section Paul shows that the Gentile does have a law, and this suffices for a basis for judgement. Before discussing this law, however, Paul sees in it no power to save.
v 12 - Who is Paul speaking to in this verse? Why was that important to the Roman church?
v 13 - What is the difference between hearing and obeying the law? Where do you see this happening? What is the difference in the person that hears and obeys (inside of the person)? Does motivation have anything to do with this or is this included here?
v 14-15 - Does this mean that the Gentiles have a more intimate law than the Jews that had it spoken to them? Who is the judge here? Where is the battle between what is good or not go on?
v 15 - The word conscience is used although not a great translation as it was not used in the OT. This is particular to the Greek influence on Paul. What is written on their hearts? Is that not written on the Jews hearts? What does that mean today for those that have seen and heard the bible vs those that have not? Is there any timeless truth here?
v 16 - What ultimately will happen? What judgement will be made? What will be judged? Is there anything else besides there will be (a time), a judgement (an account), of internal things (secrets and motives)?
v 16 - How does 'through Jesus Christ' make any difference to this verse? What does that mean for those that are saved and those that are not? Paul ultimately says that the gospel he preaches includes the prospect of judgment and that it will be conducted through the mediation of Christ. What does that do for/against those that are not saved?
Are you saved? Do you know that you know that you know???
See you Sunday!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Searching for Glory
This morning we discussed seeking glory. I found a great commentary on what the glory of God is and wanted to share it with you...
"What is the glory of God?"
Answer: The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but it is the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. James 1:10 calls on a rich man to “glory in his humiliation,” indicating a glory that does not mean riches or power or great aesthetic or material beauty. This glory can crown man or fill the earth. It is seen within man and in the earth, but it is not of them; it is of God. The glory of man is the beauty of man’s spirit, which is fallible and eventually passes away, and is therefore humiliating—as the verse tells us. But the glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal.
Isaiah 43:7 says that God created us for His glory. In context with the other verses, it can be said that man “glorifies” God because through man God’s glory can be seen in things such as love, music, heroism and so forth—things belonging to God that we are carrying “in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are the vessels which “contain” His glory. All the things we are able to do and be find their source in Him. God interacts with nature in the same way. Nature exhibits His glory. His glory is revealed to man’s mind through the material world in many ways, and often in different ways to different people. One person may be thrilled by the sight of the mountains, and another person may love the beauty of the sea. But that which is behind them both (God’s glory) speaks to both people and connects them to God. In this way, God is able to reveal Himself to all men, no matter their race, heritage or location. As Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands; day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world.”
Psalm 73:24 calls heaven itself “glory.” It used to be common to hear Christians talk of death as being “received unto glory,” which is a phrase borrowed from this Psalm. When the Christian dies, he will be taken into God’s presence, and in His presence will be naturally surrounded by God’s glory. We will be taken to the place where God’s beauty literally resides—the beauty of His Spirit will be there, because He will be there. Again, the beauty of His Spirit (or the essence of Who He Is) is His “glory.” In that place, His glory will not need to come through man or nature, rather it will be seen clearly, just as 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
In the human/earthly sense, glory is a beauty or vibrancy that rests upon the material of the earth (Psalm 37:20, Psalm 49:17), and in that sense, it fades. But the reason it fades is only that the material things do not last. They die and wither, but the glory that is in them belongs to God, and returns to Him when death or decay takes the material. Think of the rich man mentioned earlier. The verse says, “The rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.” What does this mean? The verse is admonishing the rich man to realize that his wealth and power and beauty come from God, and to be humbled by the realization that it is God who makes him what he is, and gives him all he has. And the knowledge that he will pass away like the grass is what will bring him to the realization that God is the one from whence his glory comes. God’s glory is the source, the wellspring from which all smaller glories run.
Since God is the one from whom glory comes, He will not let stand the assertion that glory comes from man or from the idols of man or from nature. In Isaiah 42:8 we see an example of God’s jealousy over His glory. This jealousy for His own glory is what Paul is talking about in Romans 1:21-25 when he speaks of the ways people worship the creature rather than the Creator. In other words, they looked at the object through which God’s glory was coming and instead of giving God the credit for it, they worshiped that animal or tree or man as if the beauty it possessed originated from within itself. This is the very heart of idolatry and is a very common occurrence. It is probably safe to say that everyone who has ever lived has committed this error at one time or another. We have all “exchanged” the glory of God in favor of the “glory of man.”
This is the mistake many people continue to make: trusting in earthly things, earthly relationships, their own powers or talents or beauty, or the goodness they see in others. But when these things fade and fail as they will inevitably do (being only temporary carriers of the greater glory), these people despair. What we all need to realize is that God’s glory is constant, and as we journey through life we will see it manifesting here and there, in this person or that forest or in a story of love or heroism, fiction or non-fiction, or our own personal lives. But it all goes back to God in the end. And the only way to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. We will find the very source of all beauty in Him, in heaven, if we are in Christ. Nothing will be lost to us. All those things that faded in life we will find again in Him.
"What is the glory of God?"
Answer: The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but it is the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. James 1:10 calls on a rich man to “glory in his humiliation,” indicating a glory that does not mean riches or power or great aesthetic or material beauty. This glory can crown man or fill the earth. It is seen within man and in the earth, but it is not of them; it is of God. The glory of man is the beauty of man’s spirit, which is fallible and eventually passes away, and is therefore humiliating—as the verse tells us. But the glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal.
Isaiah 43:7 says that God created us for His glory. In context with the other verses, it can be said that man “glorifies” God because through man God’s glory can be seen in things such as love, music, heroism and so forth—things belonging to God that we are carrying “in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are the vessels which “contain” His glory. All the things we are able to do and be find their source in Him. God interacts with nature in the same way. Nature exhibits His glory. His glory is revealed to man’s mind through the material world in many ways, and often in different ways to different people. One person may be thrilled by the sight of the mountains, and another person may love the beauty of the sea. But that which is behind them both (God’s glory) speaks to both people and connects them to God. In this way, God is able to reveal Himself to all men, no matter their race, heritage or location. As Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands; day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world.”
Psalm 73:24 calls heaven itself “glory.” It used to be common to hear Christians talk of death as being “received unto glory,” which is a phrase borrowed from this Psalm. When the Christian dies, he will be taken into God’s presence, and in His presence will be naturally surrounded by God’s glory. We will be taken to the place where God’s beauty literally resides—the beauty of His Spirit will be there, because He will be there. Again, the beauty of His Spirit (or the essence of Who He Is) is His “glory.” In that place, His glory will not need to come through man or nature, rather it will be seen clearly, just as 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
In the human/earthly sense, glory is a beauty or vibrancy that rests upon the material of the earth (Psalm 37:20, Psalm 49:17), and in that sense, it fades. But the reason it fades is only that the material things do not last. They die and wither, but the glory that is in them belongs to God, and returns to Him when death or decay takes the material. Think of the rich man mentioned earlier. The verse says, “The rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.” What does this mean? The verse is admonishing the rich man to realize that his wealth and power and beauty come from God, and to be humbled by the realization that it is God who makes him what he is, and gives him all he has. And the knowledge that he will pass away like the grass is what will bring him to the realization that God is the one from whence his glory comes. God’s glory is the source, the wellspring from which all smaller glories run.
Since God is the one from whom glory comes, He will not let stand the assertion that glory comes from man or from the idols of man or from nature. In Isaiah 42:8 we see an example of God’s jealousy over His glory. This jealousy for His own glory is what Paul is talking about in Romans 1:21-25 when he speaks of the ways people worship the creature rather than the Creator. In other words, they looked at the object through which God’s glory was coming and instead of giving God the credit for it, they worshiped that animal or tree or man as if the beauty it possessed originated from within itself. This is the very heart of idolatry and is a very common occurrence. It is probably safe to say that everyone who has ever lived has committed this error at one time or another. We have all “exchanged” the glory of God in favor of the “glory of man.”
This is the mistake many people continue to make: trusting in earthly things, earthly relationships, their own powers or talents or beauty, or the goodness they see in others. But when these things fade and fail as they will inevitably do (being only temporary carriers of the greater glory), these people despair. What we all need to realize is that God’s glory is constant, and as we journey through life we will see it manifesting here and there, in this person or that forest or in a story of love or heroism, fiction or non-fiction, or our own personal lives. But it all goes back to God in the end. And the only way to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. We will find the very source of all beauty in Him, in heaven, if we are in Christ. Nothing will be lost to us. All those things that faded in life we will find again in Him.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Additional Information/Commentary on the Wrath of God
As our discussion last Sunday had some questions regarding how and where the wrath of God is shown I thought the following was appropriate to post. See you Sunday!
1. (18a) The greatest peril facing the human race: the wrath of God.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
a. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven: The idea is simple but sobering - God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against the human race, and the human race deserves the wrath of God.
b. We sometimes object to the idea of the wrath of God because we equate it with human anger, which is motivated by selfish personal reasons or by a desire for revenge. We must not forget that the wrath of God is completely righteous in character.
“It is unnecessary, and it weakens the biblical concept of the wrath of God, to deprive it of its emotional and affective character . . . to construe God’s wrath as simply in his purpose to punish sin or to secure the connection between sin and misery is to equate wrath with its effects and virtually eliminate wrath as a movement within the mind of God. Wrath is the holy revulsion of God’s being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness.” (Murrary)
c. In Romans 1:16, Paul spoke of salvation - but what are we saved from? First and foremost, we are saved from the wrath of God that we righteously deserve.
“Unless there is something to be saved from, there is no point in talking about salvation.” (Morris)
d. In this portion of the letter (Romans 1:18-3:20), Paul’s goal is not to proclaim the good news, but to demonstrate the absolute necessity of the good news of salvation from God’s righteous wrath.
The wrath of God is not revealed in the gospel, but in the facts of human experience.
1. (18a) The greatest peril facing the human race: the wrath of God.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
a. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven: The idea is simple but sobering - God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against the human race, and the human race deserves the wrath of God.
b. We sometimes object to the idea of the wrath of God because we equate it with human anger, which is motivated by selfish personal reasons or by a desire for revenge. We must not forget that the wrath of God is completely righteous in character.
“It is unnecessary, and it weakens the biblical concept of the wrath of God, to deprive it of its emotional and affective character . . . to construe God’s wrath as simply in his purpose to punish sin or to secure the connection between sin and misery is to equate wrath with its effects and virtually eliminate wrath as a movement within the mind of God. Wrath is the holy revulsion of God’s being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness.” (Murrary)
c. In Romans 1:16, Paul spoke of salvation - but what are we saved from? First and foremost, we are saved from the wrath of God that we righteously deserve.
“Unless there is something to be saved from, there is no point in talking about salvation.” (Morris)
d. In this portion of the letter (Romans 1:18-3:20), Paul’s goal is not to proclaim the good news, but to demonstrate the absolute necessity of the good news of salvation from God’s righteous wrath.
The wrath of God is not revealed in the gospel, but in the facts of human experience.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Notes for November 7, 2010
Hello All!
I trust that you all are having a great week and giving the Lord your all every day.
Here are the notes for November 7, 2010:
I trust that you all are having a great week and giving the Lord your all every day.
Here are the notes for November 7, 2010:
Please pray for God’s will, not yours, to be done and the Holy Spirit to guide you through the verses of His word.
Please Read all of Romans 1
- What does it mean in verse 18 that the wrath of God is revealed against all godlessness and wickeness of men? How do we see God’s wrath revealed? Use specific examples...
- What does it mean in verses 19-20 by God’s qualities? What has been made plain? How can you explain these verses to someone else?
- What examples can you give of today’s people doing the same things as verses 21-23?
- what do verses 24 and 25 mean in your own words? Is there anything in your life where you have exchanged the truth for a lie? What is the truth?
- Although vs 26 sounds just like vs 24 these are two different things that God is giving people over to. In verse 24 God is around a practice of cultic prostitution where fertility cults would prostitutes and devotees to the gods and goddesses would have relations with them to encourage the gods to do likewise and, in turn, help the people where the latter (verse 26) and a practice in the day where the latter is about perversion in sexual relations at a personal level. How does Genesis 1:28 come in here and against verse 26 and 27? What is your stance on homosexuality and why? How do you explain yourself or to others these verses?
- Read vs 28 - what does it mean to be given over to a depraved mind? How do we do this even sometimes? Does this happen in your life? How are verse 28 and 29-31 related? What are the items noted in 29 -31and how are they related to verse 28?
- Make a list of the items in verses 29-31 - Check which of these you have been involved with at any time in your life. Are there any that you struggle with today?
- What else do the people that do these things do with others? What does it mean to approve that others do these things? Can you give examples past the homosexuality issue that show others doing these wicked things?
- How would you summarize Romans 1?
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Notes for October 17, 2010
Hello Everyone! Thanks for your prayers and comments on the lesson today. It is a great encouragement to know that there are those that pray for God's will to be done and I could possibly get out of the way for Him to teach us all.
Here are some questions for next Sunday, October 17, 2010. Have a great week!
A) Review -
1) Please read Romans 1:1-15. Review the notes from the last two Sundays regarding verse 1 to 7. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
B) Dive In -
1) Pray for Jesus' guidance in your intention and what He would like you to come away from this week with.
2) Read Romans 1:8-15. What are the top things that call out to you from these verses? Write them down in a list.
3) Verse 8 - Who does Paul thank? Why does Paul thank? Does this describe you and your household? Why or why not?
4) Verse 9 - Paul tells something about himself. What is that? Why does God need to be his witness? What purpose does this serve?
5) Verse 10 - How does he remember them - tactically what has he done? What does Paul pray for? What do you pray for for the church? Does it resemble this? How often and for what do you pray? Write down your answer.
6) Verse 11 and 12 - What is Paul so wanting for/to/with the Romans? Don't take these two verses apart. Stay with what he has said - these are not gifts such as spiritual gifts, this is "to make you strong" is what these words mean. Paul then talks about what he will get out of being with them, to ensure that he doesn't seem to say that blessing will flow only from Paul to the church. What do you expect from being at church? Does this speak to your passion for church and the people in it? Write down your answer.
7) Verse 13 - What does Paul want them to be aware of? What has he been doing? Why has he not come before? When is is coming to Rome? Use a concordance or study bible if you have one. What is the History here? Sometimes do we have to wait to do something we have passion for due to obligation? What is that in your life?
8) Verses 14 and 15 - Paul says in verse 11 that he longs to see the Romans. Now he is obligated? What is he trying to say here? Where was he headed once he ministered to Rome? What was his plan? How does this factor into these two verses? Don't know? We will discuss next week!
Take care! Romans 8:5
Andrew
Here are some questions for next Sunday, October 17, 2010. Have a great week!
A) Review -
1) Please read Romans 1:1-15. Review the notes from the last two Sundays regarding verse 1 to 7. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
B) Dive In -
1) Pray for Jesus' guidance in your intention and what He would like you to come away from this week with.
2) Read Romans 1:8-15. What are the top things that call out to you from these verses? Write them down in a list.
3) Verse 8 - Who does Paul thank? Why does Paul thank? Does this describe you and your household? Why or why not?
4) Verse 9 - Paul tells something about himself. What is that? Why does God need to be his witness? What purpose does this serve?
5) Verse 10 - How does he remember them - tactically what has he done? What does Paul pray for? What do you pray for for the church? Does it resemble this? How often and for what do you pray? Write down your answer.
6) Verse 11 and 12 - What is Paul so wanting for/to/with the Romans? Don't take these two verses apart. Stay with what he has said - these are not gifts such as spiritual gifts, this is "to make you strong" is what these words mean. Paul then talks about what he will get out of being with them, to ensure that he doesn't seem to say that blessing will flow only from Paul to the church. What do you expect from being at church? Does this speak to your passion for church and the people in it? Write down your answer.
7) Verse 13 - What does Paul want them to be aware of? What has he been doing? Why has he not come before? When is is coming to Rome? Use a concordance or study bible if you have one. What is the History here? Sometimes do we have to wait to do something we have passion for due to obligation? What is that in your life?
8) Verses 14 and 15 - Paul says in verse 11 that he longs to see the Romans. Now he is obligated? What is he trying to say here? Where was he headed once he ministered to Rome? What was his plan? How does this factor into these two verses? Don't know? We will discuss next week!
Take care! Romans 8:5
Andrew
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Notes and Questions for October 10, 2010
Hello Everyone! Below are the blanks we filled in last week and those we will cover coming up this week. We may dive into 8 to 15 so if you have a chance you may want to go ahead and at least read these verses.
Here are the questions for this week - if you didn't finish last week's questions go back and do those first...
1) Who were apostles? Are we all apostles? v5
2) What were the apostles to do? v5
3) What is "obediance that comes from faith" or "obediance of faith"? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to your spouse? v5
4) Who is Paul talking to in v6?
5) What does it mean to be called? What is a saint? v6 Are you part of this called to be saints? Why or why not?
6) What is the difference between v6 and the beginning of v7?
7) Is there any particular need to say v7? What does it gain the Romans? What does it gain us?
8) Why do these verses (5-7) matter? In your own words....
See you Sunday!
Romans 1:1-7 - Who are you? - Needed for All Relationships October 2010
Paul v 1 ____Belongs to Christ because he was called by Christ____________________
Acts 13:6-12
Phil 2:7
1 Cor 4:1-4
Acts 9:15
Gal 1:12
Promise v 2-4 __The Christ is Lord___________________
Permeating Prophecy
Matt 1:1, Luke 1:32, Acts 13:22, 2 Tim 2:8 _____Lineage of David ___ as needed for the Messiah from Isa 11:1
Power
Genesis 1:26 - From the beginning He was ________
Col 1:29 __The power is inside and is known personally by believers____
1 Cor 15:45 ______Christ is the Life-Giving Spirit__________
1 Cor 15:20-21 ___Forerunner of others in transformation________
kata pnuema and kata sarka - In view throughout - 1 Tim 3:16 - So Holy - So absolutely free of sin, That death could not hold Him - Acts 2:24
Acts 2:36, 10:36 - "Our Lord" - greater use after the resurrection
Here is what we will cover this week:
Proclamation v 5-7 _________________________________
ALL
v5 - the Apostles were called - _________________________________
v5 - All Gentiles - Matt 28:19 - _________________________________
That are called by Faith
v5 - To Call People to _________________________________________
Belong to Christ
v6 - You are called - Heb 12:1-3 - Get Serious (again if necessary)
The Lord
v7 - His Love _______________________________________________
Only God can grant grace and peace - No What? Phil 2:1-11
Here are the questions for this week - if you didn't finish last week's questions go back and do those first...
1) Who were apostles? Are we all apostles? v5
2) What were the apostles to do? v5
3) What is "obediance that comes from faith" or "obediance of faith"? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to your spouse? v5
4) Who is Paul talking to in v6?
5) What does it mean to be called? What is a saint? v6 Are you part of this called to be saints? Why or why not?
6) What is the difference between v6 and the beginning of v7?
7) Is there any particular need to say v7? What does it gain the Romans? What does it gain us?
8) Why do these verses (5-7) matter? In your own words....
See you Sunday!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Reminder for this Weekend
Please join the whole church for what looks to be a wonderful and meaningful service at Shawnee Mission Park.
Starts at 10am
Invite a friend!
Pray for the service, the pastors, the congregation, and the visitors
Starts at 10am
Invite a friend!
Pray for the service, the pastors, the congregation, and the visitors
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Class items for October 3, 2010
Hello!
For class on October 3 please read Romans 1:1-7
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4and who through the Spirit[a] of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please answer the following questions:
A. Who is Paul? What is his role and who put him in it?
B. What is your role? Who put you on that role in life?
C. What is the history that Paul is talking about here? Why is it important?
D. Did Christ really rise from the dead? What would that have done to you if you met someone that had died and been buried and now was alive?
E. What dies it mean that we are all apostles? Is hat true?
F. Who Are we to call and who are saints?
G. Are you a saint?
Have a great great great service at the park this Sunday!
For class on October 3 please read Romans 1:1-7
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4and who through the Spirit[a] of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please answer the following questions:
A. Who is Paul? What is his role and who put him in it?
B. What is your role? Who put you on that role in life?
C. What is the history that Paul is talking about here? Why is it important?
D. Did Christ really rise from the dead? What would that have done to you if you met someone that had died and been buried and now was alive?
E. What dies it mean that we are all apostles? Is hat true?
F. Who Are we to call and who are saints?
G. Are you a saint?
Have a great great great service at the park this Sunday!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Notes for September 19, 2010
Hello all! I trust everyone us having a wonderful week. Please pray, if you haven't already, for the prayer requests send out earlier today.
For this week please review the following key verses for the introduction to Romans this week:
Key Verses: Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of every one who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
Romans 3:9-11, “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.’”
Romans 3:21, “But now a righteousness from God apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify.”
Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:9, “You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:37-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Romans 16:17, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.”
For this week please review the following key verses for the introduction to Romans this week:
Key Verses: Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of every one who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
Romans 3:9-11, “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.’”
Romans 3:21, “But now a righteousness from God apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify.”
Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:9, “You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:37-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Romans 16:17, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.”
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Hello Again!
Hello Everyone!
I trust you all had a most excellent summer! I am excited about this fall and our next study of Romans!
Each week we will do 3 things:
1) Questions of the week - The upcoming week's passage with a few to several questions to ponder during the week.
2) Study Handouts with WAYPOINTS - We will continue to use the 1/2 sheet 3 hole punched sheets and each class we will have a short time to go over application to the waypoints.
3) Blog Questions and Answers - Anonymously (REALLY) submit questions and we will get them answered asap!
Look forward to the fall!
Andrew
I trust you all had a most excellent summer! I am excited about this fall and our next study of Romans!
Each week we will do 3 things:
1) Questions of the week - The upcoming week's passage with a few to several questions to ponder during the week.
2) Study Handouts with WAYPOINTS - We will continue to use the 1/2 sheet 3 hole punched sheets and each class we will have a short time to go over application to the waypoints.
3) Blog Questions and Answers - Anonymously (REALLY) submit questions and we will get them answered asap!
Look forward to the fall!
Andrew
Monday, January 4, 2010
Notes and Study Items for January 10, 2010
This week we will begin in verse 1 in Galatians 1. The mission will be to complete the first 10 verses so please read the first chapter in the book 'Let Freedom Ring'. If we are not able to move through the first 10 verses in one Sunday it will spill over into the next and we will only cover through verse 10.
As we discussed in class, the study questions are provided for your edification and application. The last section, including memorization of verse 1:8 will be helpful as we discuss absolutely essential verses from Galatians to know for anyone you speak with (including your kids). We will be studying context, meaning, and application verse by verse over the next few months.
Please do pray this week for the class prayer requests, those in transit, and continued prayer for our Pastors as they prepare to examine and exegete the Word of God this week. Have a great week!
As we discussed in class, the study questions are provided for your edification and application. The last section, including memorization of verse 1:8 will be helpful as we discuss absolutely essential verses from Galatians to know for anyone you speak with (including your kids). We will be studying context, meaning, and application verse by verse over the next few months.
Please do pray this week for the class prayer requests, those in transit, and continued prayer for our Pastors as they prepare to examine and exegete the Word of God this week. Have a great week!
January 3, 2010 Notes
Here are some of the notes from yesterday.
the outline for the board:
Rules Righteousness Relationship
Law Liberty Love
The opening verse identifies the author of Galatians as the apostle Paul. Apart from a few 19th-century scholars, no one has seriously questioned his authorship.
The date of Galatians depends to a great extent on the destination of the letter. There are two main views:
1. The North Galatian theory. This older view holds that the letter was addressed to churches located in north-central Asia Minor (Pessinus, Ancyra and Tavium), where the Gauls had settled when they invaded the area in the third century b.c. It is held that Paul visited this area on his second missionary journey, though Acts contains no reference to such a visit. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between a.d. 53 and 57 from Ephesus or Macedonia.
2. The South Galatian theory. According to this view, Galatians was written to churches in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe) that Paul had founded on his first missionary journey (see note on 1:2 ). Some believe that Galatians was written from Syrian Antioch in 48-49 after Paul’s first journey and before the Jerusalem council meeting ( Ac 15 ). Others say that Galatians was written in Syrian Antioch or Corinth between 51 and 53 (see chart, Timeline of Paul’s Life ).
Almost without exception, Biblical interpreters who have written a commentary on Galatians believe that the letter was written primarily to counteract the activities of the Judaizers in Galatia. The mischievous work of these “legal men” is described in general in the previous section on the historical background; a more specific, though brief, treatment of these “Old Testament Christians” might be useful in aiding the reader to understand more fully the contents and the theological issue of Galatians. Who was a Judaizer and why was he called thus? The term is derived from a coined Lat. word Iudaizo meaning “to be or live like a Jew.” It is a religious designation rather than a national description. Bible students have called these opponents of the early Christian missionaries Judaizers because of their fundamental belief that Gentiles should live like Jews; that is, follow the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs and traditions, when and after they became Christians. It is not that Judaizers were wicked people or that they did not have good intentions; for them the issue was a matter of principle and from God Himself. But the implications of their insistence upon Jewish ceremonial law for the young Christian Church, both theologically and socially, were volatile and divisive indeed.
The theme of Galatians is Christian freedom in terms of salvation by grace and freedom from the law as the way to salvation. In this it partakes of the objective of the great letter to the Romans. Another way of asking the major question of the letter is: What is the place of the law in Christian theology? Is Christian salvation a question of faith and works, or faith without works? No one denied that the law was given by God and that it was divine. But did the new Pauline emphasis on grace and faith wipe out the law completely? Paul’s answer is negative and his statement of the relationship between law and Gospel in the letter becomes a dominant leitmotif. The law has its place in God’s plan but it is not the old Pharisaical or legalistic approach. The law tells a man what sin is. If there is no law one cannot transgress law; and if there is no transgression against law there is no sin.
Furthermore, for Paul the law drives a man to despair and causes him to throw himself upon the grace of God in one great act of faith. The honest legalist knows from experience that he can never completely obey the law for God and that the law only condemns. Only grace and faith give true life and liberty to the total man. In this letter then, the apostle’s great theme is Christian liberty which praises the grace of God.
The Judaizers attempted to answer this question of the law and the Gospel by opting for a legalistic system. Their argument was subtle and rational. If a Jew became a Christian, naturally he must bring Judaism with him into the Christian faith. Was not the Jew there first? Was not the law from God? It was so simple. A Jew must always remain a Jew. On the other hand, if a Gentile wished to become a disciple of Christ, he had to become a Jew to qualify. Were not all of God’s promises, even of the Messiah, promised to Jews alone? Christianity, like Judaism, was for Jews only. This was a new kind of slavery, worse than the old. It also faced man with demands he could not meet and drove all love for God and man from his heart. What hopes the poor Gentiles had were dashed to pieces. Everything in the letter is gathered about the theme of freedom in the grace of God, whether it be Paul’s own biography, his altercation with Peter, the works of a Christian ( Gal 2:19-21 ), the case of Abraham, the desires of the flesh and the compulsion of the Spirit, the doctrine of love, or forgiveness ( 6:15 ). Vehemently the apostle writes against the folly of salvation by works: “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse...Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” ( 3:10-13 ). In some way, each issue of the epistle has something to do with this theme.
The contents of the letter to the Galatians must compel the Christian’s personal attention. This is not just a theological or polemical essay which, like a Gr. debater, may take either side without impunity. The subject matter of this treatise of the Gospel involves every man and his eternal salvation or judgment. The news of Judaizers’ success caused great turmoil and even tempestuous anger in the apostle’s heart. He divided his wrath between the Judaizers for preaching such heresy and the Galatians for believing it. It is not only that the Galatians would lose their liberty; they would lose their God and His eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Justification by faith rather than by works must stand at all costs.
Another special feature of this great letter is that it deals directly with basic concerns of man in his relationship to God and his life on earth. It reveals the basic nature of man in that he tends to turn from truth to untruth because deception seems more delectable than truth ( 1:6-9 ); it points up the basic premise upon which man is received by God, namely the grace of God in Christ ( 2:11-21 ); it shows the all-sufficiency of Christ’s atonement for the sins of all men and the gift of salvation through His saving work ( 2:15 , 16 ); it reveals that God chooses to give His Gospel through other men whom He has called to be His ambassadors ( 2:6-10 ); it teaches the relationship between legal requirements and the gospel of freedom and human responsibility ( 2:17-21 ); it exhibits a brief but profound statement and understanding of the doctrine of justification by grace through faith ( 2:15 , 16 ); it shows a proper use and understanding of the OT ( 3:15-18 ; 4:21-31 ); it speaks in no uncertain terms about the equality of all men under God in Christ ( 3:23-29 ); the unity of the Church is emphasized repeatedly ( 5:6 ); it teaches the work of the Spirit and His power in the lives of men ( 5:6-25 ); its admonition to forgiveness is held up as a basic fruit of the Gospel ( 6:1-5 ); in short, the letter teaches the basic elements of Christianity in brief and unforgettable form.
Thanks to the NIV commentary, Glo (and associated works), The Zondervan illustrated commentary, and the lifeway book we are studying through for the above.
the outline for the board:
Rules Righteousness Relationship
Law Liberty Love
The opening verse identifies the author of Galatians as the apostle Paul. Apart from a few 19th-century scholars, no one has seriously questioned his authorship.
The date of Galatians depends to a great extent on the destination of the letter. There are two main views:
1. The North Galatian theory. This older view holds that the letter was addressed to churches located in north-central Asia Minor (Pessinus, Ancyra and Tavium), where the Gauls had settled when they invaded the area in the third century b.c. It is held that Paul visited this area on his second missionary journey, though Acts contains no reference to such a visit. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between a.d. 53 and 57 from Ephesus or Macedonia.
2. The South Galatian theory. According to this view, Galatians was written to churches in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe) that Paul had founded on his first missionary journey (see note on 1:2 ). Some believe that Galatians was written from Syrian Antioch in 48-49 after Paul’s first journey and before the Jerusalem council meeting ( Ac 15 ). Others say that Galatians was written in Syrian Antioch or Corinth between 51 and 53 (see chart, Timeline of Paul’s Life ).
Almost without exception, Biblical interpreters who have written a commentary on Galatians believe that the letter was written primarily to counteract the activities of the Judaizers in Galatia. The mischievous work of these “legal men” is described in general in the previous section on the historical background; a more specific, though brief, treatment of these “Old Testament Christians” might be useful in aiding the reader to understand more fully the contents and the theological issue of Galatians. Who was a Judaizer and why was he called thus? The term is derived from a coined Lat. word Iudaizo meaning “to be or live like a Jew.” It is a religious designation rather than a national description. Bible students have called these opponents of the early Christian missionaries Judaizers because of their fundamental belief that Gentiles should live like Jews; that is, follow the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs and traditions, when and after they became Christians. It is not that Judaizers were wicked people or that they did not have good intentions; for them the issue was a matter of principle and from God Himself. But the implications of their insistence upon Jewish ceremonial law for the young Christian Church, both theologically and socially, were volatile and divisive indeed.
The theme of Galatians is Christian freedom in terms of salvation by grace and freedom from the law as the way to salvation. In this it partakes of the objective of the great letter to the Romans. Another way of asking the major question of the letter is: What is the place of the law in Christian theology? Is Christian salvation a question of faith and works, or faith without works? No one denied that the law was given by God and that it was divine. But did the new Pauline emphasis on grace and faith wipe out the law completely? Paul’s answer is negative and his statement of the relationship between law and Gospel in the letter becomes a dominant leitmotif. The law has its place in God’s plan but it is not the old Pharisaical or legalistic approach. The law tells a man what sin is. If there is no law one cannot transgress law; and if there is no transgression against law there is no sin.
Furthermore, for Paul the law drives a man to despair and causes him to throw himself upon the grace of God in one great act of faith. The honest legalist knows from experience that he can never completely obey the law for God and that the law only condemns. Only grace and faith give true life and liberty to the total man. In this letter then, the apostle’s great theme is Christian liberty which praises the grace of God.
The Judaizers attempted to answer this question of the law and the Gospel by opting for a legalistic system. Their argument was subtle and rational. If a Jew became a Christian, naturally he must bring Judaism with him into the Christian faith. Was not the Jew there first? Was not the law from God? It was so simple. A Jew must always remain a Jew. On the other hand, if a Gentile wished to become a disciple of Christ, he had to become a Jew to qualify. Were not all of God’s promises, even of the Messiah, promised to Jews alone? Christianity, like Judaism, was for Jews only. This was a new kind of slavery, worse than the old. It also faced man with demands he could not meet and drove all love for God and man from his heart. What hopes the poor Gentiles had were dashed to pieces. Everything in the letter is gathered about the theme of freedom in the grace of God, whether it be Paul’s own biography, his altercation with Peter, the works of a Christian ( Gal 2:19-21 ), the case of Abraham, the desires of the flesh and the compulsion of the Spirit, the doctrine of love, or forgiveness ( 6:15 ). Vehemently the apostle writes against the folly of salvation by works: “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse...Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” ( 3:10-13 ). In some way, each issue of the epistle has something to do with this theme.
The contents of the letter to the Galatians must compel the Christian’s personal attention. This is not just a theological or polemical essay which, like a Gr. debater, may take either side without impunity. The subject matter of this treatise of the Gospel involves every man and his eternal salvation or judgment. The news of Judaizers’ success caused great turmoil and even tempestuous anger in the apostle’s heart. He divided his wrath between the Judaizers for preaching such heresy and the Galatians for believing it. It is not only that the Galatians would lose their liberty; they would lose their God and His eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Justification by faith rather than by works must stand at all costs.
Another special feature of this great letter is that it deals directly with basic concerns of man in his relationship to God and his life on earth. It reveals the basic nature of man in that he tends to turn from truth to untruth because deception seems more delectable than truth ( 1:6-9 ); it points up the basic premise upon which man is received by God, namely the grace of God in Christ ( 2:11-21 ); it shows the all-sufficiency of Christ’s atonement for the sins of all men and the gift of salvation through His saving work ( 2:15 , 16 ); it reveals that God chooses to give His Gospel through other men whom He has called to be His ambassadors ( 2:6-10 ); it teaches the relationship between legal requirements and the gospel of freedom and human responsibility ( 2:17-21 ); it exhibits a brief but profound statement and understanding of the doctrine of justification by grace through faith ( 2:15 , 16 ); it shows a proper use and understanding of the OT ( 3:15-18 ; 4:21-31 ); it speaks in no uncertain terms about the equality of all men under God in Christ ( 3:23-29 ); the unity of the Church is emphasized repeatedly ( 5:6 ); it teaches the work of the Spirit and His power in the lives of men ( 5:6-25 ); its admonition to forgiveness is held up as a basic fruit of the Gospel ( 6:1-5 ); in short, the letter teaches the basic elements of Christianity in brief and unforgettable form.
Thanks to the NIV commentary, Glo (and associated works), The Zondervan illustrated commentary, and the lifeway book we are studying through for the above.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)