Basis For Belief

Text:, Col 2:13-15, Rom 5:19

Colossians – Freedom from the law, to expose false teaching religious and self-righteousness through ritual

Romans – Explains Christianity

These two verses sum up what God has done for mankind as He re-established His Kingdom.

A.

Col 2:13 new living Translation

You were dead because of your sins and because you’re sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.

1. Dead because of sinful nature – Sinful nature is in mankind because of disobedience by Adam to God.

Gen 3:1 – 7

·         This passage explains why bad thing happen to good people – why bad thing happen in the world

·         You MUST understand this for anything to make sense

2.      Cut away

a.     circumcision – a ritual God commanded Moses to perform on his people ( his charges ) or oversee it done, in the wilderness.

No law from Adam till Moses

b.    The idea being a setting themselves apart in a way that they will not forget, that

They remember the act of obedience (and disobedience).  – note that obedience is required as He re-establishes His Kingdom.

c.    The ownership was transferred for a time to Satan,  (who had been kicked out of heaven) – God had to do this because He is perfect. The Word says – Pslm 138:2 He magnified thy Word above all thy name.  God is a God of perfection. He always does what He says He is going to do – God is CHARACTER

He ALWAYS holds Himself to standards of:

·         Legality

·         Faithfulness – He always does what He says He will do – NEVER forces anything on anybody

3. Made you alive with Christ

a. Made you and I equals in a sense – co-laborers – equals – joint heirs

Rom 8:17  -  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. (bodily resurrection)

The idea is that if we accept Christ as God into our hearts, then we have Life as He Has – eternal life with God – forever – Part of His Family

B.

Col 2:14 New Living Translation

He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross

1.     Cancelled the record – KJV says “blotted out the handwriting”. The idea is that the debt we owe is done away with.

Hebrew word for cancelled is interesting because one of it’s definitions is the canceling of a debt owed. That is exactly the meaning here because when we accept Christ, our accountability or debt that must be paid (God is a perfect God), for the sin inherent in man, by the work Christ did at the cross.

C.            Make a show of them openly

·         Crashed party  in hell – Christ Conquers Death – “more than conquerors in Christ”      

·         Matt 16:19

·         Rom 8:37

·         In ancient times returning king – parade spoils of war and leaders upon re-entry of palace or castle walls

·         Christ exposes the devil to us – makes fun of him – give us the keys to life and death

Calls us more than conquerors – of death

·         Tells us we are the head and not the tail

·         Tells us there is no condemnation

·         Makes provision for sins to be forgiven  - on and on

All of these things are because of Christ and only through Him

It is our jobs to stay in Him

·        Bible study

·        Prayer

·        meditation

The Contrast Between The Book Of Job and The Book Of Psalms

·        Pray

·        Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

·        Satan tries to drive wedge btwn Job / God – convinces God to allow  

Tests. (I’m always amazed at the access that Satan seems to have to The God Of The Universe. [remember, God is perfect, everything about Him is legal and organized because of His perfection])

·        Story progresses – Job loses: family’, possessions, health

·        people that knew him are convinced that through sin, he brought this on himself

·        his wife in essence tells him he may as well “end it”

·        4 friends come to talk – Job didn’t talk for days

Friends just sat with him – (sometimes we don’t have to say anything to someone hurting. Just being there is what they need)

·        when they finally could talk to him tried to convince him to repent – his bad fortune caused by God punishing unrepented sin.

·        God rebukes Jobs friend for thinking he had something to do with this – good in us always about Him ~ bag always about us or Satan.

·        Job makes the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the unrighteous.

·        Job not so concerned about what he’d lost, but why he lost it.

·        Job asks God  “why”

·        God then rebukes Job tells him don’t worry about it I Am Sovereign – what I say goes – tells Job whats what. 38:1- 41:34 (1:4 – 8 & sample)

·        Job is restored (chapter 42

·        lessons Job learned

1.    God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY

2.    Bad things will happen to good people – Gen 3, Satan (always testing, hates God and His people, Satan has limitations)

3.    not that bad things wont happen, how we act when bad things happen – God want us to rely on Him alone.

4.    God then fairness…not fairness then God

·        Psalms are praise, laments, some wisdom (proverbs) all over the place. Not one story…a collection of conversations from the heart.

·        Written mostly through David and son Solomon

·        All Psalms put God first – acknowledge His Sovereignty

·        They never ask “why me, I’m a good guy”

·        Job asks until God sets him straight, “I’m righteous, why me?” – ignore God’s Sovereignty

·        Psalms always seem to say “you are God, WHY NOT ME?”

·        Psalms will ask for help – in doing so acknowledge God is only help

Ask class to draw conclusions btwn Job and Psalms

Creation And The Scriptures

I tend to not pay too much attention to TV preachers. That’s not to say I discount or don’t take seriously what they say, I simply don’t have that much time and many of them have proven to be charlatans – in my opinion.

 In Pat Robertson’s case, I just am not that interested in the mix of politics and Christianity.

There are things I disagree with Pat Robertson on, but let me also say, I agree with him on many other points. When it comes the topics of religion or politics there is room for much disagreement. When the topics are combined, the level of agreement is narrowed exponentially.

I do agree with him (Robertson) that the denial of fossils and pre-historic archeology makes Christians look silly. I believe that if we are truly going to take the Gospel to the world as in Mark 15, then we should present palpable, accurate information from Scripture. 

If we use archeology to help defend the Bible, how can we be intellectually honest and deny such an overwhelming amount of evidence?

I believe every Christians must study to know God and renew his or her mind so that we can think more like Him and to serve Him.  I, as a man, believe that if I want to know Him I must learn everything I can about Him. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.  

But unless we are talking about a point of doctrine that compromises the tenants of faith in God, His Word, Jesus as Lord and God, salvation through the acceptance of Jesus’ atonement and bodily resurrection, I figure I will find out anyway, and I am ok with being wrong. The fact remains, though, we still need to esteem God and His Word above all else, study and be very careful our doctrine is based on scripture. This is the only way we can serve Him.

We will only serve that which we love. We can only love that which we know.  We must learn all we can in order to know Him, only then is it possible to love Him.  After all, you did not love your husband or wife until you knew them, if we are made in HIS Image, how can it be any different with God?

I believe there are two beginnings. I also believe strongly, that this position can, and is backed up by scripture.    

The account in Genesis 1 – the Hebrew word “bara” is used which in this case alludes to a re-creation. This is the second beginning or re-creation organized for man, (Satan was banished to the void and without form earth)  – remember, Gen. 1&2  (NIV) tells us:  1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Then John 1:1 & 2 tells us there is a first beginning in eternity past; 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

In the New Testament Jesus talks about seeing Satan falling as "lightning from heaven    (Lk10:18).

Lucifer tried to be equal to God, was cast out of Heaven (Jude 1:6)  and given the earth and the air between to inhabit (Eph 2:2). 

God, in His desire for someone to have a relationship with, created Adam and gave him the earth. This worried Satan. That is why he tried to get Adam to disobey God. When Adam disobeyed, Satan thought he had defeated God. The fact that the world was recreated (Pslms136:6&7) is why science and The Bible do not conflict.

Fossils of dinosaurs and plant life dating back millions of years are undeniable in their authenticity. The earth was without form and void (Gen 1:2), the book of Genesis is not the beginning of history, just the beginning of man.

I feel that is a very plausible explanation, backed up by scripture. There are also those who think the earth is much younger than I and hold to what they believe is the “literal” view of The Creation.

As I said before, I may not be right or wrong, but that view, right or not, is, in itself not going to send anyone to Heaven or Hell. But again, what we think is important. What we believe about one thing shapes the context of what we believe about other things and overall. That is why we must study and seek understanding (Proverbs 1:2)

Do you really think that He would leave something like His creation in question? Would He give clear answers in scripture? My tip for understanding Genesis – The account of Creation, is to take it literally and in context of The Word.

Yes there are things that our finite minds cannot grasp. There are things that the believer accepts in faith. I have to point out here that non-believers in Christ accepts much in faith also. Examples are ; not knowing exactly how an airplane works, but flies in it anyway. He has faith that Amazon.com will ship his or her order. Etc. etc….The list includes everything you or I can think of.   

As I was saying, there are plenty of things in The Bible the believer accepts in faith. There are also many more that are not a mystery. Examples are history, archeology, and narrative of everyday events. The point is that FAITH IS BASED ON CONCRETE FACTS. God communicates perfectly and clearly - only our understanding is imperfect  - that is why we must rely on a perfect source in context with the assistance of The Holy Spirit, who teaches all things (John 14:26, 1 John 16:14).

Romans 1:20 NIV tells us:  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

In most of The Bible, God is showing us what He is like - His nature, but in Genesis 1:1, Romans 1:20 He shows His existence (God, The Creator) to us. He lets us know His Creation proves Him as God.

God communicates to us for a few reasons – so we know What He is like, so we know who He is and most importantly, because He loves us. He communicates perfectly and with clarity. Our understanding is not perfect. That is the reason We MUST take the Word literally when it presents itself in a literal and historical context.

He communicated this account with clarity to prove to us so we understand that there is no conflict between science and His Word. We need to understand in context and revere the whole counsel of God. Only then can we take the Gospel into all the world Mark 15:16 and always be ready in season and out of season with an answer. Only then can we be of service and be of any value to anyone.

Unless our message is plausible and in context it will not be received. Make no mistake, it is not OUR message that is to go to the world, or that wins souls for Christ. THAT is The Holy Spirit’s ministry.  The Holy Spirit does not need my or your account of creation, right or wrong, to win souls. He does, however, expect us to be as accurate as we can and have understanding to be.

Bitterness Stings

Text – Heb. 12:15 -  NKJV

looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled

This verse says much to us: also NIV translation

NIV      

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

A)    Dissecting this verse –

1)    Comparing these two translations the gist seems clear cut.

            Don’s version

·         Make sure no one, I mean no one, misses out on what God, the Master Of The Universe has to give each one of us as a free gift, (Eph. 2:8-9) and so that nothing we do or say causes others to have a bad attitude and a ruined perspective.

B)    We cause bitterness in others most often by things we say – offend = GR – aproskopos – void of offense not to stumble.

1)     bitterness or being offended come in only two ways

a)     what someone says or doesn’t say.

b)     What someone does or doesn’t do

           

James 3:5-8 – (read)

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  (fire useful in check…unchecked = great disaster)

            Leaven / yeast  (1 Corinthians 5:6)

 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

·         These verses tell us what we already know, that things we say can and do sometimes cause others hurt (intentional or not).

C)   Be careful what we speak

(1)          Why does hell make what we say a stumbling block?

To destroy others

1.     Luke 17:1 

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto him],    through whom they come!

·         Jesus tells His disciples (us) that we will be offended by what people say

·         Offense = Greek “scandalous”  = “trip and fall”

·         The way this sentence or verse constructed  “offenses will come” can be translated “ let it go”

·         He is saying “get a grip on yourself – you can deal with it” – “let it go!” – simple not easy

D)    We know or can guess, when Jesus tells us we have a problem He is also going to tell us how to deal with it.

With an illustration  and teaching. Luke : 1-6 (read)

1.     In these verses or teaching Jesus teaches on 3 things

a)     sin

b)     faith

c)     forgiviness – They were saying increase our faith so we can forgive

A)    In this study only the forgiveness aspect of the teaching will be dealt with

All are very important

1.     Luke 17:6 seen only (by many) as a teaching on faith.

2.     also an illustration of removing the bitterness or offenses that will come.

3.     In this teaching He has already mentioned forgiveness and sin.

B)    He uses sycamine tree as an example in vs. 6.

a)     He uses this example for reason – sycamine tree, like bitterness or offense, has very deep roots, grows in very dry, arid climates – just like bitterness

b)     Wood very hard and tough – just like bitterness. (preferred wood for making caskets)

c)     Only pollinated when it’s fruit stung by a wasp. (specific to that region) – being offended stings!

Jesus tells us, in this teaching, that offense, causing bitterness stings, but they can be removed by forgiveness – HE TELLS US TO LET IT GO!

He tells us we can forgive by faith – for our own sake