What is our reasonable service?

In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:

The word for service is a religious word that means “service'' or “worship.” It is used five times in the New Testament, where it always refers to religious service, not secular. Thus, true reasonable service is literally a spiritual function (not an external function) whereby man's spirit is in communion with God's Spirit. Man's spirit is that part of his personality which reflects its closest and most intimate relationship. From such a fellowship with God, man's spirit not only reflects that Christlikeness which results from the association, but also responds in obedience to the will of Him who has justified his spirit.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 64.

2017-02-11T09:00:00+00:00February 11th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: , |0 Comments

The Call of the Cross

In "God's Word for Today" William Snider writes:

The basis of Paul's appeal for consecration is “the mercies of God.” John Bowring wrote, “In the cross of Christ I glory, Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time. All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime.” Wesley said when dying, “I the chief of sinners am, but Jesus died for me.” The cross is the epic moment of history for the world at large and the individual Christian in particular. We are forever dependent upon the cross. Because of the cross, we owe Him everything. While the theology of the cross is compelling to consider, it issues in a practical assignment. “Present your bodies.” Barclay observed that true worship is not ritual; rather, it is the offering of the body every day. The body is the instrument of service. Such an offering is not salvation by works, but rather, an appropriate response.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 65.

2017-02-10T09:00:00+00:00February 10th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

How should Christians use their spiritual gifts?

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Omar Lee writes:

Remember, gifts come from God, and He in His wisdom gives them as He wills. Some are gifted preachers. Others less gifted may still preach but will never attain what the others do. The call may be the same, but the gifts differ. Others may be musicians, skilled carpenters, etc. None should look down on another, because his work is a worship to God just as ours is. His work is a service just as ours is. Let us make sure that we use our gifts so that no part of God's great building (the Church) will be built out of shoddy material! Notice that these gifts are for others, not ourselves; therefore, we have nothing to be proud of in our success. In the list of gifts, practical service, deakonia, is close to the top of the list. Do not apologize for being a practical servant. After all, these are the ones who build the building for those who serve in higher realms. They may not know, but God knows that “gifted” leaders would fall from cloud nine if it were not for the practical people who keep the organization together.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 68.

2017-02-08T09:00:00+00:00February 8th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Why are our attempts to earn our salvation futile?

In "Biblical Perspective" Gordon Snider writes:

The perfect obedience of Christ is a standard that no man on his own can equal. When man compares himself with Christ, he sees how totally impossible it is for him to “establish [his] own righteousness.” Christ did not destroy the law, but His perfect obedience made it forever impossible for man to claim his own righteousness as a reason for salvation. But notice the qualification — to every one that believeth. Once a man believes in Christ as Savior, he abandons any attempt to attain righteousness by his own merit. For those without faith, Christ is not the end of the law for righteousness. They, like the Jews of verse 3, continue the vain effort of salvation by works.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 59.

2017-02-04T09:00:00+00:00February 4th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

What does it mean to confess Christ as Lord?

and publicly.
In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:

In the New Testament “confession” is understood as a proclamation (profession), as a confession made openly and publicly. “Confession is a sign of repentance (conversion) and thus a mark of the new life of faith” (D. Furst, Dict. of N.T. Theology). It is also seen that a public confession of sins means that the one who confesses is also being set free from them.“ When someone either places himself on the side of Jesus or separates himself from Him in the sight of those who know him, he makes a decision on which God will act in judgment. The believer is so completely included in fellowship with Jesus that his confession before man . . . is regarded as though it had been made before God’s judgment seat. In such a context ‘confession’ includes not only what a man says but also his obedience which has become visible in his whole life” (Furst in Dict. of N.T. Theology).

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 58.

2017-02-03T09:00:00+00:00February 3rd, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

Understanding God's Salvation

In "God's Word for Today" William Snider writes:

Paul's emphasis on the redeeming work of Christ flows out of his intense burden for the Jewish people. Reflecting upon his own background as a Pharisee, he could appreciate that they were zealous for what they understood to be God's purpose and method, but they had misunderstood and twisted the plan to emphasize the human rather than the divine. Their insistence upon the obedience to the law had, in fact, revealed their impotence to keep the law. Yet they had wrapped themselves in self-righteous robes and pronounced themselves acceptable to God. The result was an ethical (and racial) arrogance. The true salvation process is to admit sin and come to Jesus for divine forgiveness. It is a purposeful acknowledgment of Christ as the sole source of salvation and faith in His death to accomplish this purpose. For the Jew, this was to reject their system of religion which had major implications for past and present. Accepting Christ for salvation is no less radical now.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 58-59.

2017-02-02T09:00:00+00:00February 2nd, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

How Should We Understand Predestination?

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Omar Lee writes:

Election, in Arminian circles, has generally been placed in three categories:

  1. Election (choice) of individuals to perform special tasks.
    a. The twelve apostles.
    b. Paul as a chosen vessel.
  2. Election (choosing) of nations, bodies of people, for special privileges.
    a. Abraham's seed through Isaac.
    b. The Church.
  3. Individual election because they have conformed to His conditions. That is, through grace by faith they have believed in Him (adapted from Wiley's Intro. to Christian Theology).
    From this discussion, we draw these conclusions:
  4. That a sovereign God has everything as well as all people in His control.
  5. That having created man, He predestined a plan to recover them when they sinned.
  6. That He elects (chooses) as His own those who elect (choose) to believe and thus meet His conditions.
  7. That as election is only if we believe, therefore, to fail to believe or to decide to abandon our belief results in judgment and final damnation.
    It is good to know that God has a predestined plan for our complete restora-tion to fellowship with Him throughout the ages. Our choice makes the difference!

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 56.

2017-01-28T09:00:00+00:00January 28th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

What is God's Election?

In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:

The phrase the purpose . . . according to election is virtually equivalent to “the electing purpose.” God's electing purpose is according to His grace, not human will or human works (cf. Rom. 11:5). We may ask if this election is of a predetermined plan that selects certain men to salvation or a predetermined plan that provides for man's salvation. The verb form of this word occurs in Ephesians 1:4 and seems to answer this question: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” Thus we see “the purpose of election was character, and therefore from among the children of Abraham according to the flesh, God made selection of such as believed, because through faith, character is formed” (G. Campbell Morgan). Cremer points out that this “cannot be taken to imply a division of mankind into two classes according to a divine plan before history began; it simply traces back the state of grace and Christian piety to the eternal and independent electing-love of God” (Biblical-Theological Lexicon of N.T. Greek).

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 52.

2017-01-27T09:00:00+00:00January 27th, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

Four Laws of Romans 8:28

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Omar Lee writes:

The abundant life, someone has said, is governed by four laws as found in Romans 8:28. 1. The law of operation, all things work. God is not the author of inactivity in itself. We work for our bread; we work out our salvation; we work for the Lord. Even the universe follows laws of operation. 2. The law of cooperation, together. While some things do not appeal to us of themselves, they give flavor to other ingredients. For instance, vanilla is not appealing by itself, but put a certain amount in ice cream, and you have a delicious dessert! Not all the things in our lives may be appealing, but they may operate with other things to make us more successful Christians. 3. The law of compensation, for good. Not all things may look like they work together for good, but God's promises never fail! Job lost all, yet he gained all! Poison, steam, and lightning are instruments of death to some, but they can be made to work together for good. The poison can be made into a painkiller. the steam can produce work, and the lightning can in another form be light! 4. The law of limitation, that love God. The abundant life can only come to the one who loves the Lord abundantly. More than conquerors have all these laws working for them.

Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 50.

2017-01-21T09:00:00+00:00January 21st, 2017|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments
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