We are a group of friends from different congregations of the Church of Christ in different cities. We meet online via Skype to have an in-depth adult Bible study. Bible study is important in our  growth process as Christians. We wish to share with you a study that we found to be a blessing and hope  that you find it useful in your own journey to spiritual growth.

Difference between Bible study and academic classes

In academic classes, after exams, most of the lessons are simply forgotten. The discipline and rules that apply to academic study do however apply to Bible classes. A disciplined academic approach towards study helps us learn the things we need to know for our high school or college classes. However, the information we learn in Bible study is in a different category of information.

In Bible study, we learn things that impact us spiritually  not just in our mind. There is a lot of important information that we need and we gain from studying the Bible. This information impacts us intellectually, logically, notionally and reasonably. The knowledge we gain from study helps us to make proper calls and interpretations. Although we need this, the scripture tells us that we gain more than information from the study of God’s Word.  Studying the scriptures is an interactive process between us and God. It is God talking to us. It changes us. With God’s help we can grow spiritually. This is the kind of growth regarding our salvation. It is the maturation of the human character.

Engaging the scriptures results to spiritual growth. These are the words of Peter on the matter:

• Peter 2:2 “… long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,”

The approach of this Bible study may be academic. This is because we need to be disciplined in the way that we comprehend and analyze information and determine whether something is biblical or not. However, the substance of the message is the complex multifaceted. It is the power which God uses to change us beginning with the word about Christ. This change begins in us a progression or cycle in our ability to understand more deeply from what we read in the scriptures.

When we study the Bible, we are not simply building our knowledge. We are seeking knowledge that goes beyond knowledge. The scriptures provide that.  This is a very important point to remember when we talk about spiritual growth- the growth process that begins with the Gospel.

It is important because many Christians today falsely believe that if they do everything right, then that will suffice. This is arrested development. They spend their lives proving that they are doing things correctly and they probably are. However, they are not able to go further than this and there is much, much further to go. It should become clear from our Bible study that what God wants us to do is to grow. We need mature out of the identity that we have now and grow into a Christ-like identity.

Understanding God’s reality

            The Bible teaches us that our body is transient. Every physical attribute we have will disappear when we die. The Bible furthermore tells us that these things are but shadows of reality. They are not real. However, we don’t live our lives as if we believe this. We don’t usually  think in those terms,  even if the Bible says it is so. Some don’t believe. Some are willing to believe but are not able to understand or do not want to understand. God’s reality is spiritual.  John says in John 4:24.

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

This is reality according to the word of God. The world we live in is transient. It is temporary and will be destroyed. It is going to be gone. It isn’t real. What is real is the spiritual.

God sent us these revelations. We need to input this information into our minds. We need to wrestle with the fact that we need to change. If we are to seek righteousness, this is something we need to understand. These are substantial divine realities. Through Bible study we can understand more. We can understand the direction that we should follow in order to increase in faith and to draw nearer to God. We need to realize that we are participating in a process, a growth processes.

Growth Process

 

In becoming more Christ like, we should understand that we are participating in a process. It is important to understand the idea of the “process”. Most associate it with cycles. A lot of the things we understand about growth are cyclical. An example of a cycle is “A leads to B and B leads to C and more C helps to have more A. With more A, then there is more B and then more C, and so on.”

When we see cycles, it reminds us the importance of having beginning elements of the cycles. God gives us something to start with. We have to understand the fundamentals. Let us take for example the Gospel. We say that faith is essential to us. As a starting point, faith comes from hearing. We need to have that point that we are willing to accept and entertain the invisible, the eternal and what the world would call impossible.

Hearing comes then by means of the word about Christ. This means that the Gospel encourages hearing. It stimulates hearing.

So faith comes from hearing and hearing by word about Christ. The word of Christ has a continuous presence. The word about Christ, the gospel, pushes something that people have. The word initiates more faith. To us humans, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We are stimulated by the word of Christ to the point that we can have enough faith to become Christian and to obey the Gospel.

If we allow God to perpetuate spiritual development, He will do that. But we can stifle that growth by taking wrong directions. The epistles in the New Testament offer cautions against going to wrong directions. Today, we have the New Testament that will guide us. We will see that God communicates through the Word. God wants us to engage with the word. The word of God grows us in a specific way. We become Christians. The word develops more hearing and more faith.

From the scriptures we understand that faith is also insightful. It helps us see through the clouds that hide reality. We see things differently because of greater faith.

What results is that a Christian sees that others are more important than he is. The scripture tells us that this is a good thing. When we see others as more important than ourselves, this is what 1 Corinthians 13 describes as love.

• Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant”

This can be seen as a circle. Study produces more faith. More faith produce more “agape” love. Love produces more works as we subordinate ourselves. If a Christian loves someone, he will have the impulse to do loving things at his own expense. Love produce works. He wants this work to accomplish something and this leads to hope. Hope leads to prayer and prayer leads to more study.

There are several places in the New Testament where we can see this cycle.  We need to understand that God wants us to grow. He wants us to move from where we are toward being like Christ. It is fallacy when we are taught that we are okay the way we are.

Matthew 5:48  “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Ephesians  4:15 “…but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”

There are a number of passages in the scriptures that indicates God wants us to grow until there is no more time to grow. Continual growth may be intimidating to some people. This may be why some people don’t dwell on it. It doesn’t matter. They can’t make these things happen or not happen . God will make this happen as long as we don’t stop participating in his plan of salvation. He will enlighten us. He will help us to grow. We just need to keep ourselves from going off-plan.

Judaizing teachers (of the biblical era and of today) use fear to scare their members into obedience. They claim that the Christian must do everything “right” in order to be saved.  Fear is used to motivate doing good acts. This is condemned in the New Testament. The difference between Christians and Jews is not that we have different sets of rules.  As Christians, we are expected to grow spiritually whereas they were expected to do everything right.

The New Testament church focuses on precision in the study of the Bible. If we are doing that then we must to be true to our conclusions. And one irrefutable conclusion is that we have to grow. God grows us. This growth is cyclical and thus we don’t expect perfection at any one moment. We are hopeful that, through this growth process, we will come to please God more and more each day. Again, we can only please God through becoming more and more like his son not by trying to obey laws as if Christianity was just Judaism 2.0.

Ephesians 3:13 “ Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

14       For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15       from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

16       that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

17       so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

• may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19       and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Ephesian 1:16 “Do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

17       that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

18       I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19       and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Eph 4:17 – 19 “17  So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

18       being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

19       and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

There are a number of these passages spread throughout the Bible. Look at 2 Peter 1:18. Read James 1-4.  They are everywhere in the scriptures.  It is impossible to escape the conclusion that God wants us to grow up through a process. If we focus on this fact alone, we can avoid being misguided with arguments and theories that takes us away from the main point – that God wants us to grow.

Our Bible study teacher is Rudy Kantu. We are a group of friends that meet online via Skype to conduct an in-depth adult bible study. We are sharing these studies  with you in the hopes that you will find it useful in your own spiritual journey.

DEFINITIONS

What Is the Gospel?

The gospel is the story or report of an event and the implications of that event. It is the story or report of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the implications thereof. We have looked into the subcomponents of the components of the gospel. We realize that it is the story of an event. What is that event? The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15: 1-11, will give us this event. Verses 1-4 lays it out directly. This is the definition. Paul assembles the components of the gospel. We deduce that he is talking about the gospel because he says;

1 “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

We started by analyzing verses 1-11, especially 1-4 . That is where we have been anchored.

We then took a look at other passages of the New Testament that talks of the relevance and the importance of the gospel.

• Romans 1:16 – The passage talks of the gospel as it pertains to salvation. It is the singular power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it. Whether Jew or gentile, it is the path, the door, and the power of God unto salvation.

• Romans 10:17-  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of about Christ. We learned that this is not auditory hearing. Hearing happens can happen when we are confronted with the logic that proves Jesus to be the Christ. We come to the impasse. We must admit to ourselves that Jesus rose from the dead. We have to accept that the Gospel is true.

The hearing that Paul talks about in this passage is not hearing with our senses. We see that people who depend on the wisdom of the world will see the gospel as foolishness. For them, preaching the gospel is foolishness. The people who use the wisdom of the world cannot understand or comprehend the truth as revealed by God to those who believe.

• We looked at passages in the New Testament that tell us how the gospel works. We read what  the New Testament says regarding what the gospel does. Furthermore, we saw that the gospel has to be obeyed. Also, the gospel is the good news.

• The gospel is a narrative, a story, a report. It is not a command. However, in the letters of Paul to the Church of  Christ in Thessalonica, we see that the Gospel calls us (2 Thessalonians 2:14), it must be obeyed  ( 2 Thessalonians 1:8).

2Thessalonians 1:8 “…dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. “

We cannot obey that which is not a command. The gospel is not a command. However, we know from the Bible that we must obey the gospel. The gospel is a story. But we know that the Bible says what it means and means what it says. So then, we need to understand the connection or relationship between this story and our obedience.

What is the Christ or Messiah?

The messiah is translated as the Christ or anointed one. When Paul uses Christ, he means the anointed one. Only three kinds of people (prophets, priest and kings) were anointed in the Old Testament.

The Christ is spoken of by Paul in the New Testament, “Kristos” Greek, refers to the anointed one in the Old Testament. We see in the Old Testament how the prophets are anointed by God as prophets, priests as priests and kings as kings.

We have discussed the roles of these three types of people. In the New Testament we saw that Jesus is the last prophet, last priest and he is king of kings. He is above all authority.

1 Corinthians 15 prompted the investigation of these things.

      

        The event of the Gospel

 

1 Corinthians 15 also prompted the investigation as to what Paul said was the event of the gospel. The first part being that Christ died. He died :

1. for our sins

and he did not just died for our sins, but that is was;

2. according to the scriptures

The passages in Isaiah tell us of messianic prophesies. For Christ to be the Christ, he has to be human being, a man (1), and he has to die at our hands (2), he has to be buried.  Also in Isaiah, the Christ was to be buried (3), he will be raised on the 3^rd day (4)

In 1 Corinthians 15:4, Jesus was raised on the 3^rd day exactly according to the scriptures. This is one of the most compelling evidence that Jesus is the Christ. It is a compelling fulfillment of the messianic prophesies.

Jesus fulfilled a number of prophesies .Here we cover the prophesies that pertain to the specific parts of the gospel. These are that Christ died, was buried, and then raised on  the third day. All of this in  accordance with the scriptures. Christ brought evidence of this when He appeared to Peter and the apostles and 500 other people and lastly to Paul.

When we talk about the gospel, all of this should be a composite in our mind. This is important because the gospel is the singular power of God to salvation. When we speak with people that we care about, the gospel is the most important thing we can share. From an academic point of view, we need to understand these things. It is supremely important to our lives.

In a nutshell

                When we talk about the gospel, it is a story of an event. The event is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the implications of these events.

 

                When we talk about the messiah, the messiah is the anointed one. Those anointed were the prophet, priest and kings in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, we see that Jesus is all of these. He was the last of each and the most significant of each.

 

An important thing that Paul says is that Christ dies under the definition or constraints of the scripture. These events take place according to the scripture. This is the premise. The scripture is the Old Testament. The death, burial, and resurrection happen in the same way the scripture predicts.

Paul then says that Christ appeared to a number people. This is to prove to his hearers that the events took place. Those who witnessed it, observed it. Those who were paying attention and have a memory are reminded of the events and recall the scripture and what the prophets said.

Other Important Points

The passages prove that Jesus was the Christ. However, we are funny creatures. We have short memories. We don’t pay attention and don’t believe. Assume most people are  like that. WE continue on to verse 6, 7, 8, 9.

• Verse 11: People to whom Paul was writing believed it.
• Verse 12 and the rest of the chapter bring into the picture the implications of such.
• Verse 20: Christ has been raised from the dead and so part of the implication of that is that we too can be raised by God.

Denominations approach this trying to find a way to prove automatic salvation. If these passages are only studied in passing, it cannot be understood. Many Christians do not know or understand these implications. For the past weeks ,we have  looked at the implications in components.

The Implications of the Gospel

We covered the implications associated with the components:

• Argumentative:  Paul’s presentation of the gospel comprises the argumentative implications.
• Instructive : The gospel instructs. It leads us to the knowledge that we find only by going to the scriptures

So now we know the gospel in an outline form. We also know what Christ means in Hebrew. We know at least one scripture in the New Testament that shows us that Christ met the definition of prophet, priest and king. We also know a passage that tells us that the gospel calls us out.

Other Definitions

Church: come from the Greek word “ekklesia” which means in New Testament application,  a called out assembly, a called out body, the church of Christ. The Church of Christ is a group of people, an assembly of people who were called out from one thing and called into another thing by the gospel.

Paul says that we are called out of one thing and into another thing through the gospel.  In 2 Thessalonians 2:14, the only way we have been called out of one thing into the kingdom is through the gospel.

We all had to be called out of something, whether from unbelief, false belief or disbelief. No one is born into the church. We all have to be called. We are called into Christ through the gospel. This emphasizes how important the message of the gospel is.

No message is more important than the gospel

NEXT WEEK

Review some important concepts: “Pistis”, “evangelion”, “the gospel must be obeyed (1 Thessalonians 1:8)”

This has been A Better Bible Study podcast episode 13. If you wish to see more episodes and notes on the episode, please visit our website www.abetterbiblestudy.org. We hope that you find this material useful in your daily walk to understanding the gospel and spiritual growth. Until next week!

When the Bible speaks we speak, when it is silent we keep silent.

“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. (Deuteronomy 12:32 NASB95)

1. What do you see as the  benefit of taking this attitude, the nothing in between the lines attitude, to our Bible study?
2. Why in the Lord’s church today, do so many people find this such a hard walk to walk, especially preacher type people? Why do you think that is a problem?

Why is the Bible what we should follow? There isn’t anything else. I have met and spoken with a score of religious clerics and non-Catholics who graduated from schools of divinity or theological seminaries. The first time that  I spoke with one was in 1976 in Canada ,where I was doing some missionary work. I ran into a fellow who had graduated from a theological seminary and I asked him what the first four books of New Testament were. He did not know. I think most of the people who graduate from theological seminaries are taught that the Scriptures are not reliable. Most cults and denominations, that stray from what Americans would call middle-of- the-road-standard Christology, teach  that they should be reading materials outside of the Bible and arriving  at doctrinal conclusion on that basis rather than what the Bible taught.

When talking about Christianity, there isn’t any other source than the Bible. Were it to be erased from literature, from existence in history all knowledge of the Bible, what would there be to give us the ideas that Christians have about God, salvation, Christ and the future. There would be nothing.

The Bible is the only source. Sceptics have attacked its validity from 360 degrees. At first , they caused me some doubt and seemed to have some weight. However, as my thinking became more systematic and dependable based on a gradual acquiring of an understanding of the basics of logic, these challenges rarely had any merit.

The only authority that we have is the Bible but we have strayed from thinking of it as an authoritative source of knowledge. In doing so, we have made room for other things that claim to be authority.

Why is it hard for us today to see the benefits of speaking what the Bible speaks?

• That would be confining our claims and assumptions to those that have been validated by the Bible and so speaking what the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent.
• That would mean not delving in our own resources to establish criteria or postulations that have no biblical grounds.

Naturally the only source I would have for answering this question would be the Bible. I can think of dozens of reasons why people do not adhere to the Bible. It is more common today than it was before but that is really a different question. The question is why one would stray from speaking what the Bible says and staying silent when it’s silent.

In general there are at least four major reasons.

• Matthews 7

The first reason is hypocrisy. The problem is an old one. It is compounded by the obstacle that very few of us can see that we are committing this error.

Jesus pointed this out, this flaw in Matthew 7.

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?

5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;

29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Jesus strongly implies that this phenomenal is hypocrisy and a kind of blindness in that it obstructs one’s spiritual vision. Without hypocrisy, the implication is, we will be able to see clearly enough to do some good.

If we are professing to be precise in our own analysis of Scripture and yet we hypocritically choose to relax our determination to speak what the Bible speaks and also decide with hypocritical reasons to inject and drive extra biblical canon into our conclusions,  it may be we are guilty of driving blind. That seems to become part of the hypocrisy package.

• Acts 13:6-12
• Galatians 1:7

Another reason why we would stray from the Scriptures would be self-interest; it is another reason for hypocrisy.

In Acts 13 we see Paul interact with an exponent of this problem  in Bar-Jesus or Elymas, which is  his Greek name.

 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,  who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.  But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,  and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord. (Acts 13:6-12 NASB95)

Luke refers to Elymas as a false prophet. As time passes, we become more biblically ignorant. We seem to lean more heavily on calling everyone who disagrees with us a false prophet or false teacher. The Bible provides  a more dependable view of what is a false prophet or a false teacher. The view of the inspired writers in living in the 1^st century in Judea.

In the New Testament ,this term refers to someone who

1. claims to be a follower of Jehovah,
2. profits monetarily from his new teachings ,
3. professes untrue doctrines which contradicts sound doctrines, and
4. glorifies himself by means of magic sorcery or magic powers.

There are four characteristics and in the New Testament it is always a Jewish Christian.  People try to extrapolate or extract these words from the New Testament context  and put them into contemporary terms. This is inappropriate. There has to be an acceptable New Testament name. When we say false teacher or false prophets, the meanings of those words are determined by the inspired context of the Bible.  It is a mistake to believe we have the right to redefine Biblical words. There are better words that we can use accurately.

In Acts 13:10 , Paul gives us a portrait of such person.

When the New Testament refers to a person as the son of anything, what is being said is such a person

1. engages in the same or similar behavior to the one being referred to as a son of and
2. implied that the reason such behavior is being engaged, is  a shared constitutional, inward makeup.

When Barnabas is called a son of encouragement ,for example, it means that he encourages and is internally and constitutionally hardwired to be encouraging.

An important note to make here is that Satan refers to that aspect of evil that opposes everything that God is, represents, stands for and promotes. The devil is that aspect of evil that accuses ,belittles maliciously degrades, maligns and causes divisions. In this passage , Paul identifies Elymas as being son of the devil. He really identifies this satanic and devilish aspect in Elymas. Elymas distorts and twists the word of God.  Paul is saying that  he is satanic.

Today’s nullifying preachers, who are paid preach, who use their pulpits to personally attack those who disagree with them, are the same ones who insists on their right to sever relationships. They threaten anyone in their fellowship who won’t endorse their actions or condemns those who disagree with leaders of such movements. These are Elymas-21^st –century-parallels although they are not by New Testament standards false teachers. Hardly any of them claim to have special powers though some may intimate extra biblical knowledge.

The vast majority of what is being taught by the major erroneous religious movements of today is right. It is just a small percentage that is wrong. Like most efficient pawns of Satan ,whatever truth or accuracy is  in their actions only serves the purpose of  their modern day Elymas’ message, which is to oppose the doctrines of Christ. Some know what they are doing, some don’t.

Logically, these kinds of people cannot permit themselves to confine their pronouncements to that which is biblically verified. As Paul warns in Galatians 1:7,they must actively distort the Gospel of Christ. Paul says that is what they want to do.

which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:7 NASB95)

• 2 Peter 3:16

Another reason from the Scriptures is ignorance.  Peter  speaks of people in 2 Peter 3:16 who are distorting Scriptures. Presumably,they do not know better.

as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16 NASB95)

Peter says that they are ignorant or unstable. Their instability leads them to make things up. There are probably scores of other attributes or influences which lead well-intention Christians or non-Christians alike, to depart strictly from what the Bible says. In the end though, the problem to a well-known and fundamental characteristics for humans, that is, hearts that are far from God.

In Mark 7:1-23 (this passage also occurs in Matthew 15), Jesus is challenged by leading religious figures to defend his disciples over the fact that they had not washed their hands before eating. What transpires is similar to the  problem we have today with religious people who cannot let the Bible stand on its own merits but have to employ their own imaginative creativity in manufacturing doctrinal assumptions, and other pronouncements.

Mark 7 (NASB95)

 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”  He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”] When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” (Mark7:1-23)

Christianity is not a religion. Neither Christ nor the Bible referred to it as a religion. The applications of those terms are almost always negative. The Holy Spirit, Christ, the apostles, they don’t see what we are seeking as a religion so why should  we? If we stick to what the Bible says we will certainly stand on solid ground. It does not appear to be considered a religion in New Testament.

We today have made a mistake of taking the fundamental  elements, principles and  revelations that are confined within the sphere of Christianity, and  moving them into what we believe religion to be.

Let’s look at either Judaism or Islam. What you have is adherence of a belief that

• there is one God,
• He is a law giver,
• He provides mankind with rules, codes, regulations, and instructions on how to do the things that count in a certain way,
• He rewards those who obey him with eternal existence in heaven and
• He punishes those who fail to do what He says as He says to do it with an eternal existence in hell.

These are religions.  Christianity departs from all of that.

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Last week’s review

Last week we discussed the contrast that Paul showed regarding the wisdom of the world and of God.  People of the world  are not equipped to understand the Gospel because they entirely rely on human resources. They are not equipped to grasp things that are understood spiritually.

However, this does not mean that Christians have become automatically equipped to understand all things spiritual. They have obeyed the gospel and have become equipped by developing faith. However, that does not mean that they have been taught how to study, perceive, grasp and hold on to some of the biblical concepts that we take for granted. Some examples of these concepts are as follows.

 

CONCEPT: God is Spirit

John 4:24 24    “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

We relate to God ,who is invisible intangible, intelligent righteous, caring and loving. We, according to the scriptures,  are created in his image. It takes a while for this concept to percolate in our minds.  In art and in literature  and in the minds of many Christians today this means that  God look like us. This idea sticks with the contemporary Christian. They haven’t sought to grasp what God’s image is. We are created from God’s image not the other way around.

The scripture tells us that we are not immediately equipped to understand these things. We do , however, have Jesus and  through Him we can see what God is like.

John1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The word here is “logos”.  What makes Christ-Jesus and Christ-God are  intangibles that we can somewhat grasp intellectually but we are told that the reality of this state of affairs is revealed to us through faith. We truly understand because we are Christians and accept that God’s word is true. Things can be revealed to us as we continue on in our walk with God.  The great contrast between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God becomes more apparent as we grow.  Those who are not Christians do not have faith. They do not have a chance to understand things that can only be revealed through faith.

CONCEPT: Be ye therefore Perfect – a command

Matthew 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is an imperative proposition, a general command.  We want to know how to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head of the Church. Matthew 5:48 is a command. Do you see this as a command?

Over time, there has been efforts to turn this verse into every kind of a sentence other than a general command. Several efforts have been made to change the meaning of “perfect”. Such alternative meanings that have been ginned up over the years basically mean the same thing -complete, mature and perfect. This is  very close to what Paul says in the scriptures are capable to do for us in 2^nd Timothy 3:15-17.

15 “and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to

salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 ”All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

17 ”so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

It is no surprise when unbelievers argue with the gospel.  It is disappointing when Christians argue with what the scripture say. Contemporary Christians question Matthew 5:48 being a command because they do not understand. They understand in human terms.

God is telling us something that we become. At the very least, he wants us to move in that direction. We become perfect. We are not there yet. Where we are is the current state of affair. God wants us to grow.  It only makes sense that we want to step it up. First, we have to realize that we are not there yet.  Then ,we have to realize that God wants us to be more than we are now.  The problem is that no one teaches us how to do that.

An example is the words written in Galatians 5: 16-23

16           But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

17           For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

18           But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19           Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

20           idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

21           envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22           But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23           gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The passage talks of the fruit of the spirit and one component is patience. How do we know if we are patient enough? Do we lack loving kindness? How do we change that? Practice makes perfect? It is the same as saying if we fake it, we make it. Do we just need to work harder?

The Bible teaches that we cannot ourselves effect the change. Only God can affect the change according to his terms. What can we do? Study the scripture. Romans 10:17 ;

17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

The Word of Christ produces faith, faith increases as we study the Word. A faithless person is most likely involved with himself. His  chief concern is his wants, his needs and his desires. He sees himself as more important than anything or anybody else. A Christian through faith can grow to the realization that others are more important than him.

LOVE as an example

Through faith, a Christian realizes that others are more important than he is. 1 Corinthians 13, Love is never selfish.  This is agape. It does not seek its own as the King James says.

In the process of studying the Bible, faith increases.  We see more clearly.  We do not need to force our self to see more clearly. Our life in Christ helps us to have more faith and we can love. We see not with our eyes but with another faculty.  If you love someone, you want the best for them. You want to do things for them. You would lay down your life for your family, gladly. Love causes us to do works.

HOPE as an example

Hope, when intense leads to prayer. Prayer results in a number of things. It results in a hunger for knowledge. This leads to more study of the scripture. Studying the scripture leads to more faith. With more faith, we have more love, and then more hope. This leads to even more hunger and so more study. Does this not sound like a cycle?  It is a process. It is a process of spiritual growth.

There are some things that we do that scripture tells us to do. Study, pray, associate with the brethren.  These are some things that we already do. When we participate in the things that God has given us to do, God grows us.  It is helpful to us to know this. If we come to understand that God takes care of us this way, we can look forward to growth and participate in a more meaningful and systematic way. We may find ourselves then rewarded with even more  growth.

PRAYER               

1 Thessalonians 5:17  “Pray without ceasing.”

On the average Christians today spend maybe 3 ½ minutes per week in prayer. They participate in is public prayer and that is about it. If this describes you or someone you know and prayer is part of the spiritual growth process, doesn’t it make sense that there could be a whole lot more growth going on then there currently is. We need to concentrate on our part of the process. God will always do his part.

Spiritual Growth

When we want to know how to grow up in Christ, we look to see what the Bible says about that. We ask ‘How can I become  a better person?’ The answer is that there is a process, which is given to us in the Bible.

We need to understand that God expects from us. That is why it is important that we understand the notion of faith.

 

Q&A

Read Colossians 2:16-23, this is a matter of doing good things rather than just doing the deeds that people said are good things. This is legalism. We always see this in the New Testament. Study of the scripture will help.

Suggested Reading:

Acts 2:38, 43-47

Thank you for watching this episode. For more of our free online bible study episodes and notes, you may visit our website www.abetterbiblestudy.org. We hope you find this helpful in your quest to study the gospel and your walk towards spiritual growth.

Study in more depth

Last week was a review of ideas and concepts in the New Testament that we need to study in depth. These ideas are not so important to understand in terms of our salvation but they are essential in terms of grasping the gospel. As Bible study students, these ideas will help us to understand at least the composition, the structure and the components of the gospel. It will also help us understand the means by which the gospel impacts the human heart

Furthermore, an in-depth study will help prepare us to be able to deliver the gospel. A deeper study of these New Testament principles and ideas help us not to succumb the mediocrity of ideas that you find common nowadays. Today ,there is an environment of mediocrity in our churches and this is often a cause of conflict among the members within churches over doctrines. We have unstudied people and unprepared students and teachers. They have not been exposed to the practice of analyzing the scriptures and to the discipline of being precise about it.

The Notion of hearing and perceiving realities

 

          The last two or three episodes reviewed New Testament concepts that are not often discussed in contemporary classes. Examples are the notion of hearing and the idea that Christians are equipped to discern realities that are not ambiguous abstractions or hypothesis but true realities.

Christians are uniquely equipped to discern these kinds of realities that constitute the bulk of everything we believe to be true. Understanding what hearing means is essential. It allows us to follow the argument that:

1. Reality is not discernable  by human resources
2. Reality is only discernable by means of spiritual faculties.

It will be difficult to grasp and accept these intellectually and academically if we do not understand the notion of hearing. What we believe to be true only depends on understanding this concept.

Why some People understand and why some don’t

In the fourth chapter of 2^nd Corinthians, Paul writes of many issues, many of which are addressed in the first letter to the Church of Christ in Corinth. These passages deal with why some people understand and why others don’t. Let us first go to 2^nd Corinthians 3:18.

2 cor. 3:18 “^18   But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Continuing on to Chapter 4;

2 Corinthians 4:3-4  “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ in whose case the god of                  this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,         who is the image of God.”

Verse 18;

“18 … while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Paul is the talking about the way the Jews were during his time. This also applies to many people today. Verse 18 emphasizes that this world is temporary. Everything will end. Even the learned people of today understand that this planet will not endure. They understand this not as a matter of faith but as a matter of science. A rational and informed person would not argue this point.

Anything temporary is not real

The scripture tells us the same thing. All material things are temporary. It is the scriptures’ principle that anything temporary is not real. Every physical concrete thing is only a shadow or an imperfect copy of reality. Reality is eternal and eternal is invisible. If it is physical, it is perceivable. If it is perceivable, it is temporary. If it is temporary, it is not real.

In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we can substitute the word temporal with shadow or copies of reality and the thing which is not seen is eternal and eternal means real.

The first letter of Paul to the Corinthians contains important passages ,which are foundations of this principle.  These passages tell us why people ,who are earthly, have difficulty understanding the gospel.  We have learned in previous lessons that the road to faith is through hearing and hearing comes about by means of the word about Christ. We will see how this fits into the words of Paul is 2 Corinthians 4:18

In the first three chapters of 1^st Corinthians, Paul discusses the gospel often.  In these discussions, he presents a number of things that gives a clearer picture of what he meant in 2^nd Corinthians 4:18 and what Jesus meant in John 8, 32, 24, 28.

 

In the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:10 ”10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Paul addresses issues and concerns that reached him. His writings are always have a context. This means that we have to study everything he says and not superficially take the individual verses out of their context. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, he adresses the Church of Christ in Corinth about a real situation that they have.

The passage does not mean that we can’t have doctrinal disagreements in a congregation. It does not mean that we should all agree – all the time. That is not what it says. The Greek word for mind in this text is “noi” and the word for judgement is “gnome”

“Noi ” means a particular mode of thinking or evaluating.

“Gnome” means mind concerning what ought to be done, mind consciousness, state of mind.

Paul is not saying that they have to be on the same page doctrinally all the time. It is not the problem. The problem is the division among them due to the fact that they are not of the same mind (noi) and not on the same judgement (gnome). This would not be if they were to have the same mind or all be made complete in the same mind with Christ.
We will all get into a disagreement or two at some point. We have different backgrounds and different levels of understanding. What we want to achieve is a common level of Christ-likeness. This is not a subtle distinction. It does not mean that we have to agree on all point of doctrine. Paul says that if we have disagreements, we have to approach this academic issue with a frame of mind that is Christ-like.

What does Paul mean when he says “made complete”? We are told in Matthew 5:48 and Ephesians 4:15 that we are supposed to grow up in all aspects into Christ who is the head. Balanced, perfect, mature.

Matthew 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Ephesians 4:15 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

If we are growing towards spiritual maturity, we do need to castigate anybody because they disagree with us. We have to approach it, not because we like to have an argument, but because we all want to achieve spiritual growth and we want to know the Truth.

Epistemology

In 1 Corinthians 1:11, Paul says that he has heard of quarrels among the members of the Church of Christ. He cites a specific argument. One is about people identifying with whoever baptized them. Paul makes it clear that this is a stupid thing to quarrel over. In verse 18, Paul begins a segue. An argument begins to flow into what is Paul’s understanding of what is known as epistemology. Theologically, this is a very important word.

Epistemology (Greek epistēmē) has something to do with letters, writings from them. It is the study of what is written. It is a study of knowledge, study of limited knowledge, and knowledge in general. Paul begins to segue into this discussion because it is central to him. Why some people don’t understand? Jesus asks the same question in John 8: 43

John 8: 43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.”

Jesus ,also, says you should know the truth and truth shall set you free. He is dealing with that same issue of epistemology. How do you know what you know? What are the limits and the extents of what you know?

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Paul states here that the word of the cross, that is the Gospel, is foolishness to those who are perishing. This is why they are perishing. The gospel is foolishness to those ,who are perishing. But to us ,who are being saved, this is why we are being saved. It is the power of God unto salvation.

Paul is writing to the Church of Christ in Corinth. He is writing to Christians and to us who are being saved.

Paul is intimately familiar with the power of God for salvation, which is the gospel. He sees it as a power, a motivating ,driving ,consuming power that God has  bestowed upon him. He can’t help but share it with others. Woe to him if he did not. He feels its power.

For it is written in verse 19 that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the cleverness of the clever He would set aside.

19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

20        Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21        For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

22        For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;

23        but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

24        but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25        Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26        For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

27        but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

28        and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,

29        so that no man may boast before God.

30        But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

31        so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

What Paul is saying is that the realities in which we live in 24 hours a day are not going to help us understand what the gospel is. Why? Paul talks about it in Romans 1 and 10 when he talks  about faith or “pistis”.

In Hebrews 11, Paul says “By faith we understand.” Also in Ephesians 3:18 and 19. What the scriptures tell us is that, there are realities which we can grasp internally even though they are beyond knowledge. So ,by means of faith, we ultimately understand, discern, know the truth. On that basis alone, faith is far more than what we tend to limit it to.

Thank you for watching! Do visit our website www.abetterbiblestudy.org if you want to look at study notes and if you want to see previous episodes

 

Last Week’s Review

Studying the gospel in terms of components means breaking down the gospel into interrelated pieces and how these pieces work on the human being. The gospel is after all intended to be delivered to human beings and so looking at how it tends to effect those creatures seems useful.

The argumentative implications of the gospel argue points that are either offensive or ridiculous to the unconverted. This is the scenario during the first century:

• the Jew are less willing to believe because the gospel goes against their accepted religion. They think of it as a different kind of Judaism to being a completely blasphemous heresy.
• The gentiles are involved in pagan superstitions and these superstitions are adopted by their society, and provide no spiritual anchor.

Those who preached the gospel in the first century  “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). They were preaching the gospel with the help of the Holy Spirit, with miraculous gifts and the inspired teachings of the Apostles. They preached to the Jews and gentiles. Many of whom resisted the gospel ,though with  a different set of reasons.

However, the gospel is equipped to undermine and disintegrate all the forces that people put up to resist the gospel. Today as in those early times,  only if the hearer is intellectually honest and makes an effort to understand the gospel do they become open to hearing its message.

This is so because when we preach the gospel, the listener is faced with paradoxes. This means that there are two truths that cannot exist at the same time. For a hearer of the gospel, it is a contradiction that ,unless you are intellectually honest and not too lazy to deal with it, you will struggle to understand and work through this impasse. It will bother you.

Most people ,in the 1^st century and most people today, find it hard to believe that there is an invisible God because their common sense, their worldly experience and their logic do not permit it. Add to that that this invisible God become flesh and that he allowed himself to  go through death and then raised himself  from the dead. These things are all impossible to common sense and logic.

The Arguments of Paul

Paul presented the gospel as a story that proves what these people were unwilling to believe. Yet, it is happening in front of them. Jesus was the Christ. He rose from the dead on the third day, just as the scriptures say.

If a person is not intellectually honest, he will get angry at those who are preaching the gospel and will turn away from them. If however the Gospel finds a person who is intellectually honest enough and mentally energetic enough to pursue the conflict, the preacher of the Gospel has found fertile soil.  At this point, the hearer is open to an explanation. This means that he is in the position to be taught by God.

There are few who are willing to be in this position of being forced to work though the impasse of having two conflicting realities in their mind.

It is at this time  that they are open to be taught by God. This is the point when they are hearing, not hearing with ears but hearing as stated in Romans 10:17.

^{17          Â}  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Paul is saying that in this position or mental stance, faith comes by people being open and being in a state of wanting to know.  This allows for something extraordinary to explain how two impossible things that cannot exist together and yet they do exist. When the hearer of the gospel is willing to open himself up to this, hearing comes by means of the word of God.

 

Precisionists

Members of the Lord’s Church, New Testament Christians were once  recognized as being precisionists. The doctrines of the Church of Christ have been forged through a 100 years of debates. In order to debate, one has to be precise. In order to be precise ,we have to try to understand and explain as precisely as possible the actual wording of  passages in the scriptures.

The gospel that Paul preached in the first century is the same gospel that we teach today. And the passages that Paul used to preach are the same today. One such passage is in Romans 10:17. It was important to our forefathers to look at this passage and say that  this is where faith comes from. There is no other passage in the bible that says anything different than this. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word about Christ.

When preaching the gospel, there will be a few people who are going to hear and it is at this point that the gospel successfully  convinces by argument .  The gospel then begins to instruct. When these people can reconcile two conflicting facts by temporarily suspending the knowledge that came from their worldly senses, they are ready to be instructed.

Logic cannot get us to God. What will get us to God is the gospel. The gospel produces the faith rather than the sight that we depend on all our concrete lives. The gospel is the only power of God unto salvation to those who believe. We believe because when we are hearing the gospel, it persuades us and then it teaches us.

Men must do something to be saved

When the gospel teaches us, it teaches things about the gospel. Romans 10:17 is important because it shows where this concept comes from. The concept is that faith is a work . Since we want to be precise, we have to teach that men must do something in order to be saved. Our reasoning power shows us that this is what the Bible teaches, and therefore this is what we should teach.

There may only be three in a thousand who will hear. However, when the hearer of the gospel is able to suspend his personal judgment and  accept the possibility of the impossible, he is ready for the instructions of the gospel.

• The gospel will teach him that what he just heard is the singular power of God unto salvation and that he has to receive it and believe it. Those who do not believe do not have faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. And if we cannot please God, we are condemned.

• The gospel will teach him that a Christian is a Christian so long as he stands in the context of the gospel. And that those who don’t remain in Christ and the gospel have believed in vain.

• That Christians are saved on the condition that they hold fast the faith. That they hold fast to the word that was preached to them which is the gospel.

• The gospel will teach them that what they heard reveals the righteousness of God. The righteousness that comes from God should make them want to be righteous.

In another sense, the few who listen and truly hear the gospel do not only listen to be saved but also there is a desire to become better internally.

• The hearer learns that God calls the Christian.

^“It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Thess. 2:14(NASB)”

• The hearer learns that the Gospel performs a work in him;

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” 1 Thess 2:13 (NASB)

• The hearer learns that the gospel must be obeyed.

“..and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, ⁸dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,..” 2 Thess. 1:7-9 (NASB)

To be in a position of having to weigh in two truths that cannot exist together yet exists, and to be able to suspend worldly knowledge, logic and personal opinion is the thought process that every Christian goes through. Working through this process opens us to the instructions of God.

This is the recap of past weeks’ lessons in our free online Bible study from our series The Gospel and Spiritual Growth. Stay tuned for next week’s lesson with our friends from the Church of Christ.

This is part of the online Bible study podcast – A Better Bible Study Podcast.

Most relevant

                The fruit of the Holy Spirit is, arguably,  the most relevant aspect of the Holy Spirit to human beings. It is the result of our involvement and commitment to the Gospel. The focus of this discussion will be on the passage found in Galatians 5:22.

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Gal 5:22 NASB)

Careful reading of the passage shows us that the word ‘fruit’ here (singular) is used as a past perfect participle of the verb fruition or fruit-bearing. It is used to denote a benefit, a crop, a harvest, a descendant, a profit or a proceed. These are all singular, or more clearly meaning, a result.

With that said,  in most  Bible studies you will go over definitions for the various demonstrations of fruition. This may lead to the belief that these are individual things that we need to will or train ourselves to possess. Humans do not have the power to invoke these virtues through their own efforts. It is the result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us.

Careful reading of the passage will help us realize that it is not God’s intention to give us a list of behaviours to do. The point of this scripture is not to admonish us to “work” harder on showing these virtues.  It is not in our power to make ourselves better. The Holy Spirit interacts with the Christian to help him to grow and improve.

Our purpose                                                                                                        

[15] but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

(Eph 4:15 NASB)

The New Testament tells us that we can pray for some virtues or some abilities such as wisdom but it commands Christians to grow up in all aspects into Christ.

Our purpose is to evolve into a new creature on the basis of God’s plan, We are to put to death our old self and rise up into a new being that walks in Christ.

[16] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. [17] For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. [19] Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, [21] envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:16-23 NASB)

The passage on the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians is quoted above. It tells us that there are two dimensions in our being that cannot coexist- the one that walks in the flesh and the one that walks in the Spirit.

Walking in the flesh has manifestations as written in verses 19 to 21. The flesh sets desires ,which are against the Holy Spirit. The results being filth, disease, injury, death, unhappiness, misery, sadness, desolation, separation or isolation.

Verse 22, on the other hand, shows us the fruition of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These are the manifestations of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. And this only happens to Christians, those who believe the gospel and are ignited by it.

Verse 23 tells us that there are no laws or set of rules that enforces these manifestations. That is not possible.  This tells us that it is solely from the power of God thought the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we are able to grow these virtues. It cannot be forced or legislated. Otherwise, it will not be genuine, and we will be wasting our time. These virtues are what we get from God. If we abide in Him, we get these, we understand these.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This crucifixion is not instant death. It is a rugged ascent, a steady progression toward a goal of spiritual growth, growth in Christ. As Christians, as we grow in Christ, this is our struggle. Death may overtake us without our completely overcoming the pull of the flesh.

This  is the most important aspect of the Holy Spirit to us. The fruit of the Holy Spirit shows our involvement, whether we embrace it, which we will only do if we obey Him and obey the gospel. and, if in our Christian growth, we learn the means that God has given us to progress in his plan for salvation.

This online Bible study was conducted by several friends from the Church of Christ. They have been doing this for over 10 years and are happy to bring this study to a wider audience.

 

Implications of the Gospel

            The implications of the gospel have been previously discussed in past episodes of this online bible study. As a recap, they are divided into three tiers, argumentative, instructive and revelatory.

The argumentative implications of the gospel appeal to the human intellect. It is rooted on evidences that Jesus was the Christ and he fulfilled all that was prophesied the messiah will fulfill. One such powerful evidence is the events of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. We recall that there were attempts of the Jews and Romans at that time to guard the body or Christ but Christ appeared alive to multitudes including Paul.

The resurrection of Christ is one particular event that a lot of non-believers will try to discredit. They argue that either Christ must have been dead and buried, or he did not die at all. But the fact that Christ indeed died and was resurrected can be proven. This alone should appeal to the intellectual mind. It is the argumentative implication of the gospel. Only God has the power to raise the dead, and He raised Jesus and therefore Jesus is the messiah.

The argumentative implication of the gospel compels the intellectually honest mind. This logical implication then forces the transition of the person accepting these implications into preparedness for the instructive implication of the gospel.

A matter of Faith

            As the person logically arrives at the acceptance of the gospel, what is revealed next is the instructional implication of the gospel. However, at this point, a discussion of faith becomes necessary. Perceiving the instructive implication of the gospel requires that we he must first suspend or put aside the mortal limitations in order to see realities that are beyond logic and beyond the comprehension of our senses.

This is so because what God wants us to see are realities that are eternal, and hence, invisible.  The wisdom of the world is in itself a limitation because it does not permit man to see what God wants us to see.

In order to perceive these invisible things that God wants us to see, we have to start somewhere. This is where faith comes in. We have to have this additional faculty that suspends limitations and allows us to see eternal realities.

The word faith is often misused and one such misuse is construing it as equivalent to trust.  With this definition, the things written in Hebrews 11:1-3 would not make sense.

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] For by it the men of old gained approval. [3] By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. (Hbr 11:1-3 NASB)

Faith starts from at least those who hear the gospel, develops some faith and obeys the gospel. These are the ones able to  suspend the wisdom of the world and proceed on.

However, not all will accept this. So it is for these people that it is written that he effects of the gospel are for all those who believe.

 

Faith come from hearing

17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17 NASB)

The verse above is one among the most mistaken texts in the Bible. It is often shortened to “faith comes from hearing the word of Christ.” This is a very important verse, indispensable to us Christians because we want to grow in faith. We want to achieve spiritual growth and become like Christ so it is imperative that we understand this progression.

The bible teaches that faith comes from hearing. Hearing, in this passage, is not the auditory sense. It is not literal hearing with one’s ears.  Although, we first believe by auditory perception of the gospel , this is not what the “hearing” means in this case.

Hearing here denotes understanding or comprehension. As we open our mind, and suspend all logical limitations, we hear more. This means that we understand more about the conflicting realities. We comprehend the eternal things that God reveals to us in the scriptures.

Faith which comes from hearing liberates the mind to the possibility of a new dimension of reality-the dimension that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians. The hearer of the gospel must conclude that the weight of the gospel is more compelling than what he sees and all the logical assumptions that are based on what he has experienced.

It is the beginning of faith that ignites the process of spiritual growth in us and eventually leads us to obey the gospel. The increase in faith is triggered and nursed by the gospel from faith to faith.

Faith answers

For the longest time, humans have hoped for tranquility, deliverance from evil, answers to questions about life, death and afterlife. Man has continually hoped for something better than the evils of this world such as pestilence and impermanence.

Impermanence meaning that life is destined to end in death and no one  is exempt to it. The Greeks call this the tragedy of life.

The world cannot deliver to that what we hoped. Faith brings us to a position to view things in a whole new dimension. Faith through the gospel grows our vision and recognition of eternal things.

[22] For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; [23] but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, [24] but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [26] For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; [27] but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, [28] and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, (1Cr 1:22-28 NASB)

It is a reality that a vast number of the population of the world is locked into their worldly wisdom even though it does not give them what they hope for.

We consider the passages in 1Corinthians 1:22-28 and see how worldly wisdom becomes a stumbling block and how it brings even more foolishness.

When a person is logically convinced of the gospel, it opens his mind and prepares him to receive the instructions of God. These instructions will not make sense to people who do not believe the gospel, whose faith have not been ignited by the word of God.

The  instructive implications of the gospel will set those who have faith on a path towards a greater understanding  of what God wants us to know. These realities and facts that are revealed to us through faith. As what Paul said,

[7] for we walk by faith, not by sight— (2Cr 5:7 NASB).

By obeying the gospel, we know that we have allowed God to work His power in us.

Faith delivers

            When our minds are opened, the faculty of faith will begin to work in us. Faith here has become something beyond trust. We begin to know and fully grasp what God wants us to see. The things revealed in Hebrews 11:1-33 will make more sense. Faith delivers to us the things that worldly wisdom cannot.

Going back to hearing, although irrelevant to salvation, the emphasis here is the process. The word of Christ leads to hearing, hearing being understanding, and hearing brings about faith. The word of Christ, the gospel, is the starting point. The word of God will create faith, if we open our minds to it. The  gospel will cause a transformation in us ,opening the faculty of faith.

This study on the understanding of faith allows us to further understand the gospel and what it does to us. In effect, it will help us glean more from the gospel and we understand the power of the gospel.

 

           

This is the 8^th episode of the Bible study series dubbed “The Gospel and Spiritual Growth”. Rudy, Jack and our fellows from the church of Christ tackle the gospel and its implications to our spiritual growth, as well as some points on teaching the gospel.

Recalling positive progression: Ephesians 3

            There is no evidence in the Bible that shows a steady state or humans staying in one place spiritually. There are only two possibilities. Either man is becoming more like Christ or he is becoming less like Christ.

The letter of Paul to the church in Ephesus in chapter 3, beginning with verse 14, shows a positive progression, or growth upwards towards becoming like Christ.

[14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, [16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:14-19 KJV)

What Paul shows here is that one thing leads to another thing. There is a sequence of events and these events happen in the inner person. It is not a sudden event. It is a process. Positive growth is a movement; a change or progress that occurs inside us.

The opposite can happen too and it works the same way. One thing leads to another thing. And this is illustrated in Romans.

Regression

            A negative or reverse progression or regression can also happen. Romans 1 starting at verse 21 shows this.

[21] For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

The New Testament uses a different term for the “heart” that was darkened. It is a term that is interchangeably used to denote the heart or the mind. Ultimately, it is the center of all volitional, mental and physical activity.

It goes on saying that pretending to be wise, they become fools, they exchanged God for an image.  The Old Testament has passages from the Psalmists about this.

[1] Not to us, O LORD, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your loving kindness, because of Your truth. [2] Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?” [3] But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. [4] Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. [5] They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; [6] They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell; [7] They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat. [8] Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them. (Psa 115:1-8 NASB)

These passages from Psalms, like  the teachings of Jesus in Matthew, suggest  that you become the things that you worship. You acquire their characteristics. So worshipping a dumb rock, you become dumb with no knowledge or vision.

Going back to Romans 1, verse 24 says

[24] Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be

dishonored among them.

This tells us that God gives them over to their foolishness, and they received the consequences of their errors. Here Paul says ,through the power of the spirit, that they are receiving these penalties. The penalties are being in an even worse status than before. What follows is greater deterioration, greater blindness, greater corruptibility and so on. And these started when their hearts were darkened. Furthermore, verse 28 says:

[28] And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper

So with a depraved mind it is expected that one will do depraved things .

[29] being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, [30] slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] without           understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; [32] and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

The inner man is filled with these characteristics. God condemns these characteristics. It can be noted that there is no indication here what these people do, but it is in their inner person. And they become this starting from a certain point until this point. They went backwards, they regressed.

Another outline of regression in faith can be found in James 4:1-3.

[1] What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? [2] You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (Jam 4:1-3 NASB)

In this passage, an example of regression in faith is outlined in the lives of church members who quarrel amongst themselves. James points out where the conflict is coming from. He says that it is their wrong motives which is the source. They do not ask, so they are not given. When they do ask, they do so out of wrong intentions.

Outwardly, these members of the church of Christ have the appearance  of being religious. However, it is in the  inner man that the problem resides. There is a degradation of the inner man,  of the inner characteristics. It is the inner characteristics that are not corrected.

In Ephesians 3, we saw that Paul asked that God would strengthen Christians in the inner man so that we can be filled up to the fullness of God.

Being filled to the fullness of God would mean being Christ-like in character. If this were our character then we would be peace makers. We would not be quarrelsome, murderous of thought and all the other negative things.

The issue on morality

            The outlines of positive and negative progression do not come out as a product of an intellectual process. These come about by faith. Either we have grown in faith, or we grow out of faith.

This brings back the issue on morality.  Those characters described in Romans 1:21-32, that Christ condemns , happen to be the characters that society looks down on.  We see them as wrong or immoral. So then the idea of what is right and wrong in our culture is not too far from what we learn to be right or wrong from the Bible.

But it should be remembered still that taking away Christ from it, the ethical guides will have no basis. And slowly, our culture has removed  Christ from the picture. Today, morality is more and more associated with culture and some Christians will probably debate that there is a sense of right or wrong out there without Christ  and that we need to accept it. This is wrong.

We Christians must not accept the world’s view of what is right or wrong. We have our own basis of morality. We have Christ as our guide for morality. We must be concerned about changing our inner man into a Christ-like being. Our concern is not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed.  Spiritual growth is our aim.

For next week

A deeper look at the implications of the gospel will be tackled next week. See our previous episodes along with their notes regarding  the different tiers of implications of the gospel.

This has been a church of Christ online Bible study.

Recap

            The previous episodes discussed the gospel, its components, the events of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the  implications of the gospel. The implication tier of the gospel was labeled argumentative. This is breaking down the gospel into logical parts and being led to  a single conclusion. The next tier is the instructive implications, which tells what the gospel is, what it does, how it calls us, and what it hopes to achieve.

The third tier of implications is the revelatory. The gospel reveals truths and realities. It reveals the righteousness of God and the wrath of God. These truths are revealed and grasped only by the power of faith. They are not truths that come out of a logical explanation. It is here that we tackled the positive progression of faith, that is, the faith to faith process. Everything begins and ends with faith and spiritual growth is growing more and more in faith.

Beyond Trust

            The notion of faith is commonly associated with trust, credulity and being convinced or convicted of something that has no evidence. However, we saw that faith is more than these things. The Bible talks about faith as something that is more than trust.

One way to look at faith is its being like another sense. More than our five senses ,which only  perceives physical things, faith is like a faculty within us that allows us to understand and see realities that the mind cannot perceive.

Going back at Hebrews 11:1-3:

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] For by it the men of old gained approval. [3] By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. (Hbr 11:1-3 NASB)

Faith assures us of realities that are unseen. It allows us to understand realities that cannot be easily grasped by the human mind, such as the universe is made from the word of God.

In Ephesians 3:19,  Paul talks about the love of Christ which is beyond knowledge. In Philippians 4,he speaks of the peace of God exceeding all understanding.

[19] and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

(Eph 3:19 NASB)

[7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Phl 4:7 NASB)

These realities we understand by faith, and faith comes by way of the gospel.

[17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17 NASB)

From faith to faith

            With faith’ we attain spiritual growth. With increasing faith, we become more and more desirous of the qualities of Christ. We come to value righteousness more so we live by and stay with these kind of faith. This is a positive progression.

Looking at positive progression:

[14] For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, [16] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

(Eph 3:14-19 NASB)

Let’s break  this down to show progression.  The ultimate goal is for us to be filled with the fullness of God. And the progress to get there goes something like this.

(i)            Comprehend the  and know the love of Christ, be rooted and grounded in love, Christ has to dwell in our hearts through faith;

(ii)          First one comes when the inner man in us is strengthened with power through his spirit

(iii)         The inner man is strengthened because the Father grants that we be strengthened in power through his spirit in the inner man

The end result is that we are filled with the fullness of God. This is a sequential event that either happens to us or we become the product of this end result. What that means is that we become something other than we were. We become new.

What God wants from us is that we change what we are. The gospel is the cause of this.  What we do is a reflection of what we are. So the point is not to feel better. The point is to achieve godliness. As we approach this goal, we will want to do godly things and pursue godly things.

So if we want to change what we do, we will have to change who we are. The progression then is the progression in the inner man.

The entire New Testament reiterates this point over and over again.

[2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2 NASB)

In the above text, Paul writes that we must not be conformed to this world. We have to be transformed. Everywhere in the New Testament this message is repeated.  God wants us to be transformed. We need a renewing of the mind.

It has to be understood that no one can transform himself. God has to do that. Transformation does not mean giving more contributions or going to church more frequently. It means being changed into a more God-like person.

Furthermore, Paul prays:

[9] And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, [10] so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; (Phl 1:9-10 NASB)

In this text Paul shows the progression towards being sincere and blameless in the coming of Christ.  When love abounds in us, we approve of the things that are excellent.

Another outline of this progression in faith or spiritual growth can be seen in Ephesians 1:17-19.It says;

[17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. [18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might. (NASB)

Here Paul teaches that faith allows us an insight into eternal things. This requires the “eyes of our heart”.  So we recall that faith is not just accepting things without proof. It is seeing realities with evidence provided by faith alone.

So these are positive progressions. When we have faith, we change from the actual us, to the ideal, which is more Christ like. So if we are progressing from faith to faith, if we are going through spiritual growth, then we become more like Christ, who was self-sacrificing, patient, long-suffering, generous, a  peace maker and wise. We become more like Christ as we go through this positive progression.

 

 

Negative progression

            Going through the positive progression of faith, we become more like Christ and our deeds reflect  a more  Christ-like character. This is morality. God defines what is good, we call it morality and as long as we link it to God, we know it is there.

There is no morality without Christ. However, we see that man has made a different definition which links morality to culture. So what may be acceptable in a certain culture may offend another. It becomes relative.

The problem of linking morality to culture is that there is no actual basis as to why we would say something is immoral or not. The driving force comes down to   punishment. For example, outside Christ, who would say that killing is immoral? Most people don’t want to kill because the law punishes it so the motivation is not morality. The motivation is avoidance of punishment or self-preservation or in other words, selfishness.

So in essence, finding a clear definition of what is right and wrong outside of Christ cannot be done.  It is clear that ,when our laws were drafted, they took into account the Bible’s teachings on right and wrong. This makes sense. But take that away, there will be no reason to obey the law except fear of punishment.

For next episode:

            Next episode, reading Romans 1:21-32 is suggested for an example of negative or reversed progression. It will be good if we are able to outline the progression as we do our bible study.

Thank you for watching this episode of the online bible study. Until next episode!

            The topic of the Holy Spirit will definitely come up during Bible study, whether online Bible study or not. There are various, often contrasting views about what the Holy spirit is. As a very significant topic, it is also expected to come up when one will engage in teaching the gospel or preaching the gospel. It is then important that we can give as clear an  explanation as possible.

Fundamental topic

The topic on the Holy Spirit is one of the fundamental concepts in bible study. There are various views about it, but one thing that’s sure is that the Holy Spirit is crucial to a Christian’s spiritual growth.

What should also be given emphasis is that, there is no other source of explanation on this topic  but the Bible. There are too many teachings that are ripe with human opinion and that deviate from what is actually written in the Bible. Personal Bible study is definitely encouraged by the teacher in this online Bible study. He always emphasis the need to  read the Bible as it is and not read what is not there.

The topic on the Holy Spirit is a very vast, multilayered topic. That said, a person ,newly converted to Christianity, need not have a deep on understanding of this subject in order to obtain the benefits of a relationship with the Holy Sprit.

Spirit Vs Soul

There is a difference between the words spirit and soul. These are commonly confused terms, but only because a lot have been said that is not based on the Bible.

There are Greek and Hebrew terms for both soul and spirit. In the context of the Bible “soul” is used to mean ‘the whole being’ or the whole person.  The Greek term of soul is ‘psyche’. It means person, everyone, the heart, the mind, or what we call the core of an individual’s motivation. The soul and psyche become non-existent when a person dies. The soul perishes.

The word ‘spirit’ on the other hand, although also translated as ‘person’, is used in a different context in the Bible. For example, take a look at John 4:24.

[24] “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Jhn 4:24 NASB)

In this text God identifies Himself as spirit. God is eternal. Spirit is eternal. We are told that we are created out of the image of God. This does not mean that we look like Him, but that we are made of the same eternal stuff as Him.

The spirit abides. So ,when we talk about things that abide and progress, we are talking about the spirit. When we talk about things that end, which perish in death, we are talking about the soul.

It must be remembered that what the church or what anybody thinks about what these words ,soul and spirit, mean is irrelevant. What matters is what God said. He has given us definitions, sentences, and propositions in the Bible to be able to understand these words. The Bible is used to define Bible words in the church of Christ.

Aspects of the Holy Spirit

            The Bible shows us the aspects of the Holy Spirit. He is referred to as a personality, in the same way as Jehovah is. He, the spirit, is a member of the Godhead. He is the paracletus, the comforter. He is the helper, which is the definition of paracletus. This is in a similar to how Christ is identified as the son of God. These are two aspects of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, the comforter, and Christ, the son who is obedient to God unto his death.

The Holy Spirit and Christ are spirit, like God himself.  The Holy Spirit is by definition a spirit and so is Christ. This said, God then, dwells in those who obey the gospel.

[38] Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Act 2:38 NASB)

[32] “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Act 5:32 NASB)

There is then identified here, two aspects of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit himself, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Christians.

Moreover, the New Testament shows two instances of Holy Spirit baptisms. These are the overwhelming or baptism of the Holy Spirit of a group of Jewish  human beings, and the baptism or overwhelming of a group of Gentile human beings. They can be found in Acts 2:2-21, and Acts 10:44-48.

… [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance…  [17] ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; … (Act 2:2-21 NASB)

… [44] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. [45] All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. [46] For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, [47] “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” [48] And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. (Act 10:44-48 NASB)

So in all, we have discussed three aspects of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit himself, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit of non-Christians.

            The Holy Spirit is the source from whom human beings received miraculous gifts. The Holy Spirit indwells in all Christians and helps and comforts him. The Holy Spirit is referred to as a personality and part of the godhead.

This simple picture of the Holy Spirit shows us that there is no need for intricate details. There are plenty of self-evident aspects that can be gleaned from the scriptures.

 

For next week

            Another important aspect that will be discussed next week is on the ‘fruit of the Holy Spirit.  This will help us see how the Holy Spirit directly interacts with us today. Reading Galatians 5:22-25 is suggested.

Tune in next week for another episode of this online Bible study.

This is the 6^th  class with our Bible study fellows from the church of Christ. Previous episodes can be viewed along with their notes at the website www.betterbiblestudy.org.

Argumentative implications and preaching the Gospel

            In the previous episode, the argumentative implications of the gospel were discussed. These implications were intended by Paul as he wrote to the church in Corinth because he is arguing a case for Christ. The implications were meant to lead the Jews and us believers to the logical conclusion that Jesus was the Christ.

The way that we tackle the  implications in the passages of Paul’s letter is a simple logical process. This is the same method that can be used to share the gospel, start with the clear and basic, and then reason it out. If the listener is not convinced then the preacher will have to know the line of reasoning that he follows.

As an example when teaching about baptism, in Acts 2:38 it says,

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

This can be argued in a logical manner that what Peter says is first to repent, next is be baptized, third is ‘all (each) of you’, and that is for a purpose which for the forgiveness of sins. The same approach, an appeal to logic using a methodical argument of the basic words in the sentence, can be used as an approach to preaching the gospel even to non-Christians.

This was an appeal to logic, and this is what Paul is doing when he makes an argumentative implication. His presentation of the gospel has a strong logical component. Especially when he was talking to the Jews. He states propositions and so if he does this his argument is argumentative and validity is propositional validity and then the propositions have to make sense.

 

Instructive implications of the gospel

            A second tier of implications of the gospel is instructive. These implications are what can be drawn or understood from what is said about the power of the gospel. The words in Romans 1:16, for (the gospel) is the power of God unto salvation. Those who do not believe it, do not have faith, and cannot please God. This is stated in Hebrews 11:6.

As the letter of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 puts it, Christians must stand on faith, we must hold fast to the gospel because if we don’t, then it is in vain or of no use. We have to keep the faith and stand by it.

In other words, hearing the gospel and acknowledging the gospel will require that you have faith in it, and that you have to keep that faith until the end or it will all be useless. We have to have faith and we have to continue on it.

Another instructive implication is that Christians are saved by it.

[15] If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

(1Cr 3:15 NASB)

Christians are saved by the Word, which is the word about Christ, which is the Gospel. This is contingent to holding fast to the faith. It is holding fast to the faith in the Word, the word being the gospel.

[23] if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope

of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul,

was made a minister. (Col 1:23 NASB)

The next instructive implication is that the gospel is God’s calling for us. As stated:

[14] It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2Th 2:14 NASB);

and that the gospel performs a work inside of us.

[13] For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God,

which also performs its work in you who believe. (1Th 2:13 NASB)

In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, it is given that the gospel must be obeyed. This is another instructive implication of the gospel.

[7] and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, [8] dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. [9] These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (2Th 1:7-9 NASB)

In this passage, Paul stated that retribution will be dealt out to two categories of people, (verse 8) those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the gospel. These clearly show that the gospel must be obeyed.

Revelatory implication of the Gospel

            Paul is saying in his letter to Corinth that the gospel can reveal things to us.  The gospel reveals truths and realities that are not accepted by reason because they are not argumentative or instructive but revelatory.

Such truths or realities are:

(I)            The righteousness of God, and

(II)          The wrath of God.

These truths are revealed in Paul’s discussion in Romans 1:

[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ” BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Rom 1:16-18 NASB)

What this suggests is that the gospel has a better way of showing us or revealing to us the righteousness as well as the wrath of God. It also suggests that, as Christians we have a different way of looking at the world as looking at spiritual things. For instance Paul mentions in Corinthians:

[7] for we walk by faith, not by sight— (2Cr 5:7 NASB)

 

The faculty that is Faith

            The passage in 2 Corinthians 5:7 is one of many Bible passages that suggest that we Christians have a faculty or sense other than our 5 senses of seeing touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing.  This faculty perceives things and operates only by faith.

So in another sense, the revelation of the righteousness and wrath of God in the gospel comes by a faith to faith process. What does this mean? This means that from one level of faith, we grow to  a greater level of faith. It is a growth process, a spiritual growth. This is important because it is we who want to grow into Christ.

This idea is strongly suggested in the parable of talents. This can be read in Matthew 25: 14-30.  While most will deem this as a teaching on financial expertise, it is actually what Jesus said in summation of the parable that holds the message. And that is we either grow or we don’t grow, in which case, whatever faith, spiritual growth attained or spiritual maturity we have will vanish.

[29] “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. (Mat 25:29 NASB)

The same can be gleamed from the parable of the wine versus the cloth. In all, Jesus has summed it perfectly in the parable of talents. The notion that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith means a progression in faith, spiritual growth.

What is also important to know is that, one cannot make himself grow. God gives the increase in faith. God grows us; we just have to be willing to be guided, to participate in His plan of salvation.

Understanding faith         

Faith then, along with everything else we know about it, is (I) a window or a faculty not of rationality but of divine revelation.

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] For by it the men of old gained approval. [3] By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. (Hbr 11:1-3 NASB)

Some implication of this passage:

(a)     Hope is unseen: it is a desire and reasonable expectation of something that is not there yet, you don’t know    that it is there but you hope for it. Hope is unseen; Faith is the assurance of things unseen.

[24] For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?

(Rom 8:24 NASB)

Secondly, faith  (II) assures us of realities that are unseen by the human mind. It is like an inward eye or a way of knowing things that the mind cannot understand.

Next, faith (III) convinces us of unseen realities. A very good example is how the human mind cannot grasp the reality that the universe was created by the word of God. It is faith that convinces us of this reality.

Paul  writing on faith brings us to Ephesians 3.

[19] and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

(Eph 3:19 NASB)

In other words, faith allows us to know (IV) the love of Christ. Faith is the faculty that allows us to know things that are unknowable. Paul established faith as a foundation. With faith, we Christians are able to know the love of Christ, although the love of Christ is beyond knowledge.

[7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Phl 4:7 NASB)

All of these realities we are able to understand through faith. How does faith come? It is by hearing  and hearing comes through the word of Christ, the gospel.

[17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17 NASB)

Spiritual Growth

            The faith to faith process is a positive progression. We, who wish to attain spiritual growth, must have just such a growing faith. In the revelatory implications of the gospel, we will see that growing in Christ reveals in us the righteousness of God.

Ephesians 3 outlines a positive progression in faith.

The desire to be filled up to the fullness of God is a good thing and that is what we Christians want. The positive progression presented in Ephesians 3 is repeated in many other passages in the Bible, the New Testament is so full with it. It demonstrates that our spiritual growth is a process in a positive progression.

We become Christians by being exposed to the gospel; we learn that we are saved from condemnation through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We know enough to have faith and we do bible study. The more we understand, the more we want to obtain God-like qualities or at least try to achieve it.

As we grow up in Christ, we become less and less self-centered. We desire more for the good of others than ourselves. We become obedient children of God, walking in the steps of Christ.

So spiritual growth is a process of positive progression, and it starts with and ends in faith.

 

 For next episode

            In the coming episode, a negative progression will be demonstrated. Reading Romans 1 is encouraged for bible study.

Until next episode!

In the previous episodes we have been introduced to the gospel, its implications, the prophesies that foretold the coming messiah and how these affects our spiritual growth.

This episode will dwell mostly on the argumentative implications for the gospel.

 

Mastering the components of the Gospel

            The components of the gospel can be shortened down and can be found in 1 Corinthians 15, the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and its implications. Christ is the subject of the gospel and at the same time the object of the gospel since the things that occurred were for him.

The context where Paul wrote about Christ is based on the messianic prophesy in the Old Testament regarding the  Christ. Christ is the anointed one, the king, priest and prophet. The people at the time of Paul understood the concept of king but not so much of the priest and prophet. It can be said then that the gentiles of that time, and of our time, who have no background in Judaism were not able to appreciate those things. So then the gentile converts must have been taught of the gospel in a more applicable concept and that is the concept of sin.

So the gospel can be said as events and the implications of those events. Christ is the subject and the process of the gospel which began with his death are the components.

Sin and the Death of Christ

The process of the gospel starts with the death of Christ. This a very strong point. Many try to discredit Christ by claiming that he did not actually die due to the crucifixion. The Bible emphasizes many accounts that Christ died. He died for a purpose and that is for our sins. Accepting  the gospel then requires an admission  that Christ died for our sins and that brings us back into what sin is.

[8] If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1Jo 1:8 NASB)

Teaching the gospel then, compels us to get into the notion of sin. To be able to claim that Christ died for our sins, we have to understand what sin is. Opening a discussion about sin brings about opportunities  for discussions about God and His nature.

The concept of sin can be tackled from anywhere. In particular, some schools in America teaches that there is no God and that the concept of right and wrong is dictated by morality, and morality is a relative term because it is dependent on the culture and norms of society. There is nothing more wrong than this.

It may make sense to most that the nature of sin is defined by culture, that is to say, there was nothing wrong with what the Nazis did because it is in their culture. In other words, the sense of right and wrong is dictated by morality and morality depends on your circumstances, where you live and so on.

These are teachings of the enemies of Christ. And this is a good place to start the discussion on sin and a perfect place to start discussing the gospel.

Obedience to God

In sharing the gospel, somewhere in the discussion of Christ dying for our sins, we can emphasize that Christ did these things in obedience to God. This is what the scriptures say, and when putting emphasis on what the scripture say, we are putting more and more power in the Bible. We establish it as the sole authority on the word of God, and not our opinions or the opinions of others.

This brings more importance on being able to know where to find those passages in the Bible where it prophesies what the messiah will do and find a parallel verse in the New Testament that shows what and how Jesus has fulfilled those prophesies.

 

The process of the Gospel

            The process of the gospel which Jesus went through is that first he died for our sins according to the scriptures, and then he was buried also according to the scriptures. Isaiah 53 brings about these prophesies.

The third part of the process was that Christ was raised and he appeared alive to us. He was dead, and then he was alive. He rose on the third day. So the process is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

The argumentative implications of this process, or the implications that appeal to the rational mind but aren’t that necisarry for spiritual growth, can be set in at least 2 tiers:

First, Paul wrote in verses 6 to 8 of 1 Corinthians 15 translational passages that declares the events to be provable.

[6] After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; [7] then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; [8] and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. (1Cr 15:6-8 NASB)

Paul is saying that the report is true, that what he said of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is true. There are people who can testify to it. It is provable. The testimonies imply that the prophecy has been fulfilled.

Second, an argumentative implication based on premise. It is written on the scriptures and Jesus fulfilled them therefore Jesus is the Christ. God raised Christ. If God can raise the dead, he can raise you. Paul is making the proposition that  the dead are raised in Christ.

Resurrection

[54] But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. [55] “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; [57] but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1Cr 15:54-58 NASB)

Paul emphasizes in the above verses that death is inconsequential to Christians. Death is only temporary, and therefore Christians should not fear it. Instead, Christians should remain steadfast in the works of the Lord even when staring at death. Those who are dead are raised in Christ.

This statement is extended into the theological aspect of Christ being the king. He is the preeminent, the over-all authority and he has subjected everything under his feet, even death.

[25] For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. [26] The last enemy that will be abolished is death. [27] For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. [28] When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (1Cr 15:25-28 NASB)

The work of the Lord

            The last verse of 1 Corinthians 15 uses the word “therefore”, and denotes a conclusion. We who are in Christ must be steadfast in the doing the work of the Lord. We are called, called to Christ and therefore called to preach the gospel.

For next episode

            As an assignment for the next episode, it has been said in this podcast episode that a good place to start preaching the gospel is to introduce the concept of right and wrong. This is because, outside Christ, there is nothing that distinguishes right or wrong. So the assignment and the challenge for us are to find a single thing that distinguishes right or wrong outside Christ.

Until next week!

Familiarity with the gospel

            The early preachers in the time of Paul were Jewish Christians and they were quite familiar with the Old Testament They were possibly  more familiar with it  than are our preachers of today. This is an unfortunate situation but true. The Old Testament is critical. It is essential in understanding the gospel. Although, it is not necessarily  essential when you are preaching the gospel. It is critical in a sense that it will help answer questions that might be encountered when one is preaching.

In a practical sense, familiarity with the Bible helps whenever we share the Gospel.  We are able to cite the source of those words. If we are to be effective evangelists, everything that we preach must come from the Bible. To say that “the scriptures say so” must be accompanied with where the Bible says it, the book, chapter, and verses.

In the same way, when someone approaches us and to talk about the Bible, we should be in the habit of asking how the person knows what he says,  where is it written in the Bible, and we should read those passages ourselves to judge if what the person says is what actually the Bible says. It is crucial that we understand that human beings are subject to errors. The Bible is not.

It should be understood that no human being ever learns of spiritual matters other than from the Scriptures.

 

The Gospel

In the general Christian community, the gospel is referred to as the good news. In the larger community, some may not know what the gospel is and why it is called the good news. In the first letter of Paul to the church of Christ in Corinth, verses 1-8 of chapter 15 defines or outlines what the gospel is.

We call it the “good news” because it is the news about a combination of specific events and consequences, and their implications.

[1] Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. [3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; [7] then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; [8] and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. (1Cr 15:1-8 NASB)

The whole Chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians gives a large amount of information about the what the  gospel is. It also shows us how sufficient the scripture is and its instructive power. This is in the sense that, we can share the gospel to someone who has less experience and yet the scripture can endow sufficient understanding so that this person will repent and be baptized. In the same way, a person with more experience can learn of the gospel what is expected of him as a Christian. It helps increase his spiritual growth.

Components of the Gospel

Fundamental analysis of the gospel can be done using the component approach. It must be noted that Paul is referring to the Old Testament scriptures and that the only valid religion during that time is Judaism, and so the components are in the context of the Old Testament.

The first component is the subject of the gospel. The subject is Christ-messiah, the anointed one. In the previous podcast episode of this  Bible study series, we have learned that there are only three types of persons who are anointed, priests, prophets, and kings. This implies that Christ is no lesser than all three. Furthermore, it was previously discussed what the roles of these three types of persons and how Christ has taken up these roles.

The second component is the death of Christ. Christ died for us, and more importantly, he did not die like an ordinary person. He died for our sins.

The third component is that Christ was buried according to the scriptures and then He was raised and appeared to us alive.

The second and third components are very significant things. It puts emphasis that Christ died for our sins; he was buried and was raised. In the scriptures, it was called resurrection. This is in accordance to what the scriptures foretold of the Messiah. It brings with it evidences and it is provable. There were witnesses.

[30] “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. [31] “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. [32] “There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. [33] “You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. [34] “But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. [35] “He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. [36] “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. [37] “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. (Jhn 5:30-37 NASB)

There were testimonies of that time, including that of Paul, and various testimonies that can be read in the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all of whom testifies that Christ was buried, was resurrected and appeared to them alive.

These testimonies were further reinforced in the efforts of the Romans to ensure that the body of Jesus did not disappear, and in the  argument that no other power but the power of God to raise the dead. God raised Jesus and therefore, Jesus was the Christ.

[24] ” But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. (Act 2:24 NASB)

[8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ” Rulers and elders of the people, [9] if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, [10] let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead— by this name this man stands here before you in good health. (Act 4:8-10 NASB)

This argument was instrumental in convincing a lot of the Jews at that time because it fulfills the prophesy of Christ. They believe in the Christ but they did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, yet. God raised Jesus and so Jesus is the Christ. The resurrection of Jesus by the power of God abolishes death as it is. Passages in 1 Corinthians 15:24-58 tells of this point.

[26] The last enemy that will be abolished is death.1 Cor 15:26

Death as Christians is no longer significant for us.

[58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1Cr 15:58 NASB)

 

The Righteousness of God

            The gospel is the singular power of God unto salvation. It has been previously studied that presenting the gospel is the only scripture you need to present and its implications.

A second tier of implications of the gospel tells us about the righteousness of God. In a way of saying it is the righteousness of God that is revealed in a converted Christian, those who believe and understand the gospel. Jesus says in 1 John 14:9:

9] “… He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (Jhn 14:9 NASB)

The righteousness of God then is seen in the lives of those who have achieved spiritual growth. It is the difference that we see in those who live in Christ and those who don’t.

The prophet Isaiah teaches of what this righteousness is, as something every God-fearing person must don on. This is a messianic prophesy of the Christ. Read Isaiah 52 for further bible study.

An accompanying verse that goes with this prophesy is that which emphasize that there are things that we hold to not because we have physically seen them but through faith.  Faith is another avenue of understanding.

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hbr 11:1 NASB)

 

Isaiah 53      

Isaiah 53 on the other hand tells the prophecy of the death and burial of Christ. It describes how Christ was badly beaten and to what purpose was this done. The passages in Isaiah 53 describe what the messiah will fulfill, that even as He is the anointed one, he will suffer any indignity, with the implication that there will be a resurrection.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies. He is the Christ who died for our sins. He overcome death so we can live. This is a very strong point that the gospel tells us.

Class Types

This online bible study series dubbed The Gospel and Spiritual Growth will be composed of two types of classes. One is the online Bible study class in which we are currently going through the series The Gospel and Spiritual Growth. The second type is a question and answer episodes , in which we will discuss specific topics as they come up in the regular online Bible study class. Many times we will focus on particular topics that are wide in scope and needs to be expanded.

Bible Study Teacher

Our Bible study teacher is Rudy “The Bear” Kantu. He lives in Washington State and is a business owner. His origin is Texas. Our Bible study teacher admits to being blind not physically but blind in the sense that he can only read Bible passages as they are and not what is not written. Rudy contends that this blindness is good. He believes that Bible scholarship requires this kind of blindness.  His analytical limitation is evident when the bible text is unspecific or leans on interpretation and he does not tend to cast his own interpretation or ask someone’s opinion regarding the matter.

Ultimately, our bible teacher depends on two resources: 1] simple two value logic, and 2] the Bible itself. These are the only two analytic devices that Rudy leans on.

Teaching Objective

Rudy’s objective is to habituate the student to independent study and train him to rely solely on the Bible for information of spiritual matters and nothing extra biblical. The scriptures ask mature Christians to rightfully divide them or to handle them accurately. This is saying that the Bible is the only source of information regarding Jehovah’s paradigm, God’s dimension, Yahweh’s’ reality and the Lord’s expectations. Personal opinions, opinions of preachers, pastors, tradition, church hierarchy or anyone else’s is irrelevant and can only become a source of confusion and division.

Class Structure

Rudy has been teaching bible classes since 1961. In his classes, he often expects that the students have read what he has assigned. Reading assignments will sometimes be given before class. At the end of the lecture, he likes to allocate at least 15 minutes to questions on those assigned scriptures and the lecture. Whenever possible, Rudy gives out tests . He contends that this is a way to test how the student understands the lecture.

However, for this online class, no tests will be given out. Online classes are limited in that way, but he still gives much importance to knowledge assessment. He believes that knowledge assessment is required because he does not give lectures to show what he knows and understands but his goal is to  expand the students’ knowledge, This is to train the student to read analytically, to rightly divide, to be a good bible scholar.

Rudy further says, “Our failure to rightly define the scriptures or to handle them accurately or to make the proper logical distinctions is the cause for all religious error. It might be motivated by jealousy, maliciousness or some other thing but it is the cause of the error.”

“[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

to the Jew first and also to the Greek”. (Rom 1:16 NASB)

The Gospel and Preaching

It has been given much emphasis that the gospel is the sole power of God into salvation. There is no other way to salvation but through the gospel – the  belief in and obedience of it. Moreover, it is also necessary to understand what the Bible says about the gospel, and what it implies as to the whole concept of Christianity.

Acknowledging that the gospel is the sole power of God to salvation, also, means believing that it is only through sharing the gospel to our fellows, those who we want to bring into a Christian life, is the only means of helping them. Only through the gospel can we hope to lead our fellow man to spiritual growth, to growing in Christ.

There may be different approaches to sharing the gospel with others, for example, use of personal testimonies and heart-rending stories may help to get the attention of people with whom you want to do bible study . However, the ultimate weapon, the only truly effective weapon, that an evangelist can hope to use to convert anyone to the church of Christ must be the gospel.

What some other evangelists do is debunk denominational beliefs, expose their error and at times humiliate those that hold them. Although this has been a long practice, it does not result to conversion. While this practice might be most logical, (how else do you correct a wrong than expose them and tell them what is right?), it has been proven ineffective as a way of sharing the gospel of Christ and actually converting people.

What is effective is sharing the gospel itself.

This underlines the importance of knowing the gospel, its components and its fundamentals as written in the Old Testament, the background and prophesies that will help deepen our understanding of it. Knowing these things and having a more profound understanding of the gospel is in itself enough for us to become effective evangelists.

Bible study and spiritual Growth

Knowing the importance of the gospel to our salvation, and acknowledging that it is the only weapon we can use to help convert our fellow man to a Christ-like life, implies that we must constantly study and contemplate on the words of God.

One part of the spiritual growth process involves Bible study. From a theological point of view, once we deeply understand the gospel, we will also begin to understand what God expects from us. In this way, we are able to examine ourselves and gauge our spiritual well-being. We can ask ourselves, “How close am I to the Christ-like life that God expects from me?” Every member of the church of Christ’s ultimate ambition must be to become more like Christ. It is the highest evidence of conversion and belief in the gospel.  It can be said that heaven is our destination and a Christ-like life is the road to it.

It is apparent that reading the scriptures and sharing the gospel is our means of taking part in God’s plan for eternal life. As we study the gospel and let others partake of its significance, we also are changed into the person that Christ wants us to be. Our own perspective of how we have grown in Christ must be so that we can honestly say that we have achieved spiritual growth.

The ultimate goal is to become as Christ, live in his steps and achieve spiritual maturity. In this manner, we will not have to worry if we will attain that eternal life. It is our spiritual growth, that something that cannot be easily seen that is important. Our belief in the gospel is what the basis will be of our salvation. As what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:18;

“[18]…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Cr 4:18 NASB)

This recurring theme in Paul’s letter to the church of Christ in Corinth gives the realization that we are changeable creations. Everything about us changes because our physical stature is a thing of this earth, something that is only in passing. The more important change is that change which takes place on the spiritual level. It is the change that is not seen by the naked eye but evidences our full conversion into the Christ-like life that is our ultimate goal. An individual who has undergone spiritual growth and matured in spirit profess the qualities of a true convert.

Conversion to the gospel goes beyond rejecting one’s doctrinal beliefs. True conversion goes beyond baptism. Conversion is emulating the qualities of Christ that emanates from the understanding of the gospel. It is understanding accepting and doing what God expects from us.

The Gospel Sustains Us

Looking at the first verses of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul declared that we can stand in the Word. This means we can depend on the gospel. It sets us up and it is all that we need to be saved if we fully hold on to it.

“[1] Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. “(1Cr 15:1-2 NASB)

This also tells that, in terms of preaching the gospel and helping others to be converted to it, we simply need them to be exposed to it, no more no less. We also need to find that person who is willing to open up his mind and be exposed to the gospel. Oftentimes, debates do not present this person. Our full and deep understanding of the gospel should compel us that it is the only one we need to be able to take part in God’s plan of eternal life.

The exclusivity of Christ

In the previous episode we recall that Paul has referred to the Messiah as Christ. In the history of the Hebrews this means that a single person will stand as the anointed one who will be all prophet, priest and king. This is one among the considerations that we need to keep in mind when sharing the gospel.

The Messiah has been called many names in the Old Testament, and we saw that the prophets and Psalmist of the early times has prophesied what the Messiah will look like and what He will fulfill. Here is an example:

[6] For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6 NASB)

            Finally, when we talk about the gospel, we talk about the exclusivity of Christ as the only person who embodies the prophesies of the anointed one. Christ takes up the role of our prophet through whom God communicates to us. He is our priest, who is our only line to God. And finally, He is our everlasting all-encompassing king, our savior and ruler.

With these in mind, we can be more effective in realizing our role of sharing God’s plan for eternal life. At the same time, contemplating on the gospel help us understand what God expects from us and thus we mature in our spiritual growth. We are unique creations in a sense that we can become better than we are through the work of God in our lives, by the gospel.

For next episode

            A more in depth take on the gospel will be tacked in the next episode of this online bible study with our brothers and sisters in the church of Christ.

Let us all aspire to become DBR- Daily Bible reader. Until next episode, God bless us all!

The gospel, the word of Christ cannot be simply stated as the good news about Christ because, although technically correct, this does not tell the whole story of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes the components of the gospel with much emphasis that it is “according to the scriptures.” This phrase, on a deeper scale tells us that the gospel is already prophesied way back hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. Moreover, the prophesies have given a guideline, the events and qualifications that must be fulfilled. Like a criteria, these passages in the scriptures describes what the messiah is, and what he will fulfill in his days.

 

The Messiah according to the scripture

The scripture (Old Testament) has given many passages that describe what the Messiah is. These passages outline the qualifications of the one who will fulfill them and through which he will be identified as the Messiah. In this manner, the Messiah is identified because only him, the Christ, will be able to fulfill all of these prophesies.

Among these prophesies is that the Messiah will not be spared from death but he will remain incorrupt (Psalms 16:10, Psalms 30:3). And the passage in Psalms 22:1 “…My God, my God, why have You forsaken me… (NASB)”, a passage that Jesus uttered as a fulfillment of this prophesy.

Other passages are:

[7] All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head… (Psalms 22:7 NASB)

“…Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors…”(Isa 53:12 NASB)

“[16]…They pierced my hands and my feet. (Psa 22:16 NASB)”

[3] He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isa 53:3 NASB)

“[10]…so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced… (Zec 12:10 NASB)”

            These passages allow those who have studied the scriptures to identify the messiah. The early believers in the church of Christ however, have misinterpreted these passages and did not see them fulfilled albeit being fulfilled in their time.

 

The Messianic prophesy and the early believers

What transpired in the days of Christ was overlooked by the early believers. Although it was clearly written in the scriptures what the messiah will be, it is worthy to note that in those early days, the majority of the Jews did not initially accept Jesus as the Christ. .. And so, although they had access to the scriptures, it was not studied at a greater depth being filtered through a biased and corrupt leadership.

Christ, the anointed one

            In the letter of Paul to the church in Corinth, he uses the term “Christ” when describing the gospel. It can be noted that the name of Jesus was only mentioned in verse 31 of 1Corinthians 15. The use of “Christ” here is related to the Paul’s understanding of Christ as the “anointed one”, or in Hebrew, “the messiah.” In other words, Paul acknowledges that Christ is prophesied to be essential for  salvation. Under the Old Testament and Messianic system, there are three kinds of people that are anointed ones: the priests, prophets and kings. So the emphasis of Paul on Christ bears the implication that Christ is sufficient for us. He is all three, priest, prophet and king. He is the anointed one.

It will be fitting to examine closely where in the scripture we can find the designation of the anointed ones, and what their roles are.

Exodus 28:3-43 shows the beginnings of priesthood when God commanded Moses to anoint them and become servants of God as priest. It is in the command of God that they were anointed.

[41] “You shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests.” (Exd 28:41 NASB)

                In the works of Elijah, in 1 Kings 19:16, he was commanded to anoint a king in Israel and Elisha the prophet.

“[16] and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.” (1Ki 19:16 NASB)

            Furthermore, the anointed king was to take the role of a ruler and one to deliver the people from the enemies.

[1] Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance? (1Sa 10:1 NASB)

            The emphasis of Paul’s use of Christ tells us that Christ is anointed as all three of those kind of people. This is crucial, and it gives a picture of what is to come and what Christ demands from us.

In relating the Christ as the Messiah prophesied, verses in the New Testament can be found asserting these roles of Jesus in his time. In Hebrews 3 it is written there that Jesus is our high priest.

[1] “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; [2] He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.” (Hbr 3:1-2 NASB)

            The scripture also describes that the Messiah will be the prophet in Acts 3:22, and in Hebrews 1:1-2

[22] “Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you.” (Act 3:22 NASB)

[1] “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, [2] in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…”. (Hbr 1:1-2 NASB)

Christ being the prophet and priest are two roles we must understand as we move along this online bible study, and are essential for deeping our understanding of what is the gospel. Ultimately, understanding this aspect about the gospel will enrich our appreciation of its implication to our faith and thus helps in our spiritual growth.

In the early times, the prophets serves the purpose of sending the message of God to man, while the priest serves as the bridge through which man sends his supplications to God. Christ being the anointed one, the prophet and priest signifies that He now, serves as the only bridge, the only way to God. Whereas having another man who is subject to mistakes take these roles, Christ tells occupies this role, and thus giving the assurance that no human error can get in our way God and to salvation.

Christ the King

The third kind of person that gets anointed in the early days is kings. Several verses in the New Testament shows Jesus being acknowledged as King in John 18:30-33 and in verse 37 where Jesus himself acknowledged that He has a kingdom. This ‘in other words’ acknowledges that Jesus is King.  However, these verses are just a small part of the Bible study that could be done in understanding this aspect of Christ. For more on this we can refer to Ephesians 1: 22-23, Revelations 1:5 and the various prophesies of Daniel about the Kingdom of God in Daniel 2:44, and verses 7:13-14.

Christ being King and the full authority is a significant fact in our faith. It leads to the awareness that He is our only way to God, being priest and prophet and that he has the full control of authority in our life, our King. This knowledge, as we go with our online Bible study should make us even more aware of the significance of the gospel to our spiritual growth and salvation.

Reading for next Episode

A few suggested readings can be helpful in the next episode of this Podcast and in your personal Bible study in further understanding the gospel. The book of Psalms chapter 22, 1 Corinthians 15 are suggested. To help build a foundation in understanding the gospel, Isaiah 42 to the end, especially chapter 53 are suggested for study.

More of the Gospel and Spiritual Growth in the coming episode of this online Bible study with the Church of Christ.

In light of many denominations, it is a universal understanding among congregations that their doctrines and practices are based on the teachings of the Bible, the scriptures. The foundation of every doctrine claimed by each is such that, sometimes, it becomes a source of misunderstanding and debate.

However, for the majority of these religious denominations, one important part of their doctrine is the belief that the gospel is essential to salvation and that the gospel pertains to the good news about Christ. This is good.

Any believer then, when predisposed to talk about the religious matters, will agree on the importance of the gospel to faith. Moreover, sharing our faith, and sharing the gospel need not delve into complex religious doctrines. One does not need to get into a debate about religious beliefs, because for one, every religious group believes in a set of doctrines, and two, and most importantly, the scriptures provides the single power that we can use to share and call anyone to our belief, and that power is the gospel.

The Gospel is the sole power of God unto salvation. This is clearly outlined in the book of Romans which says:

“[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,

“BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Rom 1:16-17 NASB)”

It says here that the gospel IS the power of God for salvation. It is not presented in a comparative form, it is THE singular power of God to salvation. In other words, the gospel is essential to salvation. It is the only way. It is therefore crucial that one knows, studies and understands the gospel. It is the one essential ingredient to faith. Belief and acceptance of the gospel are essential to salvation. Faith is essential to salvation. As what Hebrews 11:6 says

“[6] And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is

and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hbr 11:6 NASB)”

It is clearly outlined here that the only means to salvation is through faith. That faith that comes from belief that comes from seeking God. In context this means belief in the gospel. To please God and attain salvation, one must have faith and the Gospel compels that faith.

The gospel being the power of God unto salvation is then the only one we need to share and use to call on fellows that we aim to be converted to the church of Christ. A missionary or preacher may present such passages as those in Psalms 2: 12

“…How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! (Psa 2:1-12 NASB)”,

Or those on Psalms 3: 8

“ [8] Salvation belongs to the LORD…(Psa 3:1-8 NASB)”

However, these passages, with understanding and complete study of the gospel, reinforces that salvation is only through faith, faith compelled by the gospel.

 

How do we get faith?

In the book of Romans, it is written that faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of God.

“[17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17 NASB)”

The implication of this passage could not be clearer. Without the word of Christ there is no faith. The sequence to faith must come from hearing and hearing from the word of Christ. The word of Christ is the gospel.

So what is the gospel? Apostle Paul starts in 1 Corinthians 15 with the phrase, “Now I make known to you… the gospel which I preached to you…” (1 Corinthians 15:1 NASB) and he continues on with the story of the birth, the death and the resurrection of Christ and its implications. This is the gospel.

It is only through the word of Christ that one can attain salvation. The gospel is the only power to salvation. As it is written:

[14] It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Th 2:14 NASB)

Furthermore it is important to note in 2 Thessalonians 1: 6-8 it says:

[6] For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, [7] and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, [8] dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (2Th 1:6-8 NASB)

            The components of the Gospel will be given in the next podcast episode. This study will start on the letters of Paul to the church of Corinth, specifically in 1 Corinthians 15, on the birth, death and resurrection of Christ.

In verse 8, it can be seen that two classes of people are to receive the retribution of God, those who do not know Him, and those who do not obey the gospel of Christ. So aside from knowing the gospel, obedience is also a requirement. But how do we obey if we do not know what the gospel is? Here the importance of the gospel in the Christian life, to spiritual growth, is reinforced.

As is reiterated in this whole podcast episode, the gospel is the sole power of God for salvation. It is through faith by hearing and hearing by the words of Christ that salvation is made possible.

 

For next week        

The letter of Paul to the church of Christ in Corinth concerns what the gospel is. The components of the gospel will be given emphasis in the next episode of this online Bible study. As a guide for the next episode, study of 1 Corinthians 15 and passages in the book of Isaiah is encouraged.

More episodes in the coming weeks.