Bible Study 7/5

1 Corinthians 7:1-16

Here Paul answers some of the Corinthians' questions about marriage. Some of his points:

1) The gift of marriage is a gift of God (v.7)

2) If one wishes to remain single and is able to with self-control, it is good. In fact, Paul wishes that all could be like him (knowing that it is not possible). The implication is that Paul is more fruitful in his service for the Lord because of no other obligations.

3) Divorce is against the will of God.

4) If one finds himself married to an unbelieving spouse, they should not divorce them, but should not stop it if their spouse separates from them.

Bible Study 7/2

Proverbs 20:15-30

v.23 "Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good."

I am sure proverbs like these, which there are several, were directed primarily in the culture to those who would cheat others in the marketplace. However, I think you could also draw from it the idea of having a "double standard" - partiality, if you will.

v.21 "An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end."

v.24" A man's steps are from the Lord - how then can man understand his way?"

- We are not meant to know the future.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Paul sandwiches this section on lawsuits between believers between two sections on sexual immorality, leading one to infer that the grievances they had related to matters of sexual wrongdoing. Paul says, in the first place, that to even have a lawsuit is already a defeat. Why not rather suffer wrong, he says. In the next place, the Corinthians were wrong by taking their case before unbelievers, implicitly saying that they submitted themselves to their judgment, when Paul says in fact that the saints will be the ones to judge the world, even angels. It is not good to submit a civil case between believers before an unbelievers' judgment.

Bible Study 7/1/10

Proverbs 20:1-15

The importance of avoiding angry or non-constructive arguments:

v.3 "It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling."

v9 - "Who can say 'I have made my heart pure, I am clean from my sin?'" - No one.

For the excessive sleeper:

v.13 - "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread."

1 Corinthians 5

Paul turns from factions to address another serious problem within the church - open, public, and blatant sexual immorality by someone who professes to be a believer. Paul treats this problem as very serious - the Corinthians are treating it arrogantly. I assume that means that they are taking advantage of the grace that they are living under to not take it seriously. Paul's judgment is that they should be removed from the gathering and fellowship of believers, in order that they make progress toward salvation. How could this punishment accomplish that? The only thing I could think of is allowing them to face the consequences of their choices would help them to come to a point of brokenness and desperation. Allowing them to continue in the fellowship of grace would not be beneficial for them, because they are taking advantage of it.

Paul then clarifies that he is not saying that the Corinthians should not associate with the sinners of this world - that would be impossible (though some throughout history have made a go at it). He says that this applies only to those who claim to be "brothers" - believers - the church is to judge the gross immorality that exists within the fellowship.

Bible Study 6/29

Proverbs 19:1-16

There are quite a few proverbs today contrasting the poor and the wealthy. On the one hand, they stress that it is better to live in poverty and have knowledge and wisdom than to be a fool and have everything. On the other hand, with poverty comes loneliness - "a poor man is deserted by his friend."

v. 11 "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

1 Corinthians 3

In v.1-4, Paul talks about how he has to treat the Corinthians like infants in Christ, as if they were still "people of the flesh" because that is what they were acting like in promoting these factions, even though they were "sanctified in Christ Jesus." Paul refutes the factions by reminding them that spiritual leaders are God's servants; they have different roles, but it is God who causes all the growth (and therefore gets all the credit).

He turns from this to talking about the manner in which spiritual leaders and teachers build into people. The foundation that must always be laid is Jesus Christ - the gospel. After this, Paul emphasizes that the spiritual formation must be of quality to survive, not shallow or of bad quality or error.

Another rebuke against those promoting the factions is found in v.16-17. Since the Corinthians are God's temple, are holy and must be unified, these factions are actually attempts to destroy God's temple. He warns that if anyone attempts this, God will destroy him.

His final warning - v21, "let no one boast in men." Especially in those who think they are wise (in eloquence and philosophy). The reason is because ALL of these men are the Lord's servants, and the Corinthians have everything they need in Christ.

Bible Study 6/28

Proverbs 18

There is quite a lot packed into this chapter.

v.1 - "He who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment."

- Referring to a pattern of isolation; a nonwillingness to engage the world. It is a selfish and unwise way to live.

v.2 "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding; but only in expressing his opinion."

- I'm sure we've all known and/or have been this person in a conversation or meeting. All we can think about is getting our point across, regardless of listening to someone else. This person is called a fool.

v.13 "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame."

- Making a judgment without listening or carefully considering a matter.

v.15 - "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."

- There is some irony in that it is the intelligent (knowledgeable?) man who seeks to acquire knowledge. He knows the value of it. Knowledge is not for the intelligent few, but any who would seek to be wise. In our day, this is a good exhortation to read.

v.24 "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

- What is the difference between the friend and companions? It could only be that the many companions were mere acquaintances, or were more concerned about what they were getting out the relationship. This is an exhortation to be and to seek a true friend.

1 Corinthians 2

Paul's proclamation of the gospel to the Corinthians was based solidly in the life and death and resurrection of Christ; it was not made complicated by philosophy or dependent solely on logic. His basis of truth was a God-dependent base and not a man-dependent one. He trusted in the Spirit to confirm this seemingly foolish testimony with demonstrations of power. The reason he did this was so that their faith would not be based in "the wisdom of men" but "the power of God." If their faith was based in the "wisdom of men" it would be weak.

For the remainder of chp. 2, Paul discusses the wisdom that comes from God's spirit, and not from man's logic. We are able to understand spiritual truth because we have "the mind of Christ" - the Spirit of God opening our minds to understand. Those who do not have the Spirit of God are not able to understand spiritual truth, and consider it foolish. Specifically, they are not able to understand the gospel and its implications. They are instead dependent on a warped way of understanding the world, based in their own independence from God.

Bible Study 6/26

Proverbs 17: 15-28

v.22 - "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

In this proverb, it is interesting that the joyful heart is not the result of the medicine, but the medicine itself. What it is good medicine for? Depression? Good health in general? The opposite, a crushed spirit, dries up the bones - sucks life and energy out of a person. A joyful heart, then, gives life and energy to the person by contrast. So, it is good medicine for feeling like you are not alive and always tired or lacking energy.

v.27 - "Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. v.28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent."

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Paul redirects the Corinthians arrogance through factions by pointing them back to Christ as supreme as both the power and wisdom of God. The message of God's redemption through Jesus's sacrifice on the cross is foolishness to those who live by worldly values and wisdom - those whose minds have been darkened in their understanding.

It is interesting to think about how this passage uses the word "wisdom". I think we can go back to vs. 17 "words of eloquent wisdom" to get an idea of what he means by it. He doesn't seem to be referring to the general wisdom of how to live in God's world as outlined in the proverbs. Rather, he seems to be referring to the world's fascination with the rhetorical ability of public speakers and the arguments of philosophers. These may have the power of persuasion, but the "word of the cross" has true power to save.

By understanding this distinction between the world's words of eloquent wisdom and the wisdom of God in the word of the cross, the Corinthians could move towards healing in their factiousness.

Bible Study 6/25

Proverbs 17:1-14

v.14 - "The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out."

1 Corinthians 1:1-17

Speaking of quarreling... already in these first 14 verses we know a little bit about the situation at Corinth. We know that while Paul was there, he preached the gospel and it was received by some there. As they received it, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, which manifested itself in various spiritual gifts of speech and spiritual knowledge in the church. Paul gives thanks for this.

But there is a problem. There seem to be disagreements, and serious enough to the point where factions are forming, the rallying point being the teachings of the men they follow - Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ. Paul begins his refutation of this by appealing for unity and pointing out the ridiculousness of such factions - all of us follow Christ as Lord. He then talks about his own specific role in the formation of their church (preaching the gospel) and begins to make a transition to talking about the manner in which he preached, which was not with "words of wisdom".

Some inferences that could be made from this already is that a basis for these factions is the eloquence of the teaching of the various leaders and that one way Paul might speak to this is talking about the various important roles that all of these leaders play in the formation of the church.

Bible Study 6/22

Proverbs 16:18-33

Discernment, graciousness, and judiciousness are three ingredients that this set of proverbs spell out that make for persuasive speech. Along with that:

v.32 - "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Romans 15:22-16:27

Some observations:

Paul had priorities. v.22

Prayer is a battle. v.31-32

v.1-16 - There are so many unnamed heroes of the faith.

v.19 - "be wise to what is good, and innocent to what is evil"

The Doxology:

We are strengthened by God according to the gospel and in the preaching of Jesus Christ. God's mystery has now been made known and through the Scripture made known to all nations. All of this was by "the command of the eternal God." His purpose - to bring about "the obedience of faith" - there is no better phrase that describes how faith and a changed life go together. All of this, glorifies God.

Bible Study 6/21

Proverbs 16:1-17

Several of the cluster of proverbs this morning focus on a man's "way" or "path" - his course or direction in life.

v.1 - "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."

v.2 - "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the Spirit."

v.3 - "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established"

v.9 - "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

In a general sense, I suppose a man's "way" could refer to the "way in which he lives his life". In a more specific sense, it could refer to the decisions that determine his direction in life.

In any case, the general principle here is to commit the plans you make to the Lord, and depend on Him for progress in these plans. This is not to say that we make our own plans and then ask the Lord to bless them, but that throughout the entire personal or group planning process we remind ourselves what the Lord's will is and give our plans to the Lord as an offering to do with as He wishes.

Romans 15:8-21

Paul compliments the Romans and their ability to teach one another the gospel. He says he has written to them very boldly "by way of reminder" because he is a priest in the service of the gospel of God. He is proud of the work that he has done in Christ in preaching to the Gentiles and seeing them come to faith by the Spirit of God.

He then talks about his ambition - to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named - where they have never heard of Christ. John Piper calls this Paul's "holy ambition". How few people share this ambition?

Bible Study 6/18

Proverbs 15:1-16

v.13 - "A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed."

v.15 - "All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast."

I'm not sure that these are exhortations as much as they are observations, but it's interesting to see cheerfulness commented on in the proverbs.

Romans 14:1-12

This passage deals with "passing judgment" on those believers who hold special convictions that are extra-biblical. We for sure know that he can't be talking about anything that's added to faith in terms of becoming a Christian, because he lambasts the Galatians for doing just that. What he must be talking about is believers who hold to Christ through faith alone who simply disagree on the manner in which he is best served, glorified, or worshipped. Since chapter 12, he has been dealing with living the Christian life, and this is simply another aspect of that which deals with special convictions.

In Paul's day, some of these convictions apparently included dietary restrictions as well as the sacredness of specific days. What would some of these convictions look like today? Dietary restrictions as well as holidays might still apply. Anything else? Perhaps a conviction never to read fiction, because it presents something that is not reality. This seems ridiculous to us, but if someone were really to hold this conviction with the conscience as a way of best worshipping the Lord in their mind, then we should not "pass judgment" on that person, which I assume means to say that they are wrong or in sin for holding that conviction. And the person who abstained from fiction would not pass judgment on those who do not abstain.

It's pretty clear that Paul's intention in this principle is only for issues that fall outside of what Scripture clearly speaks about. To go against the word of God is one thing; to hold a special conviction in an area that God does not speak about is another.

Bible Study 6/17

Proverbs 14:19-35

A few excerpts:

v.20-21 - "The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor."

v.23 - "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty."

v.29 - "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." v.30 - "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."

v.31 - "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him."

v.34 - "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Romans 13:1-14

Paul exhorts the people to be subject to the governing authorities, because they are instituted by God, "God's servant for your good." Even if the authority does not acknowledge God, this is still true in the sense that they keep order and justice.

Sometimes I have crazy thoughts like, what about the American revolutionaries? Or any of the many separatist movements or rebellions throughout history? One thing is clear about authorities - when our allegiance to God is in direct contradiction with our allegiance to the authority, we obey God (as when Peter and John continued preaching the gospel). It is remarkable that Paul would write this chapter even as the authorities were Romans, many who persecuted the Christians.

Bible Study 6/16

Proverbs 14:1-18

v. 15- "The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps." A word against gullibility but also just accepting what random people say at face value. I think today this most applies to media messages.

The 'simple' is not spoken of well in proverbs. Rather than meaning one who lives a simple lifestyle, it means one who does not seek understanding or wisdom, or give thought to their decisions.

Romans 12:9-21

A picture of the Christian life. These things will be the expressions of one who has been saved by grace through faith; one who is offering themselves as a living sacrifice continually. A sermon could be written on each one. You can see the echoes both of what Jesus taught and what he lived within the passage.

One of my favorites is v.11 - "Do not be slothful in zeal; be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." We should be passionate and enthusiastic in our love for one another and service for the Lord.

Bible Study 6/15

Proverbs 13:13-25

Verses 12 and 19 contain two interesting proverbs.

v12 - "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life"

v.19 - "A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools."

The hope deferred is easily understood, as is turning away from evil. But what is unclear is how the fulfillment of a desire is related to the two. Is v.12 speaking of deferring hope in a negative sense? What kind of desire is it talking about? Is v.19 trying to say that a desire fulfilled and turning away from evil are equivalent or similar?

Romans 12:1-8

Verses 1 and 2 form one of the mountain tops of Scripture and the book of Romans. Paul's appeal to them is to present themselves as "a living sacrifice" - something continually offered to God for his pleasure and use. The sacrifice has been made "holy and acceptable" to God by the blood of Christ, so God accepts our sacrifice. It is our reasonable act of worship in light of God's mercies towards us, which is what Paul makes his appeal on. These mercies are the foundation on which we are able to offer ourselves to God; they include his great love for us, the forgiveness of our sins, the redemption out of slavery, the adoption as sons, the new birth, justification, sanctification, glorification, the gift of God's Spirit - everything else found in Ephesians 1. In the overwhelming light of these mercies, we respond by offering ourselves to God in obedience.

How do we make this offering? In verse 2, Paul explains that we do so not by being conformed to the pattern of the world, but by being transformed by the renewing of our minds. This transformation implicitly comes from Scripture, as through it we discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect. As we discover God's will through the Scripture, we yield our own will and align to his, renewing our minds and setting ourselves apart from the world.

Having now begun to talk about the practical Christian life, he then moves in to a section where he encourages unity both by sober self-judgment (an honest evaluation of self, defeating pride) and by the use of diverse gifts within the "body" to help the body function. The believers have gifts "according to the grace given to us" - none of these gifts can we claim credit for apart from the grace of God. The emphasis here is not on the Christian life being about discovering your gift and not worrying about the others, but on doing what you are able to do for the good of the community of believers with passion.

Question

How we share the gospel is equally as important as actually sharing it. Agree or disagree, to what extent?

Bible Study 6/14

Proverbs 13:1-12

A few new proverbs about wealth:

v.11 - Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

v.7 - One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing. Another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. (living a simple lifestyle)

And more about speech;

v. 3 - Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Romans 11

God has not rejected ethnic Israel. Christianity began with many ethnic Jews, and many more had been included since that time. There is a remnant, just as in the time of the prophets, who remains faithful and stands by grace through faith. But, he says, the rest were hardened.

God's purposes in this were to bring in the Gentiles and so make Israel jealous, so they would return to him. We stand on the foundation of the people of Israel, the root of the tree, even though some of their branches have been broken off by God and new ones, the Gentiles, grafted in. This is no cause for arrogance toward ethnic Israel or boasting.

Some people see in this passage a message that there will be a time when all of ethnic Israel is once again included as the people of God, but there is not really enough evidence to support that claim at least in this passage. When he says in v.26 "and in this way all Israel will be saved" it is in the context of the fullness of the Gentiles coming in. Ethnic Israel will be welcomed and included in God's salvation, but there will be some who don't believe. As in v.32, "for God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."

Santa Cruz Outreach Update 6/12

We had our second outreach of the summer Saturday evening. We nicknamed it the "community walkabout" outreach. We sent students and staff in groups/pairs to various areas of the city to initiate conversations with people, asking about them and the city, and talking about spiritual issues.

I was sent to the wharf with a student named Aaron. We walked down off the wharf to a dock where people were looking at all the sea lions that hang out underneath the wharf. There is literally a step down to the dock where they are; you could reach out and touch them. In fact, while we were there, two obnoxious guys did just that and harassed the sea lions for a minute, which is a felony.

Anyways, Aaron and I stood at the rail, and we began to ask questions of this older gentleman, Dan. Dan told us a lot of things about the sea lions, the Santa Cruz area. He knew about the Campus Crusade students. We had a long conversation with him and talked about some spiritual issues, but he was very hesitant to describe himself spiritually. About half an hour in, we transitioned to talking to another guy who was next to me named Mandel. He started telling us a few things about the sea lions, and demonstrated quite a knowledge of marine life. Come to find out, he works for a non-profit oceanography research company. His regular job is law enforcement, but he helps do research on the side and that's what he really loves to do; he started diving when he was 12. His ultimate goal is to film the great white shark mating, which is one of the few things left in the world not captured on video and so there is still an element of mystery to it.

We must have talked to Mandel for quite some time before the conversation drifted to why we were in Santa Cruz and spiritual things. Mandel described himself over the course of the conversation as believing in God, but not really understanding him. He had read portions of the bible at difficult points in his life, but he was not really a spiritual person necessarily. Although his girlfriend was involved in bible studies and church, Mandel viewed Christianity as many people do today - in the realm of a "belief" or "sentiment" and not as something true to be discovered about the world. But it was an excellent conversation in which we were able to share not only the gospel but Aaron's testimony, which was very honest and powerful. It was a great time of sharing; we were in that same spot for almost two hours. We left him with a booklet on how to know God personally, and he asked for my email address. We pray that God will use that conversation to draw him a step closer to him.

Bible Study 6/12

Proverbs 12:14-28

My favorites from this morning:

v.16 - The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.

v.18 - There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

v.23 - A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of a fool proclaims folly.

v.25 - Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Romans 10

Paul begins by saying that though ethnic Israel is zealous for God (as Paul himself was a testament to) their zeal is misplaced, because they have missed that Christ is the end of the law, the beginning of a righteousness based on faith.

In v.6-7, "who will ascend to heaven" I interpret as "Who will pretend to be righteous by keeping the law, and thus call Christ's sacrifice unimportant?" (to bring Christ down). And "who will descend into the abyss" - Who will judge and condemn people by the law so as to make Christ's death on their behalf meaningless? (to bring Christ up from the dead).

V.8-13 are great and clear verses that speak of the way of salvation through faith.

v.14-17 - Because faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ, the gospel, Paul rhetorically shows the need for preachers and messengers to proclaim it to the world.

Next, in v.18, Paul says that they have already heard. Here, I think he once again is referring to ethnic Israel, who has heard the gospel and yet not believed the message.

Bible Study 6/11

Proverbs 12:1-14

It seems like one can begin putting all of these smaller proverbs into a few categories:

1) The righteous vs. the wicked man. One obtains blessing, the favor of the Lord, and walks a steady path. The other is under condemnation, will be found out, and walk on shaky ground. The effects of one on others are positive, the other negative.

2) The wise man receives correction well, versus the fool who doesn't.

3) The hard worker will be rewarded for his diligence, while the lazy will come to poverty.

4) The one with wise speech reaps benefits for himself and others, while the one with rash speech does damage.

More to come.

These, of course, raise the following questions:

First, how does Christ embody these wise sayings?

Second, how do I?

Do I live a righteous or wicked life?

Do I receive correction with gratitude?

Do I work hard or am I lazy?

Do I speak wisely or rashly?

Romans 9

In this passage Paul addresses the question "What about ethnic Israel? Did not all the promises of God belong to them?" His answer is, first of all, a statement of compassion for his race. But he clarifies that true Israel, true children of Abraham, are children of the promise through faith. Not all ethnic Israel, probably not even a majority, fits this category. This has been true ever since there has been an ethnic Israel.

Paul also uses this opportunity to talk about a difficult subject - the election by God of his children. The link to this topic seems to be the implicit question,'why does God not save all of ethnic Israel?' You could extend the question today to 'why does God not save everyone?' Paul's response is to focus on God's right as God to choose on whom to have mercy. Implicitly there is the reminder that all are guilty before God ( by the word 'mercy'). None deserve to be saved, but God chooses to have mercy on some.

But by far the most difficult part of this section comes from the idea that he hardens

whomever he wills - that is, God is the one hardening the heart of the unbeliever. The reason

given for this is that this is the way that God will demonstrate his glory - through pouring out

his wrath on some in order to sharpen and heighten the riches of his glory for those on whom

he has mercy. It is difficult to think about, and if we think about it in merely human terms, we will not be able to understand it without trusting in God's greater wisdom.

What is clear is that this passage should never be used as an excuse not to do evangelism when put in context with the majority of Scripture. What is also clear is that anyone who chooses to put their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved. It is also clear that in some way "God desires all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth."

Difficult thoughts, but our faith is in God's wisdom and not our own.

Bible Study 6/10

Proverbs 11:16-31

Continuing some major themes like not trusting in riches but pursuing righteousness; not seeking evil but seeking good. There are a few that touch on giving generously and bringing blessing resulting in "growing all the richer" and being blessed through giving. There is also a caution against putting up a security deposit (v.15) for a stranger.

Romans 8:31-39

v.31 - "What then shall we say to these things?" How do we respond to seeing how God has saved us by uniting us to Christ in his death so that we have died to sin and died to the condemning law, and in his resurrection so that we live for God, with the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, confirming that we are God's sons. This concluding section in chp. 8 goes back to the opening statement of the chapter - "There is now no condemnation." How could there be in light of what God has done and the love of Christ??

Bible Study 6/9

Proverbs 11:1-15

Most of these proverbs, and a good portion of the collection itself, is emphasizing the idea that the wickedness of the wicked person will be the cause of their undoing. It will lead them into a trap, cause them to fall, destroy them, take them captive, etc.....

I think this again just goes to show how Proverbs is not a book of promises, but rather of general principles of a wise life. While it definitely seems true as a general rule that "your sin will find you out", it seems many wicked people are prospering and able to get away with their wickedness. Of course, all of this will end when their wickedness will be exposed in the 'day of wrath' (v.4).

Romans 8:18-30

In this section Paul talks about the experience of our present sufferings being like nothing when compared to the glory that is to be revealed that we will experience. He says the whole creation, subjected to a curse when sin entered the world, "groans" and longs for total redemption which is to come. This explains the destruction and viciousness of nature.

Not only nature, but also believers 'groan' and long for this final redemption and future glory. We experience a taste of it through the Spirit within us; fellowship with God and with one another. But that fellowship is far from perfect. Paul concludes by saying that it is this very hope of future redemption that was our hope in our being saved. He talks about all things working together for good for those who love God (giving hope in suffering) and confirms that God is sovereign in bringing about our total redemption (v.30, he foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified.)

Bible Study 6/9

Bible Study 6/9

Santa Cruz Update - Outreach 6/7

We had our first project-wide outreach yesterday. It was a beach tug-of-war and dodgeball outreach. The idea is that the whole project would participate in some games on the beach that would draw a big crowd. People could have fun, and we could have a chance to get to know them, hear their spiritual story, and share with them the gospel. It went really well; the Outreach committee of our students that I am helping to lead planned and executed it well. This year's project in general is responsible and they are good at volunteering and taking initiative.

Personally, I had 3 significant conversations. One was with a guy named Raoul and his sister Rebecca. They came up to our table with bibles and started to look at one. They were about my age. They go to a church called Monteverdi Chapel, but it seemed like they had never made a decision to really trust and follow Christ and that going to church on Sundays was the extent of their faith. I shared the gospel with them through a booklet we have called the "Knowing God Personally" booklet, which summarizes the gospel in 4 points and gives the person an opportunity to respond to them. They listened closely and were very interested, and expressed interest in praying to receive Christ when they returned from the beach. They stayed around an continued to hang out with our group.

My next conversation was with 3 Hispanic men, primarily a guy named Carlos. The other two did not speak english well, but I got to ask Carlos a few questions. I gave the three a Knowing God Personally booklet in spanish for them to go through later. One of our students named RJ followed up with him and ended up having a good conversation with him. He said it seemed like Carlos was very interested and was starting to get it.

My last conversation was with a guy named Sunday, again about my age or a little younger. He had two friends with him. He described himself as a Christian, but when I asked him how long he had been a Christian, he said "since I was born". I asked him if it would be ok if I could share what I believe and see how close it was to what he believed, and he said sure. So I shared the KGP with him. I think his two friends benefitted more than he did, as they were listening closely and responding well to the questions I was asking. When I asked them how they would define "sin" one of them answered - "my life" - and the others laughingly agreed. At the end I asked them a hard question - how can you reconcile describing yourself as a believer when from what you have said your whole life would indicate otherwise? I think that question will resonate with some of them, and I left the KGP with them, so they know how to receive Christ if they decide to.

Overall it was a good day, and many good conversations were had. Our project director (and many others) often think of a person as a letter between A-Z, where A represents a total athiest and Z is a very mature believer. Each time someone shares with a person, they can be moved further and further along the scale towards a relationship with Christ. It's helpful to have that mindset, because even if a person does not receive Christ on the spot, your witness to them can significantly move them towards Christ.

Bible Study 6/7

Proverbs 10:1-16

At this point in the book, the text changes from long exhortations to seek wisdom and avoid folly and adultery to one verse snippets of wisdom. The ones in the first part of chapter 10 mostly focus on either the benefits that come from living wisely or an exhortation to work hard.

v12 - "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses." cross reference 1 Peter 4:8

Romans 8:1-11

The past 2 chapters have been exploring the question "If righteousness comes through faith, what is the purpose of the law? What is the believer's relationship to it?" The answer to that question has been that it's purpose is to show sin to be what it is. The law is perfect and good and holy, but in a way it aggravates sin, and the sinful nature seizes its opportunity to stir up rebellion against the clearly spelled out law. Even the believer, who delights in the law of God, still struggles with the flesh's rebellion against the law.

Verses 3 and 4 sum up the solution to this problem. The righteous requirement of the law has been fulfilled in Christ, and we share in that through the Spirit. A mind "set on the flesh" in this passage is that of a nonbeliever, and "set on the Spirit" is a believer. It is also good to point out that in 9-11, the Spirit is referred to in a very Trinitarian way (the Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead [the Father]).

Bible Study 6/5

Proverbs 9

The ways of wisdom and folly are contrasted. Wisdom invites the simple to a banquet in which she has prepared food and promises live and insight. It is held within a solid house (7 pillars). Folly has prepared a banquet and invites the simple to enjoy stolen food and drink, and she conceals the dead that are within her house.

Correcting a fool will only get you their anger; correcting a wise man will earn you their love.

The theme is repeated that the fear of the Lord (knowledge of who he is and responding with reverence and faith) is the beginning of wisdom.

Romans 7

Paul, in continuing his dead to _____ alive to ______ comparisons, now talks about how the believer has died to the law (the rules of right and wrong) through Christ and now has been raised with Christ to belong to God. This affects the way that we serve God - not by the written code, but by the Spirit. What this means becomes clearer later in Romans.

The next somewhat confusing section shows the relationship between sin and the law. Paul answers the accusation that he was teaching that the law was evil - on the contrary, the law is holy and righteous and good. However, apart from the law (we must assume is talking about more than just the law received by Moses, the "moral law" in general) sin lies dead. The temptation is not there apart from the law. But the law clearly points out sin and actually aggravates it; sin takes advantage of the law to produce death through what is good by reacting against the law. The purpose of all this is so "sin might be shown to be sin, and through the law might become sinful beyond measure."

Paul then gives an account of how this plays out in his own life. Even though he is a believer, and he delights in God's law and has the mind of Christ, his flesh is still sold under sin. This produces a war of conflicting desires, and a frustration at an inability to do good by law-keeping because of sin taking advantage of the flesh's inability to keep the law. Paul's answer to this dilemma is in the next chapter.

Bible Study 6/3

Romans 6:15-23

This is a difficult passage, but here's my best understanding of it. Paul once again asks the question (as he did at the beginning of chp. 6) of whether we should continue sinning since we are under grace? In the beginning of 6 he answered "no" because of the fact that we were "dead" to sin and alive to God positionally - therefore, we should and will increasingly live that out.

This time, he continues to develop the slave / master word picture. The Christian was once a slave to sin. Sin was the master, sin owned the person. In return for service to sin, sin rewards the person with death. In the present, the Christian has been set free from sin to become slaves of righteousness. God is now the Christian's master - God owns the Christian. God rewards the Christian's service with sanctification (the character of God) and eternal life (a relationship with God that lasts forever). The Christian also has the promise of the completion of this gift in the future.

The difficulty comes from the fact that the Christian still sins. What is clear is that the Christian is no longer positionally a slave to sin. However, he can still offer sin service even though he belongs to God. But it doesn't make sense, knowing the kind of wages that you were being paid by sin and the fact that you are now the slave of someone else. This is the point of the commands Paul gives not to present members of your body to sin. The power to keep from sin lies in the knowledge and experience of your position as a slave of righteousness, not sin.

It is clear from this and other passages also that if one continues to submit to sin as their master and does not serve God as their master, their true master is sin, and their wages are death.

Bible Study 6/2

Proverbs 7

Another whole chapter devoted to warning against adultery. Most of the chapters have been starting with something like "my son, pay attention to my words...keep my commandments.." It's like the lure of adultery is so powerful that he is almost verbally shaking someone to "wake up" from out of their powerful temptation.

Romans 6:1-14

The best way for me to understand this passage is by the word picture of us being a slave to sin, our master. Living under the slavemaster of sin, we were forced to obey it. We were completely in its power. The ownership of sin over us was "for life" - there was no escape.

But God provided a way for us to be set free by uniting us to Christ through faith. By faith we share in Christ's death and burial. He died to sin, once for all (v.10). We died to our master, sin. The term was served. But Christ was raised from the dead. We also share in his resurrection and live a new life to a new master, God (v.10-11).

All of this has been in answer to the question, "How should we live now that we are under God's grace and not the sentence of the law? Should we just continue sinning?" And Paul's answer is no, because how could one who has truly died to sin continue in it? Why would you want to? There is clearly the option of continuing to give sin a foothold in your life (v.12-13) but why would you? And if you continue to do so without reservation, have you truly died to sin?

V14- "sin will no longer have dominion over you". This doesn't mean that we won't still be tempted or that we won't sin. But because we died to sin, we are no longer under its condemnation or power to an extent that we cannot resist it.

Bible Study 6/1

Proverbs 6:20-35

Two main sections - the first another emphasis on remembering and being guided by parents' instruction and receiving discipline. The second, another extended warning against adultery.

Romans 5:12-21

This passage compares Adam and Christ - it repeats a similar saying over and over - sin and death came through Adam through his disobedience, grace and justification and righteousness came through Jesus Christ by his obedient death, as a free gift. Verse 13 and 20 talk about the relationship between sin and the law. There is nothing to "trespass" if there is no law, but there is still sin. The law "increases" sin by spelling it out and making us see just how far we fall short. There is even an element of the law "increasing" sin by tempting our sinful nature with the rule, causing us to desire to break it.

Bible Study 5/31

Proverbs 6:1-19

4 sections today: the first warning against giving your neighbor a security deposit, as this creates a debt that could become a trap for you. The second considers the ant, who is self-disciplined (v.7), productive, and responsible, in contrast to the lazy sluggard. Laziness starts small, but grows and produces poverty (v.10-11).

The third person seems to describe a carnie. Well, ok, just a con man in general. It talks about disaster suddenly coming upon them.

The fourth is a list of 7 things the Lord hates. Knowing God is not just knowing what he loves, but also what he hates and growing to hate those things yourself.

Romans 5:1-11

As a result of this justification by faith, we have obtained peace with God. There is no longer any hostility between God and us because of our sin. We rejoice in the hope of seeing and sharing in the glory of God, but also in our sufferings, because suffering also produces this hope, sometimes even more clearly.

v.5 - It is the Holy Spirit who "has poured God's love into our hearts".

Paul emphasizes again that this reconciliation has taken place through the death of Christ, and goes on to argue that if we were reconciled to God through Christ when we were enemies of God, how much more will we be saved by Christ now that we are at peace with Him?

Romans 5:8 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Bible Study 5/30

Proverbs 5

This chapter is completely focused on warning the young man against the temptation of a forbidden woman (one who is not your wife). All 23 verses focus on this warning, acknowledging the desirable quality (v.3) but emphasizing the reality (v.4-5) and consequence.

Romans 4:13-25

Paul makes the point that if righteousness and justification depended on adhering to the law of God, then faith would have no value and the promises of God would be rendered meaningless. Who needs God's help when you can do it yourself? But none of us have ever been able to and never can. So both the adherent of the law (through faith) and those who share the faith of Abraham are counted righteous (made right with God, justified).

Awesome quote about Abraham: v.20-22 - "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness'."

I want that read at my funeral.

Santa Cruz Update 5/29

We are almost finished setting up the Peter Pan Motel. I unpacked my suitcase last night. Today we'll do some last minute things, and as a staff team prepare for the welcome party for the students. I'm doing well - I'm ready to settle in to the routine of the summer.

Bible Study 5/29

Romans 4:1-12

Paul in this section anticipates the question "Well, if righteousness comes from faith in Jesus Christ, what about the people of God before Christ?" He cites the example of Abraham, who "believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness". Abraham's standing with God came to him before his obedience. He believed God's promises. His belief was demonstrated by acting on those promises (moving to a foreign land, sacrificing Isaac, etc..).

Paul also cites David's blessing on one whose "lawless deeds are forgiven" as referring to one who has been justified or made right with God apart from the law (morality, religious good deeds).

He concludes by saying that Abraham is the father of all, both Jew and Gentile, who believe in God.

Proverbs 4:20-27

v.25-27 - Talking about focus. Echoes Hebrews 12:1-3. v.23 - "keeping your heart" in this context is referring to protecting and cultivating the "words of wisdom".

Bible Study 5/28

Romans 3:21-31

Although everyone has been "shut up" by the law under sin because of their inability to keep it, Jew or non-Jew, religious person or pagan, the "but now" in 3:21 is a welcome sight. A righteousness from God APART from the law through faith in Jesus Christ has been revealed and provided for us, solely to be received by faith.

There is no longer any boasting then, in regard to our goodness or morality, because the righteousness we have is from God alone, who took the initiative with us, and not anything that we have obtained for ourselves. We can boast only in what Christ has provided for us.

Proverbs 4:1-19

Again, wisdom is emphasized as something to be highly sought after and valued. If it is valued and attained, it will promote longevity and avoidance of evil paths. A father's wisdom in particular is emphasized; a son listening to and remembering his father's words of wisdom. (In v.18-19) - a path of righteousness, when walked by wisdom, promotes clarity and confidence - evil and unrighteousness produce confusion and uncertainty.

Bible Study 5/27

Romans 3:1-20

In the first part of chapter 3, Paul acknowledges that the Jews were honored by receiving the oracles (messages,words) of God and having the special privilege of being set apart as God's people (circumcision). However, he says beginning in v.9 that these things did not and have not made them better off with regard to their salvation. They are still just as much under the curse and penalty of sin as the Greek (v.9). V.19-20 sum up his thoughts nicely - "..so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."

Earlier Paul also mentions briefly the ridiculousness of those who argue that if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, shouldn't we be more unrighteousness to increase the contrast and God's glory? Why should God inflict wrath or punish those who are unrighteousness if they make Him look good? He doesn't even respect the argument enough to answer it fully, but he mentions that part of God bringing himself glory is his judgment of unrighteousness.

Proverbs 3:13-35

This proverb starts off again by highlighting the desirability of wisdom. It paints it as more desirable not only than riches or wealth, but than any other thing. It says many blessings including riches and prosperity and long life come from wisdom.

In the last part of chapter 3, the book begins getting into the many "do"s and "do not"s. These statements are representations of the kind of wisdom (how to live in light of the world God has created) that the book has been describing, beginning with the foundation of the fear of the Lord (faith).

V.27-28 focus on not witholding good from someone when it is in your power to do it. V.30 -"Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm." I think this speaks to our tendency to be argumentative just for the sake of wanting to be right.

Bible Study 5/26

Romans 2:12-29

Paul spends the rest of chapter 2 showing why Jews, who have the revealed law of God, are just as guilty of breaking it as the Gentiles, who though they don't have the law of God in written form, have it written on their conscience so that their conflicting moral thoughts testify against them. This can be compared to today's religious person, a cultural Christian, who grows up with a strong sense of morality and of "doing good". Despite their best efforts to live a "good life", they will fall short of keeping the moral law, and in many cases be in danger of viewing themselves in a self-righteous manner (v.19-20) that conceals their guilt from them. Both the religious person and the person who does not know God are guilty of rejecting God's law and choosing their own independent judgment over God's revealed will.

Proverbs 3:1-12

Keeping the commandments of the Lord and living by his wisdom is the best way to assure long life, favor, and success. (v.5-6) - Verses to memorize - they express the promise of the Lord to guide you on a straight path when you trust in Him even beyond your understanding of the situation.

V.9-10 - Those who honor the Lord, in this case with their wealth, will generally be blessed by the Lord. This is the way the world really works - those who give receive a return and a blessing. This runs contrary to what the world would say - if you give, you have lost something.

Bible Study 5/25

Romans 2:1-11

In this passage, Paul begins to show that it is not only the obvious ungodly pagan who is under the wrath of God, but also the self-righteous person who looks down on and judges the pagan. They are in fact guilty of the same things, just in less obvious (more sinister?) ways. The Pharisees were dealt with more harshly by Jesus than the ungodly "sick" who knew they needed a doctor.

v.4 - God's kindness is meant to lead to repentance. This is in direct opposition to those who believe that you can live your life however you like and because "God is love" everything will be fine.

Proverbs 2

Wisdom is linked here with righteousness and goodness. If one seeks wisdom (not just casually, but intentionally) they will find it, and specifically, they will find it through the "fear of the Lord" (appropriate response to God) and through the "words of his mouth" (which we have in the word of God). This kind of wisdom sets and keeps one on a path of goodness and righteousness, and protects one from temptation and destruction.

Some initial thoughts on LOST

I enjoyed the finale. Here's just a few thoughts. We'll call it things that I enjoy about LOST:

I like that in LOST, events have a purpose and a meaning. Life has a purpose and a meaning. "You are special."

LOST is about relationships, and everything that goes along with that. Life is about relationships.

LOST says that the events of your life are not an accident, or simply a result of random chance. "It happened for a reason."

LOST says that the decisions that you make, the choices, are important. They make a difference. "You have a choice."

LOST says that you can't be defined by other people, but rather by how you choose to relate to other people.

LOST says that there is a second chance, a fresh start. "Nothing is irreversible". You can let go and move on, no matter how difficult it was or how much it seems to have crushed you.

LOST says not to live in the past, but recognize how the past has shaped you. "Whatever happened, happened."

LOST affirms that this life is not all that there is. Our choices in this life influence life after death in some way.

Bible Study 5/24

Romans 1:18-32

There is no one on earth who doesn't know in their heart that there is a God who created the world. It is self-evident; it can be seen both in what has been made and through the conscience of man. Any attempt to represent this truth through making God to be some kind of physical thing is a suppression of the true reality that God can not be contained or represented in an image.

Even though this knowledge of God is evident, people have suppressed the truth and rejected God. As a result of this rejection, God "gives them over" to debased minds - lives that are full of the sin that follows from not acknowledging God as creator and the world as God's created order.

The wrath of God is on all people for this - he is not neutral towards their decision to reject him. It is only in his love, mercy, and grace that anyone on earth is allowed to live.

Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom is available for those who seek it - they will find it. If wisdom is rejected, if the "fear of the Lord" is rejected, then one will surely find destruction. "The complacency of fools destroys them (v.32)."

Santa Cruz Update 5/23

Arrived by plane yesterday at about 2:00 in San Jose airport. The shuttle service never picked up the phone, so Noel and I had no idea how we were going to get to where we were going. We asked a lady at an information desk, who eventually gave us a public bus transportation route that would get us to Santa Cruz Metro Center. Two and a half hours, $6, 3 buses, and 30 miles later, we got there.

From there, we took a taxi the rest of the twelve miles to La Selva Beach where the staff team is. That was about $40. Oh well, we got there on time.

Last night we had dinner as a staff team and got to know everyone. We'll continue that process this week as we learn about the project, etc... The team is somewhat different from last year - more married couples. There is one other single guy who is on staff in North Carolina. Seems like it will be a good team, but of course I miss last year's team. Looking forward to doing some good work with them.

Sunday is devoted to rest for those who drove and at 3:00 we'll head over to Santa Cruz and give a tour. Tonight we'll put together binders for the students which is like their "bible" for the summer project.

And tonight at 9:00 - watching the LOST finale with some people on the team!!

Bible Study 5/23

Romans 1:1-17

The purpose Paul gives in vs. 5 for "bringing about the obedience of faith [in Jesus Christ through the gospel]" is "for the sake of his name among all the nations." That is, for the glory, or fame and worship, of God.

That phrase, "the obedience of faith", also shows that faith is more than accepting intellectually the facts of the gospel. Faith implies an active trust - it is demonstrated through obedience, and is in fact inseparable from obedience.

Paul is "set apart for the gospel" (v.1), serves "in the gospel" (v.9), preaches the gospel (v.15), and is not ashamed of the gospel (v.16), because he knows the gospel is the power of God for salvation. The gospel, the message the Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again to defeat death and reconcile us to God, is the center of the Christian life.

V.12 - "that we may be mutually encouraged by each others' faith" - what a great description and hope for summer projects!

Proverbs 1:1-19

(v.7) - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge". True understanding and a philosophy of how to live begins with "the fear of the Lord" - which is knowing who God is through who He has revealed himself to be, and responding to Him out of reverence and worship, as He has revealed how to respond (in faith).

v.10 - "If sinners entice you, do not consent."

v.19 - "Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors."

LOST - The End

Here are some predictions for tonight's LOST finale, as of Sunday at 10:23 PT.

The island will be raised from the ocean in the flash-sideways. It will not be destroyed.

Jack will die.

Desmond will not die.

Kate will not die.

Sawyer will not die.

Hurley will not die.

Locke will speak on behalf of the island in ghost form.

The Man in Black will be killed. I'm saying a combination of Desmond, Ben, and Jack kills him.

Locke will walk again.

The last scene will not take place in the flash-sideways, but the original timeline OR a merged timeline.

David's mom (Jack's ex-wife) is Juliet.

That's all the predictions I have! Those are based on nothing more than where I feel like the show is going. I think it's really cool that in the flash-sideways they are all headed for a concert. It'll be cool to see how the music interacts with their recollection of the island.

Do you have any predictions?