We note that Paul's statement that Christ sent him not to baptize, didn't mean that Paul never baptized anyone. If it was the case that Paul wasn't supposed to baptize anyone, then he wouldn't have baptized Crispus and Gaius who he directly states in the context that he did indeed baptize. So the passage couldn't mean that Christ didn't send Paul to baptize at all.
“And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully” (2 Timothy 2:5). Human beings have probably been playing games since time […]
I don’t like fire ants, but I do admire them. I suppose that is kind of a strange statement, so let me explain. Last week I was out in the […]
What is the gospel? It is 1) the Good News, 2) the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus, 3) the Power of God to Salvation. Each hearer will be able to answer the question, “What is the gospel?” I want to communicate that the gospel is God’s plan for salvation through Jesus Christ.
In this lesson we will look at the bible doctrine of inspiration: the evidence for inspiration; the nature of inspiration; the function of inspiration; and the scope of inspiration; some misunderstandings of inspiration. The objective of this lesson is to help everyone understand what the Bible doctrine of inspiration is and implies and to help all respect God's authority.
What is sin? Sin is 1) lawlessness, 2) violation of conscience, 3) leaving undone what we should do. Each hearer should be able to state what sin is. This lesson seeks to answer a top religious question with Bible teaching.
The psalm expresses love for good and hatred for evil by his 1) Petition, 2) Opposition, 3) Position, 4) Condemnation, 5) Exaltation. Each listener should share the Psalmists attitudes toward good and evil.
We must keep the unity of the Spirit by 1) Speaking the Same Things 2) Not have division, 3) Have the same Judgment. Each listener should be able to explain how to have unity. Each Christian should be committed to maintaining unity by doing these things.
The marriage relationship is a sacred bond; husband and wife are “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Jesus says so in Matthew 19:4-6: And He answered and said to them, “Have you […]
God has spoken in a way we can understand because 1) God knows how to communicate, 2) The Bible is written in a language we can understand, and 3) Jesus gives us his example so that we may follow. Each person should know that he/she can understand and obey the Bible.
I recently read the book The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It is an impressive literary work that touches on religion, law, psychology, and philosophy. The author sets forth […]
We need to hear the gospel, but our hearing must be 1) Without Prejudice, 2) With a View toward Obedience, 3) For Self-Correction, 4) To Evangelize Others. Each hearer should be able to understand what the Bible says about hearing the gospel correctly. Each person should be hearing as the Bible teaches us to hear.
So many people are under the impression that the sting of death is death itself. The Bible says otherwise (1 Corinthians 15:56). That is, it isn’t death that is the […]
In this passage we find 1) A Hiring, 2) A Payment, 3) A Complaint, 4) A Response 5) An Interpretation. Each hearer should understand what the expression, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first” means.
In this lesson, we will answer the question, What is the Church? We must understand God’s original design in the creation. When we understand this, we will understand what the church is in relationship to God’s great plan to restore unity between God and man, and between man and man. Each member should understand God’s desire for unity in the church as the restoration of His purposes in creation.
In this lesson we will look at Lot’s escape from Sodom and Gomorrah: 1) A Revelation 2) A Negotiation, 3) A Confrontation, 4) A Destruction. That each may understand God’s perspective when it comes to our need to escape sin.
We live in a world of distractions. Cell phones, television, romance novels, fantasy movies, electronic games, online videos, and many other diversions frequently shift our attention from where our focus […]
In Revelation 21, we see how the righteous live forever in the city of New Jerusalem. We see 1) The Coming of the City, 2) The Composition of the City, 3) The Consecration of the City. Each hearer should understand that the New Jerusalem is a spiritual city that will be eternally inhabited by the righteous. It is my aim to impress upon each person that this city is the people of God.
In this lesson, we will look at four blessings of salvation 1) Remission of Sin, 2) Refreshing from the Lord, 3) Restoration of Fellowship, 4) Rejoicing in Heaven. The objective of this lesson is for the hearer to better understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. In understanding our blessings, we should be motivated to live responsibly.
To obey the command to repent we must 1) Believe God’s Analysis of Our Condition, 2) Change Our Mind and Attitude, 3) Change our Behavior. Each member should be able to explain what this command means and how to perform it. My aim in this lesson is to encourage in the heart of each person the desire to live a life of repentance.