In this lesson we will discuss the four commands in 1 Peter 2:17: Honor all men; Love the brotherhood; Fear God; Honor the king. The hearer should be able to quote and explain the verse citing a supporting scripture for each point.
There is, however, a second way in which God may justly put man's sin upon an innocent victim. This is when God Himself bears the punishment for man's sin. Everyone recognizes the principle that it would be just for the one sentencing punishment to bear the penalty for that punishment in place of the one who ought to be punished.
Having more money in the bank, or a greater education, or being better looking, or possessing a superlative of any quantitative measure, does not improve one’s moral status. One may have all these and still be a horrible person! On the other hand, one may be poor, ugly, and uneducated yet be a very good person. Pragmatism does not make one morally superior! Only God does that through His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 7:24-25).
The scriptures teach plainly that Christ went to paradise after His death. In Luke 23:43 we read these words: "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Jesus clearly told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise. One thing we know from the scriptures to be true is that paradise is not hell, and neither is hell paradise.
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.
What does it mean to be free? Some say that freedom is being able to do anything with no limits. I do not subscribe to that definition because, if followed […]
What does it mean to be defiled? The Pharisees had one definition. Jesus had a different definition. In this lesson, we will examine 1) the meaning, 2) the manner, and 3) the menace of defilement. Each hearer will be able to explain that defilement originates in the heart, not from some external source. The aim of this lesson is to communicate that Christianity teaches personal responsibility.
In this lesson, we will discuss the command to obey the Lord. We will look at 1) What the command means, 2) Who is responsible to follow it, and 3) Why we must obey it. Each hearer should be impressed with the absolute necessity of obeying the Lord. I hope to communicate with each person what obedience means.
At the end of August, buried among the headlines of riots and viruses, a three-thousand person survey found that 52% of those that responded did not believe that Jesus was […]
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.
From Joshua 22 we learn about 1) Fellowship, 2) Falling Out, 3) Fact Finding, and 3) Fairness. We should follow the example of the Israelites when resolving our problems as well.
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.
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 […]
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The word “Satan” means “adversary.” The word […]
The Lord hears when we pray and provides 1) Relief, 2) Relationship, 3) Righteousness, and 4) Refuge. Each Christian should learn to trust in the Lord and turn to him to prayer in all circumstances of life. The aim of this lesson is to help each Christian recognize the power of prayer through the Psalms.
Revelation 22 pictures paradise reclaimed and offers a path to it. In this chapter we find 1) A Reward for the Faithful 2) A Watch for the Living, 3) A Warning for the Wicked. The hearer should understand that God is working to restore us to His original plan and we must obey him to get there.
Jesus was no stranger to the problem of racism. The Jews of his day were highly prejudiced against the Samaritans and gentiles. Jesus countered this prejudice in his ministry to […]
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 […]
Are we worthy of salvation? There is a sense in which we are and a sense in which we are not. One is not worthy in the sense that […]
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.