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Q2. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) Since Satan has blinded people's eyes to the truth, is there any hope for them? What strategies must we use to overcome spiritual blindness? How many people are likely to find Christ without intercessory prayer? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1087 It is very evident that Satan is alive and very active in the world today as he was in the time of Paul and this letter to the church at Corinth. We continue to be in spiritual warfare with Satan winning the battle on a large scale as the eyes of the non-believers remain shut. With this spiritual blindness by God along with the command that we are to declare the truth, we must continue to seek strength for these days from the LORD to engage in the battle for the truth in a world all messed up. We are not to be ashamed of the Gospel but with boldness stand on the Promises of Christ our Savior. We are also to engage in a consistent manner under all circumstances pray to God the Father through the LORD Jesus Christ. When we became believers we were anointed with the presence of His Spirit in our souls. It is upon that very Spirit on Whom we lean in intercessory prayer for the unbelievers. This is the best and most beneficial tool we have that will bring hope and certainly salvation to those who do not believe. Then their hard hearts against the Gospel will be opened and they will finally see the Truth and will be freed from that spiritual blindness. I believe that no non-believer will come to know Christ without His people praying for their lost souls.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 4:1-2) How do questionable ethics and ministry practices hurt the work of Christ? What is Paul's alternative in verse 2b? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1086 If we proclaim that we are Christians, that is to say, that we are followers of the LORD Jesus and following Him means that we also represent Him in what we do, say, and proclaim, then if we do the opposite, then our ethics are jeopardized and the “world” that closely watches for us to “mess” up has another valid point against us. I agree it is shameful, deceptive and certainly distorts The Message. Paul suggests that in order for the Word to not get diluted before the world that we are to be true and valid spokespersons for and representatives of the LORD.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Why is character change directly related to time deliberately spent in God's presence? What is the theological word for the process of maturing in Christ? Have you noticed a change in the "degree of glory" you're experiencing now compared to a few years ago? Why or why not? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1085 As we look into a mirror, the image in the mirror takes on the same as the original one; therefore, as we continue in our closeness with the LORD our image changes more and more into His likeness. As we see and experience the glory of God through the ministry of His Spirit, we are being transformed or changed or “sanctified” into the same image of God. At the Fall, that image was distorted and Moses was used to help the people gain the change through the Law. And now in the risen Christ and His Spirit we receive the same but not under the Law but in direct relationship with Him. The “image of God” includes every way in which we can be like Him: moral character, true knowledge and wisdom, God-given abilities, dominion over creation couple with our dependence on Him as Creator and giver of all things. We therefore “…with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the LORD, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the LORD who is the Spirit…” 2 Corinthians 3.18 ESV

Q3. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Moses glowed by spending time with God on Mt. Sinai, in his tent of meeting, and in the Tabernacle. How can we get a similar glow of the Spirit in our lives? In what way is meditating on Scripture beholding God? Is the low plane of Christianity in our day related to the time we spend in communion with the Lord? What is God leading you to do to increase your glow? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1084 As stated in the previous question, the Christian can approach the LORD directly because in Christ and His Spirit, the veil has been broken and, if we choose to worship the LORD in Spirit and Truth, we are “in” His presence and therefore have the same glow from being in His presence as did Moses. By true worship, prayer, study of the Word, being in direct communion with the LORD, the glow will increase as we see His glory in our lives and affecting us deep down in our heart and soul.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:16-17) Why is the Holy Spirit essential to help people see truth clearly and be able to grasp it? What enables people to come to Christ at all? What kind of freedom does the Spirit give us when we become Christians? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1083 As far as the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we know that Moses was able to enter into God’s presence without a veil and that, because of salvation and the death/resurrection of Jesus, we too when turning to the LORD in faith God provides through His Spirit residing in us the veil that separated us from God brought about by hardened hearts is removed and we are in the presence of God. So the Christ and the Spirit work conjointly in the Christian’s experience – the LORD comes to us through the ministry of the Spirit – this new covenant is parallel to Moses’ experience of the LORD under the old covenant in that the Spirit in us sets us free from the veil hard-heartedness. This freedom is all encompassing and includes freedom from condemnation, guilt, sin, death, the old covenant, blindness to the gospel. Another freedom is we are given direct access to the loving presence of God.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 3:7-11) Why did Moses' face glow? Why did he cover it when he was out with the people? Why didn't more people's face glow in Moses' time? What's the difference between the spread of God's glory in Moses' time when compared to our own time? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1082 Pure and simple, Moses was in the presence of God and “saw” God face to face and that is why his face shone brightly and radiantly/glowed. The people’s face did not glow because they did not come into the face-to-face view of the Almighty. Moses covered his face with a veil because the brightness was so blinding bright to the eyes of the people. God may have been present in the midst of the people but they did not actually see His face and therefore the radiant glow was not available to them. To us today, who are believers and have accepted the LORD Jesus as our Savior, we have God’s Holy Spirit resident in our hearts and there whene we feel we are in the presence of God in having that special moment with the LORD, our faces shine with a similar brilliancy/joyfulness as Moses. So in essence, the glory of God is ours today because we have His Spirit in us. Praises to God for His wonderful and perfect plans for our good!

Q4. (2 Corinthians 3:6a) Why is a Christian's spiritual health so closely related to his or her involvement in ministry? What are the consequences of dropping out of church --for the believer? For Christ's Kingdom? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1081 Because the “New” Covenant came due to Jesus shedding His blood for the forgiveness of our sins, we have the promise of eternal life and the presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ forever and ever. By such possession, we have been equipped to serve Jesus and because of our faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, we have the ability to serve the LORD. The more we serve, our faith in Him increases and thus our competency to be a better minister of/for the LORD increases and improves. Anytime we slack off and take a rest from serving the LORD, our effectiveness as a minister of the team diminishes and negatively affects our influence on the world in bringing others close and closer to the LORD.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6) What is the balance between the need for training in ministry (either in the local church or in schools) and personal submission to the Spirit of God? Are you able to "listen to the Spirit's voice" in your own life? Why would this ability be so important in being a competent minister? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1080 First of all, a person should have been called by God and sanctioned by the Holy Spirit in the person’s heart that this is indeed His call and will. If that has occurred, then the person will confident that he has been called to ministry. With fruits of the Spirit and gifts God has bestowed on the person and the anointment of the Holy Spirit, plus formal training and the certification of the church, the person would be confident to work in His ministry to nurture and encourage others toward more maturity in their walk with the LORD and/or helping someone find this relationship with the LORD for the very first time. The combination of the spiritual combined with the formal training, the person would have a “dynamic work ethic” for the LORD. This of course is pre-empted by the person making a personal commitment to the LORD for the above and the willingness to partner with the LORD for effective ministry for Him by allowing God to working in them by the involvement of the Holy Spirit.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) In what sense are we "living letters" ? In what way can people "read us" ? Why is it so important to be authentic, not phony, in our lives? What happens when people "read" something in you that they admire and mention it to you? How might you respond appropriately? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1079 Especially to the unbelieving world, we are a “letter” or “book” because believers are always being “watched”, “looked at”, “read”. Therefore, the contents of the letter they read will communicate a definite message and the believer needs to be sure what the letter actually says to them. A child/a pet knows who is genuine by the behavior, the words spoken, the life lived, and the mode of treatment they receive. The same is absolutely true of our relationship/behavior in the world. In fact, this statement has been written and said many times: “You may be the only book the people of the world will ever read”. It is very important, if we really believe that one of our Christian roles is to share the message of Jesus, that we do not cloud, distort or alter the real meaning of our message. Through how we act, behave, share, speak, we provide the reality of our message through those actions in our part. We could drastically affect the message through wrong or confusing actions. We need to be authentic, not phony, in our everyday lives to share the true gospel of Jesus. The only way to be sure of our authenticity is to allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in our hearts so that the “letter”, “book”, “message” does not get distorted or give out the wrong interpretation of the Gospel because we have “smudged” the words.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16a) In what sense is knowing God fragrant to people who are open to God? In what way is this fragrance repugnant to people who are closed to God? Have you suppressed your "fragrance" because some people are allergic to Christian perfume? If so, how can you regain the fragrance of Christ's gospel? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1078 In our notes, we see fragrance defined as a pleasant or bad odor which quality affects the mind accordingly. Aroma on the other hand is only seen as pleasant fragrance, pleasing to God. In this chapter and elsewhere the fragrance of the gospel is the knowledge of God and anytime that fragrance is shared with others, God is pleased. Many people are searching for more of that knowledge and are therefore pleased with learning/experiencing/savoring more or that aroma. But to those who are turned off to knowledge about God or knowing God, the odor is more repugnant or unpleasant. The “odor” or repugnant (offensive, distasteful, vile) smell is akin to the “putrefying flesh of a corpse. Those who are smelling this are those who are closed to knowing or having relationships with God and therefore Paul indicates this as the “pungent odor of eternal death as the person heads for and winds up in hell, separated from God. But those believers who are hungry for more of God are experiencing the pleasant smell of a perfume of being saved and rescued from their sins and heading to an eternal home with God.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11) How does Satan take advantage of our unforgiveness? What are the symptoms in our own heart of unforgiveness? According to Matthew 6:14-15, how does holding unforgiveness hurt our spiritual lives? What would you have to do to really let go of your resentment and give it to God? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.pup?showtopic=1077 When we do not forgive, we are holding on to the wrong that has been done to us and keeping it inside. In time, that feeling will begin to well up inside and offers Satan a “ready” situation to entice us to keep on in our unforgiving mode of attitude. When we are unforgiving, or untrusting or anxious or angry or the like, we are opening the door to Satan as he waits outside that door in a “pounce-like posture”, ready to attack. He knows when we are most vulnerable and waits for the precise moment to pounce on his next victim. We do not really know the plan of Satan other than he waits on us to open the door to him through our behavior modes. He will plan and wait and be patient until the right moment. Then he “pounces” on us as the unaware victims we are. With our unforgiving attitudes, we are not affecting or hurting the person who hurt us but this attitude acts like a boomerang and comes right back on top of us. Then we have the added issue of the pouncing surprise attack by the enemy Satan. Of course, Scripture dictates to us how to avoid the trap and that is quite simply to forgive and trust in the LORD and that will “always” alleviate the situation. We will be cleansed from the inside out and will reap the blessings of the LORD while at the same time making it impossible for Satan to grab hold of any part of us.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 2:9) How does obedience to servant leaders help the church of Jesus Christ? How does obedience to self-serving leaders hurt the church? Are you obedient to those whom God has placed over you in the Lord? Why or why not? What is the relationship between obedience and church unity? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1076 This verse tells us to stand firm and be obedient in everything. But that is much of our problem as human beings. We were born not with the idea of being subservient to anyone but have had to learn how to be in an obedient relationship with the LORD and with others. But specifically with the LORD, we are expected as His children to obey His commands, to be subject to His desires for us as they are what is best for us. This term continues to confront us throughout the Word, Dr. Wilson has presented us with numerous scriptures that help us to understand that obdience is an integral part of His commands. So the foundation to our servanthood before the LORD is to be in obedience to His desires for us and by so doing, the church is being advanced. Anytime we put “us” before the LORD, that is called “disobedience” because if the LORD is not our focal point, there is no way we could be obedient. Disobedience is a killer and can advance and permeate the church and all her programs. Obedience to the LORD puts Him in the position of placing blessings upon blessings on the church.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 1:21b-22) According to this verse, what does the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives signify? How does the Spirit unite us with God? What is the promise of future blessing inherent in the Spirit’s presence? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.pup?showtopic=1074 At the moment of our salvation, God adopts us into His family, gives us His Spirit, anoints us as His and guarantees our future (where we be with Him). This is so serious to Him that He puts His stamp and seal of approval on us with His Spirit placed in our hearts as His deposit and “the” guarantee/promise. What me worry? No, indeed, as God has promised to take on all my anxieties, fears, and nervousness of life onto Him, should I believe in and trust Him that I can rest, be calm and leave everything to Him. When I believed that and trusted in Him for all His promises, my life changed for the better and His blessings do overwhelm me.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 1:10-11) Why does Paul ask people to pray for him? How do the prayers of others have an effect? What happened in your life that has helped you enter into a ministry of intercessory prayer? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1073 Pauline theology includes the eagerness and urgency for prayers for others in calling to God on their behalf. God wants to hear from us so He can answer from heaven, forgive our sins, heal our lands and restore relationship between His children and Himself. Although there are not definitive answers, he states many times about relationship with the LORD and an integral part of that relationship is to lean on Him all the time, continually so that God will hear our pleas. If we declare our love, loyalty and dependency on Him, we become ambassadors for the LORD and others benefit from those prayers. “Jesus taught his disciples to pray by his own example of personal prayer and intercession (Luke 22:31-32; John 17:9-11). The united prayer that the early church practiced surely resulted from Jesus' teaching while he was with them (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:31; 6:4; etc.).”, according to our notes on these verses. I have been the recipient of God’s blessings, healings, directions, and answers as a direct result of many people lifting up their intercessory prayers on my behalf. God wants to hear from people; He hears the prayers and acts upon them “in accordance” with His loving will. Praises to God!

Q2. (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) How does facing a harrowing crisis help us grow in the Lord? How has a crisis helped your spiritual life? What is the value of learning not to rely on ourselves? What does this do to our pride? How does this improve our effectiveness as God's servants? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1072 In these verses Paul tells us that going through these difficult situations helps us to look beyond ourselves to God for helping us through it. As He delivered Jesus, He can deliver us as well. We do not have to feel like we have to succumb to the matter and give into it but that God will provide a way through or around or under or over it. Our notes add that “when things are going well we are prone to trust in our own resources. This event caused Paul to rely on God in a new way and to refocus his hope on God's deliverance, rather than his own ingenuity and survival skills.” And the same with us. I have been through many valleys of “death”, so-to-speak, but when I looked inwardly, it was a very difficult situation in which I was unable to manage on my own. But each time that I turned to God, the matter was handled and looking back I see what God did and the end result was beyond my human expectation. Because of these experiences, I am closer to the LORD today than I would have been taking the other routes. Being closer to God and, in working with Him in my life, He as equipped me with strength, skills and talents to serve Him in surprising ways. My effectiveness is much more in depth and the level of my servant hood has expanded to areas I never thought I could handle. So difficulties in which I lean on God enables me to get through and end up in wonderful praises to Him and a closer relationship of blessings.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) What kind of comfort do you receive from your faith in God? From your personal daily relationship with God? How might you share the blessing of this kind of comfort with a friend or relative who is currently suffering? What words of comfort can you bring to others? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1071 Faith in God gives me complete trust in His presence at all times in my life and that provides me with great comfort. No matter what I experience I know God understands and that His compassion is incomparable and I know that He will provide a way through whatever the circumstance may be. Walking with Him every day through my faith, through my daily morning devotional reading, Bible study, journaling and prayer gives me all comfort to know that He is with me wherever I go and no matter I am doing. And because I have personally experienced the grace and comfort and blessings of God, I can relate to someone else who may be experiencing similar issues with “empathy” and therefore can listen and provide encouragement to them. And what helps me the most is that as I experience the comfort of the LORD Jesus and I can likewise point another to the great comfort they can receive from that same kind of relationship with God.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 16:22) Whom does Paul curse in this verse? Whom does he invite to come quickly? Why, do you think, Paul looks forward so much to Christ's coming? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1385-q4-maranatha/ Paul states that those peopleple who do not love the LORD will be cursed. This was a similar curse that Paul uttered when he included curses on those preach another gospel (Galatians 1:8-9) or a warning to those who won't obey instruction (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). He calls on his readers to "love the Lord -- or face the eternal consequences. Dr. Wilson put it bluntly when he included the notes that “failure to obey Jesus is to not love him (John 14:15). Living in incest, going to prostitutes, feasting in pagan temples, and the like are incompatible with the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). We may not like to hear this in our easy-salvation era, but we must not deceive ourselves. The gospel Jesus taught is a gospel of repentance and humility before God.“ "22b Come, O Lord! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen." (16:22b-24)

Q3. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) What does this passage teach us about the subordination of the Son to the Father? How can that be consistent with the doctrine of the Trinity? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1379-q3-subordination-of-the-son/ The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all the same, part of the Trinity, except in position and authority. Each person of the Trinity has its function but are still part of the whole. When we accept Christ as our Savior we instantly receive the Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Guide. God s our Father unto whom, all authority is given. But to reach the Father, the commandments all state that we have to go through Jesus. The Holy Spirit guides us; Jesus as our Savior can also intervene, but we still have access to God through each or all parts. So as our notes state, we can “stand firm in the spirit, in Jesus or in God as a person of complete faith in the gospel without fear or concerned about opposition because God will see us through.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 16:4-7) What does Paul’s wording, “if the Lord permits” teach us about making plans? Why is planning without this mindset actually arrogant? In our lives it is our intent to control our lives and plan our destiny in that effort of control. Most of the time, these issues in which we are involved, after studying the options available, make some decisions about how to deal with/handle them. In almost 100 % of the cases, these decisions are made on our own, and we do not understand and get confused when the situation does not get handled or gets all messed up and the matter becomes even worse. Some of us never make any changes and continue in this manner and our lives become frustrated and anger/disappointment sets in. The Word of God as stated by Paul tells us that we should include the LORD in our decisions to determine “if the LORD permits” or what really “is” God’s will in this matter or that project or the other decision. In other words, all decisions to be made should have a plan that is “inside the will of God” and therefore will have His blessings. This will not be seen as arrogant and planned without consultation with the LORD.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 16:2) What does this teach us about regular giving? About proportional giving? About planned giving, rather than last minute giving? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1382-q1-regular-giving/ 1 Corinthians 16.2: a few comparative languages: --“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." - NIV --"...whatever you can afford from what you earn..." -CEB --"...store it up, as he may prosper..." – ESV -- "...put aside a portion of the money you have earned..." – NLT -- "...you should put aside some of your money..." – NLV In each of these translations, the idea is that out of the money you have available, one should set aside a portion/sum/amount/whatever can be afforded so that it is handy when the church is ready to collect the offering. This idea is that when there is a need the planned and apportioned money that was set aside and planned for the purpose of giving is readily available. According to our notes, this can be referred to as "proportional giving,". As indicated, this is not a new concept by comes all the way from the Biblical times as documented in the matchless Word of God. “…Paul's point is that they make preparations ahead of time, "so that when …it is time there is no need for collections because the money is ready as it was put aside for this purpose. Paul’s stance was/is to “plan their giving, not to give on the basis of last minute urgency or emotional appeals.”

Q5. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Why do we sometimes get discouraged serving the Lord? What does this exhortation contain to encourage and motivate us? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1381-q5-always-abounding/ Our notes about this verse suggests and states that we belong to the family of God. God is never disappojnted in us because in the faith we know and should understand that …in the Lord your labor is not in vain…the LORD knows all and because of that He sees what we are doing and that we are working and serving Him well. We do not work and then not work; se continue to and always work for the LORD. We are devoted to the LORD in service to Him and others and in many cases “walking the extra mile for Him”. Dr. Wilson wrote that “…God's work is the same way. Just a few of the ways we do His work, build His kingdom here on earth, is to teach our children about Jesus at home and at Sunday school. We serve as an usher or choir member on Sundays. We encourage those believers who are down. We make a meal for a family when one of the parents is sick. We exercise our spiritual gifts. A church is a caring body. But when loafers don't pull their part of the load, the load falls on others to do -- or it just doesn't get done at all…” God knows all, sees all, provides all and when we "hang in there" He cannot be disappointed but instead He would grin with that “well done, my servant…” We get discouraged but God never does, as He is always working on our behalf in forgiving, cleansing, preparing, loving, encouraging “PLUS” appointing us/not disappointed in us.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ) What does this passage teach us about Christ’s coming? In what ways does it encourage us? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1380-q4-christs-coming/ We are told in our lesson that Paul shares that those who have already died in Christ won't miss out at the time of Christ’s return to earth. In fact, they'll be the first to be resurrected. But to the Corinthians, who are concerned about the form of the resurrection, Paul says, "the dead will be raised imperishable" (15:52b), that is, with resurrection bodies. Also in our notes, we are introduced to the term, “instant transformation”. Yes, we wo;; be instantly changed and transformed from our earthly body into our new imperishable one, like Jesus' resurrection body. 1. The resurrection will happen instantaneously, in a flash, or blink of the eye. Our notes use the terms "in a moment," or “instantaneous action”, “quick glance, the instant movement of the eye from one point to another”. 2. The resurrection will come according to God's own schedule, which we will not know agead of time, so we must be ready at all times. Our text says: "... at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (15:51b-52a) Dr. Wilson writes that “In that instant the dead will rise to meet him with resurrection bodies, and the rest of his disciples who are still alive will suddenly feel a change as their flesh-and-blood bodies are changed into resurrection bodies. These bodies will fit us for the Kingdom that will now pervade all. These bodies will never again feel cold or blistering heat. They will never again become sick and waste away. They will never grow tired or be injured. And they will never again feel the tears of grief and the emotions of shame. We will be changed! And it will be wonderful!”

Q3. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) What does this passage teach us about the subordination of the Son to the Father? How can that be consistent with the doctrine of the Trinity? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1379-q3-subordination-of-the-son/ 1. In our lesson for this section of verses, I found applicable comments and Scripture references:Ephesians 1.20-22 – and God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church…and these functions and that appointed role was not only for that present age but for the ones to come… 2. Christ’s role as Messiah and his purpose to destroy the devil and his works was over these adversaries and being the Christ He was not only over all but was simultaneously seated with the Spirit and the Father in the heavenly realms. 3. In so far as the Trinity is concerned, it is Biblically-taught in the matchless Word of God about the equality of the Three-in-One but the roles differ which by necessity reflects subordination in terms of the roles/functions. But I do not see the waters muddy here but clear when viewed in terms of the equality is “not” diluted by the differing roles but adds to the overall spirituality and meaning of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Even in the husband-wife discussion, the subordination roles try to be diluted by people today, objecting to being subordinate to someone else. Each have their roles that add to the relationship, not deter from it. 4. I see the overall similarities of these two types of relationships adding to the credibility/effectiveness/meaning of the whole (Trinity/Husband-Wife) even if the roles are different.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7 ) What is the core of the gospel according to this verse? Paraphrase it in your own words based on this passage. http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1378-q2-gospel-core/ The core of the gospel is wrapped up in receiving the message and passing it on/communicating it to others, that Jesus died for our sins, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day, according to Scriptures, and that He appeared sequentially to Peter, the Twelve, 500+ brothers, his brother James, all of the apostles, and Paul.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2) In what sense is our salvation dependent upon us continuing in faith? Why is the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints important for us to understand? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1377-q1-perseverance/ Our salvation is inherently based on the faith that we have in the LORD Jesus as our Savior; that we hold fast, hold firmly, continue, hope in the LORD Jesus. It is vitally important, that since our faith and hope are a work in progress that we continue to strive forward and increase the depth of our faith. It is also important that we pay attention to the fact that there will be obstacles, temptations, stumbling blocks to get in the way to try to stop us still in our tracks and therefore attempt to cause doubt and non-belief/anti-faith ideas to creep into our hearts. Therefore, it is crucial that we standing firm in that which we believe so that nothing can deter our faith-road travel. Inherent in this process is the idea of being patient and persevering through it all, no matter what comes our way, in order to persevere to the end. This coincides with what Wayne Gruden wrote in saying, “the perseverance of the saints means that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God’s power and persevere as Christians until the end of their lives…”