Rob Mc.

Jesus needed to show the difference between the actions of the first two “religious” people and a character that would deliver his message with great effect. The priest, who should act better based on his position, walked on by (31). The Levite, a likely Temple official, did likewise (32). But the despised Samaritan, with no religious title or place (that we know of), STOPPED and provided aid (33). The message has little power unless you include verses 31 and 32. The Samaritan put aside any perceived differences between he and the injured, and treated him as a fellow human being; one that was in trouble. He ensured that the man would be looked after, both at that moment, and while he was away. This injured man was “his” neighbor, no matter his heritage. In today’s world there are many who have different views from our own. It is easy to look at the differences and resent them. In many instances, people with low to moderate means despise those that have money, the finer things and tend to flaunt their wealth. Watch on social media when people post about their lives. They show cruise trips, vacation homes, new cars, big houses, windfalls, etc. We resent them and we should not. Lu$ting after the carnal / natural world goes against our faith. We should tolerate these folks, knowing that their stuff most likely does not make them happy (on the inside, where it counts). Instead of backing away, we should engage them and talk about the wonderful things available to us in our lives. Where “stuff” for us doesn’t carry the same weight as us doing for others (like our Good Samaritan in the parable).

It begins with “For God so Loved the world.” Once again, in 6 words, God, out of his love for us is going to do something that we neither “earned” nor “deserve.” Sounds a lot like “grace” is on its way. So how will He provide His grace to us? He will complete this gift by tasking his “one and only Son” with the assignment of the ages, of all eternity. Like He asked of Abraham, He will sacrifice his Son for the well-being of everyone else ON EARTH, those in the past, present at that time and for all time to come (for anyone that accepts the Son and believes). We sinners do not have to do anything else. So, by Giving, God is bestowing His grace on us: Unearned and undeserved! Through the motivation of His love (agape) for a lost world, God blesses us. Now, we only have to believe, trust and love back the Man who sacrificed his life for us: the Son of God.

Cheap grace is justifying our sins and not holding ourselves accountable for those sins. Grace is cheapened when we put ourselves in the place of God and grant ourselves forgiveness for our sins, leaving God out of the equation. Cheap grace is forgiving ourselves while not confessing the sin, not repenting and not asking God to be involved in our return to salvation. Finally, grace is not grace (and we are NOT forgiven) without involving the price paid: Jesus Christ made flesh, his death on the cross and his resurrection into eternal life.

Most Humans (other than the morally corrupt and psychopaths) are basically “good at heart.” Most of us would take the time to help someone if the opportunity presented itself (Hey, would you help me move a washer and dryer on Saturday? Would you give me a ride to the ____ next week?). This is the piece of God (his image) that is in each of us at birth. Each of us also carries a bit of innate corruption to do the wrong thing, too (Look, that person dropped a $20 bill and didn’t notice. Finders keepers. The checker at the grocery store undercharged me for several items. My Lucky Day!). Finally, the “deceitful heart” is a slippery slope. We begin by “getting away with” petty deceitful things. Then it begins its pervasive march through our being. We find it is easier each time to behave badly and think we will get away with it. If not halted by repentance and then polished with God’s grace, we humans may very likely continue into some truly evil deeds. Look at the world today. People are doing some truly inhumane things to their fellow man, and there is no moral conscience or self-recognition of their horrendous behavior. Please, let’s pray for them.

Until we are saved, and even for some time after (since we are “babies” and only can digest milk), we continue to live in the ways of the world. Though we think and hope that we love Jesus (and God), our faith is nascent and we tend to have faith only in that which we can see, or are told by another (usually a person in a position of religious power). We continue to sin, even knowingly, with the hope that we will grow into a stronger faith and a mindset that takes sinning seriously. We desire (l#st) after people, positions and things, finding it difficult to give these things up for the sake of our faith. (Unconscious motivations): If we follow television, what we read online, the unwise advice of others and our own thoughts about the things of the world, we will struggle to grow any closer to God and Christ. WE HAVE TO LET GO!! (Conscious motivations): We must begin to practice self-control, blocking out that which is worldly (stop following the Prince of the air), and growing closer to the Truth (the Word of God). We must follow the Lords two greatest Commandments: Trust God, and only God, and Love your neighbor (forgiving your enemies, too). Only then are we "ready" for God's grace.

Verses 6-8 speaks directly to the core idea that we were, and still are sinners (we are ungodly). We don’t deserve any type of goodness or favor from God or Christ. We repent, but then sin again. Human nature also has shown that one would lay down his life for a “good” person, or a loved one, but rarely for someone not of the faith or evil (sinful) in nature. Christ’s death flips this idea on its head. Christ died for us (demonstrating God’s love) while we were STILL SINNERS. This idea of sacrifice, planned by God long ago, is all about Love, His Love, for His people (us)!

Since we are justified through faith, we have peace through God via our relationship with Jesus Christ. Instead of trying to earn Grace through that which we can see, we have received grace through our faith in that which we cannot see (“the grace in which we now stand”). The opposite of peace with God is being at odds with Him (out of favor with Him). So, wanting to receive grace, we must keep our faith and Trust in the redemption of Christ, Jesus.

Hosea is God’s representative on earth, faced with the (seemingly) unending worship of idols and massive adultery being performed by the Israelites. To show his people their sins, God uses Hosea’s marriage as an analogy of their evil ways. The story is in the Bible as a message to both ancient Israel, and to us today. They had the chance to repent, offer sacrifices, and look to God, instead of Idols. For years they refused. Hence Hosea’s story as a message. We have Jesus Christ, our high priest who covers our sins through the shedding of His blood. We are taught that God’s grace is given because He Loves us. We are sinners, we can’t help it. We NEED Christ to intercede for us. Thankfully, God let’s Jesus present us to him, warts, and all, asking for forgiveness for our sins. The key, of course, is we must sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness before Jesus will first hear us (we must ACT first, it doesn’t happen without us doing our part).

Sins fall under certain headings, such as lying (false witness), sexual perversion (adultery), rebellion against God (false idols), wickedness (stealing or murder); really sin against any of the Ten Commandments. Sinning includes both those that we do with full knowledge (on purpose because we are human and can’t resist); and those that are inadvertent, such as finding ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and not realizing what we have just done until after the action is competed. Sin is forgiven and forgotten because God does not remember our sins once we confess and repent. If we humble and repent, God offers his forgiveness and pardon. But if we refuse to receive His mercy, the answer is a certain and direct punishment for our sins. So, the guilty sinners, those who hate the Lord and refuse to repent, do not go unpunished. They have rejected God’s offer of pardon, forgiveness and sin remembered no more.

God's cares about us and what we are experiencing as we live our human, “natural” lives. He understands that we are, in fact, human and have carnal weaknesses; so his compassion and understanding go out to us. He responds by providing His unending grace, giving to those of us in need mercy and understanding. His mercy is given because he identifies with our suffering. In dispensing His grace, He is responding to that suffering. God is patient. He listens to us without anger. He shows forbearance and an even temperament. He is not made immediately angry by our human words and deeds. God is the Ultimate Father, treating his children (us) like every good father should.

Q1. (1 Peter 5:10) How does grace (Greek charis) differ from earning wages? Charis defines grace as favor from a giver, not whether the recipient is worthy of the grace bestowed. Grace is a GIFT and is not based on what the receiving person does (or has not done). There is no prerequisite of obligation, wage, reward, or worthiness for the receiver to be granted Grace. From earning favor by being good? The only “good” applied here is the goodness of the giver. Grace cannot be earned since it is freely given by God. Say you sin against one of the commandments. You realize that you were wrong, and you ask God for forgiveness. You know that you are forgiven because you repented. The sin is forgiven because God, through “His Grace” gave us his Son as our high priest. Through their grace, which is freely given, our sin is forgiven. We did not have to perform a sacrifice, as they did in the Old Testament. We did not have to “be good” nor do any “works.” What is a helpful working definition of Biblical grace? "Grace is favor that is neither earned nor deserved." In what way does grace characterize "the God of all grace"? Through the scripture we all learn early in our new life, John 3:16

(3 John 9-10) What character flaws does Diotrephes exhibit? John describes him as: self-centered, wanting to be the exclusive authority, domineering, controlling, mean-spirited and a slanderer. Basically, he is malicious, to the point of now being an ineffective leader because of these attributes. Can a person be a strong pastoral leader without developing these traits? No, they need kindness, be outward-looking, have humility, and most importantly, focus on Christ’s teachings and the blueprint for leading his church. If you have tendencies in yourself towards pride and a controlling spirit, how can you fight against them? Pray that God raises up my humility, helps me discover random acts of kindness that I can do for others, and to always look outside myself instead of inwardly.

(3 John 5-8) What are the reasons given in these verses for supporting Christian workers in their ministry? What reward comes with becoming a "co-worker," by assisting Christian workers? 'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40). When we comfort a brother in pain, help a brother in need, visit one who is sick or pray for a brother in trouble, we are “doing” for the “least of these brothers of mine.” Jesus looks upon us as equal to the Christian workers do the preaching, healing, and leading of the church. We are worthy of God’s grace and goodness, just as if we had been the one of higher status in the work of our Lord. How effective can Christian workers be without those who support them? Since most Christian workers lead a Spartan life, living under meager sources of income, getting hospitality of ALL kinds from church members is paramount to their success. A meal, a place to stay, a donation of money; any type of sharing, goes a long way.

(2 John 10-11) Why does the Apostle John tell his readers to refuse hospitality to the false teachers? What would refusing hospitality mean for a congregation (as opposed to an individual)? John is telling congregations to keep false teachers out of their church and don’t let them influence the true Christian message. John saw these false teachers as workers of Satan, i.e., Antichrists. If they are allowed to speak in your church, they will spread their heretical subject matter among the people, hoping to pull many away from the true teachings of Christ. What is the border between tolerance and stupidity, when it comes to false teachers? Care must be taken when giving hospitality to individuals or groups that profess to be true followers of Christ. Especially today, it is smart to listen with care for cues or topics that strike a dissonant chord. If something being taught doesn’t sound right or feel right, it bears closer scrutiny. Do the divisions of denominationalism find justification in this verse? Why or why not? The different denominations within the current church are not the focus of John’s letter. If the people are known to us, and known by their own church, we can be hospitable to them. John’s focus is on those that have forsaken allegiance to Jesus Christ. They live to undermine the message of Jesus in the gospels and want to spread ”false doctrine.” Stay Away!!

(2 John 9) What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's teachings to "deeper truths"? What is the danger of "running ahead" of Christ's guidance for our lives? Once we leave the “grounded” state of truth that is God’s Word, we open ourselves up to false ideology that can corrupt what we believe. We start making decisions that go outside of God’s boundaries for our lives (His Commandments). In this state we could easily welcome false idols and begin moving towards sin, instead of remaining steadfast in the truth. What does it mean to "abide" or "continue" in Christ and his teachings? Why is this so important? Abide means to “submit ourselves to” Christ’s teachings as outlined in the gospels. We must remain with the original teachings recorded for us by the Apostles (of the first century church). It is important to abide with Christ so that we don’t lose our core faith of His message. John, himself recorded Jesus saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). So we submit ourselves (abide) in His Word and we remain on the correct path, no matter what other view(s) false prophets preach.

(1 John 5:14-15) What are the two conditions to answered prayer in 1 John? (See also 3:22.) Our obedience (we live in the Word and we Keep the Commandments) and God’s will (He loves us unconditionally and wants to share His goodness with us. We must pray and ask him directly for help. If it is best for us to receive the help it will be given). How do we determine God's will so that we can pray boldly, confidently? When we live in the Word, we come closer to God. When our prayer request aligns with God’s will as outlined in scripture, we can be confident that He hears us. He will provide an answer that best suits us. How often will our prayers be answered when our main motive is to achieve our will? Practically never. However, if we remain bold in our request, and it aligns with God’s will, OUR will may be heard and possibly granted. We must remain sincere in our request and not ask for things in a frivolous way.

(1 John 5:21) Why does John exhort his "children" to "keep yourselves from idols"? Remember, “…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Mat 7:14). If we allow ourselves to stray, we will only be able to use the wide gate, “which leads to destruction.” (Mat 7:13) Moving away from God towards other idols will cause this to happen, and then it may be too late to get back. What idols distract us from the true God? What idols compete with God for attention in your life? Worldly activities and famous personalities. Movies, music, the pursuit of money, greediness, television, the internet, computer games and especially social media and the significant amount of time spent there. Just about anything that distracts us and keeps our focus away from God is a diversion and a false idol.

(1 John 5:11-12) What is the difference between saying "this life is in the Christian Church" and "this life is in his Son"? What should we be doing differently so that we teach a faith relationship rather than a religion? What is the difference between "faith" and "faith in Jesus"? A person can go to church every Sunday, read, sing, pray and follow the content of the weekly celebration, and yet be no closer to salvation. They go through the motions of the Christian church, repeating the creeds, and passages of a religion that occur on a regular weekly basis. But unless the person takes the (key/ final/ faithful) step of accepting Christ as his savior, his life remains just a member of a church and not a member of Christ’s family. His/her life is not “in His Son.” This is also the same with faith. All churchgoers claim to have faith. Most believe that they are following the right rules and doing the right things to get to heaven. They attend church faithfully, but they are not accepting the true faith, that of Jesus Christ as God’s son and our only way into eternal life. To make it a faith relationship, the church must teach The Word, directly from the Bible. It must stress the key points that John stresses so much in his epistles. It must be spoken repeatedly so that those who are not yet ready can continue to hear and receive the word. At the forefront should be John’s message, it all happens through the Son of God, and ONLY through Him.

(1 John 5:4-5) How does a defeatist mentality differ from a belief that in Christ we have overcome the world? What part does faith have in this overcoming? What part does unbelief have in a defeatist mentality? Being defeatist internally causes one to look at the glass as half empty. Woe is me, woe is me. I am not worthy of any goodness in my life, because I sin and live mostly in the world. I don’t recognize Christ as the Son of God, and I enjoy worldly pleasures too much to change. Now, if I can TRULY accept Christ as my savior, recognizing that he was the Son of God, born of the flesh, lived as a man, suffered a horrible death and was risen on the 3rd day, I can overcome the temptations of the world and live like Christ. I can do this because I have both Christ and the Holy Spirit living in me. The two keys are: (1) Believing in Jesus’ life, love, death and resurrection, and as a result, (2) following His two greatest commands, love God (and his Son) and Love your neighbors in Christ.

(1 John 4:11-18) What kind of fear should we have towards God? The type of fear that is defined as: "reverence, respect, awe in the presence of God.” Not that we are afraid of God, but we want to remain in awe (the presence of) God’s love. What kind of fear is extinguished by his love perfected in us? The fear that is defined as “afraid.” Afraid that we will miss out on eternal life, afraid of losing a place in God’s kingdom, and afraid of spending eternity in the lake of fire. What kind of attitude should we have towards future judgment? Once loved by God, we are loved forever (unless we take some type of action to renounce God). We longingly await the return of Christ and our trip to our forever “home.”

(1 John 4:7-8) Why is the statement, "God is love," so important? What does it say about God's nature? It validates that God isn’t a tyrant, directing evil towards sinners, and testing us beyond what we can bear. According to John, everything that God does for mankind, he does from a basis of love. When he tests us he does so to an endpoint where we can learn and grow, not to a point where we feel defeated because we fail His tests more than we pass them. How does love being the essence of God's nature affect us? If we were created in God's image of love, but fell, what does this say about the road to healing in our lives? Since we strive to be god-like in our lives, we need to remember that we must look outside ourselves. We must do for others instead of seeking personal gratification or feeling proud. The physical act of doing for others, while expecting nothing in return, is the primary definition of the act of Love. When we fall (or fail by sinning), knowing that God is Love really helps us get up, dust ourselves off from our failures and try again. We are forgiven for our present and future sins, so a quick return to our god-like behavior is easier. We can shed the prior sin baggage and reacquire the Love that heals us. Why does love demand a willingness to forgive? Not forgiving hurts us so much more than it does the person that hurt us. They have moved on, not realizing (or remembering) the pain they caused. Meanwhile, we internalize the pain, get angry and seethe about the injustice. Forgiving the offender releases both them and you, and the bottled up anger quickly dissipates. So staying in a basis of Love at all times (or as much as we can) is the demand that Love asks from us.

(1 John 4:4) What in us is greater than false prophets and even Satan? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and his gift of the Holy Spirit. In what sense have we overcome them? We have the Spirit of God in us, every day, at all times. As long as we believe, we are protected from the world (Satan, the antichrist and the false prophets). In what way will we overcome them in the future? How should this truth affect fear in our lives? At the end of days, we will be swept up into heaven BEFORE the great tribulation occurs (some call this the Rapture). Knowing we have God’s grace, we can lessen our fear level as the world collapses on itself under God’s plan, as outlined in Revelation.

(1 John 4:1-3) Why is believing that Jesus was God in the flesh so important? What are the implications of the fact that Jesus could live out his divine life in a human body like ours? What significance does it bring to the crucifixion and to the resurrection? Knowing that Jesus was God in the flesh is the singular basis for our faith. God sent his Son, using Mary to give birth, to experience the world as a human being, not as a divine deity. As a man, he could experience the wants, needs, and sinfulness that tempt man every day of his life. Though sinless in life, Jesus was still bombarded by temptation as much as each one of us is in our current lives (see the 40 days in the wilderness as one of the first examples of his temptation). If Jesus was not completely human, his cruel death and glorious resurrection would not allow him to be the firstborn of God’s eternal Kingdom. It says that we are not going to receive eternal life because Jesus’ story is not truth (Note: I believe that Jesus was human, he lived as men do, and he died that horrible death so that my sins are paid for, redeemed with his blood). Why doesn't Satan want us to believe that? What is the significance for your Christian life? He wants us to become non-believers, thereby revoking our faith. Without the core of our faith in place, we are no longer eligible for eternal life. Satan gets our soul for himself and wins one from God. That means we are to spend eternity in hell, because we allowed our faith to waver.

(1 John 3:22) We know that God doesn't "owe" us anything. So what is the relationship between obedience and answered prayer? This is talking about a two-way relationship, between us and God. The more we respect God’s will, and keep close to him, the greater the chances that our prayers will be heard. Keep His commandments, hold fast to our faith, and we will receive according to His plan. Do we "earn" God's favor through obedience? We walk in obedience and we pray regularly. When we are strong in both, God hears us and acts accordingly. He is generous in his patience which allows us to correct our behavior when we stray. We don’t “earn” any credits or lose any debits in this relationship. God is who he is, and he loves us unconditionally. He just wants us to live the best life we can, emulating Jesus, and sharing our faith with everyone. In return we are abundantly blessed. Always.

(1 John 3:16-18) What does it mean to "lay down your life for your brothers"? Not just using your words to allay someone’s hardship, but to act and provide tangible assets (of kindness) to the other person. What are some concrete examples of this kind of love in action within the Christian community? Providing shelter to someone that is homeless. Paying the transportation fare for someone that must be somewhere, but doesn’t have the means to pay. Of course the ultimate sacrifice is to defend someone from being harmed (stopping a crime in progress), even of the result could be injury or death to oneself. If you are in a large congregation, how can you get to know other members so you'll be able to lay down your life for them -- and they for you? As with any group opportunity, listen carefully, then find common ground between you and a few of the members. Use this information to forge relationships. Build these relationships by again listening to their needs and interests. An appropriate situation may then arise where your tangible help is needed.