smithj7

Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? I believe in part it is because we don't see our lives as Christians as a WAY of life. We "go" to church. We "go" to activities. the fellowship is like a small slice of a big life. How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? This is something I've wondered about a lot. Since it is communion with one another, is it possible for a Christian to have such deep fellowship. What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? I guess it would take a Christians to work together, prayer and study together. The group would need to be committed to having the type of relationship. The group would need to realize that everything isn't about "feeling" good.

I believe Jesus is telling us the meaning of the 10 command, "have no other gods before me." Idolatary is wrong, and the folks in Jesus day were only taking a very literal stand on the commandments of God. This text like the rest of the Sermon of the mount is showing people the Law of the Lord is transformation of the heart.

What did Jesus condemn him for? Storing his harvest? Jesus didn't condemn the rich fool because he stored up for the future, but because he was being greedy "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." (Proverbs 21:20) What is the key verse in this passage? Luke 12:21 'This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.'" What is the context of this parable? How does this relate to the Sermon on the Mount? Jesus tells the Parable of the Rich Fool in response to a question from the crowd that hinted at greed. A young man wanted Jesus to tell his brother to share the inheritance. Jesus both in the parable and in the Sermon of the Mount was concerned with our attitude. It has to do with whom we are serving: God or man.

We are to ask God to forgive us so that we might have an open communication with Him. Jesus makes it clear that God's forgiveness is contingent on us forgiving others. If we don't, then we will not be forgiven and our communication with God will become broken.

Today, at least in the U.S., the value of independence is see as being very positive. This may or not be true within various subcultures in the U.S. as well. The independence can be a barrior as it might lead to pride. We also are a very blessed nation and often don't see the need for God in providing for us daily. However we should ask God to provide for us daily. People can get layed off, huricanes can wipe out businesses. Often the closer we are to proverty, the closer we are to God. This is not a good thing. Let me remember to ask and thank God daily for providing all that we have.

When we prayer, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, we are asking for the return of the Lord Jesus and his perfect rule. We should live in readiness for His return. We are also seeking His will on earth in the present.

God is our Father and holy. We must always have reverance for Him and his name. We should not take his name in vain. When we prayer Our Fahter who is in heaven, holy is your name, we remember that He is above all and set apart. A wonder and awesome in all ways.

I had to chuckle when I read this question. I had never thought about God knowing what we needed before we asked, so why pray? But prayer is more than a shopping list of things wanted. It is communcation with God. We can praise Him, thank Him, seek His guidances, as well as express our needs.

In Jesus time, there were some people who prayer to gain public aclaim. Jesus wants us to prayer in the right spirit, so he tells us to prayer in secret, to honor God only. Public prayer in a church setting is needed, however, if one uses flowery words and attempts to gain aclaim for the words, this would be against the spirit we should have when we prayer. Long flowery prayers do not help others as younger Christians may want to mimic such behavior.

5:42 tells us to give to the poor. 6:1-4 tells us what attitude to use when giving. It is important that we who have share those without. I wish we could live in the day were we could leave harvest to be harvested. Allowing such helps ensure there is some pride in receiving. Today at food shelters and places, people must complete forms that identify who they are. Some who are embarassed by their situation may not even ask for assistances. In your lesson, you brought up that many who are poor or homeless are war vets or have mental illness. I find this to be true. Better mental health programs could provide people with great help. I will see what I can do in this particular area. I find that many people don't mind giving to the poor, but it is seasonal. Thanksgaving and Christmas seems to brings out such good will. We need to remember that people are in need thoughout the year.

In this section, Jesus is warning people against pride. Often people want to get approval from other humans rather than from God. God requires that are good deeds and prayers be done in secret. Churches and non-profits know that people what this type of approval. They may name a building after someone, or put plaques on the wall, or give special recognition.

In the context, what do you think verse 48 means for the Christian? "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (5:48) The verse means that we must love others just as God does. He loves all, we must love all, even our enemies. It means growing up. Putting away childish things. Is perfection taught here? Does maturity express the idea best? The term used for "be perfect is the Greek term teleios which means "complete or perfect." It comes from the verb the verb teleō which means "bring to an end, finish, complete, carry out, accomplish." The lesson quotes Leon Morris who says that the term refer to the maturity of an adult man -- the end or aim of that to which the boy points. Basically, it means that we grow up and start acting like spirtual adults. How about the doctrine of "sinless perfection"? I never heard of such a doctrine. I don't believe there is such a thing. None are righteous, no not one. How does verse 48 relate to verse 45? God treats all people the same. Rain and sun are given to all people, the evil and the good. So we need to be like God and not discrimate. We must love all, as God does.

This is an issue, that is something I'm prayering and trying to come to a truth. I believe today more Christians should take these verses seriously. Historically, we know that most early Christians did not join the military (changed after Constaine). So the Quarkers and Anabaptists do seem to have a precident for their belief. I love the movie Friendly Persecustion. A Quarker family and community is faced with real decisions of protecting themselves during the civil war. The challedge is real an immedient. Their struggle is worth watching. I also love the movie Sergent York, a Christian from the country is against warfare because of these verses. He fights and kills, but his method saves lives. Warfare and defending our selves should be taken seriously. We should learn from Martin Luther and Gandi. However, we don't. We think in terms of "national security" and back warfare just because our leaders say it is just. Resistance of evil does not mean one needs to take up arms. But could mean not going with the flow of our culture like the German church, for the most part did, during War World II and which many in our country do today. We stay uninformed and bless a government that is secular as if it is of God. We need to be wise as serpants and gentle as doves. If we must defend ourselves physically it should not be done in vengences or in anger. We should go against unjustice in the world even when it is against our culture. We should be "set apart", "a holy nation. "

What do Jesus' examples or tiny cameos in verses 39-42 have in common? Each are teaching radical love. They all are indicating that we should not retaliate. These words go against the flow of the culture of the time. Someone has said that if we were to carry out verses 39-42 literally, we would aid and abet evil. Do you agree? I have heard this said as well. Some people think the term do not resist indicates passive behavior. But the Greek word for resist is anthistēmi. Anthistēmi broken into two parts means: anti, "against" and istēmi, "put, set, place." or "be in opposition to, set oneself against, oppose". The term carries with it hostility. Jesus is concern with are inner being. Jesus spoke against evil, turn over tables in the Temple, yet when asked to pay taxes, he did. So we can go against evil, but we must not retaliate or compromise the law of love. How should we take these examples: As case law? As hyperbole? As a series of aphorisms or adages? In another way? To me these are just that examples. Jesus tells the people, "Do no resist an evil person", then provides examples that people would understand. He isn't talking to the judges, but common people. The examples are real not exaggerations or hyperboles, the examples themselves are harderly common sayings of general truth. Jesus wants us to live differently. He wants us to love our enemies and to prayer for those who persecute us.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

The orginal intent of an eye for eye was to restrain man's vindictiveness. A person who was wronged might want to exact greater harm on one who harmed him. This law put a limit so to speak on the retailatory action. Witnesses were called and judges investigated and determined the truth of the situation. The intent was for judicial action, though it appears that the Pharissees of the time were interpreting the verses as personal action.

Because people so often tells lies, they will use an oath to indicate a "real truth". But truth should be truth. We should speak honestly at all times. If this would happen than the vercity of a statement will be based on the character of the person.

This is a great lesson - 6 out of 5, 11 out of 10! I, as a Christian woman, am always trying to find a balance between Mary and Martha. I always saw James as tending toward "doing", and the doing for Mary and Martha appeared "bad" or at least inferior. But the doing in James is really an act of faith, an expression of who we should be. The only improvement, I'd like to see, is out of your control... I was hoping that the bullentin board would lead to more discussion on the lessons. But it seems that folks just like to post their responses.

"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him (psychē) from death and cover over a multitude of sins." (5:19-20) In light of James 2:17, this verses means that as Christians we should not only by prayer but by both word and deed actively seek back the lost sinner. To me it makes sense. If we think of the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd did not just set home and prayer, he actively looked for his lost sheep. We also see the parable of the lost coin. We must live in faith and act in faith. "Faith without works is dead."

In the healing prayer, what is the role of oil? In modern times the symbol of oil is lost to most even in many churches. Some even say it isn't necessary as oil was falsely used for medicinal purposes. But oil within Judaism, was closely related to the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. Oil was not just used for healing, but to ordain or set apart leaders, priests, holy things. What is the role of the prayer of faith? What is the role of faith? "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." (5:15) Often people will say the right words, and today they may even focus intellectually on saying words, but they may not EXPECT an answer. The person praying must BELIEVE, know in the heart, that God will heal. The sick person in calling the elders is acting on FAITH. The elders, God willing, are praying in FAITH. What is the role of confession of sins? In some cases, not all, sin can cause sickness. Healing should be both physical and spiritual. Unconfessed sins can block the healing power because of disbelief or unwillingness to repeat to God. For some reason, most denominational churches do not provide a venue for confession of sins to one another. The Catholic church has confession of sins but it really isn't to one another. There is a two tier model, the ones representing GOD and the ones who are the sinners. But it seems that James is really talking about a typical Christian confessing sin to a typical Christian or Christian(s). I feel this is especially true when one sins against another. The confessing of the sin can be healing. For example, when we were young and if we had siblings, we might have allowed our brother or sister take the blame for what we did. The GUILT, for many, may have lead us to go back our parent(s) and confess our sin. The RELEASE of the guilt, if this happened to you, was fantastic; the forth coming punishment welcome and less severe. This section of the lesson concludes with the following words that seem to highlight the importance of confession: James says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (5:16). After confession comes prayer, and from the prayer of faith comes healing.

The elder's of the Church should be praying in FAITH. They should BELIEVE in the power of God. They must be RIGHTEOUS. (The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.) Unfortunately today, many churches are seeing the church in terms of a secular corporation. Elders are being seen as board of directors. Elders are being seen as people that can bring about the American dream of profit. We are seeing intellectually rather than from the heart. May we, the Church, begin to we are blessed of God, Christ's bride. If we do his will, God will sustain us, nurture us, help us grow. In Christ name.

According to verse 14, the person who is sick should call the elders of the church to have them prayer. This is very significant in that the person does not need to rely on their faith alone to prayer. It ensures that the person who is sick will not be alone. If the person is in a state of unbelief, the elders can help the person. If they have been called to prayer over and over, they will have experienced the healing power of God and be able to help the unbelief (see Mark 9:23).

6. (Ephesians 5:28-30) In what sense should we love the Church because it is our own body? Because we are part of it? What will that kind of love produce in our actions? Why do we need to repent of despising the Church and begin to love her aright? If we can see the Church as our own body, we will want to nourish it, to comfort it, to cherish it. Our actions will be one of true love. The type of love is well illustrated in Hosea. Hosea uses the figure of marriage and adultery. When I look at the many demonstrations and see the fruit thereof, I see adulteress behavior rather than behavior following the will of God. But just as Hosea was directed to forgive, and forgive, and forgive, we too must have faith in the cleansing power of God to transform the Church, our body and forgive. We need to fall on our knees daily and prayer for God's transforming power to renew the Church.

5. (Ephesians 5:27) In what sense is the Church "glorious" or "resplendent"? Is Paul talking about the present era or when Christ comes? How do you determine this? "... To present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (5:27) This verse brings back the picture of a bride and groom. Through the sacrifice of blood, Christ has cleansed the Church, his bride. The Church is glorious or resplendent in the future. Yet, we are forgiven and cleansed in the now. Christ has paid the price to make the Church holy and without blemish. We need to act on this. We know this by his word.

4. (Ephesians 5:26) How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process? How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes? How can we use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance? "Through/by the word" is translate from the Greek preposition en. The preposition is a "marker introducing means or instrument, with." So in light of this verse it is what makes us clean, the "soap", figuratively. Later in Ephesians 6:17 Paul writes that we must "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," The word has power. This is a spiritual power to cleanse us. The Church therefore must embrace the word of God. Allow it to fill us and lead us to complete is will. The word fills a void, an emptiness or hollowness that rests in our being. Threats of hellfire and scare tactics does not produce voluntary submission but rather an outward "act" of obedience. God's salvation transforms us.