jmlhopeful
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Posts posted by jmlhopeful
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Q3. (1 John 5:14-15) What are the two conditions to answered prayer in 1 John? (See also 3:22) How do we determine God's will so that we can pray boldly, confidently? How often will our prayers be answered when our main motive is to achieve our will?
What are the two conditions to answered prayer in 1 John? (See also 3:22.) Obedience and God
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Q1. (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?
How does a defeatist mentality differ from a belief that in Christ we have overcome the world? We who overcomes the world obeys God rather than following the expectations of the world.
What part does faith have in this overcoming? The faith that overcomes the world is faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for us.
What part does unbelief have in a defeatist mentality? A non-believer does not have faith and without faith there is no hope. Hope distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever, who has no hope. Without hope, you have nothing.
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Q4. (1 John 4:11-18) What kind of fear should we have towards God? What kind of fear is extinguished by his love perfected in us? What kind of attitude should we have towards future judgment?
What kind of fear should we have towards God? A Christian
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Q3. (1 John 4:7-8) Why is the statement, "God is love," so important? What does it say about God's nature? 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? Why does love demand a willingness to forgive?
Why is the statement, "God is love," so important? Without love, there is no God. We cannot define love outside of knowing God.
What does it say about God's nature? God is the Creator of all things, and by His very nature, He is love.
How does love being the essence of God's nature affect us? God
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Q2. (1 John 4:4) What in us is greater than false prophets and even Satan? In what sense have we overcome them? In what way will we overcome them in the future? How should this truth affect fear in our lives?
What in us is greater than false prophets and even Satan? The Holy Spirit.
In what sense have we overcome them? We have overcome them by recognizing false prophets and refusing to following them.
In what way will we overcome them in the future? By continually believing that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5)
How should this truth affect fear in our lives?
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Q1. (1 John 4:1-3) Why is believing that Jesus was God in the flesh so important? Why doesn't Satan want us to believe that? 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? What is the significance for your Christian life?
Why is believing that Jesus was God in the flesh so important? If Jesus was not God in the flesh, then He would have been born under the same curse of sin that started with Adam, and thus, could not be the pure sacrifice needed to save the us of our sins.
Why doesn't Satan want us to believe that? If we don
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Q4. (1 John 3:22) We know that God doesn't "owe" us anything. So what is the relationship between obedience and answered prayer? Do we "earn" God's favor through obedience?
So what is the relationship between obedience and answered prayer? If your conscience is clear, you can come to God without fear, confident that your requests will be heard. John reaffirms Jesus
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Q3. (1 John 3:16-18) What does it mean to "lay down your life for your brothers"? What are some concrete examples of this kind of love in action within the Christian community? 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?
What does it mean to "lay down your life for your brothers"? To serve others with no thought of receiving anything in return. To put other
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Q2. (1 John 3:15) How can anger turn into hatred in our hearts? In what ways do anger and hatred relate to murder? How can we get rid of stored-up anger in our hearts so that we may love those who have offended us?
How can anger turn into hatred in our hearts? Anger against someone who has wronged you is an evil cancer within you and will eventually turn into hate.
In what way do anger and hatred relate to murder? At the root of murder are two sources; anger and hate.
How can we get rid of stored-up anger in our hearts so that we may love those who have offended us? We must learn to forgive those who have wronged us. We must exhibit a Christ-like character and forgive. Not just verbally, but in our hearts and minds. Remember, God know our every thought and feelings. This is the only way we can find peace.
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Q1. (1 John 3:12-15) Why did Cain resent Abel? Why did Cain kill Abel? How does the story of Cain and Abel illustrate Jesus' explanation of why the world hates us?
Why did Cain resent Abel? Abel
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Q4. (1 John 3:6, 9) How does the presence of God's seed in us keep us from habitual lawlessness and sin? How does the Holy Spirit sanctify us and make us like Jesus?
How does the presence of God's seed in us keep us from habitual lawlessness and sin? The Holy Spirit
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Q3. (1 John 3:4) How does lawlessness show up in a person's attitude and actions? In what sense is an attitude of lawlessness the cause of sin in our lives?
How does lawlessness show up in a person's attitude and actions? When a person chooses to live a life that is contrary to God
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Q2. (1 John 2:28; 3:2-3) In what way does our expectation of Christ's Second Coming motivate us to purify ourselves from sin? How does purifying ourselves from sin relate to God's grace?
The time of the Second coming is unknown.
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Q1. (1 John 2:29-3:2) In what sense are we "children of God"? What does the Holy Spirit have to do with this "new birth"? How does the new birth change us?
In what sense are we "children of God"? We who are
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Q5. (1 John 2:26-27) If we have the Holy Spirit, why do we need teachers in the church? How does the role of the anointing differ from the Holy Spirit's spiritual gift of teaching?
If we have the Holy Spirit, why do we need teachers in the church? Teachers are needed to take the truth from the Word of God and explain it clearly so that Christians can understand it and apply those spiritual truths effectively to their daily lives.
How does the role of the anointing differ from the Holy Spirit's spiritual gift of teaching? We might be anointed to teach, but the Holy Spirit give use the ability to teach and to communicate God
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Q4. (1 John 2:24-28) What does it mean to abide/remain/continue in Jesus? Give an example of what a Christian might be doing who is "abiding" in Jesus. What are symptoms in a Christian who is not "abiding" in Jesus?
To abide in Jesus means a mutual indwelling of Jesus and the Christian. The believer abides in Christ by keeping His commandments. Christ abides in the obedient believer as One who is
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Q3. (1 John 2:20, 27) In what ways is the Holy Spirit an internal Guide for us? In what ways does he teach us? In what ways does he point us to Jesus' teaching?
In what ways is the Holy Spirit an internal Guide for us? In John 16:13, it says
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Q2. (1 John 2:20-21) What is the "anointing" that John is talking about? In what way is anointing connected to the Holy Spirit in the Bible? Has every Christian received this anointing? What do you think?
What is the "anointing" that John is talking about? John is talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit which brings understanding.
In what way is anointing connected to the Holy Spirit in the Bible? In the New Testament, anointing was used in connection to healing and the Holy Spirit
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Q1. (1 John 2:18) What is this antichrist that John expects to come? What is the difference between the antichrist and antichrists in the church John is writing to? In what ways do we see the spirit of antichrist at work in our day?
What is this antichrist that John expects to come? A false prophet and evil being who will set himself up against Christ and the people of God in the last days before the second coming.
What is the difference between the antichrist and antichrists in the church John is writing to? The antichrists in the church John referred to were the false teachers who denied the Deity and the incarnation of Christ.
In what ways do we see the spirit of antichrist at work in our day? We have ministers (false teachers) today who are misinterpreting the Word of God to suit their own lives and the lives of the members of their congregation.
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Q4. (1 John 2:15-17) What kinds of sins are covered by the three examples of worldliness that John gives? Why are these sometimes so difficult for us to discern in ourselves? Why is worldliness so harmful to our future?
**** of the flesh: Preoccupation with gratifying physical desires. **** of the eyes: Craving and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism. Pride of life: Boasting of what a person has and does. Obsession with one
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Q3. (1 John 2:15-16) What is "the world" in verses 15-16? What kind of love of "the world" keeps us from loving the Father?
When John writes of
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Q2. (1 John 2:12-14) John encourages "children," "young men," and "fathers." Why do you think he takes time to encourage them? In what ways does he encourage them?
All of our spiritual life and walk with God, we need encouragement. We are constantly being bombarded with the ways of the world. During the time of John, false teachers had entered the church and John was determined to combat the heresies of these teachers. His encouraging words were to keep them strong in their faith. He spoke to each group according to their maturity in their walk with God. As children, he encourages them to win battles against temptation. As young men, he encourages them to stay strong in the Lord as they move from victory to victory. As fathers who are mature in their walk, they are encouraged to teach the young. Today we are still in the same fight and we need to stay strong in our walk because the world is pulling farther and farther away from God.
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Q1. (1 John 2:7-11) How does hate and unforgiveness blind us spiritually? If we have been darkened by hurt and hate, how do we come into the light?
Hate and being unforgiving weighs heavy on your heart and mind and when you
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Q5. (1 John 2:3-6) How can we be serious about obeying Christ without become legalistic and judgmental, with a self-righteous attitude like the Pharisees had? How do love and legalism differ? How can we be serious about obedience and make love our center?
In obeying Christ, we should do it out of love. Example: When we see a person on the street asking for change, we might give them money but we might also do it with an attitude. What we really should be doing is to give to the person with love and understanding. Yes, we are supposed to support the church with tithes, but if you tithe grudgingly, you are following the law but you are being disobedient. However, if you just don
Q4. Keep Yourself from Idols
in 7. God's Testimony Regarding Jesus (1 John 5:1-21)
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Why does John exhort his "children" to "keep yourselves from idols"? John does not want anything or anyone to come between us and God.
What idols distract us from the true God? False ideas in contrast with God