noksidam

Q2. (Romans 5:13, 20) What is Paul saying in these verses? Can there be sin without law? Yes because God is unchanging and what displeases Him today displeased Him before; but without the law, we would not know how holy our God is and how sinful we really are. In what sense does the "trespass increase" (5:20) when the law is present? The knowledge of our own sinfulness increases because the law exposes it. We have to realize that we can not justify ourselves before God by our good works and that we need a Savior. As we apprehend God's holiness we understand what Jesus did for us and praise Him.

Q2. (Romans 5:2-5) According to this passage why should we rejoice in our sufferings and tribulations? One by one, what is the importance to our lives of: perseverance, tried character, and hope? According to this passage why should we rejoice in our sufferings and tribulations? "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Rom 5:3-4) One by one, what is the importance to our lives of: perseverance: without it we would quit at the first difficulties along the way. tried character: fruit of perseverance results in a mature Christian life. It makes us able to guide others through difficult times by relying on our experiences. hope: is what makes us persevere and fight the good fight. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day

Q1. (Romans 5:1-2) According to verses 1-2, faith is a key to salvation. For Abraham (4:3), what was the relationship between faith and justification? For us (5:1-2), what is the relationship between faith and justification? In your own words, just what does it mean to be justified? Abraham trusted God and by doing this he was made righteous in God's sight. We are also made righteous in God's sight when we trust in Jesus and believe that He has died to atone for our sins. We understand we cannot work for our justification and learn to humbly rely on Jesus' finished work on the cross. We trust God and are made righteous in His sight. For me, to be justified, means that I can rest assured in God's love for me; that I can quit trying to earn my salvation and learn to humbly rely on God in my life. My "default mode is religion" (work for righteousness) and Satan tries to convince me that more needs to be done for me to be justified but it is a lie. Jesus Christ did it all on the cross. The trust I have in Him cleanses me from my past, present and future sins and the undeserved love that God has shown me enables me to love my fellow humans and bring forth fruits.

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Our Christian's hope is build on it. Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? We tend to concentrate more on earthly matters. What should be done to reclaim these truths? Teach them more.

Q4. What will our resurrection bodies be like? Like Jesus' body Why do you think we will be given resurrection bodies? What is the point? We will need to be capable of navigating on earth as well as heaven to administer the rule of the Kingdom of God

Q3. What does the phrase "redemption of our bodies"(Romans 8:23-24) tell us about our resurrection? What words in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 describe our resurrection bodies? We will have glorified bodies. These immortal bodies will be perfect.

Q2. (Philippians 1:23-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8) According to these verses, where will Christians be immediately after death? Where do we await the resurrection? With Jesus.

Q1. What is the word used in the Bible instead of "rapture"? resurrection When will the resurrection take place in relation to Christ's return? In relation to judgment? In relation to glory? (This is NOT the place to debate various theories of the rapture and the millennium.) Christ will return, the dead in Christ will raise first then those still alive. Then the unbelievers. All will be judged by Christ who will separate the righteous from the wicked.

Q4. (139:23-24) Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? When was the first time you prayed this kind of prayer to God? What was the result? Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer? It is difficult to surrender to His examination. It is embarrassing and convicting. It hurts to know how sinful we are and our nature rebells against this "enlightenment". But it is the only way to salvation: to understand that we need a Savior.

Q3. (139:13-16) How is an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? It means that I am desired and have a role to play in His great Plan. What might this mean to a young woman carrying a child? A young father-to-be? It should be encouraging and make us realize how precious life really is and should be treated with respect. Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us? How could it not be overwhelming that God, the creator of the universe, "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see" (Tim. 6,15-16)is interested in me?

In verses 5 and 10, how does God's hand touch the psalmist? He is surrounded, protected and guided. Have you ever felt God's hand on you in a special way? Yes I have, even if I did not know it then. Was it for your good? What was it like? Yes, God protected and guided me even before I knew that there was a God. He loved me first. He is always here if only I can listen to the still small voice.

Q1. (139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? To keep their sins in the dark (John 3, 19) Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? I don't know. They delude themselves to stay in darkness. Have you ever felt this way? No I am always aware of God and mostly not very proud of myself. Sometimes I am tempted to keep my sins in the dark though I know it can not be done; I feel convicted and have to repent.

Q5. (1 Corinthians 15:58) What does being steadfast and immovable have to do with the hope of the resurrection? Why is our labor not in vain in the Lord? We are steadfast and immovable because we are sure of the magnificent life to come. Our work is not in vain because He is worth it and gives us life.

Q4. What assurance do you have that you will be physically resurrected rather than experience disembodied immortality? What does it mean that Jesus is the "firstfruits" (1 Corinthians 15:20) and "firstborn" (Revelation 1:5) from the dead? Christ did not come back as a disembodied spirit. He has open the way for us who trust in Him.

Q3. How does Christ's death and resurrection provide an analogy for baptism according to Romans 6:3-5 and Colossians 2:12? According to Ephesians 2:4-6, while being "raised with Christ" is still spiritual, not physical, in what way does this union impart real spiritual power? In baptism we partake to the death and burial of Jesus. The death of our old sinful life. When we come up out of the water we rise to a new life in Christ and as children of God. The Holy Spirit is working in us to form us in the likeness of the Son.

Q2. In what way does Christ's resurrection somehow validate that we are saved and forgiven by God? If we didn't believe Christ had been actually raised from the dead, how might we have doubts about our salvation? The wage of sin is death and Jesus who was sinless died for our sins. At the resurrection He conquered sin and death and gave us the assurance that we can believe His promises of forgiveness. If we didn't believe Christ had been actually raised from the dead, how might we have doubts about our salvation? Without the resurrection there would be no salvation. If Jesus had not conquered sin and death then there would be no way for us to do it.

Q1. What kind of credibility would Jesus' ministry have had if he were not raised from the dead, especially when he predicted it ahead of time? In what way is the resurrection God's seal of approval on him? Without the resurrection His credibility would have been difficult to maintain for his disciples but perhaps not impossible. But since Jesus had predicted his resurrection, if it had not happen He would have been considered as a fraud and the faith would have died right there. "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17) In what way is the resurrection God's seal of approval on him? It authenticates Jesus claim and proves He really is Christ. He has conquered death and is our Savior.

Q4. Which of the various proofs for the resurrection seems the most compelling to you? Why? If you had a friend who wasn't sure about the resurrection, could you explain why you're sure that Jesus was raised from the dead? The proof for me is the dedication of the disciple. This is what I would tell to a friend because it is what convinced me. The disciples had nothing to win and everything to lose to spread a lie. They lost everything, their homes, their livelihood, their families and even their lives to preach the Gospel. It shows that their motivation was based on a fact and not a lie nor on a kind of collective hallucination. They knew what they have seen and they were glad to lose their lives sharing this amazing truth. I also like the fact that women were the first witnesses. No paternalist first-century Jew would have invented it !

Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection? If you believe the gospels accounts they were depressed, discouraged and afraid. Even though Jesus predicted it, they did not expect Jesus to die and even less to raise from the dead. Of course, they may have faked it knowing that they would create a resurrection story; but then the problem stays the same: "men do not risk their lives and suffer martyrdom for a lie". Men may die for a lie they believe to be true but the disciples would have known it to be a lie and would not have agreed to die for it. It makes no sens.

Q2. On the theft theory, what motive might the disciples have to take Jesus' body? What motive might the Romans have? The Jews? Joseph of Arimathea? The main motives of the disciples would have been: Claim that Jesus has been resurrected and is indeed the Messiah. They may have done that to restore his (and their) honor. But how would they have found the courage to preach and die for something that they knew was wrong? Losing face was shameful in their culture but probably not enough to spend the rest of their lives on the road preaching a lie that would eventually get them killed. Did the disciples have the "crazy" hope that the news of the Resurrection would be strong enough to unify the Jews against Rome and get rid of it? It seems impossible, especially without the Pharisees and the Priests who of course would never have followed. They would have quickly realized the uselessness of the plot and quit preaching a lie. Also an attempt to fabricate the belief in the Resurrection would probably have resulted in a more consistent story. Fame, money and power? No way! I do not see why the Romans would have done that? A bribe to the soldiers? The disciples were mostly poor and the risk for the guards much too great. The Jews? The religious authorities wanted Jesus dead in the tomb. Joseph? no idea...

Q1. What do you think motivates liberal Christian scholars to explain away the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why would they claim that it is unhistorical more than some other event in the first century? The liberal Christians scholars (probably not all of them) feel the need to "tame" Christianity to make it fit in our "modern" western scientific way of thinking, reducing it to a mere social philosophy. They claim that the resurrection is unhistorical because it can not be scientifically proven. Evidences can not be found to either reject it or accept it and what can not be proved has to be rejected. The fact that these people define themselves as Christian is a sign that they have been drawn to Jesus (considering Him at least as a great teacher) and can not completely reject Him; but their minds are still closed to the irrational and the miraculous in Jesus and thus closed to the real and saving Christ. They deserve compassion and our prayers. For many people's egos accepting irrationality is just too threatening. If they could feel the amazing love that Christ has to offer they would be able to surrender their precious logic to Him and gain the New Life He promises. Some do it...I did

Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway? Hezekiah's basis was his righteousness. Right standing through Jesus Christ gives us access to the God and He honors the prayers of the upright over those of the backslidden. Unrighteousness can prevent answered prayer because egocentrism and unrepentance separates from God and prevent the unrighteous of asking "You do not have, because you do not ask God...." (James 4:2b).

Q3. Why is Hezekiah's healing important for his nation? How did it relate to God's promises to David? If Hezekiah died before having an heir to the throne of his own blood, the Davidic line would have been broken.

Q2. (19:15) How do the first two sentences of Hezekiah's prayer (verse 15) correspond to the first sentence of the Lord's Prayer? How are they important to faith? How are they important to God answering the prayer? In both prayers God is recognized as being the supreme ruler of Heaven and earth. It is important that we honor Him as He deserves and that we know we can trust His mighty power. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."(Mark 11:24)To have this level of trust we have to know how great our God is and that we can (and ought) to rely on Him a 100%

Q1. (19:14) What is the significance of Hezekiah spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord? What is the underlying principle illustrated here? How can we apply this principle to our own lives? What happens when we don't apply this principle? Hezekiah spread his problems before the Lord acknowledging his powerlessness and trust. Sennacherib had insulted God by stating that He was unable to save Judah. He gave the matter up to the Lord. The principle illustrated here is that we can trust the Lord with our difficulties and boldly spread them out to Him. We humbly acknowledge that we need Him in our life. He is our Shepherd. When we don't do it, we are relying on our ego and losing our direction. We end up discouraged and frustrated.