Charms Towell

Q2. Why is Jesus' sinlessness important to understanding your salvation? Jesus was sinless. A person with sin cannot stand in the gap between a God who hates sin and a sinful convicted man. Jesus needed to be the mediator, He had to become a human, committ no sin but experience sin and temptation on our behalf while here on earth. In what way do you think Jesus suffered when your sins were poured into his soul? Jesus had never known what it is like to be separated from God. Jesus was in constant contact with God the Father, for Him life has no meaning other than to do what pleased God. Once he took on all our sin, for the first (and only) time in His life He experienced guilt, shame & a sense of worthlessness as a result of sin. He understood the gravity of eternal hell (seperation for God forever) How could a sinless Man stand this kind of corruption? Jesus knew and understood what pleased His Father, He wanted to do the will of God only. It did not matter if His flesh suffered for a little while, it was more pressing that He do the will of His Father trusting that God will judge justly & redeem the deeds of man & Jesus Himself.

Q1. (2:21) According to 2:21, in what sense did Jesus suffer for you personally? Jesus took all my sin on himself and became the atonement lamb for me personally. Jesus did not sin, yet He took the just punishment on my behalf for the sin I have committed - He was put to death. Jesus took my sin once and for all and replaced it with His mercy and grace. I am no longer a slave to sin but a slave to righteous living!

Q4. (2:21-23) How does Christ's example speak to your situation? We are going to face trials and tribulations, for the wrong and the right that we do each day. How we respond will show our spiritual maturity. We need to learn to trust God with the final result, believe and accept that He will right all the wrong things, we have no right to retaliate! How is your behavior going to be different because of what you see in Jesus' character in this passage? I need to evaluate every situation in the light of the Heavenly Kingdom. I need to learn when to remain silent or to confront in love. I need to trust & rely on God in every situation believing that His way is best and that He will use/change the situation according to His purpose.

Q3. (2:18-20) How does being an employee "conscious of God" affect the way we act and react to injustice in the workplace? Can a conscientious Christian be a complainer? Why or why not? How do you usually react to prolonged, unfair treatment at your work? At work we need to submit to our authorities. God has appointed my boss, civil authority in my place. I am to respect him and complete the tasks that he has asked me to accomplish. These tasks (no matter how mundane or irrational I consider them to be) need to be completed, so long as they do not require me to sin. My King (God) is head of the civil authorities therefore his laws govern mans laws. I am to complete the tasks with a joyful and grateful heart; work as if I was working for God himself and, I need to be an asset to my company; reflecting the good works that Christ has done in me so that it will bring Him glory and draw others to a relationship with Christ. I do not believe Christians can be complainers.... if you work with an attitude of gratitude, there is no way you can complain at the same time. It's all about your attitude. However, I do believe that speaking the truth will set everyone free. If a situation arises that requires correction because as it has come from a wrong motive or action and it is having a negetive effect on staff and the working environment, I believe you may approach your employer, in love, and offer God inspired solutions to the problem. If the employer does not want to heed these suggestions, you walk away and leave it with him..... watch your attitude! If under continued pressure, you choose whom you will serve and how you will go about it. Scripture says that we need to endure all kinds of persecution and trials and consider it to be counted to us as joy and righteousness. James 1

Q2. (2:18) If we are to submit to our employers and respect them, what is that saying about God's expectation that we do a good job? In what sense do we dishonor God when we don't give our full effort to our jobs? God has appointed civil authorities to govern our society, my employer is part of the network. When I submit to his authority and instruction I bring honour to the business. My employer notices the deeds I perform as a result of Christ at work in me - Christ at work in me reflects and brings glory to God the Father (I Peter 2 vs 12)

Q1. (2:15-16) In what way is God's glory dependent upon us living submissive, obedient lives? How is God hurt when we get rebellious? As belivers we reflect Christ to the world. Our good deeds or our rebellious actions reflect the nature of the Kingdom which we represent. If we reflect disobedience, it is as though Jesus himself was rebellious, which is not His character (vs 22-23) - Living in rebellion hurts God as we are going against his word; to submit to God and His appointed civil authorities. - It damages Heavens reputation - The world may say that it eliminates the need for a Saviour, afterall Christians are living in just the same as the pagans.

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise? The world system says "Take it all, don't worry about the consequences of how you get it.... you desire it!" Our selfless-giving shows love towards people, it values them and shows a different/ opposite kind of spirirt. This reflects Gods love towards us as we are underserving of His love, but He gave freely to us, so we freely give to others. This causes people to be attracted to Christians and in turn we can help them to look to Jesus and give Him praise. I believe the highest form of praise is total surrender to Jesus.

Q4. (2:11) Read 1 Peter 2:11 carefully. The world tells us (1) to conform and (2) that sin won't hurt us. What does Peter tell us to combat these lies? How can this reminder help us? We are not part of this world system, we have been chosen and appointed to God for His service. Our values are to be based on Godly principles and come out of an attitude of gratitude. To be able to effectively serve God, we need to be sanctified and holy before Him, living according to the lusts of the flesh fall well short of His Holiness. Peter helps us to put the world into perspective: Things of this world will pass away in time, things of the Spirirt are eternal. 1 John 2 vs17 "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

Q3. (2:9) What actions and attitudes should this idea of being part of God's own people inspire in us I need to live like an ambassador for the Kingdom of God. I have been chosen to be part of God's kingdom, adopting the culture and kinship of God's people. I need to live according to God's guideleines and requirements and not my current suroundings. (man-made systems and values) I need to embrace being part of God's body and live in community with fellow Christians.

Q2. (2:5) If your praise is primarily for God's benefit, not your own, how should you be offering praise? Before we begin to praise we need to santify ourselves - check our motives, lifestyles and our attitudes Ask for forgiveness With a pure heart we need to offer our worship to God with thansgiving Our worship needs to be genuine, sacrificail and in a spirirt of truth. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our praises. Praise is not to be allocated a timeslot in the day but rather be a lifestyle in everything we are, do and say.

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you? A priest is a servant of the King. What the servant is told to do, he does. Therefore we as believers under Christ we need to offer up our best scarifices (worship) to God. The sacrifices we make must be intentional, filled with faith and acceptable to God. All our actions (sacrifices) need to come out of a pure heart.

Q4. (1:18-19) Have you ever felt you were of no worth or of no value? What does 1 Peter 1:18-19 say about your worth? What does it say about God's love for you? Yes, but my feelings are unfounded in truth. Truth is, Jesus payed the highest randsom (his life) for my salvation. I am of value and worth. (John 3vs16) What does it indicate about the long-term value of your balance sheet and financial assets? What are your true long-term investments? Why? My hardearned investments are worthless outside of this world's system. My financial investments are perishable and my be destroyed at anytime. They do not last for eternity. Rather I should not be investing in things that rot away but rather in my eternal relationships with God and the people that I come into contact with throughout my lifetime.

Q3. (1:17) Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they are being judged by someone else? How do you reconcile final judgment with God's love for the world? Why must final judgment be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? What happens to the Gospel when final judgment is left out or ignored? 1) People do not like to be held responsible for their own actions. Judgement demands a verdict.... what will the findings reveal about the person's character or intent. People care what others really think about them. (Both good and bad) 2) God has always been the same yesterday, today and forever. He has never changed His standards. According His standards, we all are guilty of sin and deserve to be punished in accordance with His holy law. Yet in the midst of the chaos, God knew that sacrifice was not enough to atone for the sins in our lives so He sent His only son Jesus to take all the punishment for us. His love for us, caused God to send His son to earth to die on a cross for us. 3) God is holy and expects holiness in return! Without judgement there is no need for a saviour. If we fail to express God's standards regarding righteous and holy living(unobtainable by our good works alone), we fail to understand God' expectations of us. Without fear, there is no need for forgiveness of our sins, no judgement for our actions and we can live as we please. Fearing God causes us to pursue God's standards.

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness? 1) Being set aside for God's use only. Living a life according to His will and purpose for my life; a life not compromised by sin and temptation. 2) Jesus has paid the price for my sin by dying on the cross & being raised again. Placing my trust in the work He has already done allows me to become a new being (saved by grace) with a new character/ nature. 3) My duty is to become holy, turning away for sin and temptation and rather to live according to the friuts of the Spirit. I have to allow the Holy Spirirt me to convict me of my sin, and then I need repent & change my course. 4) Living in a sinful world that seems to have a louder voice, I am often distracted and find myself heading towards sin without realising it. I then feel trapped, not wanting to follow though with the sin, but not being able to backtrack neither.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? 1) His return will complete our salvation, Jesus will be glorified and we will be vindicated for our behaviour. 2) It inspires hope as we know and wait for our final redemption, when we will be fully saved and receive our crown in glory, it should inspire us to follow Christ in a way that shows Christ in us "Our hope" to others. 3) If we do not practice self-control we will may fall into temptation and be clouded in our purposes. We will not be clear thinkers and prepared for action at any moment.

Q5. (1:8-9) According to 1 Peter 1:8-9, what is the basis of Christian joy that is "inexpressible and glorious"? How does this joy interplay with human emotions? Is it essentially emotional? How does it differ from what is generally regarded as the pursuit of "happiness"? Extra Credit: How can you tell the genuine article of joy from the counterfeit? Our joy is not based on evidence of Jesus being present here on earth in a physical body, but in knowing that Jesus has bought our salvation and is preparing a home for us in heaven. This joy is not drummed up in human emotion but rather a sense of the presence of God working in our lives resulting in glorious joy deep within us and a smile then reflected on our faces. Our joy is not dependant on our circumstances, if all is well = happiness... but rather a knowledge and a joy that God is for us despite our current circumstances. Counterfeit joy is dependant on our circumstances and mixed up with our human emotions. This type of joy is like a rollercoaster ride..... up and down.

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus? Just looking back over the the first half of this year, I have been stretched at work, family situations, my health & my relationships with friends. At times it seems easier to just give up than to press on through! But looking back I am beginning to trust Jesus for more and more as the circumstances seem totally impossible in the natural. I guess the more times we are refined in one area, the harder it is to get rid of the last bit of rubbish but the purer the end product. Trials force us to run to God or away from Him; we can choose to be more like Him and learn through the process or walk away from God's truth. When we walk in genuine faith, we represent Jesus to others as though He were right infront of them. Our faith reflects His glory in our actions and then results in the world being more confirmed to His image.

Q3. (1:5) According to 1 Peter 1:5, what is God's part in securing your salvation? What is your part? God's part was to send Jesus as a sacrifice to pay for my sin, showing great mercy and grace to me. My part is to believe in the work that Jesus has done for me and to live according to His laws and principles. I must not loose sight of His Kingdom and my inheritance in the midst of my struggles here on earth (even unto death from persecution). I am to keep my faith in Him until His second coming.

Q2. (1:2) Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) If we look at the Old Testament, we have no access to God the Father without sacrifice and the shedding of blood & without full obedience we cannot access the riches that God has in store for us. The Israelites walked in peace and protection when they followed the letter of the law. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow: therefore the laws still apply today but our salvation is through Jesus's crucifiction (the blameless lamb)not the slaughter of animals. We cannot accept Jesus died on the cross for our sin (forgiveness) and carry on living without changing our sinful lifestyle. God has commanded us to be holy as He is holy (Odebience). The friuts of our salvation will be our obedience to God and His law. If we believe we can have one without the other: Only forgiveness - we can continue living Godless lives and asking for forgiveness when we feel it is necessary and we need to clean the slate. Only obedience/ works - we have a right to God's promises as we have earned the right in doing good deeds. God is not impressed by our good works...... it is out of obedience (faith) to His death on the cross for our forgiveness of our sin that we are saved. It is our good works that reflect what He has done in our lives after all, God has created and called us to His purpose.

Q1. Being forgeiners in this world...... Someone caught in an endless cycle of doing and being something that they are not. A person forced to comply with rules which are forgein to them and do not necessarily apply to them. A person who has lost his true identity. I have been a Christian for many years, and for as many years I have struggled with this issue. I find it comes more naturally to go with the crowd than to swim upstream! (I think another word for it may be temptation). I also find it hard to strike a balance between being witnesses for the Lord in this forgein land while remaining relevant to their needs in this world. I guess the answer to my question lies in knowing where I "come from", "who has chosen me" and "what I have been chosen to do". This changes the focus from the forgein land to who has sent me and gives me permission to move on His behalf with a different set of rules and obligations. ............ looking forward to investigating this more!