Ms CJ

Q4. (1 Timothy 1:18-19) Why does Paul need to remind Timothy about the prophecies spoken over him? In practical terms, what does "fight the good fight" really mean? Why does Paul tell Timothy to "hold on to faith and a good conscience"? What temptation is Paul trying to counter in his prot

Q3. (1 Timothy 1:17) What do we learn about God from this doxology? What do we learn about praise? Have you ever tried speaking out a doxology in your personal prayer or praise time? What effect does a doxology have on the speaker? 1. That He is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 2. You can't help but speak out a doxology when you pray or praise Him. When we are truly praying through the Spirit and by the Spirit we can't help but pray and praise Him. When we read in Revelations of how the angels call Him Jesus, they are bowed before the throne. They are praising Him and calling Him Holy, Lamb of God, who is and was and will forever be. When we speak this out it is because the Holy Spirit is causing us to see it through our spirit and it becomes our doxology.

Q2. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) Why does Paul comment on his own life after a paragraph on the law (1:8-11)? Why does he share this with Timothy and the church that will read the letter? How might sharing this help get the church back on center? 1. Paul uses his own conversion as a witness and a testimony to show how the real truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ has come to reveal the true meaning of God's grace and mercy. That he, Paul once a know killer of Jews who preached Jesus Christ and a message that brought the truth "we are all saved by grace least any man should boast." This truth, this grace and this message of mercy brought conviction to the heart and it angered him so. It angered him so that he wanted to wipe it out and the one who believed it and spread it. 2. The truth of the true gospel will always reveal the hearts of all who hear it. This is why Paul always insisted on the truth of God's word be preached. This is why it was important for him to always remind not only Timothy of this truth but to the church as well. If false teachings were being disbursed among the memebers than the power of the gospel was being watered down to where it was only a tale. He knew he must keep the truth coming in at Timothy to keep him on track so Timothy could keep the church on track. 3. In all to whom an assignment has been given such as starting a church, taking over a church, it is the responsibility of those to who Jesus has given the assignment to, that no matter who comes and goes they must preached and teach the written word of God. Preach it line upon line and precept upon precept. It is vitial that the work of God and the cross of Jesus Christ be stable and unmoveable for success to come and for the name above all names stay written over the door post. It is a hard thing to fall into the hands of God with false teachings and false witnesses. It is truth and only the truth of the gospel that will set people free and it is truth and only truth that will bring salvation a true conversion as it did to Paul. It was the truth of Jesus Christ and his work on the cross that gave sight to the blind eyes of Paul. It brought love for the Jews instead of hate. It brought forgiveness of all his sins.

Q1. (1 Timothy 1:3-7) What were some of the results of false doctrine in the church at Ephesus? How does doctrinal controversy hurt the spirit of a church? How does it prevent growth? How does it keep the church from its mission? 1. The problem with the false teachers' doctrine is that it produces twisted, distorted Christians, if you can call them that. Such Christians at Ephesus displayed problems with pride, hypocrisy, and questionable ethics. Jesus said that you will know false teachers by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20) I couldn't say this any better myself! 2. It enslaves the ones that embrace the truth. The spirit of the church becomes unbearable to stay in when you will not go along with the false teachings. 3. Growth will never come when we allow ourselfves to become stuck in a wrong belief system. This happens in any thing we embrace from untruths or teachings. Pride is the emeny to truth. Pride stepped out of the truth in the garden and sin stepped in. Pride comes before a fall and Paul understood this principle. 4. The minute false teachings begin the church is no longer teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It no longer has that endured power given by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can no longer remain in charge of the truth there, nor can the angel assigned by God. Man does not consider the spiritual divine order placed over a church. If it is the true established work of the cross, it truly believes in the virgin birth of Jeuse Christ and it believes that Jesus handed His church over to the Holy Spirit to teach, guide and comfort us than God was never in the birth of that church. If the leadership imputs their own belief systems in and taken the gospel out as we read Paul writing about, than God has stepped out and satan has stepped in. We know this to be true by the events in the garden. One or the other will be in command and Paul understood this also.

Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). 1.I disagree with Stott analyzes. I believe that Paul was very much in the Spirit in speaking to the churches at the time he was speaking. God word is anointed anytime it is spoken and God anointed Paul anytime he spoke once he was born again and found who he was in Christ. Paul already knew the laws of God. He was murdering in the name of the law. Once he had his encounter with Jesus he saw that the law was good but that the law can kill. He saw that his flesh had one part in him, his soul was another part in him and now he has another part to him which is his spirit man come alive by Jesus Christ. Paul learned that he was a three part man now and that all could control in some way and he is conveying this so others struggling with this could understand. He understood that his flesh had lusts, evil desires, he understood that his mind, will and emotions(soulish part) would mix with the flesh and sin would be committed. Paul is anointed, aware and teaching so they could understand their battle.

Q4. (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 7:24) What is the doctrine of "total depravity"? Put it in your own words. Does it mean that none of God's original goodness shows through? Then what does it mean? Why does modern man tend to believe that man is basically good? How does this differ from what the Bible teaches? 1.It is a deception. We see it in most all forms of religions. It is by works that they believe they will be saved. It is an easy way for them to justify why they can sin and still go to heaven or live forever with the gods they have created. 2. Is the word goodness the right word? Would not the right wording here be; " is the image of God that man was created in, does it show through? And the answer to that would be no. Unless you are born again do you or anyone see the God in you. Your works are dead to you and to others unless done through His Son Jesus Christ. This is Paul says; "you works are dead least any man should boast".

Q3. (Romans 7:12; 8:3) What does the law do well? What does it do poorly? Why is the law (knowing right and wrong) powerless to save us? What is the problem here? 1.The "the law is holy and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good" 2.The law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature 3.The problem is not in the law, Paul concludes, but in us. 4.We are the problem! It is what we decide to do with the law.

Q2. (Romans 7:7-8) The law reveals sin for what it is. Why wouldn't we be better off just not knowing that we should not covet, for example? Why does the flesh respond to being told "Do not covet" by coveting all the more? 1.The flesh responds in this way because it is of rebellious nature and in this rebellion until we train ourself by the word of God to walk in the spirit our flesh will automatically respond to its own desires. In these desires it then will covet because to covet is to take control just as it did with first Eve. Being born of man and since the garden and sin, we always fall under the temptations Jesus was tested with in the wilderness: The **** of the flesh The **** of the eyes The pride of life We want what we want and unless we put or kill the **** of the flesh we will covet the desires we have until we get it and then it has been known of God to have to rip it from us in order for us to become free of it. The Ten Commandments are all about coveting if you read them with this lesson in mind....

Q1. (Romans 7:5) Paul uses the word "flesh" (or NIV "sinful nature") many times in chapters 7 and 8. In your own words, what does Paul mean by "flesh" in these verses? 1. The works of our flesh are mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21; 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The flesh motivates the selfishness we sometimes feel, the whining about our circumstances, the petty jealousies, the jockeying for power in the office and in our marriages, the lure of ***********, the desire for money and possessions, and all the rest. In 7:14-25 we'll explore our struggle with the flesh. In 8:1-17 we'll see how the Spirit can enable us to live free of the flesh. This can't be said any better!

Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? 1. No.... There is no place for independent freedom just as the text said. We can not afford to be independent of the Word of God or of God Himself. Like it was stated, we will either be a slave to satan or a slave belonging to the Lord Jesus and to our Heavenly Father which art in heaven. 2. We long for this kind of independent freedom for it brings life to our live. It keeps us independent of sin. It keeps us focus on living a righteous life and a good life. Who remembers what living a sinful life everyday was like. It is truly a bondage I can feel the hints of what it was like in thinking back on it and I must say...Glory To God Who Reins, You Are Holy And We All Cry Holy, Holy For You Are Holy, Oh God. 3. We hesitate because in living daily in His presence and walking daily by His word our mind set has taken on a righteous way of thinking and when encounter something different we have stall a moment, our brain has to say...what! So, we just present Christ and His word and we have announced that Christ is the way to a good life.

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? Why should we honor good doctrine? If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? 1. A sound doctrine that sticks to the word of God will keep us as Christians with a sound mind. A sound mind will keep us all from fear. In today's world, with the elections coming up, the restructing we see God doing in Wall and in our nation. He is aligning us with His word from the prayers of the Saints and for the end time prophetic words from His word. We do not have to fear or want for His supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory so we no longer have to look and fear what will happen tomorrow for His say's tomorrow for it will take care of itself. Aren't we blessed to know these things and get comfort from His word. 2. To honor good doctrine is honor the Lord. So many gave their lives so the word of God could be written for who is willing to read it. Today it is still the same for many and we should always remember that when we open His word. It is an honor to be able to go and buy a bible any time we want to or get on the internet and read it. So many cherish a torn page of it just to get to read from it what they can. 3. We must avoid any doctrine that takes away for the work of the cross and the name of Jesus. There isn't thing to say outside of that.

Q1. (Romans 6:12) What does obedience have to do with the "reign" of sin? To the carnal man sin reign's and their conscience appears clear. To a true spirit filled born again christian the spirit man becomes aware of sin through grace and they begin to understand that the way back to rightouesness is through obedience to the word of God and through a right standing with God. Sin as we read it stated is "controlled by the devil". If we at conversion do not begin to read the word of God, learn God's ways and listen to the leading and voice of the Holy Spirit then our carnal mind and our flesh will rule us and this will give sin its power and by sinning it gives the devil power. This is why Jesus reburked the Pharisess and called them Whitewash and told them that satan was their father. They knew the laws of God yet they chose not to obey them. They chose to sin against God with their pride and their alleagnce to sin so that they could rule and reign over the people with their sins and they could please Rome so they could dwell well in the land. Rome cared nothing of their rules and cared that they killed their own by their rules or laws. Sin twist the laws of God, satan twist the laws of God and man will twist the laws of God. There is so much power in sin and so much power in the wrong ways it is applied. If we are changing and growing with the word of God, we want to be obey Him and He wants to see us obey Him. He knows if we will obey Him, we will eat the good of the land. The word say's we can chose life or we can chose death and sin will bring death. We must die to self and die to the flesh. If we at say 20 got born again and at 70 the we haven't changed much and the same sins are ruling our lives then who must be ruling over us. Many will never change because they never read the word of God and they never allowed the Holy Spirit to truly rule and reign in their lives. Jesus words again; we must be born again. Many take this as saying, " as long as I am born again I am alright" wrong so wrong and so deceived. He is saying to be born again is by the way of the spirit and living in the spirit. Only the way living in the spirit will you inheirt the kingdom of God. So, what must be asked is, " if we never change and if we persecute others because we condemn them for changing and growing, living a life, will righteous we inheirt the kingdom of God. This is a very serious question and one God will use to judge with to those who left Him no choice to judge! God is love, but God is Judge! There is so much joy in living life the way of the spirit, knowing if we sin all we have to do is repent, turn of the wickness of it putting it under the blood of Jesus and move on. If we really live in the spirit, we so love Him and want peace with Him that we hurt so much inside that sin can't reign we want let it.

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? What will be the effect in our lives if we actually do consider it to be true that we died with Christ's death with regard to sin? 1."In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (6: 11) "Count" (NIV), "consider" (NRSV, NASB), "reckon" (KJV) is the verb logizomai, which is primarily a mathematical and accounting term, then used of cognitive processes. The basic meaning is "to determine by mathematical process, reckon, calculate." Paul often uses the term in a transferred sense: as a result of a calculation, "evaluate, estimate, look upon as, consider." 2. Does this mean that we are immune to sin's temptations? No. Nor are we strong in ourselves. But we believe that the essential power of sin has been broken in our lives by the cross and thus we are no longer compelled to be habitual sinners. Either we believe Satan's lie that we are compelled to a life of slavery to sins, that we are weak and we can't escape. Or we believe the truth that Christ has broken the power of sin and the flesh, and that we can step out of slavery into freedom. 3. We are to believe and act on the truth: that we are dead to sin in the same way that Christ is now dead to sin. When we "reckon" Christ's victory to be the truth, then and only then can we move towards victory over sin in our own lives.

Q4. (Romans 6:6-7) In what way has our "body of sin," our "flesh," our old nature been made powerless because of our crucifixion with Christ? In what way have we been freed from slavery? What difference does this understanding make in our struggles against temptation? 1. Because we have been crucified with Christ -- shared his crucifixion on the cross since we are united with him -- our flesh or sinful nature has been struck a mortal blow. Though it still exists, it has lost power. It has been weakened by our identification with Christ's crucifixion so that we are no longer compelled to be dominated by it. 2. Before we were united with Jesus in his death, we were slaves to sin -- that is, we ended up obeying our whims and passions. We could not escape. We had no choice but to sin. We had no power to do otherwise. In spite of our best efforts we would fail. Now, Paul says, we have been set free from sin, like slaves who have been emancipated. How have we been freed from sin's bondage? By being united with Christ and thus being part of his death on the cross. Christ's literal death to sin is ours, too. Christ's death on the cross broke the power, the bondage of sin. Since we are united with his death through baptism, we are part of that death and of that victory! 3. We were once slaves of our flesh, our sinful nature. But, according to God's word, we don't have to be slaves any longer!

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? Whose death is he talking about? How does this death become our own? To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? 1. Paul is talking of a figurative "death" to sin. 2. Paul is talking about the Risen Lord and His death, burial and resurrection. 3. When we first believe that Christ has died for our sins and we ask to be forgiven of our sins, we then are forgiven because of His death, burial and resurrection. His shed blood washes away our sins never to be seen again by our Heavenly Father at the time of repentance. We are then born again into the kingdom of God. We are no longer seperated from Him. There is still a key to stay connected to this work of the kingdom and that is to stray from sin by staying repentive and learning to live holy as He is holy. God has left us with no excuse to stay the way we are. If His life is truly reining in us how can we stay the same. Our love for Him inside us makes us want to change and makes us want to grow into His likeness. I question ones who claim to be born again, but yet they never change. I've seen ones die in Him and yet they never changed. How? 4. To some that refuse the call of God and refuse to recognize Jesus as The Son of God it is thought and taught to be theological mumbo-jumbo. We can read that in the Gospels, hear of it in other religions, hear it on the media and read in all forms of printed disbelief. The bases of reality can only be found as reality by the regenerated work done in our hearts then in our minds. Once we get it in our hearts then we should start to change our minds because we will see Christ as He really is and what He was really sent to do. Let's all give Him praise and honor for what He has done!

Q2. (Romans 6:3-4) In Paul's reference to baptism in 6:3-4, what does "buried" (6:4a) correspond to in the act of baptism? What does "Christ was raised from the dead" (6:4b) correspond to in baptism? 1. When we see a burial, we see a body planted in the ground and unless you understand the life of Christ and the work of the cross you will never see that body again. Same in the baptism at first, you see the body go down into the water. If you turn and leave thinking that is all just like you may have done at the burial of the body, you will never see the body come back up from the water until you hear the joy of the rush of the body as it comes back up to grab hold of the new life it has just been given. 2. Christ raised from the dead forever in the love of the Heavenly Father. I hear the word of God come alive saying; " this is My Beloved Son in whom I am well please" This to is why this corresponds to the baptism, the Father words were " this is My Son in whom I am well pleased". We must come to the Father how? In Him (in whom) here's is where the Father makes it plain to all, we must be born again, we must die to ourself, we must be buried with Him and we must resurrect through Him. Our Heavenly Father made a public statement here for all eternity to hear. Not one thing from that point on could say that Jesus born of a virgin was not the Son of The True Living God and that He pleased God. I always wondered why God chose to speak again audibly. He hadn't spoke Himself since the days of Moses. How could satan have missed this? How could the Jews have missed this? Thank God we have the baptism, the Holy Spirit and the gift of wisdom and knowledge to hear it. If we just listen! What things we will hear! People God has revealed Himself again to all of us.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? 1. When we come to the knowledge of Christ, then we begin to understand the work of the cross in a new sense. So, as the Holy Spirit enlightens us with the word of God in the New Testment just as Paul is doing here in Romans we begin to understand the death, the burial and resurrection works done through the cross. Just as He died, was buried and resurrected we to must be. We can never go through what He went through in getting to the grave, but we should by all means go through this baptism to show we understand it, accept it as becoming one with Him and rising to a new way of living from now untill our death of the natural man. This union shows also that we may die as a natural man, but Glory to God our spirit will never die our soul will (our mind, will and emotions) never die, we truly live forever as He lives. I think how afraid we are of dying until the knowledge of Him is really understood. Just as soon as the breath is gone we are gone in Him and never miss a beat. 2. When we do this act publicly we are acknowledging to the world we are now one with Christ. That we are confessing with not only our mouth that Jesus is Lord in our life, but that we also recognize what He has done on the cross and that our eternal life is now under the authority of our Heavenly Father. This states that we know we are sinners saved by grace, that we must have His mercy, and we must be forgiven.

Q4. (Romans 6:2-5) According to this passage, at what point do we move from being under the headship of Adam to the headship of Christ? Is there anything we must do to bring about this change in headship? What are the implications of us having died with Christ? 1. When we die with Christ. When we are baptized in Him and when as we by our spiritual death are resurrected through Him. We move from death to live only through the remission of our sins and the redemption from the spiritual death Adam caused. We may be seen as any man (women) to the natural eye, but we are seen by our Heavenly Father and our Lord as Christ Himself. 2. Repent and turn from our sins and wicked ways. We must submit and emerse ourself to the love of God and to the ways of His laws. If we could look into a mirror and see ourself the way God sees us, how we would either rejoice at the beauty we see or how we would scream out at the ugly and horror way sin has made us to Him. 3. God can not see us except through Christ His Son. So, if He knew us before we were ever born then He knows we exist. When He looks for us as He looked for Adam in the garden and He does not hear us answer when He calls out then He knows we have not accepted His way of redemption to living with Him for ever and we have rejected His Son.

Q3. (Romans 5:15-19) By what right does Adam represent all humankind? By what right does Christ become head of all who become his disciples? If Christ is not our "representative" or "head," how can his death for sins be effective for us? 1. Adam is to all mankind a physical ancestor and due to this fact all mankind will inherited sin. It doesn't matter if you are born a king to many lands, you are born a sinner due to Adam's sinful nature. 2. Christ became head because of His shed blood. He is to all mankind " our risen Lord" and this is the only way now that any man will be forgiven of his treaspasses. 3. If Christ is not seen as Saviour, the slain Lamb of God, the one who came and die for all then there is no remission of sin for that one. His birth or His death will mean nothing to them. The cross will be just be a stake that held a man that was known as Jesus or know to some as just a prophet.

Q2. (Romans 5:13, 20) What is Paul saying in these verses? Can there be sin without law? In what sense does the "trespass increase" (5:20) when the law is present? 1. Paul is saying that sin began with Adam and that sin will always exit through every person born. That without Christ and the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. 2. Yes, again sin started with Adam, there was no written law until Moses. 3. The trespass is increase as the sinner learns they have sinned as the law appears. If a person doesn't see a stop sign and goes on into the traffic and then gets pulled over, to this person they haven't done anything wrong and why? Because they didn't know to stop without the stop sign.

Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person? 1. Let's take the father's role in the home. His decision on how he works affects the home. If he makes low wages, his will family lack many things that otherwise they could have if he would educate himself in a way that would bring wealth to his family and home. 2. How ever this father responds to his efforts of working and the amount of money he gives to the household, everyone lives his life style. They live under his decisions, what he allows for food, clothing, health issues. He even controls the lights, the water, and the gas. If he pays it they have them, if he does not they are without. The role of a father or a mother is the controling factor in a home. I know that there are many homes where there is someone acting as a parent, but the fact still remains that who ever leads the home in whatever fashion the dependents are at the mercy of their life style until they can add to the income to make it better or they move out to do it on their own in which they then become the head of their household. The turn of a head can make or ruin a household or a nation! I hadn't read Pickledilly's before I wrote mine so we are hearing the same thing here about the home. This is a tender matter to the Lord so He wants the message out concerning the family and the home. Young people listen to the voice of the Holy Spririt here. The way the home goes is the way a child will go. Train them up in the way they should go and that way is by the word of God first before yours. He loves us all and wants to see us live better and have the most.

Q4. (Romans 5:9-10) What does "reconciliation" mean? Why is reconciliation with God necessary? We understand our having been saved by Jesus' death (5:10a, past tense). In what sense are we being saved (5:10b, present tense) by his life? What is Jesus doing for us in the present? 1. Let's take this back to the time of the Garden Of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned against God. When they sinned they broke relationship with God and their sin separated them from God. Now that Jesus has come and atoned that sin by the shedding of His blood we are no longer apart from our Heavenly Creator. The shedding of the His blood reconciled us back to God. 2. Jesus is seatedat the right hand of His Father in heaven making intercession for us today and He will continue to do so for all generations to come.

Q3. (Romans 5:6, 8) Why is it so important to embrace the truth that "Christ died for the ungodly" (5:6), that "Christ died for sinners" (5:8)? According to 5:8, did Christ die for us at our best or at our worst? How does this give us assurance against the devil's lies about us being too bad to forgive? 1. It is important to embrace the truth that "Christ died for the ungodly" so that all could come to the knowledge of God. 1 Tim 2:2-4 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth NKJV 2. What is the knowledge of the truth? It is not only knowing we are powerless to save ourself, but it is also to recognize we are yet sinner only will we be saved by grace. Eph 2:5-10 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV 3. Through the Holy Spirit we have constant access to the throne of God. He makes it possible for us to see Jesus in the way each one perceives Him. If we again are going growing and learning by relationship with Him then we will begin to learn and understand that when we sin our hearts render that feeling of love for Him. We want to do right and we learn that living in the spirit with Him that the flesh is weak and we will sin. We know that the devil will voice his opinion on our sin. Knowing who we are in Christ we should repent quickly. There are times when we don't and we will know that something has distanced us from God. We will feel that until we truly repent and turn from our ways. He cannot justify us unless we admit we sinned so the blood covers it. May we never leave an open sin in our lives in order for the devil to accuse us. God loves us so much, lets not waste the cross on pride.

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? 1. James 1:2-5 states: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. NKJV 2. Just as the scripture states above, patiences produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character. Character produces hope. We all are to tranform into His likeness and so what Paul is saying is; we must be proven just as He was proven. The rejoicing we produce comes from seeing as we grow in Him that how we once handled a trial is so different than the way we now handle it. We can rejoice in seeing how we have changed ourselves by changing the way we think and act. The word of God is in fallible and it does change our thinking and our ways. God's plan from the right way of living does work. Rejoice, I say rejoice for His has done great things and He is teaching us great things. IF WE ARE NOT CHANGING, THEN WE ARE NOT GROWING! APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO EVERY DAY LIVING AND WATCH OURSELF GROW!

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, what does it mean to be justified? 1. For Abram ham: You have to look at the word accounted: In this text of the word God accredited his salvation to him by the precursor of the coming shed blood of the Lamb. The lamb that was provided for Isaac and the shedding of his blood was a precursor to the future shedding of the blood of The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Sense there had to be a shedding of the blood for sin, God arranged for this blood to be accredited to Abraham and his son so that from now on generations to be borne would be cover with this shedding until the Lamb of God would be borne and His blood was shed permanently for all sin. This would justify all for eternity. Now that Christ has come to shed His blood on Calvary, God has taken what was once just considered laying in what would be like an account and turned it into a credit. Now Abraham and the ones coming after him are justified by record and are written in the Lamb's Book Of Life. This is part of the covenant made that night with Abraham. 2. For us the believers of Jesus Christ: We don't have to wait to be justified like Abraham did. The moment we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we become justified. We do not have to wait as Abraham did. God used Abraham's faith to start the road to setting up the Church of Jesus Christ and the blessings flow today because of his faith and he also understood how he would lose his soul if he chose not to believe and start to change his heart to living a holy life. He knew that one day, God would send His Son and justified him and the ones to come after him. So, we can say now that not only are we justified by faith, but now the saints of old are to such as Abraham. He is not waiting a abode somewhere now he is sitting at the right of Jesus, just as we all will be one day. Glory to God!