Weekly Bible Study Review
January 30, 2011

 


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In This Issue
Cafe Class
Read-to-Believe Class
Dichotomy of the Week
Class Schedule
Go to www.theocentrix.org click on the "Events" tab
for maps and more information.


Cafe Class
Culture Cafe
1359 N Altadena Drive
Pasadena CA 91104
Wednesdays 10:00 am

classroom
Read-to-Believe Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life Room 201
309 N Lake Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101
Thursdays 6:30 pm

peacock 1
Arbo Class
LA County Arboretum
301 N Baldwin Ave
Arcadia CA 91007
Saturday 12:00 noon
Once per month
January 22
February 26
March 26
 April 30
May no class
June 4
July 9
August 13
September 17
October 15
November 12
December 10

 

PCC Class
"How to Read the Bible  with Confidence"
Pasadena City College
Extended Learning Center
www.pcclearn.org
February 8 and 15, 2011

 LAST CHANCE
TO REGISTER!

PCC Bible Class

It's time to register for Sandy's Bible class at Pasadena City College. Two sessions: Feb 8th and 15th.

Cost: $49 payable to PCC.

Click here to register.
 




 
topofpageGreetings! 

This newsletter is sent to everyone who attends Sandy's weekly Bible studies. The left column has a table of contents and the current class schedule. Be sure to watch for the links in each article. Clicking on them will lead you to charts, diagrams and additional articles related to your class.  
Anyone can subscribe to this free newsletter by using the link in the upper left corner. If you would like to forward this issue to a friend all you have to do is click on the link below.




cafeclassWednesday Cafe Class 
Hebrews

Hebrews 12:4-29 

v. 4-10 The Jewish-Christian converts reading this letter had experienced persecution but apparently none had died for their faith in Jesus...yet. The author reminds them that Proverbs 3 says discipline is a sign of the Lord's love for them. They must view hardship as discipline, not as punishment for their sins.

 

Discipline is different from punishment. Discipline always looks to the future and envisions what the person may become. Discipline shapes and molds the person. There is always a hopeful expectation of improvement or growth. On the other hand, punishment focuses on past behavior and cares only that some rule was broken which requires that a penalty be enforced. God is not punishing these believers for their sins. Christ took that penalty upon Himself on the cross. Rather, these believers were being formed and shaped by God's loving discipline so that they could grow up strong in their faith. The readers needed to view their hardships in a more accurate and positive light.

 

v. 11-13 Discipline is painful but it produces righteousness and peace for those who are trained by it. Therefore, the message is that they should accept this training from God and not resist it or be discouraged by it.

 

v. 14 The readers must try to live in peace with everyone. Of course the author is not expecting them to deny their faith in Christ just to have peace with unbelievers.

 

v. 15 Rejecting Jesus as Messiah would be to "miss the grace of God." Their hardships could cause some to become bitter and go back to Judaism. Even if only a few went back it would have a negative effect on many others and "defile many."

Click to read more...  

rtbclassThursday Read-to-Believe Class  Romans

Romans 3:21-5:11    

v. 21 Now (meaning in the 1st century) a righteousness from God which is apart from the Law of Moses has been made known. The Law and OT prophets are witnesses testifying that this is righteousness and that this righteousness is from God.  

Click to see diagram.  

 

This righteousness comes to all (whether Jew or Gentile) who have faith in Christ. Be careful of the word "all." Paul cannot mean every individual person because he qualifies the "all" by saying "all who believe." There are many people who do not believe, therefore the "all" refers to all nations. In other words, Jews who believe and Gentiles who believe are all justified by faith in Christ. 

 

v. 25 God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement in order to demonstrate God's justice. He must punish sin otherwise He would not be a just judge. Many sins were committed between the time of Adam and the death of Christ on the cross. God, in His patient forbearance, had not yet punished those sins. People may have suffered consequences but they hadn't come under God's wrath. Jesus took the punishment for those past sins as well as for the sins that would be committed after He rose from the dead.

 

v. 28 Forgiveness of sins (justification) is accomplished apart from the Law of Moses. There's only one God and He is God of both Jews and Gentiles. Both are justified exactly the same way- through faith in Jesus. Paul never disparages the law. He values it for its role in testifying to the righteousness that comes through faith (3:22) and for its ability to make people aware of sin (3:20).  

Click to read more...
Dichotomy of the Week
There are many dichotomies in the Bible. A dichotomy divides people into two groups that do not overlap. In other words, it's impossible for a person to be in both groups at the same time. Here's a list of some dichotomies that are found in Paul's epistles:
           "in Adam" or "in Christ"
           "under law" or "under grace"
           "darkness" or "light"

Let's continue our discussion of the circumcised/uncircumcised dichotomy. We've seen how circumcision and law-keeping were associated with the Jews, while uncircumcision and law-breaking was associated with the Gentiles.

Gentiles were not considered to be law-keepers but Paul says that when they did occasionally obey something commanded by the law they would be regarded as obedient to the law. "If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?" (Romans 2:26).

This was a shocking statement to the Jewish readers because they maintained a strict dichotomy between law-keepers and law-breakers. Circumcised Jews were law-keepers and uncircumcised Gentiles were law-breakers. Nevertheless, in verse 27 Paul makes the same point again. He says "the one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker."

Paul emphasizes how being circumcised and having the law is no guarantee that one is righteous in the sight of God. He is breaking down barriers between Jews and Gentiles here and showing how everyone (whether circumcised or uncircumcised) is a lawbreaker. Then in verses 28 and 29 Paul goes on to explain what true circumcision really is. We'll examine this expanded meaning of circumcision next week.
--Albert Baroody

Since ancient times the Bible has been read aloud to groups of people who were eager to hear the words of Life. We're really no different today. Believers still look to the Bible for wisdom and instruction. We belong in the Word together. Thank you for your participation in these classes. I hope you will pass this email on to others and invite them to attend a Bible study.

Grace and peace,
Sandy Blank


cafeWednesday Cafe Class (continued)

Hebrews 12:4-29
v. 16-17 Sexual immorality could also lead them astray. Being "godless like Esau" refers to taking their spiritual inheritance so lightly that they would exchange it for temporary physical things. The author warns them not to follow Esau's example because his decision to sell his birthright to Jacob could not be reversed. Likewise, if the readers reject Christ they should not assume that they will be able to come back later.

 

v. 18-21 Two mountains are contrasted here-- Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. Click to see diagram.

From Exodus 19 and 20 the author describes Sinai as a physical mountain that can be touched and that was burning with fire, darkness, gloom and storm. There was a trumpet blast and a voice that terrified the Israelites. Even Moses was trembling with fear. The Hebrew readers have not come to this mountain but to another one that is very different.

 

v. 22-23 They have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God. Instead of fire and darkness there are thousands of angels in joyful assembly praising God. There is the church of the firstborn (Jesus) and their names are written in heaven. These believing readers have come to God. He is the judge of all people. But the believers do not need to fear His judgment because Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. Mount Sinai is associated with the old covenant but this new Jerusalem is the place of the new. In keeping with the rest of this letter-- Mount Sinai was good but Mount Zion is better.

 

v. 24 Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. Abel was an innocent man who was killed by his brother. Jesus was an innocent man who was also killed by his brothers. But the blood of Jesus "speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" because Jesus' blood brings forgiveness of sin while Abel's blood called for justice.

 

v. 25 Again the readers are warned not to "refuse God" or turn away from Him. If the ancient Israelites "did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth" (remember, a whole generation died in the wilderness because of their unbelief), then these readers who are being warned "from heaven" will not escape either.

 

v. 26-27 At Mount Sinai the Lord's voice shook the earth, but now He will shake the earth and the heavens (Haggai 2:6). The Lord will remove whatever can be shaken and only that which cannot be shaken will remain. The physical things that people rely upon will be gone and only their faith will remain.

 

v. 28-29 Since the believing readers are receiving an eternal kingdom that cannot be shaken they are to be thankful to God and worship Him with reverence and awe. God is a consuming a fire.

 --Sandy Blank
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readtobelieveThursday Read-to-Believe Class (continued)

Romans 3:21-5:11   

4:1-8 Paul takes his readers back to Abraham and reminds them that Abraham was not made righteous by works or by law but by believing God when He told him He would give him a son. Righteousness is a gift. It's not wages that are owed to people who work for it. Paul calls two witnesses, Abraham and David, to say that righteousness is a gift from God that is apart from works.

 

v. 9-12 This gift of righteousness is not only for Jews who are in a covenant relationship with God but also for Gentiles. Paul proves this by showing that Abraham was made righteous before he was circumcised. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6) and then much later, when his son Ishmael was 13 years old, Abraham was circumcised (Genesis 17:23-27). Circumcision was a seal of the righteousness he already possessed before he was circumcised. Therefore Abraham is the father of both Jews and Gentiles. "He is the father of all who believe."

 

v. 13-15 Abraham was made righteous not by the law but by his faith that God would do what He had promised. If law brings righteousness then there's no need for faith. "Law brings wrath" because those who break the law are subject to the wrath of God.

 

v. 16 Since the promise comes by faith it's accessible to both those who are under the law (Jews) and those who are not (Gentiles). Abraham is not the father of only one nation (Jews) but of many nations (Gentiles too).

 

v. 17 God is the one who gives life to the dead (God resurrected Jesus) and calls things that are not as though they were (God spoke the world into being). This is the God that Abraham believed and the one in whom he put his trust.

 

v. 18-25 Abraham's faith in God's ability to fulfill His promise of a son was credited to him as righteousness. But the great news is that not only Abraham is credited with righteousness but also anyone (Jew or Gentile) who believes God, the one who raised Jesus from the dead.

 

5:1-2 Believers are justified (made righteous in God's sight) through faith in Christ and have real peace with God. This peace is not just a pleasant feeling. They used to be enemies of God and now they are His friends-- no longer under His wrath. So believers rejoice in the hope of the glory of God and will surely share in His glory in the future.

 

v. 3-5 They also rejoice in their sufferings because suffering produces perseverance and character which results in hope. This hope will not disappoint them because it's based on the love that God has for them and His Spirit who lives in them.

 

v. 6-8 Jesus came at just the right time, not too early or too late. He came when people were still powerless because of their sins. This is a very precious thing because few people would willingly die for another person and no one would be likely to die for an evil person. But Jesus was willing to die for godless, evil people. This shows God's great love for humanity. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

v. 9-11 Since Christ's blood has justified them, they are saved from God's wrath. Believers are saved from the wrath of God, not saved from experiencing an unpleasant life on earth. The wrath of God is real and justification through the blood of Jesus is the only way to be saved from that wrath. Believers rejoice in God through Christ because they have been reconciled to the Father through His sacrifice.

 --Sandy Blank 

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This newsletter is maintained by Sandy Blank (Ph.D. Educational Studies, Biola; MA Biblical Studies, Grace University). If you would like further information about any of her classes or would like to know how to start a Bible study in your area please contact her at [email protected]. This newsletter is sponsored by Theocentrix, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting God-centered Bible literacy. Visit www.theocentrix.org for more information.