Weekly Bible Study Review

Weekly Bible Study Review

March 20, 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

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

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

REMINDER!!

It's time to RSVP for
the Arboretum lunch and Bible study
coming up on
Saturday, March 26th.

Cost: Free

RSVP at theocentrix.org/events.html

or call Sandy at

(626) 531-6641

Greetings!

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.

Wednesday Cafe Class
Galatians

Galatians 4:21-6:18

Paul's letter seems to be in response to false teachers who were telling the Galatians they had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. He speaks specifically to his readers "who want to be under the law" (verse 21).

Here's Paul's explanation in 4:21-31:

The 2 women	slave woman	free woman
Their names	Hagar	Sarah
Their sons	Ishmael	Isaac
The difference	born the ordinary way	born from God's promise
*These things may be taken figuratively...*
2 covenants	Mount Sinai	Mount Zion
Condition of children	slaves	free
Represents	physical city of Jerusalem	Jerusalem that is above
Paul's conclusions:
1. The Galatian believers are like Isaac. They are free. 2. Ishamael (son of a slave woman) used to persecute Isaac (son of a free woman) and in the same way the Jews were persecuting the Galatian Christians. 3. Abraham was told to get rid of Hagar and Ishamael (send them away) because Ishmael would never share in Isaac's inheritance. 4. In the same way, the readers are to identify themselves with the son of the promise because that's where the inheritance is. But if they want to be under the law of Moses then they will forfeit the inheritance.

5:1-3 Christ died to set the believers free from the condemnation associated with the law of Moses. The readers must not let themselves be burdened by it again. Paul gives a very strong warning here that if they allow themselves to be circumcised then Christ is of no value to them at all. Circumcision will require them to keep the whole law. Of course the implication is that they will also suffer the penalty for breaking the law.

v. 4-6 Again we see the problem here is that some of the readers were relying of the law of Moses to justify them or make them righteous in the sight of God. But Paul says reliance on the law alienates them from Christ. He says of those who rely on the law, "you have fallen away from grace." Righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not through the law of Moses. Circumcision does not matter. Faith in Christ is all that counts.

Click to read more...

Thursday Read-to-Believe Class Romans

Romans 9:30-11:36

9:30-33 Paul says the Gentiles attained righteousness even though they were not pursuing it. But the Jews pursued righteousness and did not attain it. Why not? Because they pursued it by works and not by faith in Christ. God put a stumbling stone (Christ) in their path. But those who trust in Christ will never be put to shame or be sorry that they trusted Him.

10:1-4 Paul sincerely wants the Jews to be saved. This is remarkable given the fact that much of his persecution came from the Jews. He knew they were "zealous for God" but their zeal was not based on knowledge of the righteousness that comes through Christ. The Jews sought to establish a righteousness of their own and did not "submit" to God's righteousness. Christ is the end (or conclusion) of the law and everyone who believes is made righteous through their faith in Him.

v. 5-13 There is a "righteousness that is by law" of which Moses spoke, but there is also a "righteousness that is by faith" in Christ. Believers should not look for someone to go into the heavens to bring Christ down (He's already come) or expect someone to go into the grave to bring Christ up (He's already risen from the dead). He is near, so near that He is in their hearts and mouths. With their hearts they believe and are justified and with their mouths they confess their faith in Him and are saved. Again Paul says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." The emphasis is on "anyone." Anyone, whether Jew or Gentile, who trusts Christ will be saved. He is Lord of all.

Click to read more...

Dichotomy of the Week

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"

Paul teaches that a person is either under the control of the sinful nature or is led by the Spirit of God. He offers no third option. Many people find this difficult to accept because in our modern way of thinking we prefer to believe that we are in charge of our own lives.

Nevertheless, in Romans 7:5 Paul says, "for when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death." People in their natural state do what the sinful nature wants them to do. The law does not help in this situation because it cannot take away the desire to obey the sinful nature. In other words, we all want to do the kind of things that are against the law. Unfortunately, doing what we want to do will result in condemnation and death.

But there's hope! In verse 6 Paul states, "now by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." The believer is in Christ and therefore he is no longer trapped by the sinful nature but is set free from its control. He is now led by the Spirit of God.
--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

Wednesday Cafe Class (continued)

Galatians 4:21-6:18
v. 7-12 Paul can't seem to figure out what happened to their faith. He strongly warns them that whoever is teaching this false gospel will "pay the penalty." Paul is not teaching anyone to be circumcised. This is evident from the fact that the Jews were always persecuting him. The cross of Christ is offensive and those who preach the true gospel are persecuted for it. Paul has no patience with false teachers.

v. 13-15 The believers were called to be free but must not misuse their freedom to indulge in sin. Rather they should serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in love.

v. 16-18 Paul contrasts the sinful nature with the Spirit of God. The sinful nature desires things that are contrary to what the Spirit desires. The two are in conflict, that is, they are against each other. Paul never implies that they are equal to one another. The Spirit is certainly stronger than the sinful nature. The main point is that those who are led by the Spirit are not under law.

v. 19-26 Paul lists some acts of the sinful nature and reminds them that those who live this way will not inherit the kingdom of God. It's easy to see why there are laws against the things in this list. People who commit these acts of the sinful nature do great harm. Next he lists the fruit of the Spirit and claims that "against such things there is no law." There is no law against joy, peace, kindness, etc. because there is no need to limit these things in the world. No law is needed when the Spirit is leading a person's life.

6:1-6 The believers have a responsibility to correct each other but must be careful not to follow a bad example. "Carry each other's burdens" but at the same time "each one should carry his own burden" as well. They should share all good things with their teachers.

v. 7-10 No one can pull anything over on God. Whatever they sow they will reap. Pleasing the sinful nature leads to destruction while pleasing the Spirit leads to eternal life. They must persevere in good works and never give up.

v. 11 Paul writes this part of the letter in his own large handwriting to authenticate the letter. Remember, there are false teachers around and some of them may claim to have a letter from Paul that is not really from Paul. His own distinctive handwriting helps the readers know the letter is genuine.

v. 12-18 The motive of the false teachers is to avoid persecution. Even the ones who are circumcised don't actually keep the law. They only want to circumcise others so they can boast about their ministry. But Paul will only boast in what Christ has done to save people. He wants no one to cause him any trouble because the scars on his body are his proof that he is faithful to the gospel of Christ.

This is the end of Galatians. We will begin Romans next time.

--Sandy Blank

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Thursday Read-to-Believe Class (continued)

Romans 9:30-11:36

v. 14-15 Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions here. If we take them in reverse order we see that someone must be sent so they can preach. The preaching leads to hearing, the hearing leads to believing, the believing leads to calling on the Lord, and calling on the Lord ends in salvation. Isaiah 52:7 is also quoted.

v. 16-18 But not all the Israelites accepted this good news. Faith comes from hearing the message and the message comes through the word of Christ. But again Paul asks, "Did they (the Israelites) not hear?" Of course they did. But some did not believe.

v. 19-21 They may have heard but they did not all understand the message. Paul quotes Moses who is speaking for God and says that God intended to make Israel envious and angry by those who are not a nation (Gentiles). Then Paul quotes Isaiah saying that God was found by a people who didn't even seek Him (Gentiles) and God revealed Himself to people who did not ask for Him (Gentiles). But when God speaks of Israel He says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

11:1-6 So it looks like God rejected His people, the Israelites. But Paul says, "By no means!" Paul is an Israelite himself. God did not reject His people even though it may look as though He has. Paul goes into the story of the prophet, Elijah, who thought he was the only prophet left. But God assured him that there were 7,000 other people who were still faithful even at a time when it seemed no one was.

He told them this story because in their present time it seemed like Israel had rejected Christ as the Messiah. But God preserved a remnant for Himself-- a relatively small number who do have faith.

v. 7-12 This verse indicates that Israel is not "the elect." What Israel sought they did not obtain-- but the elect did. God gave Israel a "spirit of stupor" so that they could not see or hear. Paul quotes a psalm from King David that agrees with God's decision to do this. But Paul is quick to point out that this "stupor" is a temporary situation that fulfills God's purpose for the Gentiles. The Israelites' "transgression" and loss of riches means that salvation may now come to the Gentiles.

v. 13-16 Paul is addressing the Gentile Christian converts here. He provokes his own people, the Jews, to envy by making a big deal out of his ministry to Gentiles. He does this to make them envious so that they will repent and be saved. For if the Jews repent of their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah it is like "life from the dead." If a part of something is holy then the whole thing is holy.

v. 17-21 Now he uses a metaphor of an olive tree. The root is Christ and this root provides the nourishment for the whole tree. The natural branches are the Jews, some of which have been broken off because of unbelief. The wild olive shoots are the Gentiles who are now Christ-followers. They were grafted into the cultivated olive tree and are nourished by the root. Paul warns his Gentile readers not to boast about being grafted in. Yes, it's true that some other branches were broken off (by God) but the Gentile readers can be broken off also. They stand by faith and not by their own merit. Therefore, Paul tells them to "be afraid" rather than arrogant. God did not spare the natural branches (the unbelieving Jews) and He will not spare them either.

v. 22-24 God is both kind and stern. Stern to those who fell and kind to those whom He grafted in. But they must continue in faith to avoid being broken off. And those who have been broken off can be grafted in again because God is able to graft them in again. As Paul said earlier, the only thing that matters is faith.

v. 25-29 Israel has experienced a hardening of their hearts but only until "the full number of the Gentiles" have come to faith in Christ. At the time Paul wrote this letter the Jews were persecuting the Christians and therefore "were enemies" of the gospel. But they are still loved by God on account of the patriarchs and He will not forget the promises He made to them. God's gifts and call cannot be revoked.

v. 30-32 These Gentile readers had at one time been disobedient but now they've received mercy. In the same way the Israelites had become disobedient so that they could now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to the Gentiles. God intentionally "bound" all men (Jews and Gentiles) over to disobedience so that He could have mercy on all (Jews and Gentiles).

v. 33-36 This is such an amazing revelation of God's wisdom and knowledge that Paul simply has to break out in praise. No one could have known what God had been doing with humanity all this time. No one understands how He thinks or is able to give Him wise counsel. No one has ever given to God so that God owes him anything. "From him, to him and through him are all things" and He deserves glory forever. Amen!

Next time we will go back over chapters 9-11 for review.

--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 sandyblank@theocentrix.org. 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.