Weekly Bible Study Review
July 31, 2011

 


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In This Issue
Cafe Class
Read-to-Believe Class
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 10:30 am

classroom
Read-to-Believe Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life Room 201
309 N Lake Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101
Thursdays 7:00 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 no class


PCC Class
"How to Read the Bible  with Confidence"
Pasadena City College
Extended Learning Center
www.pcclearn.org
September 28 and
October 5, 2011

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.




New Class in Anaheim
Once a month on Saturday morning at 11:00 am.
Contact Sandy for more information.
[email protected] or call (626)531-6641. 

cafeclassWednesday Cafe Class 
Romans
Romans 12:1-21

The previous 11 chapters laid out the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. Now Paul builds upon that foundation by teaching the readers how to live "in light of God's mercy." In class we went back to Exodus 20 and listed the 10 Commandments. Then we went through Romans 12-13 and made a list of the things Paul told his readers to do. As we compared the two lists we came to the conclusion that the 10 Commandments are mostly about what not to do. But Paul's list is more about "being" rather than "doing." In other words, who you are changes what you do.  

 

The 10 Commandments don't seem to describe how to live in light of God's mercy but rather in light of His judgment or wrath. There is fear associated with commandment keeping. There are terrible consequences for violating these commands (adulterers are stoned, murderers are executed...) But the lifestyle Paul teaches is based on gratitude for the mercy they've already received. It's filled with forgiveness, grace and mercy.

Click to read more... 

 


Do You SKYPE?
Looking for 5-10 people in the U.S. or Canada who would like to participate in the Thursday night Bible study via Skype.

Contact Sandy for more information.
[email protected] or call (626)531-6641. 
rtbclassThursday Read-to-Believe Class  1Corinthians

 

1 Corinthians 8:1-10:14    

Chapters 8-10 deal mainly with idolatry and particularly food sacrificed to idols. In the first century there were many large temples in which people worshiped pagan gods. Animal sacrifices were offered in those temples and some of the meat that was left over was sold in the public markets. People living in the city did not have their own herds and flocks so they bought meat at the local market. Some Christians had no qualms about eating meat that had been sacrificed to an idol but there were others who felt guilty about doing so. Paul sets up a contrast between knowledge and love. 

Knowledge
Love
  • we all possess knowledge
  • knowledge puffs up
  • the man who thinks he knows doesn't know as he should  
  • we know an idol is nothing
  • we know God is one
  • we know there are many "gods" and "lords"
  •  we know there's one God the Father "through whom all things came and through whom we live"
  • we know there's one Lord Jesus Christ "through whom all things came and through whom we live"
  • not everybody knows all this
  • lack of knowledge causes their conscience to be defiled (they feel guilty about eating food sacrificed to idols)
  •  love builds up

 

 

  • the man who loves God is known by God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

  • Love your brother enough to restrict your own freedom to protect his weak conscience

v. 8-13 Food does not bring the believer closer to God.  

The pagans thought that participating in the festivals and banquets to the gods would bring them close to those deities or offer them some kind of benefits (prosperity, fertility, good health, etc.).  

And failing to participate would bring some kind of misfortune.  

 

But Paul says they are no worse off if they don't eat and no better off if they do. Christians are free to eat (or not eat) food sacrificed to idols. However, they are not to use this freedom to the detriment of their brothers. The weak brother may see you eating and sin against Christ because of you. Eating is a sin for the weak brother because he believes it's a sin and he does it anyway. When the stronger brothers sin against their weaker brothers they are sinning against Christ. Paul is willing to go so far as to become a vegetarian to avoid causing someone else to fall. That is the way of love.

Click to read more... 

 
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)

Romans 12:1-21
v. 4-8 Paul also talks about the Christians being members of one body. Not all the members do the exact same thing but they all need each other. This is in sharp contrast to the conformity that some religious groups expect. Paul makes it clear that each person should be allowed to use their gifts.
Let them prophesy, let them serve, let them teach, let them encourage, etc.

(Click here for a printable copy of this chart)

 


Living in Light of God's Mercy

Romans 12 & 13 

Living in Light of God's Judgment

 

10 Commandments

Exodus 20

 

1. Do not have other gods

2. Do not worship idols

3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain

4. Keep the Sabbath holy

5. Honor you father and mother

6. Do not murder

7. Do not commit adultery

8. Do not steal

9. Do not give false testimony

10. Do not covet

Offer your body as living sacrifices. This is your spiritual (or reasonable) act of worship.

Do not conform to the world.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Test and approve (agree with) God's will.

 

Think of yourself with sober (serious) judgment.

Let each person use the gifts God has given them.

Love sincerely.

Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.

 

Be devoted to one another.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Be zealous, keep your spiritual fervor.

Be joyful in hope.

Be patient in affliction.

Be faithful in prayer.

Share with God's people.

Be hospitable.

 

Bless those who persecute you. Do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice.

Mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with others.

Be humble enough to associate with people of low position.

 

Do not repay evil for evil.

Do what is right.

Live at peace with everybody.

Do not take revenge.

Remember that God will avenge.

Feed your enemy and be kind to him so he might repent.

Do not be overcome by evil.

Overcome evil with good.

 

Submit to the authorities.

Pay your taxes.

Give everyone what you owe them.

Continue to love one another.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

Clothe yourself with the Lord and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Next time we'll start chapter 13.
--Sandy Blank 
 Back...
readtobelieveThursday Read-to-Believe Class (continued)

1 Corinthians 8:1-10:14     

9:1-5 Paul launches into a series of rhetorical questions to show how he has restricted his own rights as an apostle. He's showing his readers that he's not asking them to do anything that he would not do.

 

v. 6 Apparently the other apostles were being supported financially by the Corinthians even though it was Paul and Barnabas who started the church there. Paul and Barnabas had to work to support themselves rather than be funded by the church.

 

v. 7-11 Soldiers are paid by the government, vineyard workers eat the grapes, shepherds drink the milk, and even the Law says an ox should be allowed to eat the grain while it's working. The man who plows and the one who harvests should share in the harvest. Paul has "sown spiritual seed" by preaching the gospel to them and he has a right to be supported financially by them. The Corinthians are supporting other apostles but not Paul.

 

v. 12 Interestingly, Paul is not demanding his rights. He's merely using this as an example to help convince them to restrict their own right to eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul restricted his rights for them and he wants them to do the same for their weaker brothers. The priests in the Jewish temple receive their food from the temple. "The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." But Paul is not begging for them to support him, instead he says, "I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast."

 

v. 13-18 Paul is "compelled" to preach the gospel. He's not doing it for the money. Preaching voluntarily results in a heavenly reward (rewards are something different than salvation because no one is saved by preaching the gospel to others.) Preaching involuntarily is merely fulfilling an obligation and does not deserve a reward. Paul desires to offer the gospel free of charge and not demand his right to be paid for preaching it.

 

v. 19-23 Although Paul is free, he makes himself a slave to others in order to win them to Christ. He became like Jews, preaching in synagogues and reasoning from their scriptures. He became like those under the law, even though he is no longer under the law. He became like the Gentiles who don't have the law, though he is under Christ's law. He became like the weak in faith, though he is not weak in faith. He became like all these people not to exploit them or take their money, but so they would come to faith in Christ.

 

v. 24-27 In a race everyone runs but not everyone wins. Athletes go into strict training to win a perishable crown. Shouldn't believers work hard for a crown (rewards) that will last forever?

 

10:1-6 Now Paul takes them back into Israel's history and reminds them about the exodus from Egypt. All the Israelites were under the cloud (pillar of cloud that led them in the wilderness) and all passed through the Red Sea. They were all baptized into Moses, ate the same spiritual food, drank the same spiritual water. Christ was the one who provided all this for them. But God was not pleased with most of them because they turned to idols. A whole generation died in the wilderness. This was an example for the believers in Corinth.

 

v. 7 Israel turned to idolatry by making a golden calf. Click to read Exodus 32:1-8  

v. 8 They were sexually immoral and 23,000 died. Click to read Numbers 25

v. 9 They tested the Lord and were killed by snakes. Click to read Numbers 21:4-9

v. 10 They grumbled against the Lord and were killed by a plague. Click to read Numbers 16:41-50


v. 12-14 Again Paul says these things happened long ago as warnings to his readers who were now living in the end times. They must not commit the same sins. "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" The readers will be tempted to sin, just like their forefathers were but God will provide a way out. Still they must "flee idolatry." It is God who helps them, not some pagan god or man-made idol.

 

Next time we'll see how Paul finishes chapter 10 with more specific instructions about food sacrificed to idols.

 --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.