The Kingdom Come

Actually I am combining two weeks worth of Bible studies in this one posting. Our group is pleased to announce the birth of Solomon Jacob S. The Lord blessed the couple with a wonderful son. Also, our group hosted the grandmother for one of our studies. She came all the way from California...not for the study but to see the newborn. :-)

Our study group continues our study through Genesis. This week we studied Gen 14-17. It is difficult because the context and the many place/personal names. The summary is that Abram and his family, including his nephew Lot were living in the Canaan (eventually present day Israel/Jordan). Lot was taken captive by warring parties. Abram took 318 men and attacked, freeing Lot.

Upon Abram's return, the kings of the region (king of Sodom and the king of Salem, came to pay Abram tribute). Salem is the eventual present day Jerusalem and it's priest-king was Melchizedek. The Bible introduces Melchizedek as the "priest of God Most High".

We continue our study through Genesis as we look at Genesis 9-13, the account immediately after the Flood. Noah and his family rode out the storms and waters up from the deep.

GEN 9:1-28

In Gen 9:3 we see God appears to now bid humans to eat meat but we must wonder if this is how we should interpret this text. Some commentators, including John Calvin interpret the text as merely a re-establishment of the eating of meat as it was before (ref). It is more likely that God is affirming that the animals will repopulate and Noah and family may partake of them as they did before...since it would seem they didn't eat the animals while on the Ark.

Gen 9:4-5 seems to be a prelude to the "Kosher" laws of not eating blood with meat. Gen 9:8-11 speaks of a covenant God makes with Noah and his offspring about never destroying the earth again...at least not by a worldwide flood.

This week we will continue our studies in Genesis with Gen 5-8.
As you may recall, Gen 5 details the genealogy of Adam's family from Adam to Noah. Gen 6 relates God's "unhappiness" with mankind and the subsequent plan to "wipe humans from the face of the earth". This begins the plan for the remnant to live through the saving of Noah and his family.

Chapter 7 recounts the Flood and then Genesis 8 is the beautiful story of salvation as Noah and his family begin life on earth anew.

As readers may have noticed, I haven't posted for a while on our weekly Bible study group. We are still meeting but sometimes not as frequently due to the weather in our region. Also, there have been a few studies that were so casual, I didn't take notes and I'm not sure I could successfully relate the content and context. However, I will try to be more dedicated to posting the studies again. With that said, we did a study where we simply read through Genesis 1-4. One of the questions before us was, does the text imply literal or allegorical or both accounts?

We read from several different English translations.

This week in our group Bible study we looked at slavery and servitude in the Bible. The study began with this quote by the 19th century theologian, C.H. Spurgeon:

"I do from my inmost soul detest slavery anywhere and everywhere, and although I commune at the Lord’s table with men of all creeds, yet with a slave-holder I have no fellowship of any kind or sort. I would as soon think of receiving a murderer into my church…as a man-stealer." -- A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore page 96

The position seems clear. We then opened the Bible.

What does it mean to practice Christian Parenting? Does it mean to be all preachy to your children? Does it mean to act like you're super-moral around your children? Does it mean to act lovey-dovey all the time?

There are at least three things being Christian should be reflective in our life practices, whether it is parenting or interacting with people in general; Love, Honesty and Order.

Polygamy as this weeks Bible study offered a definition as "the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, esp. wife, at one time". While no one in the study desires to practice polygamy, the Bible DOES relate many instances of polygamy. As Christians, we can't just summarily say the practice is wrong without interacting with the fact it was practiced in the Bible.

To that end, the lesson leader presented a number of instances in the OT and the NT where he believes an example of polygamy exists. Those texts are listed below.

If a person were to read the Bible from Genesis forward, one thing that they would notice is that God prescribed the death of animals and the use of their blood in religious ceremonies. The question is why?

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS

Perhaps the first blood sacrifice mentioned in the Bible is found in Gen 3:21 wherein we see God making garments out of animal skins to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. It is assumed God killed the animal(s) He used, rather than simply making skins.

By the time we reach Gen 4:4, it seems that Adam's family was killing animals, both for food and as an offering to God. There is no previous mention of God requiring or desiring sacrificial animal offerings. It appears Abel offered the "fat of his firstborn" without any prompting by God.

In Gen 4:10-11 we see human blood as significant and of worth; the spilling of it a negative act.

In Gen 7:2-3,8-9 we see the first mention of "clean" and "unclean" animals. (see Lev 11:1-47 and Deut 14:1-21 for full list) This idea of clean and unclean animals plays a major role in what could be or not be eaten but also sacrificed to God and would act as a "type" or symbol of the ultimate sacrifice, Christ Himself. So, there appears to either be more detailed information omitted that leads up to the understanding in Gen 7 as to what is a clean and unclean animal, since it appears Noah already knew the difference, or Gen 7 is retroactively appealing to Lev 11:1-47/Deut 14:1-21 and the Herbrew/Jewish general knowledge of the "kosher" laws. Either way, it is important to understand the concept of clean and unclean animals.

Our group continued last week's study in Hebrews; this week finishing Heb 10-14. In Heb 11:1-2 we discussed how the text speaks of how the Jews were waiting for the Messiah and now that Jesus had come, those things commended to the "ancients" were seeing their fruition.

Next, as we read verse-by-verse, we came to Heb 12:18-21 where there was discussion about the contrast between how the Hebrews/Jews were unable to come unto the mountain when Moses went up to receive the 10 commandments, but that when people come to the NT, new covenant they are not coming near that dreadful mountain but rather to something better.

This week, our Bible study group read Hebrews 7:11-10:39. The focus was on how the Old Covenant was unable to do as the New Covenant does. There was discussion on how Jesus could not have been a priest on earth because He was not from the priestly Levite tribe. (Heb 7:11-8:3)

There was interest in the fact that the earthly temple (the one the Jews worshipped in during Jesus' earthly ministry) was merely a copy patterned from the true temple where God resides. We also talked about in what sense the Old Covenant was "faulty". The question was raised whether it meant God made the Old Covenant, knowing full well that it couldn't actually bring salvation. The comparison was made that the Ten Commandments were also given knowing full well that no one could actually keep those commands. (Heb 8:4-7)

This week's study looked at 1 Cor 2:6-16 through 1 Cor 3:1-23 and focused especially on 1 Cor 3:11-16 wherein we read:

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

The group discussed whether the context of 1 Cor 2:6-16 through 1 Cor 3:1-23 was about general Christians or was about Paul attempting to demonstrate that the apostles "have the mind of Christ", or inspiration. There was some talk about 1 Cor 2:15 as to what it means. Does it mean Christians can't be judged or is this Paul again asserting his authority as an apostle, which is often the theme with Paul?

Although the salvificⁱ message of Christ is not one where a person tries to be better so that they can get into heaven, there is an element where Christians are called to live God-honoring lives.

This weeks Bible study will focus on some simple proverbs that not only promise to help us live God-honoring lives, but also productive lives.

Perhaps it is best to start with Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

As we go through these proverbs, supposedly composed by Solomon, the son of David, perhaps to his children or as a general collection -- let us consider how the proverbs applied affects our daily life.

This week we tried something a little different in the Bible study. Instead of having a specific topic or specific verses to examine, we each took a blank piece of paper and divided it into two categories:

1. What a person must believe/accept to be "saved".
2. What a person must believe/accept to be part of the Christian community.

At first, there was a little confusion (as is to be expected) as to what the difference is between being saved and being part of the Christian community.

To keep our understanding of the Bible in order, it is important that we know the basic chronology of the main Bible figures. This week's study will focus on building a "family tree" of those main figures, patriarchs ("fathers"). See the graph below (shown in full article).

As Christians, we understand that the Bible isn't merely another book. It cannot be approached like a novel or even as a handbook. Studying the Bible requires humble and patient consideration. It also requires a more intense look at the words and their meanings, including examining the original languages in which the Bible was written.

In this study, I'd like to address some "tools" that are useful if not essential for a well-grounded Bible study.

As you study the Bible, at least in English you will soon notice that people use different translations and most of the time, the differences between the translations are minor. But sometimes the English word or phrase in one translation over another, dramatically affects the meaning of the text.

So far in this weekly study, we have examined why and how we became Christians, perhaps the next question is what does this mean to our interactions with other people. Can we just go on like we did before we we're Christians? Does it mean we are suddenly going to be "goodie-goodies"?

First, I'd like to look at some biblical accounts that discuss the contrast between who we were before we became Christians as opposed to being Christians.

This week's study is on the word fool and especially how it is contrasted with being a Christian. Further, how Christians should not call each other, fool per Jesus' admonition in Mt 5:22.

The text of the study was presented as follows:

Introduction:

After we become Christians, not only do we often feel the urge to share the "unexplainable joy" (1 Pet 1:8) with others, we are actually commanded to share the Gospel [evangelize] (2 Cor 5:18-20, Rom 1:16, Philippians 1:7,17, 1 Peter 3:15).

Of course the Bible is where God's Nature and Plan is revealed but we would limit the potential if we didn't realize and acknowledge something God has done in humanity.

In this week's Bible study we looked into God's Providence, which we concluded was distinguished from His Sovereignty and His Will in this way;

• God's Sovereignty = His nature.
• God's Providence = His action.
• God's Will = How or why He acts.

Those distinctions may not be exact, but they helped the group to make a distinction of what simply looks like we're saying God's control of all things.

The issue of God's sovereignty (complete control) and man's responsibility has been a major issue in theology. How do these two points interact? How can God be completely in control and yet man is responsible for the things he does and doesn't do?

This summary study brings forth at least some of the opposing proof-texts. This is part of a weekly Bible study. This specific study was put together and presented by another man in the study.

We often ask ourselves what God wants us to do in any given situation. Some of these situations are obviously not personally specified in the Bible. What job does He want us to choose? Who does He want us to marry? And so on.

How can we know the "will of God" for our lives? Many of us have heard a person claim they are doing something because it is the "will of God", only to later see them doing something different.

First the "will of God" is not as simple as what God wants and doesn't want. Just like the human will, the will of God is more complex than simply wanting something, otherwise; God being God, anything He wanted would happen, right?

The issue of what the Bible means by the phrase "all men" [or all people] has been an issue that has been of much controversy in the Church. Typically, the issue is approached in 3 different ways:

1. Universalistic - All men on the planet will be saved.
2. Arminian - All men are offered salvation but only those who choose via freewill will obtain it.
3. Calvinistⁱ - All men must be read in context, where sometimes it speaks of all men on the planet and sometimes it speaks only of "all men" within a specific group.

The topic of the nature of God is huge and really can't be done justice in a short study like this, except I hope to address the nature of God in a little more direct manner. I hope to look at the nature and attributes of God as we would if we were looking at the nature and attributes of any person, except God is more than a person. When looking at a person's nature and attributes, we look at their personality, their principles, and their general character.

GOD'S PERSONALITY TRAITS

The obvious response to the question of Why we are Christians and other people are not is because we chose to be Christians.

Perhaps some people might answer the question by saying we are Christians because we follow Christian precepts and other people, for whatever reason do not.

I'd like to get into what the Bible says about why some people are Christians and others are not.

1. John 10:3-4, John 10:27 (Ps 95:6-7) Sheep hear voice
2. Mt 13:10-17 Why not make it plain?
3. John 6:57-66 Only whom the Father grants will believe