Godswriter

Q1. (John 16:12-15) In what sense does the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth. Does this promise apply only to the apostolic age to lay the foundations of the faith? In what sense does it apply to us today? He guides us into all truth through the word of God by nudging us or telling us what we need to know to do what is right in His eyes. This promise does not apply to just to the apostolic age; it applies to all ages laying the foundation for our faith. It applies to us by guiding us to make decisions, and bring people to Christ.

Q5. (John 16:8) Through what means does the Holy Spirit convict unbelievers? Is it our job as preachers or lay Christians to convict unbelievers or backslidden people? If not, why not? What damage do we inflict on people when we try to do the Holy Spirit’s job? It is through our actions and words that they are convicted of their actions. No it is our job to bring the word to them. It is not what God wants. It would turn them off of Christ.

Q4. (John 16:5-7; 14:12) What benefit is there to the disciples that Jesus goes away? What promise do we have in John 14:12 concerning the Spirit’s power in believers? The benefit they received was the Holy Spirit and the baptism of Him. We will be able to do greater things than what Jesus did due to the Holy Spirit.

Q3. (John 15:26-27) What does it mean to “testify”? In what way does the Spirit testify about Jesus? Can you testify from personal knowledge about Jesus, or only the apostles who were eyewitnesses? It means to tell someone or speak of what you know about Jesus. The Spirit leads us into all truth about Jesus wherever we need counsel. We can testify because we also have personal knowledge of Christ. We are the eyewitnesses to what He did for us.

Q2. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13a) Why do we believe that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power, but a Person? What kinds of functions that we attribute to persons does the Holy Spirit do? Why is it so easy to refer to the Spirit as “it” rather than “Him”? We believe He is a Person because we can relate to Him and because He is part of the Trinity. He appoints, comforts, directs, corrects. I believe it is because we can not see Him.

Q1. (John 15:18-21a) Why are Christians persecuted even if they haven’t hurt others? What about a faithful Christian’s life threatens non-Christians? Why does Jesus warn his disciples that persecution will come? What happens to our testimony if we give in under mild persecution? What does it say to persecutors when we don’t react to their persecution? Do they see us as weak or as strong? As the Lord states if they hate me they will hate you as well also meaning because we are not of the world anymore we are no longer loved by them. Of course the Christian's actions and beliefs conflict the world's and the nonbeliever's. There is a reason behind it the God don't believe in is why. He warned of it because the world hated Him and would hate them as well. It would falter. It tells tells them that our faith in God is strong. Strong of course.

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege? The requirement for it is simple to obey His commandments and love Him. They hear everything that the Father is doing and it is made known to them. When we take it for granted we end up losing our reward in Heaven.

Q6. (John 15:9-11) How are obedience and joy linked? Is obedience an obstacle to a joyful relationship between you and the Lord? They are linked because when we obey we have unspeakable joy from Him. Yes it is because I am wondering when He will answer my prayers and give me the desires of my heart.

Q5. (John 15:7-8) The fruit from branches connected to a vine is the grape. What is the nature of the fruit that comes from being connected to Jesus? Is it accurate to define fruit as “souls saved”? What is the danger in this definition? The nature of the fruit is soul saved or people asking questions about your faith. It could be accurate however that is not the only thing involved. It is the way we live and the fruit of the spirit. The danger is that there is more to it.

Q4. (John 15:4-6) Unbelievers can do many things. So what does Jesus mean when he says, “Apart from me you can do nothing”? What is the value of things done without Christ? What is the final end of things done without Christ? As Isaiah said in the OT all our righteousness is filthy rags before the Lord meaning we cannot earn our salvation and apart from Him we can do nothing because God is the one gives us everything. The value is worthless. The final end is they are burnt up.

Q3. (John 15:4-5) What does it mean “to abide”? What is the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints? How do these verses support it? What does abiding have to do with “mutual indwelling,” of a “personal relationship”? How well are you abiding? To abide means obey and trust in Him completely. It means to abide in Jesus. They support it by we need to learn to abide in Jesus so we can bear fruit. Abiding means we have a personal relationship with the Lord.

Q2. (John 15:2b) How are we pruned or cleansed by exposure to and obedience to Jesus’ words? According to John 8:31-32, how does obeying Jesus’ teaching bring cleansing and freedom from sin? We are pruned and cleansed by exposure to and obedience to Jesus' Word by studying them and learning from them as well as clinging to Jesus during difficult situations. By choosing to study the Bible and know what the Lord wants from us we can obey Him more and love Him more readily and willingly obey Him.

Q1. (John 15:2) How does judicious pruning benefit a grapevine? What happens to productivity and health when a vine is left unpruned? What does God use to prune our lives? What does God use to prune our congregations? Why do we resist pruning? What can we do so that the eventual pruning isn’t as severe? It enables the vines to prouduce more fruit and get rid of the excess dirt. It stops growth and fruit happening. He can use anything to prune our lives from hardship to discipline. Usually a split. Because it is painful and hurts. We can yield more to His will.

Q5. (John 14:30-31a) How does Satan take advantage of our previous sins to control us or make us fearful? In verse 31, how does Jesus stay free from bondage to Satan? How can we free ourselves from bondage to Satan and fear of exposure? Satan takes advantage of our previous sins by pointing out them to us and telling us we are not good enough to be saved. For Jesus he was found sinless because he was God's son. The way we can be free of bondage and fear of exposure is by confession of sin.

Q4. (John 14:27) If it doesn’t mean cessation of conflict in our everyday lives, what then is the peace that Jesus offers us now? It means peace of mind through conflict and trust in God where no matter what you can trust in Him.

Q3. (John 14:25-26). What do we learn about the Paraclete in verses 25 and 26? Who is he? Why is his teaching/reminding role important to the apostles? Jesus is going to send the Holy Spirit to remind us of the things we should be doing and to guide us into all truth. It is the Holy Spirit. The role is important so they can remember what Jesus taught and did for us.

Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Obedience is linked to loving Christ through the fact that when you choose to obey His word; we learn to trust Him with all we have and we learn to love Him enough enough so we don't disobey Him. When He emphasizes it, He uses it to state that true obedience is when we love Him enough to obey Him. There is no way we can love Him and not obey.

Q1. (John 14:15-17) What do you think is the best way to describe the Paraklētos that Jesus sends? In what sense is the Holy Spirit “another” Paraclete? Who was the initial Paraclete? In what way can the Holy Spirit replace him? The best way to describe the Paraclete is that He is our counselor and guide for the life we live in Christ daily and that He also convicts us of sin as well. The Holy Spirit is another one in the fact that Jesus was the initial Paraclete or helper that God sent to the world so many years ago. The Holy Spirit replaces Him in the fact that He is always with us and will guide us and lead us into all truth.

Q6. (John 14:13-14) What does it mean to pray “in Jesus’ name”? What happens to prayers that are out of his will and purposes? Are there any practical limits to this promise of answered prayer. To pray " in Jesus name " means to be praying in His will and also we can ask anything of the Father and Jesus will give it to us as long as it is in His will. When they are not in His will and purposes; we will not glorify Him and we will get a no from Him. Yes, the prayers have to be in His will and purposes.

Q5. (John 14:8) What happens after Jesus’ “glorification” that enables believers to do greater things than Jesus? Is this promise limited to the apostles? Why are Christians today uncomfortable with this promise? What happened after His glorification was that the Holy Spirit came down and gave them the ability to speak in tongues they did not know. That also enabled them to be scattered abroad and express their faith to others who did not believe. This promise is not limited to the apostles; it is for everyone. I believe it is because some churches don't think it is viable or still occurs like it did in Bible times.

Q4. (John 14:1b, 6-11) In what sense is trusting Jesus the same as trusting God? How accurately does Jesus portray God’s actions and words? What does it mean that Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30)? When you trust Jesus; you are trusting God because He and Father are One. When he talks about God He does not stray from His character and the truth that He tells. Also He shows through His own actions what real forgiveness of sin is all about. When he forgave the adulteress he did not condemn her to death but chose to forgive her and told her to sin no more. He also healed the sick and raised the dead as well.

Q3. (John 14:6d) Is it intolerant to believe that no one comes to God except through Jesus? How does Jesus’ death and resurrection atone for the sins of the Old Testament saints? Why are some Christians uncomfortable with the statement that “No one comes to the Father but by me”? No absolutely not. Not when there are pastors of megachurches bowing down to Allah and saying that Allah is way to heaven. The only way to heaven has been and always will be Jesus. The people of this world must realize that there is a time coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That means there is no other way to heaven. The OT saints gave animal sacrifices for their sins like Job did. However when Jesus died he paid for their sins and ours and took them out of Abram's bosom. I believe they are uncomfortable with it because they feel people will frown upon it and tell them to get with the program and change their view point.

Q2. (John 14:6) In what sense is Jesus the Way to God? What does it mean to “follow Jesus”? In what sense is Jesus in himself God’s Truth? What are the implications of this for us and our world? In what sense is Jesus God’s Life? How does this affect us and those we speak to about him? Jesus is the way because He died for our sins on the cross of Calvary and was the only sacrifice that was sufficient enough to do it. It means to believe in Him and and His work on the cross and also be willing to do what He says and obey Him. Jesus is Truth because Jesus and God are one in the Trinity and they are truth. The implications for us is that we can follow Him and learn to lean upon Him and trust Him with everything we are dealing with instead of fighting against Him and make the world a better place. It causes us to speak up about Christ.

Q1. (John 14:2) What is the “Father’s House”? What does verse 2 tell us about what Jesus will do, and what is provided for us? How does that comfort us? The Father's House is Heaven where He prepares a place for us to be with Him. It states that He is preparing a place for us to stay and that He can look forward to it.

Q6. (John 13:35) In what sense is love for one another an indicator to all of our status (or lack of status) as Jesus’ disciples? Why do we sometimes avoid living in an intimate Christian community in favor of only a large-meeting expression of our faith? Why is it so difficult to love people in an intimate Christian community? How does your church or group measure up by the indicator of love for one another? How do you measure up? Love shows that we care for one another and love God as well. We are watching out for them by being willing to tell them about their sin. I believe one of the biggest reasons is fear of being left out and not fitting in or fear in general. I believe it is difficult to love each other in a Christian community because often people get offended or hurt by other Christians and that can make things difficult to love each other. We love each other as we should but they are some who are standoffish. I have a lot of work to do in that area yet.