Paul H

A good point Rod and something which I hadn't focussed on. This is the state God intended for us and for which we were created. That state was disrupted, but its restoration has been made possible by Christ on the cross.

Q1. (Colossians 1:20-22). What does

Q4. (Colossians 1:18) How should the assertion that Jesus is the

Q4. What exactly is faith? Faith is having the courage and stregth of conviction to place trust and reliance in something we cannot see. It is very difficult to take the first step, but as we step out the faith becomes easier and easier as we realise that God will not let us go. Can we take credit for having it? No. Without God we would not have the ability to take that first step. Taking the example of a child leaping into his or her father's arms and trusting that the father will catch them, the child will not make the leap if the father isn't standing there beneath them. So with God, although we can't see Him, He is there and it is that which inspires our leap of faith Can we be condemned for lacking it? Yes. We have to make the leap. Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand. Faith is like pushing off from the side of a swimming pool for the first time wearing arm bands. You know that without the arm bands you will sink, but can you put your trust in the arm bands to keep you afloat.

Q3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what were we created to do? Why? (Matthew 5:16) We were created to do good works, for the purpose, according to Matthew 5:16 of praising God. What is the difference between these works and the works Paul discredits in verse 9? As I see it, the good works which James is talking about are a fruit of our faith, they flow from and are a natural consequence of our faith rather than the works which Paul is talking about. The works which Paul is discrediting are an end in themselves - follow these rules and it doesn't matter what else you believe and irrespective of whether you have faith, you will be saved. I liked Pastor Ralph's refernce to Abraham in this. In Abraham we see absolute faith which gives rise to action. That is what both Paul and James are talking about.

Q2. "Saved" has become Christian jargon. How can you "translate" this word into modern speech so people can understand what it really means and why they need it? Rescued is a more modern way of describing it because it carries with it the implication of being removed from an impossible situation which the rescuee had no hope of getting out of on their own. For me, its not so much that saved has Christian overtones, it is that it is what a goalkeeper does or doesn't do in football (soccer)!!

Q1. Why is it so hard for us to understand grace? Because as humans we so rarely give without expecting to get anything in return. Pastor Ralph's example of the manipulative parents in the run up to Christmas is a sad one, but probably true. What commonly held life principle does it demolish? You get what you deserve, you reap what you sow. Translate the word "grace" into language a 10-year-old child would understand. I can't better what Poetmom came up with on 2nd March so I will repeat it: For a ten-year-old: "Let's go out for ice cream." "Why?" "Just because."

Hi Marloes My understanding is that the purpose of the angels is simply to glorify God. It is true that on occasions (eg Gabriel to Mary) they deliver messages from God to humans, but their purpose is simply to glorify God and we glorify God along with them. I don't think that they are there to guide us or inspire us, that is what the Holy Spirit was sent for. In Christ Paul

Q3. (Colossians 1:16)

Q2. (Colossians 1:15b-17) What does

Q1. (Colossians 1:15a, 19) The great understanding of Judaism was that God is spirit, not physical. That he is invisible. Any idol that tries to depict him is blasphemous. So what is the significance of the statement that Jesus is

Q5. (Colossians 1:13-14) What are the two qualities mentioned in verse 14 that characterize the

Q4. (Colossians 1:12-13) What are the three or four action verbs in verses 12 and 13 that paint a picture of salvation? We are qualified or enabled to share in the Kingdom of light because we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought or transferred to the kingdom of Christ, which is the kingdom of light. Who performs the action? Who is it performed on? God, through Christ, on all who believe in Him. In what way were we “qualified/enabled/made meet”? We are qualified through God's grace and through God's grace alone. Nothing which we could have done on our own could have qualified us for this inheritence In what way were we “rescued” or “delivered”? We are rescued like a drowning man might be rescued by being pulled from a raging sea. A few years ago, we had a very bad flood in the place where I live and in places the water was 12 feet deep in peoples houses. A rescue helecopter came and winched people to safety, some from the roof of their house. This winching to safety is the image which I have for this rescue which God has performed for me.

Q3. (Colossians 1:12-13) Why does Paul use the terms darkness and light to portray his readers past and future? Because they, and we, have been brought from the darkness of our past existence into light through our belief in Christ. This fundamantal transition from darkness into light is a key part of the faith of Paul's readers, both then in Colossae, and now. Why does he remind them where they came from? Because there is always a danger of sliding back into the dark. Darkness is the default setting of humans and without Christ it is where we would stay and to where we would return. It is therefore necessary to keep Christ as the centre of our lives to remain fully in the light. What is

Q2. (Colossians 1:9-12a) What are the elements of Paul

Q1. (Colossians 1:5-6) Paul glorifies the gospel, the good news. What words does he use to describe the action of the gospel in verses 5 and 6? He describes it as the word of truth, bearing fruit and growing Given the temptation the recipients have to adopt another religious philosophy, why do you think he reminds them of the world scope of the gospel

Q4. (Ephesians 2:6) What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms"? To me this comes back to me already being a co-heir with Christ and in Christ. Christ is already seated at the right hand of God in Heaven, so as a part of Christ, in spirit, spiritually, I am with Christ and He is with me. What does this say about God's grace? Well, I have certainly done nothing to earn this unbelievably privileged position, but through God's infinite grace, this has been given to me as a gift. What does this say about our spiritual authority? How should this knowledge affect our prayers and our boldness? Our authority is the same authority as Christ's. Jesus tells this to His disciples several times in the Gospels, we just have to believe that the authority is ours and it is. In the end, as Jesus said, it comes down to faith. If I have faith I can move mountains and act with the same authority as Jesus. I should pray with that confidence.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:4-5) In verses 4 and 5, which words describe God's motivation and character? Loving, rich in mercy and gracious. Which verbs describe what has happened to us in Christ? We are made alive in Christ and are saved

Q2. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Few people would knowingly follow Satan. How can people unwittingly follow Satan? In what sense are we responsible for unwitting rebellion against God? How can God, in all fairness, blame us? Most people actually don't believe in Satan, so it is not a question of them deciding to follow Satan (that is for the Satanists - and they do exist)it is a question of them thinking that they are taking their own decisions and following the culture of the World. The trouble is that Satan is responsible for much of that culture and, left to our own devices, we will follow in the way of Satan because, since Adam's fall, that has been our default setting. There is a way out and the way is shown by Jesus, but we can choose to ignore it and therein lies the rebellion. Sometimes it is witting, sometimes unwitting, but rebellion nevertheless. By choosing to ignore the way out though, we bring down blame on ourselves and we follow Satan (one cannot serve 2 masters).

Q1. (Ephesians 2:1-3) In what sense are our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives "dead"? They are cut off from God, and therefore spiritually dead. This is a much worse position to be in than being physically dead because when someone is spritually dead, that is a condition which exists for eternity. They will be cut off from God for eternity. What's the difference between us and them? We are alive in God through Jesus. Whatever happens to our physical bodies, which will, unless Christ returns first, eventually die, we will remain alive spiritually forever. If we really believed that they were "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," what would we do? We have to tell them. It is our obligation as a friend, relative, neighbour or simply as a fellow human.

I really can't add anything to what Pickledilly said on the first page of postings on this subject back in 2006, which I think sums up the issues perfectly. The main thing is though, as Paul makes clear, Jesus has already won victory for us in this warfare and all we need to do is to accept that victory.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:18d) Why are we powerless sometimes? Is it an inadequacy with the source or with our faith? Jesus made the position quite clear to His disciples about what power they would have through faith, but it was faith which was the key. With faith He told them they would be able to move mountains. This applies equally to us at it applied to the disciples and God has not changed, so clearly, it is faith which is lacking. Why do some congregations and movements produce disciples with miracle-believing faith and others produce disciples with wimpy faith? How can this be changed? I suppose that it is a question of teaching, although why some movements/ congregations don't teach this miracle believing faith, I don't know. If you read what Jesus and the Apostles taught and did, it should be clear that this miracle working power which they exercised should still be there for us today (as I say above, God has not changed). What it comes down to, I think is that people pray for things to happen, and if they don't, then they see the reason as being that miracles don't happen. This though is a very difficult question to answer when faced by someone who has prayed fervently that, for example, a loved one will be healed of some disease and they haven't and it is a question which I am still not able to answer. I do believe in miracles (I have seen them happen in my own life). However, they don't always happen. Why? I don't know!!

Q2. (Ephesians 1:18c) If you knew that in a few years you would inherit $10 million, would it affect your life now? I suppose that I would be less concerned about storing things up now. I wouldn't need to be concerned about making provision for the future and all I would need to concern myself with would be ensuring that the inheritacne wouldn't go away. How should our expectation of an inheritance in God's presence temper our present-day concerns? It puts them into perspective. They don't go away, but they become manageable because ultimately they are insignificant. Since this inheritance will be shared with "the saints" -- our Christian family -- how should that affect our fellowship with them? We cannot share something with anyone if we don't communicate with them. In fact I would go so far as to say that without fellowship with my Christian family, I cannot share my inheritance with them or share in their inheritance, and I will be much poorer for it.

Q1. (Ephesians 1:18b) What do we Christians have to look forward to? We have the certainty of spending eternity in God's presence as co-heirs with Jesus How should this hope be a major motivation in our present-day lives? It should be the focus of our lives. Our lives here are merely transitory, a means to an end which is eternity with God How should this hope affect our decisions and our lifestyle? To have the hope in the first place, we have to believe in Jesus and having done that dedeicate our lives here on earth to serving Him and to living our lives in a righteous way. We must also keep our eyes open to Christ and to this hope. I have heard this hope described as "pie in the sky when you die" but it has to be more than that. It is more than that, it is this certainty which Paul is describing and upon which all our faith is founded. How does our great hope differ from the hope of the average non-believer? Non-believers in reality have no hope. For sure they have hopes for tomorrow being better than today. Maybe I will win the lottery, maybe I will get a promotion, maybe my football team will win the Premier League, but when it comes down to what really matters and to eternity, they have no hope.

Q4. (1:13-14) These verses contain two analogies: (1) seal and (2) downpayment, with the balance to be paid in a lump sum at the end of the term. When does the "end of the term" occur? It occurs when we meet God face to face. Then we will see the full glory of God and the redemption will be complete. How do these analogies help explain how the Holy Spirit functions in our lives? The Holy Spirit has been sent to us as a guarantee of our future inheritence and as a glimpse of what we one day will be when the redemption is complete and we stand in God's presence.