Commissioned

Q2. "Save" and "Savior" are used so much in Christian circles that they have become almost jargon words that we don't even think about. What are synonyms for "save" and "Savior"? Synonyms for "save" are redeem, deliver and rescue; and the synonyms for "Savior" are redeemer, deliverer, rescuer. What does a "Savior" actually do to earn the name? A "Savior" rescues one from a dangerous plight.

Q1. What was the responsibility of the next of kin to someone in his family who was in trouble? The next of kin to someone in his family who was in trouble was responsible for getting the person out of trouble. In some instance this may have been financially and in others it may have involved fighting for their freedom. How did Jesus play the role of Kinsman-Redeemer for us? For us, Jesus play the role of Kinsman-Redeemer as He paid the price to redeem us from the curse of the law. What does this say about God's love? It says that God loves us so much that He has given His only Son to be our Kinsman-Redeemer. What does this say about our worth? It says that God considers us His sons and daughters, to be protected from the power of sin.

Q4. (1 Peter 5:10) How has God shown his grace to you and your family? God has answered innumerable prayers for my family, chief among them is saving the souls of many. Why do you think Peter describes him as the God of All Grace? Grace is that quality of giving freely to a person or a people out of one's own favor, not based on anything deserving about the recipient. When you consider that man requires the Grace of God to forgive so many infractions it is fitting to say, "the God of All Grace."

Q3. How does God's steadfast love in the Old Testament relate to his mission of love in John 3:16? In the Old Testament, God's steadfast love gave the children of Isreal a way of forgiveness for their sins, by the sacrifice of animals. Jesus' mission of love was a continuance of that steadfast love, his death on the cross took care of the sins of man once and for all. Now man has only to ask and be forgiven.

Q2. What does faithfulness have to do with trustworthiness and keeping one's word? One who is not faithful cannot be considered trustworthy and cannot be relied upon to keep his word. What does the Faithful God inspire in you? The Faithful God says to me that everything that He says in His Word is true and that I can have the confidence that my dependency upon Him is as solid as gold. Why must faithfulness be part of our character as believers? As believers we are to pattern our self after God and His character. He is faithful, and we also should strive to be faithful.

Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness because of the innumerable sins that they committed. If He did not forgive them and judged them based on their sins there wouldn't have been many who would have entered into the promised land. Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? Initially, they were but, even after the Lord made a covenant with Israel as time went by they continued to be a stiffed neck people who eventually sought to have a King as other nations. What is so amazing about God's forgiveness? The amazing thing about God's forgiveness is that once a sin has been forgiven, it is forgotten. God remembers it no more.

Q5. What do we miss in our understanding of God if we remove the metaphor of Father and Son from our church vocabulary? If we remove the metaphor of Father and Son from our church vocabulary we'd miss that fact that God has established the fact that though He is genderless, in man's referral to Him we are to see Him as the one who rules and protects. The female is refered to as the weaker vessel in 1 Peter. Who would want God to be referred to in this light? "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." 1 Peter 3:7 (KJV) Which feminine metaphors of God especially help you understand God's nature? Jesus comparing himself to a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings (Luke 13:34 and Matthew 23:37). He is portrayed as a warm, tender, loving, protective parent who shields her offspings from harm and danger.

Q4. In what sense was God the Husband of Israel? God was Husband of Israel in the sense that He called her His bride. "'Return, faithless people,' declares the LORD, 'for I am your husband." (NIV, Jeremiah 3:14a. KJV "I am married to you.") What is the New Testament extension of this metaphor? The New Testament extension of the metaphor is that the Church is called the Bride of Christ. Revelation, on the return of Our Lord: " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." Revelation 19:7 (KJV) What causes God to be jealous? God is jealous when His people commit idolatry.

Q3. In what sense are Jesus and the Father one? Jesus and the Father are one, in the sense that He is God and Father, revealed to us through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul showed this in his writings to the Corinthian Christians when he said: "For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (1 Corinthians 8:6). Jesus, Himself told the disciple Philip, "'...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.'" (John 14:6-10) In what way was Jesus distinct from the Father? Jesus was distinct from the Father in that in order for anyone to get to the Father they must first come through Jesus. Is Jesus God in the sense that the Father is God? Jesus is God the Son. He told the disciples to make more disciples in the name of both the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are distinct but one. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...." (Matthew 28:19)

Q4. (Ephesians 5:32) In what sense is Christ our Husband as individuals? As a church? What are the implications of this for our lives? What does this say about Christ's responsibilities towards us? Christ is our Husband as individuals in the sense that He is Head of the Church, and as individuals we are the Church. So that in our submission to Him we are trusting that He will take care of and provide for us in our daily living.

Q3. (Ephesians 5:28) In what sense is a husband's care for his wife's needs just common sense in taking care of his own needs? What is the principle from Genesis 2:24 that underlies this? Genesis 2:24 (KJV) says: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. It is only common sense that a normal man will not mistreat himself. Since his wife is one with the husband, as he treats her so he's treating himself. So that when he takes care of her needs he is doing the same for himself. The two are one.

Q2. (Ephesians 5:25-30) Does being head of the wife involve being "boss"? Why or why not? What does being "head" require of a husband? What is the example husbands are to follow in headship? Being head of the wife does not involve being "boss". God did not give to the husband a position of "boss," not over the wife. To the husband, he is required to be the "head" of the wife as Christ is the "head" of the Church. Christ's position as "head" of the Church is the example that husbands are to follow in headship. For most husbands this is a hard pattern to follow but if they are to follow in the will of God they are to treat their wife as God would have them, putting aside self and loving their wife in all her imperfections. The husband is to be source, praying for her strength; provider, seeing to it that the she has the necessities to be a good wife and mother; sustainer, ensuring that the home is maintained and bills are taken care of; source of unity, keeping the bond of peace in the marriage and keeping the family together; source of growth, ensuring that the wife and family grows spiritually and that they are equipped to meet the demands of every day living. The husband love for his wife is to match Christ's love for his church. His service to his wife is to match Christ's giving up himself for his church.

Q1. (Ephesians 5:22-24) Why should a wife submit to her husband? A wife should submit herself to her husband because she is instructed to do so as she would to the Lord. The husband's position to her is the same as Christ's to His Church. According to these verses, to what degree is a wife required to submit to a husband who is not a Christian or who is a carnal Christian? A wife is required to submit to her husband in everything. But to a husband who is a non-Christian or one who is carnal, her first responsibility is to her God. If her husband requires of her something that goes against her conscience or is blatantly immoral she should respectfully decline and state her reasons so as to be a good witness to the Word of God. Does submission mean a wife doesn't verbally disagree? No, submission does not mean that a wife should not verbally disagree with her husband. In instances where the wife has privileged knowledge on the issue the husband should defer to his wife for guidance in that instance. When a wife can use her knowledge to make her husband look good she should do so respectfully and the husband should accept it humbly so that both esteem the other. What if there's a conflict with the wife's conscience? If there's a conflict with the wife's conscience she should recognize this and prayerfully submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Q4. (Ephesians 5:19-20) What kind of attitude should underlie our corporate singing? Our corporate singing should be underlied with thankfulness. All coming together to give God praise and thank Him for His grace and mercy. How is corporate singing designed to help us singers? How is it designed to worship God? It is designed to help us share in the experience of true worship. Even though we sing corporately, we can still worship God from our heart, as a true worshipper. How does singing in your own daily life help you worship? When we sing in our own daily life we give praise and honor to a holy God, mindful of giving praise to a God who is worthy of our praise.

Q3. (Ephesians 5:17-18) What is the primary temptation involved with drugs and alcohol? The primary temptation involved with drugs and alcohol is to get "high." Users of drugs and alcohol take these to escape reality. They put themselves in a false sense of paradise where all is well with their world only to come down and face the fact that the problems are still with them. How can drug or alcohol use substitute for the "high" of the Spirit? Drug or alcohol can never be a substitute for the "high" of the Holy Spirit. However the "high" of the Holy Spirit can be the substitute for the "high" of drugs and alcohol. How can being filled with the Spirit help us fend off the temptations of drugs and alcohol? Being filled with the Spirit help us fend off the temptations of drugs and alcohol by giving us the strength to resist and breaking the yoke of the bondage to the drug.

Q2. (Ephesians 5:15-16) Why does Paul exhort us to make the most of every opportunity? Every opportunity is a moment to walk in obedience to the Will of God. Why do we resist that? Our resistance come because we sometimes miss the moment, we don't see an opportunity and it just escapes us. Then there are times when the opportunity is there and we wait for someone else to step in and do what we were supposed to do. There are also times when out of fear we allow a moment to pass by without us seizing the opportunity. What must happen in our lives so we can be ready for the opportunity? To be ready for opportunities, we must spent time in the Word of God, spend time with God and spend time with the people of God. Then when the opportunities come we'd be ready. Ready because we've leard thru the Word and in spending time with God, to trust that He will enable us to accomplish the plans that he have for us.

Q1. (Ephesians 5:2-3) Why does Paul warn so strongly against sexual sin? The Apostle Paul strongly warned against sexual sin because clearly it is against God's order. It is breaking the commandment and moral laws set by God. In his writings to the Corinthian church Paul said that it is a sin against the body. "Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." 1 Corinthians 6:13b-18 (KJV) And it is a sin against the temple of God. When we became Christians, born again, our body became the temple of God. Our body is not our own and the works done in the body, as a child of God must be works that bring glory to God. Sexual sin does not bring glory to God. It is a sin that God hates. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (KJV) Is sexuality part of our spiritual life or can it be (should it be) partitioned from our spiritual life? When one participates in sexual activities within the bonds of marriage, it can be a part of our spiritual life as it is a gift from God for the marriage, and as He instructed Adam and Eve it can be used for both pleasure and to populate the earth as you become fruitful and multiply.

Q2. How was the intimate way that Jesus taught his disciples about God as "Abba" and "Father" different from the Jews' understanding of God as Father? Jesus taught His disciples to see God as "Abba" and "Father" in an intimate way. As "Abba" they see God as a child sees a loving father with a close relationship; whereas the Jews saw Him as a distant diety who lays down commandments and metes out punishments, a God to be revered but never in similarity to a earthly father. How does God as Abba influence your relationship with him? As Abba my relationship with God is one of intimacy. I can approach Him with confidence and know that He will accept me when I come.

Q1. What does the concept of "father" teach us about God, especially the formal way which the word is used in the Old Testament? In the Old Testament the concept of "father" conveys the message that God is the source of our being. Father, creator, cause. As in the physical our earthly biological father's seed cause our conception here on earth; so Our Heavenly Father, Creator is the cause of our existence even before conception. The concept of "father" teaches us that Father God is our Head and to Him we ascribe all respect, glory, reverence. According to the quote from Otfried Hofius, which two aspects of a father underlie our understanding of Father in the Old Testament? According to the quote from Otfried Hofius, the two aspects of a father which underlie our understanding of Father in the Old Testament is the fact that a father rules as head of his household and he is the person to whom most respect is due, having absolute authority over his family. Also, he has the responsibility of guarding, supporting, and helping the other members. The same applies to Father God. Father God indeed rules as Head of the universe and all respect and honor is due Him. As Father, God takes care of His children. How should they affect our behavior? As children we look to our father as the one person who can answer all of our questions, provide for all of our needs, food, sheltered etc. When it comes to our Heavenly Father we must not forget that it is He who enables our earthly father to provide for us and as our Heavenly Father He provides all that our earthly father provides and more. Don't be hesitant in asking Him. As He says in His Word, "Ask and it shall be given..."

Q4. (Ephesians 4:32) Why is it so difficult to forgive those who hurt us? It so difficult to forgive those who hurt us, because we want the other person to feel the pain too, emotionally. And again, we don't forgive because we don't think they are sorry for what they have done or we don't think they deserve to be forgiven. But the bottom line is, misunderstanding forgiveness. According to Ephesians 4:32, who is our example of forgiveness? We are to forgive just as God forgave us in Christ. What heart attitudes toward people are evidence of a forgiving spirit, according to verse 32a? A forgiving spirit comes from a person with a kind and compassionate heart.

Q3. (Ephesians 4:29-32) What kind of "unwholesome talk" is common among us Christians? Among Christians gossip can be considered as "unwholesome talk" since it neither edify, build up nor encourages the hearer. It comes out as a "let's pray about it" matter. But all along the subject person is seen in a belittering way. What three guidelines does Paul give us to measure the value of what we say? The guidelines that the Apostle Paul gave to measure the value of what we say are as follows: 1) Is it helpful for building others up? 2) Is it according to the hearer's needs? 3) Is it beneficial to the hearer? What is slander? Slander is discrediting someone for the sole purpose of lowering their status in the view of the hearer. How common is it among Christians? This can become very common among Christians as people put others down and don't give credit where it is due for a job well done. Also, when jealousy creep in, you find people speaking unkindly about another person with the hopes of gaining the hearer as an ally. How can we prevent it? We can prevent it by obeying Christ commands to "love" each other and to treat them as we ourselves want to be treated.

Q4. Meditate on the concept of God as a Spring of Living Water or a Fountain of Living Water for you. What does this say about God? About your thirst? About your future? It says that God is a eternal, He is constant , always is and forever will be. As Spring and Fountain of Living Water, He is the source of life itself and the sustainer of life. God provides sustenance for our daily living. Whereever there is a need, a thirst, He is there to provide. As a constant, eternal God, He was and is and is to come; God will be there for us in the future as He has been in the past and as He is providing for us today.

Q3. Why do we sometimes resist calling on God to be our Helper? Why do we try to do it ourself first? We sometimes forget who God is. The immensity of His omnipotence escapes us and we fail to completely put our trust in Him. So, we attempt to do things on our own because we think that we can do it and then when it does not work out, then, we turn to Him for help. What is required of us if God is to be a Helper and Shepherd to us? If God is to be our Helper and Shepherd we must put our TRUST in Him. Not mere words, but in everything trust Him. In the small things trust Him, in the not so small thing trust Him. Even when we think that we have the ability to do something we should still seek God's will and empowerment so that His plans are done in us.

Q2. (Psalm 23) Can you remember any times when God has cared for you as a Shepherd -- in times of blessing and in times of trouble? What are you facing right now where you realize your need to rely on God as your Shepherd? I must say that God, as Shepherd, has cared for me all my life at all times; whether they were times of blessings or times of trouble - He was there. I see His hand in every phase of my development, in situations that I faced personally, that of my family members, my church family, my country, indeed everywhere. Caring is His character, as is love, mercy, grace; He is the Shepherd of our soul. I am assured that He will never leave me nor forsake me, I'm His child and He loves to care for me. I pray that we would all walk in the Father's Will and realize the power of sweet fellowship in the presence of God. At this point in my life I am trusting God to strengthen my spiritual zealousness for a more powerful ministry. As this year looms ahead I am asking God to do great and powerful things in me and in the Body of Christ.

Q1. (Genesis 22:1-14) Do you think Abraham was really expecting God to provide a sacrifice, or that was just what he told Isaac? What support do you have for your position? I truly believe that Abraham believed that God was going to provide a sacrifice. God had already told him that his seed will be great. And Abraham believed God. At this point in his life the promise was yet to unfold. "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Genesis 15:5-6 (KJV) Did you ever receive a last-minute provision from God? There are numerous occasions that I can recall God moving on my behalf at the last minute. Two days ago I prayed to God for a thing and within minutes the prayer was answered. And as quickly as He answered, it was in "last-minutes." In what circumstances can we expect God to supply our needs? Any conditions? When we ask according to His will we can be confident that He will hear and answer. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." 1 John 5:14-15 (KJV)