Craig

Q2. (3:15-16) Why is it so hard for us to be a witness when we're persecuted? Why is it easy in tough places to be the wrong kind of witness? Which one of Peter's four instructions do you find most needed in your particular situation? It can be hard to witness when we're persecuted because it is painful and uncomfortable. It throws us off balance and it is difficult to stay focused and maintain self-control. Persecution can cause confusion and doubt. That is why it is important to stay focused in Christ and let the Holy Spirit work in all of our various situations. Pray without ceasing prepares us for the rough moments. I stay the course in Christ.

Q1. (3:8-9) Which of the qualities Peter mentions in 3:8-9 are most evident in your congregation? Which are most needed? What can you and your friends do to change the relational climate at your Church so it is more Christ-like? I have found in all the churches I have attended through the years that very few congregation members practice the qualities Peter mentions in the above verses. Most behave in the opposite. People nod amen in church on Sundays and do the opposite or are careless as to their Christianity and associated ethics/behavior outside the church. Most church attenders need to get saved and permit the Holy Spirit to operate in their lives and put into practice God's Word. That would change the climate of most churches.

Q4. (1:26-27) Why does James make taming the tongue and caring for the poor the prime tests of pure religion? Why not the quality of our quiet time or worship? The tongue can cause much damage when not checked and brought under self-control. The tongue can undo years of ministry, relationships, a person's witness, etc. when not controlled in a moment. The tongue can crush, damage, and injure other people easily. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Self-control indicates clearly where a person is in their spiritual development and relationship with God and others. While suffering during Jesus' trial, punishment, and crucifixation he never deceived His enemies; he didn't threaten; he didn't retaliate; he trusted His Father. See 1 Peter 2:21-25. In other words Jesus set an example of self-control for us in glorifying God and not giving into anger and revenge. Caring for the poor reveals the heart of the Christian because the poor have nothing material to return to us for our care. There is nothing materially in it for us but love and service to God and others. Those that love God and want to serve Him will control their mouth and serve those in need regardless of economic status or age. The quality of our quiet time or worship is between us and God and giving our time and resources to another person(s) is an entirely different matter to many.

Q4. (1:26-27) Why does James make taming the tongue and caring for the poor the prime tests of pure religion? Why not the quality of our quiet time or worship? The tongue can cause much damage when not checked and brought under self-control. The tongue can undo years of ministry, relationships, a person's witness, etc. when not controlled in a moment. The tongue can crush, damage, and injure other people easily. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Self-control indicates clearly where a person is in their spiritual development and relationship with God and others. While suffering during Jesus' trial, punishment, and crucifixation he never deceived His enemies; he didn't threaten; he didn't retaliate; he trusted His Father. See 1 Peter 2:21-25. In other words Jesus set an example of self-control for us in glorifying God and not giving into anger and revenge. Caring for the poor reveals the heart of the Christian because the poor have nothing material to return to us for our care. There is nothing materially in it for us but love and service to God and others. Those that love God and want to serve Him will control their mouth and serve those in need regardless of economic status or age. The quality of our quiet time or worship is between us and God and giving our time and resources to another person(s) is an entirely different matter to many.

Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The "perfect law" that James mentions is the law of love. Loving your neighbor, the royal law, sums up the law (see Matt. 26:36-40). It is Christ's love (Eph. 3:17-19), which frees us from our sins to truly love others. See John 8:36-38 and Gal. 5:13. Jesus frees us from ourselves and sin to live freely in the service and love of God and others.

Q2. (1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception? We tend to confuse listening with doing. We listen rather than act and think we are acting by listening. That truly is self-deception. The nature of the self-deception is not submitting our will to the will of God. God's Word challenges us, even commands us to act. Most Christians don't want to act. They are lazy and complacent. That is the problem with many of our churches. So they listen and pretend they are living out God's Word. James said "do it" and stop deceiving yourselves. An additional thought: this is a problem within many Christian homes. Parents take their children to church. They hear and are taught the Word of God, but the parents don't live it out at home.

Q1. (1:18) In what sense are we given spiritual birth by the "word of truth"? What does spiritual life have to do with the Word? The 'word of truth" informs us of our need for spiritual birth and how to obtain that birth through Jesus Christ. The "word of truth" renews our mind and changes our views and attitudes from a worldly or fleshly perspective to a Godly perspective. So you say that the when a person reads and receives scripture with an open mind and heart it births within that person a spiritual view of life. A person then becomes enlightened and aware of spiritual things. God gave His Word through Holy Men that the world might be informed of who His, who we are, and how we can have a relationship with Him. In fact, through His Word God has informed us of the nature of this world and why we need Him.

Q4. (2 Peter 2:20-22) If open sin is so spiritually dangerous, why have we churches stopped talking about it so much? There is so much sin going on within the church that nobody wants to talk about it because of the fear they might be exposed as hypocrites. Sin causes one to be drained of righteous authority and power. How can someone speak of holiness and sin when they are engaged in a sinful life style? Many go to church and appear to be good Christians but live a life to the contrary when away from church. These people have no authority. Therein lies the problem of sin in church and why many church people don't talk about sin.

Q3. (2 Peter 2:19) In what way can flagrant, defiant sin enslave a person? Is there any way out of these sins? If so, what is the path? How can we truly love the sinner and hate the sin? How can we steer clear of a quick judgmental attitude toward those who sin? Flagrant, defiant sin over time can/will become habitual and then when one wants to walk away they find they cannot. The only way out is through a willingness to submit one's will to the will of God and allow the Holy Spirit to free one from there sin. You can love people, as people we should, but hate sinful behavior. This applies to ourselves as well. We can steer clear of judgmental attitudes by remembering that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Additionally, every last one of us struggles with issues/sin in our lives. All human-beings benefit by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, especially those who believe and accept Jesus. The Scripture teaches us to walk humility with our God, not arrogant or self-righteous.

Q2. (Jude 4) In what way does sexual sin deny Christ? If Paul is right in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, that persistent sexual sin is incompatible with salvation, why have we Christians become so complacent about it in our culture? Sexual sin is selfishness and violates the standards of God. Persistent sexual sin denies the complete transformation of the Christian into a Christ-like human-being. Because of the saturation of sexuality and sensuality in our culture, Christians have become desensitized to it. Thus a complacency has set in.

Q1. (Jude 3) Why must we "contend for the faith"? What is the danger in not challenging the doctrines of false teachers? What is the danger inherent in challenging them? How can we keep the correct balance? We must content for the faith so that the faith remains as the Apostles passed it from Jesus Christ to us down through the ages. Anything that adds or detracts from the Gospel of Jesus Christ makes it another gospel. Paul was really adamant about that in his Letter to the Galatians. The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, preserve that account. The danger in not challenging the doctrines of false teachers is allowing false teaching to go unchallenged. Challenging forces all parties concerned to defeat and explain their beliefs or worldview openly for all to hear. The danger inherent in challenging false teachers is that you could be accused of having a mean spirit or that you are intolerant, etc. The correct balance would be in presenting the gospel in truth and love and letting the chips fall out as they may. We are the messengers. You cannot truly force people to believe what they have no intention in believing. Those that are truly looking for the truth will listen and consider what you are presenting. The problem with getting hostile or argumentative in discussing Biblical truth is that the truth is lost in who is right and who is wrong. Sow the truth and the rest is up to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Q4. (2 Timothy 3:16) If Scripture is "breathed" by God, how can it help us draw close to God? Why do you think God's Spirit (pneuma, "breath, wind") so important in helping us understand Scripture? It underlines the point that God interacts with human-beings in an intimate way to carry out His will on this planet. The Holy Spirit enlightens the dark/worldly mind to understand spiritual things. The things of God. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person there is no enlightenment or understanding. The satanic world system overwhelms people and boxes them into a dark paradigm. As Paul taught, where the Spirit of God is there is freedom.

Q4. (2 Timothy 3:16) If Scripture is "breathed" by God, how can it help us draw close to God? Why do you think God's Spirit (pneuma, "breath, wind") so important in helping us understand Scripture? It underlines the point that God interacts with human-beings in an intimate way to carry out His will on this planet. The Holy Spirit enlightens the dark/worldly mind to understand spiritual things. The things of God. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person there is no enlightenment or understanding. The satanic world system overwhelms people and boxes them into a dark paradigm. As Paul taught, where the Spirit of God is there is freedom.

Q3. (2 Peter 1:20-21) How can a person be speaking and God be speaking, too? How does the image of a ship being moved by the wind help you understand this? (Greek pneuma means "spirit" and "wind.") Just as the winds drives a ship through the water, the Holy Spirit enlightens, inspires, and guides a person to speak, to write, and to act according to the Will of God.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:19). In what ways do the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments act for you as "a light shining in a dark place"? What does the darkness represent? What does the light represent? The Psalmist says it best: "Your Word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." Ps. 119:105 The Psalmist describes God's Word as a guide for living. God's Word is light. Particularly in a dark world or a dark place. God's light is understanding in a dark world where there is no real understanding.

Q1. (2 Peter 1:13-15) Why does our culture avoid talking about death? How is describing your earthly body as a "tent" freeing and motivating? What is the significance of Peter referring to his death as a "departure" or "exodus"? By and large or society avoids talking about death because this earthly life is everything they have. Our culture promotes materialism and secularism and death and the grave is the end. There is no hope beyond the grave in popular culture. So life is everything and death is something people do not want to think about and are terrified of. In Peter describing our earthly bodies as tents reminds us that our existence in this world is temporarily and we should be motivated to develop our spiritual lives and relationship to God for the immediate future and eternity. We should be preparing ourselves for eternity with God. Our eyes should be on the long view in living in the now. Each day is another opportunity for development and preparation for our own departure from this life. Like Peter. believers, will depart this world like Moses and the Israelites departing Egypt for the Promised Land. From earth to Heaven we will fly away. From slavery to freedom.

Q5. (3:7) How can treating one's wife wrongly hinder a husband's prayers. How can treating a husband wrongly hinder a wife's prayers? Sin creates in our lives a problem with God hearing our prayers. When husbands and wives knowingly treat each other in ways that violate God's instruction in regards to martial relationships is sin. God doesn't honor those who don't honor Him. He doesn't bless those who knowingly ignore His instructions and standards. I think we when set ourselves up to be gods He lets us handle things in our lives. When we don what we want and disregard God we set ourselves up to be demi-gods. Why do we need God when we want to do whatsoever we want to do? If we place ourselves in Gods position and see through His eyes everything makes sense in lack of blessings from God. If we want God's participation and blessings in our lives we must make and let God be God in our lives.

Q5. (3:7) How can treating one's wife wrongly hinder a husband's prayers. How can treating a husband wrongly hinder a wife's prayers? Sin creates in our lives a problem with God hearing our prayers. When husbands and wives knowingly treat each other in ways that violate God's instruction in regards to martial relationships is sin. God doesn't honor those who don't honor Him. He doesn't bless those who knowingly ignore His instructions and standards. I think we when set ourselves up to be gods He lets us handle things in our lives. When we don what we want and disregard God we set ourselves up to be demi-gods. Why do we need God when we want to do whatsoever we want to do? If we place ourselves in Gods position and see through His eyes everything makes sense in lack of blessings from God. If we want God's participation and blessings in our lives we must make and let God be God in our lives.

Q4. (3:7) Why should a husband relate to his wife with knowledge and wisdom? In what way does this demonstrate love? In what way does this demonstrate self-interest? Why do men sometimes try to dominate their wives? Why do wives sometimes try to dominate their husbands? What harm does this do? How is domination of another person contrary to God's nature? First a husband should relate to his wife with knowledge and wisdom to honor God and then to honor his wife. A knowledge and wisdom that places his wife before himself and her well-being before his well-being. This demonstrates love because that is what love is all about unselfishly placing the well-being of others before ourselves. Men sometimes try to dominate their wives out of selfishness -- they want their own way. This behavior dishonors God, dishonors wives; and destroys relationships. God's nature is about love and the well-being of His creation. When we don't operate this way we are living contrary to God's nature.

Q3. (3:4-6) How does a person cultivate inner beauty? How does one gain character? Why is true character so important and precious to God? How can character help a Christian woman win and hang onto her husband? A person cultivates inner beauty through daily prayer, Bible study, praise and worship, service, and applying Biblical principles learned into one's life. True Godly character is important because it is real and authentic and honors God. There is no self-deception or otherwise involved. Authentic Christian character filled with love (and all that implies), is a powerful force in maintaining healthy relationships of all kinds. Read I Cor. 13.

Q2. (3:3) Why should women try to look their best? How can trying to look their best divert women from what is more important? What is the balance? Women should try and look their best to reflect well on God, their husbands, and family. Women should spend more time in developing their inner character than attempting to make themselves look beautiful. The balance lies in giving attention and care to spirit, soul, and body that it scripturally required.

Q1. (3:1) Why is submission so difficult for us humans? Does submission require you to be silent when you don't agree or feel something can be improved? When is submission wrong for Christian? Submission is so difficult for us humans because we are wild, untamed, and rebellious creatures. Nobody is going to tell us what to do -- for better or for worse. Submission doesn't mean not being a team player. It doesn't mean not having a voice in decisions in your life. Submission means being a cooperative team player in your relationship with your spouse and/or others you are in working relationships with. Individual willfulness can be very destructive in every kind of relationship. In order to accomplish things there must be cooperative, agreeable spirits. Submission is wrong when it requires Christians to do things that violate the commands, standards, and ways of God.

Q4. (2 Peter 1:10) Why is Christian character an essential indicator of being saved or rescued by Christ? What Biblical assurance of salvation can you offer the fruitless, barren "believer"? A professed believer's character is an essential indicator of being saved or rescued by Christ because it indicates the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit within that believer's life. Activity of the Holy Spirit within a believer's life always produces some fruit and effectiveness for the Kingdom of God. In attempting to assure a barren Christian of their salvation I would quote Peter from Peter's sermon recorded in Acts 2: "...whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved." Acts 2:21 And "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. I think a person can be saved in Jesus Christ but not be an effective follower of Jesus Christ. Having said that, I believe that a person who has claimed and invited Jesus Christ into their life as their personal Lord and Savior may not be flawlessly effective or fruitful for Jesus, but their is some evident fruit and effectiveness for Jesus. There is growth and spiritual development at some level.

Q3. (2 Peter 1:7) Why do we imagine that "agape love" is easier than loving church members? If we avoid church because of our hurts at the hands of church members, can we mature fully in Christ? Why or why not? It is easier to love God than church members because God is not fickle or inconsistent or sinful and therefore does not hurt us like church members can. Without involvement with the Body of Christ a Christian cannot fully mature in Christ. Jesus calls us into His body -- the church. How do we pray for and engage other Christians if we do not have a relationship with them? Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another. How can we love other brethren if we don't have a relationship with them? How can we be one with others in Christ if we don't have a relationship with them? How can be practice our Christianity without a relationship with the church and other believers in service, prayer, unity, etc.? Our spiritual development involves other believers and nonbelievers as well.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit? A disciplined devotional life is important to me because it helps me maintain a relationship and sensitivity to God on a daily basis. It helps maintain an awareness of God and my spiritual life. It keeps me close to God and the things of God. I make it a point not to forget and to have time for my Bible study, devotional, and prayer times. When this doesn't happen I become distant from God and the feeling of distance is keen and apparent to me. I employ self-control in keeping my set times with God. Most importantly I love time spending in prayer and Bible study. I love spending time with God.