Craig

Q3. (2:9) What actions and attitudes should this idea of being part of God's own people inspire in us? This idea should motivate us to walk away from the world and be a part of the Kingdom of God. All of our thoughts and actions should reflect the Word of God and God' standard. We should strive to be holy as He is holy. We should strive to stay connected with God throughout each day through Bible study. We should recognize, as Christians, we are part of the Body of Christ and like it. We should be inspired to act and live like spirit-filled Christians who love the Lord God Almighty. Actively trying to avoid compromise with the satanic world system.

Q2. (2:5) If your praise is primarily for God's benefit, not your own, how should you be offering praise? My praise should be offered on and focused on God. My praise should bless and acknowledge Him.

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you? The mindset of a priest towards God is one of service, praise, worship, spiritual intercession for others, offering sacrifice to God, and a life dedicated to Him. My life should reflect this mindset.

Q4. (Galatians 5:24-25) What does it mean to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”? Can a person be a Christian without “crucifying the flesh”? How have we produced such a crop of lukewarm Christians? It means to walk away them and to cease indulging them. No, a person cannot be a born again Christian with an active relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and still engage in the practices of the world throughout their life time. Born again Christians do struggle with temptation and sin, but permit the Holy Spirit to work in their lives to eventually remove any prevailing sin. By ignoring the sin in one's life, ignoring the meaning of holiness in one's life and remaining self-indulgent to the exclusion of the Word of God. There is no passion regarding honoring God, living out a Christian life, and be Christ-like. Left unchallenged by leadership Christians will become indifferent and lukewarm.

Q3. (Galatians 5:22-23) How does the Holy Spirit produce this fruit in our lives? What theological term would you use to identify this process? How can it be that a person who has been a “Christian” for years displays few or none of these fruits? Are they saved, but just immature? What does James 2:17-19 say about this? Is that too harsh? a The Holy Spirit produces this fruit in our lives when we let Him. When we respond to the Word of God. When we respond to the movement or influence of the Holy Spirit in our life. The term sanctification is that theological term that describes the process where God sets aside the believer for His purposes and the Holy Spirit is remaking that believer into a Christ-like human-being. The fruits of the Spirit are a manifestation of that process. A person who has been a professing Christian for years and displays few or none of these fruits have not either been saved or have not responded to the Holy Spirit. Regardless, they have a spiritual problem. There is nothing harsh in James' words at all. The reality is actions speak louder than words. People can attend church and claim anything, but actions tell the truth. People live or act out their true beliefs.

Q2. (Galatians 5:22) The fruit of patience should be understood as forbearance, that is, putting up with people around us without exploding. Why is this patient forbearance such an important personal character element? Why is it so important for peace in the family and in the Christian community? Patience prevents undue anxiety, anger, rudeness, and ungodly behavior. One of the elements of love is patience. When love dominates my life I strive to be patient with others. Patience creates a peaceful spirit within my home and church when exercised. Where there is no patience there is anxiety, anger, rudeness, bitterness, and an ungodly environment. Patience creates unity in a family as well as in a congregation. Patience serves as an excellent witness for Jesus Christ. It glorifies God.

Q1. (Galatians 5:22a) Love is the first and primary fruit of the Holy Spirit, but joy and peace are inseparable from love. Why can’t joy and peace exist apart from love – love for God and love for our neighbors? Simply put, experiencing the love of God and its indwelting presence within the believer creates joy and peace. Joy and peace are a natural by-product of the love relationship between God and the believer. They are intertwined and cannot be separated. The love of God creates a desire, Holy Spirit driven, to love our neighbors and to express our faith and service to God by ministering and blessing those around us as God has blessed us. Being salt and light in this dark world create joy and peace within us.

Q4. (1:18-19) Have you ever felt you were of no worth or of no value? What does 1 Peter 1:18-19 say about your worth? What does it say about God's love for you? What does it indicate about the long-term value of your balance sheet and financial assets? What are your true long-term investments? Why? I personally don't recall ever feeling that I was worth nothing or had no value. For anyone who has those feelings as well as for those who don't think about this. God created humanity in His image and breathed into Adam His breath. God placed humanity in a dominate role in His creation. After creating humanity He said is "was very good." God has bend over backward looking for wayward humanity and implemented many different means throughout the ages to have a relationship with us. The last and ultimate convenant with humanity was stated in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God sent his only begotten Son to die on the cross for the atonement and salvation of a world of people/individuals that He placed value on. All throughout the Word of God, God states His love for His creation. As believers in Christ we are made the children of God. This is the ultimate value each believer has and we should have great joy and delight in knowing Jesus has given us access to the throne of His Father. Money pays the bills and buys some things we might enjoy, but it doesn't buy eternality with God; it doesn't buy meaning or meaningful relationships, it doesn't buy blessings and peace and hope and joy and love, etc. Money is only a short-term commodity man made, and only has the value humans place on it. Money has no value either way, only the value we place on it. It is a another false god. Our true long-term investments are how we honor, serve, and glorify God and how we effect for the good other people. So, our long-term investments are based upon how we love and serve God and other human beings.

Q3. (1:17) Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they are being judged by someone else? How do you reconcile final judgment with God's love for the world? Why must final judgment be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? What happens to the Gospel when final judgment is left out or ignored? People live in a duality. They want to conduct themselves anyway they want to without judgment. John chapter 1 probably explains it best. Humanity loves darkness and ignorance and when light is shined in their direction they get uncomfortable and angry. God created humanity and gave humanity free will. Everyone reaps what they sow. Love includes justice. God's judgment is just based on each person's decision making. Throughout the history of humanity God has given us a clear direction in choosing life or death. Humanity has brought and brings judgment upon itself. For good or bad. Jesus said that "He did not come into the world to condemn the world, because the world is already condemned but to save the world." See John 3. When the final judgment is left out of the Gospel or ignored the whole point of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the atonement of sin and death is missed. Jesus died so each person could have a relationship with God the Father and eternal life in His presence and for His purposes. The primary purpose being a love relationship between creator and created. Most of humanity has made themselves demigods and have rejected a relationship with Him. Why would a person reject God all of their earthly lives and then want to spend eternality with Him?

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness? Holiness is separating by behavior and how I conduct my life from the ways of this world and ordering my life in alignment to the Word of God. In other words I take on Godly behavior and standards for my life and walk away form the ways of this world. As a believer and follower of Jesus, I am holy now in Jesus Christ. Because God is Holy in order to be like our Father we be obedient and follow His way. There is no other way to be Holy, as God is, unless we follow His instruction as set forth in His Word. Unholy self-gratification has been a struggle for me through the years. However, thank God, that as I answer this question today this issue has diminished greatly in my life. A desire to be holy and obedient is bearing fruit in my life.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? The reality that Jesus could come at any time or I could die today should have my focus. That focus should include having my physical and spiritual house in order. I should be prepared for His arrival. It should be an imperative in my life to be as ready and spiritually developed for His second coming or my own death as I can be. That helps eliminate regret and disappointment and should increase the joy of Jesus' arrival or my own death. I should be excited about preparing my mind for action and being self-controlled. I should be excited about preparing in the here and now for eternity with God. Being self-controlled and sober help my focus on Heavenly and eternal issues stay keen while on this planet in this life. It is like attending school. I keep focused on the courses at hand and faithfully completing all of the requirements with the hope of one day graduating with good grades and receiving in return the benefits of the effort. I get a good return on everything I do based on the intention and effort I put into that effort. Paul says in Galations that a "person reaps what he sows." Without the expectation of Christ's return we get sloppy and distanced from God. The reality is we need to make our Christian walk and faith a part of the very fabric of our day to day life.

Q5. (1:8-9) According to 1 Peter 1:8-9, what is the basis of Christian joy that is "inexpressible and glorious"? How does this joy interplay with human emotions? Is it essentially emotional? How does it differ from what is generally regarded as the pursuit of "happiness"? Extra Credit: How can you tell the genuine article of joy from the counterfeit? The basis of Christian joy that is both inexpressible and glorious is Jesus Christ. A joy that is routed in the love of God for humanity, especially those who trust and believe in Him and the hope of eternal life in His presence. When a person has a vigorous, meaningful, and dynamic relationship with God joy naturally springs forth out of the spirit, soul, and body. The pursue of happiness is just that the pursue of happiness. Happiness can't be captured or caught. It is the byproduct of living. Practicing the presence of God brings happiness and joy as a byproduct of the relationship with God. Genuine joy is natural and pure and can't be faked. You know both when you see it.

4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus? One situation which God used to refine and purify my faith happened about seven years ago. Here it is: As a new member in a rural community and looking to be an active member in a local church, I blindly walked into and became a member of a church where human ego and organizational politics/behavior trumped the movement of the Holy Spirit creating divisions which caused others as well as myself pain and sorrow for this particular church It is the kind of church where when first enter the congregation it is all smiles, hand shakes, and sweetness. But when you become a member it changes. Tithe, shut up and follow the leadership or get out. Don't mention community outreach or ministries because it took resources away the church facility or church tea. This church had a mean and isolated spirit. The core of this congregation conducted the affairs of the church as well as themselves like the mob. The church was ran, operated, and staffed by the members of the Masons. The church existed within its four walls and if you did not get on board with their agenda they would seek to destroy those who didn't agree with them within the church and outside of the church if necessary. Cutting the church lawn was considered being on mission for God. The bottom line was shut up or get out. Their main agenda and work was/is to maintain the church structure and grounds. I had never been in a church environment quite like this and wasn't prepared for it. The church had factions like political parties and acted like it. The spirit of the church was mean and greedy -- brutal. In fact Galatians 5:15 pretty sums it up: "If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." This church did destroy each other. The church has a long history of church splits continuing to date. The church has a constant turnover in the pastorate. They can't keep a pastor. I was a member of that church for two years. It was rough, but very rewarding. It marked a growth in my reliance upon God in serving him and others in an atmosphere of hatred, slander, and verbal assault. As a result God taught me to listen, wait and rely on him; to love others no matter what their actions were, to wait on His call to move; to let God fight the spiritual battle (to hold my tongue and wait on Him); and to understand that when serving Him He will take care of me. Just do my part regardless of the operating environment. My holding my tongue and not reacting to provocation, creating a bigger problem, it would allow God to address the issues and He did. Showing love and patience did glorify the Lord and was a witness for Jesus. Like Joseph, it seems that sometimes people mean evil for you but God is using those same situations for your good.

Q3. (1:5) According to 1 Peter 1:5, what is God's part in securing your salvation? What is your part? "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 It is through the grace of God that our salvation is provided for and secured. It is the power of God to do these things. Our part is to put our faith/trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him.

Q2. (1:2) Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) By repenting of sin and asking for forgiveness of that sin I am acknowledging my rebellion and disobedience to God. I am asking for reconciliation with God on His terms. I am identifying with Jesus Christ and now being set aside for serving Him which requires obedience. If I am going to have a relationship with God it is on His terms not mine. This requires by obedience to His Word and standards which He freely provides. Instruction and compliance are how we grow in Christ. Natural man doesn't know what it means to be Christ-like or Godly or for that matter fully human as God created us to be. So, we must listen, learn, and obey if we are to enjoy and delight in being a follower of Jesus Christ and all that comes with that relationship. We are saved through grace from death and eternal separation from God. We grow spiritually in Christ through obedience. Additionally, what I physically do in this world reflects my spiritually and beliefs. The visible reflects the invisible. My works tell the world who and what I am and believe. Everyone, regardless of belief, lives out that belief in this world. You cannot separate actions/works from belief. One compliments the other. When Madonna claims what she does on the stage is not really her, she is self-deluded.

Q1. (1:1) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Have you ever caught yourself doing this? What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight? I would describe the spiritual development of the above Christian as immature and limited with no awareness beyond this world. I would also say that this person endears this world and the things of this world more than Heavenly things. This Christian has a very limited relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The short of it is this world means more than Heaven to this Christian. To be human and brought up on this planet I would have to say yes to the second part of this question. However, as I have matured spiritually, grown closer to the Lord, and aged my connection to this world is limited to passing through it. My sights are on eternity and Heaven and the things of Heaven. This world has been measured and has been found wanting. Daily prayer, Bible study, praise, worship and service to the Lord set our priorities straight.

Q4. (5:21) Why do some Christians resist accepting Paul’s warning in 5:21 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11? What statement might these Christians desire to substitute for Paul’s warning if they could reword the Scripture? They are not Spirit-led and do not take the Scripture seriously. On a sadder note, they do not really desire to please God by living holy lives. God did say "Be Holy because I am Holy." Many Christians live carnal lives because their desires for self gratification are more important than honoring and having a vigorous relationship with God. Carnal Christians would probably restate Paul's words in the following manner: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So I'm not perfect, but I believe in Jesus. He will forgive me. So long as your heart is in the right place you will enter the Kingdom of God. What self delusion.

Q3. (Galatians 5:19-21) If you were to divide the works of the flesh into several groups, what would those groups be? The works of the flesh could be divided into the following groups: Group one - sexual Group two - false worship and demonic practices Group three - selfishness Group four - lack of self-control and/or uncontrolled pleasure

Q2. (Galatians 5:16-18) We are told that it’s impossible for a Christian to live a sinless life. What do these verses teach about that? In what way does yielding to the Spirit suppress the power of the old nature (the flesh)? If Spirit-led living is possible, why do people claim that it’s impossible not to sin? The sinful nature is at war or in conflict with the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is the sinful nature of man and his spiritual state that cannot please God. However, through the Holy Spirit we can please God and overcome the desires of the flesh. By yielding to the Holy Spirit I'm walking away from the temptation or negating the sinful desire (whatever it might be). I'm yielding my will to the Spirit and not exercising my will. It is impossible not to sin because we don't always yield to the Holy Spirit in any given situation. Unfortunately that is reality.

Q1. (Galatians 5:13-15) Have you ever seen Christians act as if they were lawless? How do Spirit-led Christians fulfill the spirit of the law? What does backbiting and rudeness in a congregation say about the spiritual climate of that congregation (5:15)? Unfortunately, the Church is loaded with professing Christians or church attenders who act as if they lawless. That is no restraint on behavior. They act as if they never have read nor heard the Word of God. Spirit-led Christians fulfill the spirit of the law by living it as motivated by the Holy Spirit . Backbiting and rudeness in a congregation indicates that that congregation is not Holy Spirit filled or led. The climate of that congregation is a destructive one and spiritually dangerous for the well-being of anyone.

Q5. (Revelation 22:20) If you were convinced that Jesus Christ would return in your lifetime, how would it affect your life? What would you do differently than you do now? I would give all for him in preparation. I should be doing this regardless because whether or not Jesus comes in my life time I'm going to die. My focus on living for and honoring the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit needs to be a driving force in my life now. I need to being living out God's will for my life now. The scripture teaches us to number our days. We need to that now. We need to live like Jesus is coming in our life time because He might be. And again, we don't know when we are going to pass from this life. So the development of our spiritual life and service to God needs to be paramount.

Q4. Three times in these two chapters, John stresses that those who continue to practice sin will not enter. Read Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:14-15; and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. What things in these passages point to salvation by the grace of God rather than mere salvation by right living? In what way is holy living important to salvation? Why is holy living important to God? I Corinthians 6:11 most clearly points to salvation by the grace of God rather than by right living. "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God." (NKJ). For those who repent of their sin and accept Jesus' atoning sacrifice on the cross for their sin the Holy Spirit enters that person's life and begins to remake them into a Christ like human being. A life pleasing to God. God sees that person as clean and justified before Him in Christ. The ways of this world no longer begin to characterize the believer. Temptation and sin are still issues to be dealt with by the believer, but no longer should drive the believer. A relationship with God should drive the believer. Being in the will of God should drive the believer. How we live and the choices we make reflect what we really believe and whether we really have a relationship with God. Holy living is a reflection of the love for God and the Holy Spirit's presence in the believer. As the believer turns all areas of their life over to God, the life of the believer more and more takes on the characteristics of God the Father. Holy living is important to God because He is Holy. In holiness is spiritual and physical health and goodness and life. Holy living maintains a strong relationship with God. God is light and in Him is no darkness. In Heaven there will be no darkness.

Q3. (Revelation 21:9-27) John's vision of the Holy City is obviously strongly symbolic. But the Holy City pictures "the bride, the wife of the Lamb" (21:9-10; 21:2). What does John's vision of the Holy City tell us about the way that Jesus looks at his Church? Jesus views or looks upon the church as a bride -- beautiful and pure.

Q2. Read Revelation 21:6; 22:17; and Isaiah 55:1-3. What does the "water of life" represent here and in 22:1? In what sense is it a "free gift" (22:17). In what ways should "the Spirit and the Bride" (2 extend that invitation in your community? The water of life represents God given life and connection to Him and all that implies/represents. God has given access to Himself to anyone that will listen and receive the invitation. To anyone who will receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That invitation has been presented to the world for thousands of years by Holy Spirit filled followers of Christ.

Q1. (21:3-5) What is the significance of the fact that in heaven "God himself will be with them"? Why can the promises in 21:4 only be fulfilled in heaven? Which of these do you especially look forward to? Aside from fulfilling prophecy, God will be dwelting with those human-beings who acknowledge and love him and want to be with Him in Heaven. Heaven, God's base of operations where the Way, the Truth, and The Life exists. Where there is no rebellion, false gods, false worship and sin Only in the Kingdom of Heaven/God will those who love and honor and serve God will exist. Those human-beings who delight and find joy in the Lord will be there. No more consequences of lawlessness and sin will exist. I look forward to the peace, joy, and thrill of being able to exist and worship God in His presence with all those beings who love and acknowledge Him.