jason

The tongue can be a wicked thing if not tamed, God says that he does not want the tongue used for two things, the same way only salt water comes from a salt water spa, fresh water only comes from a fresh water spa, God doesn't want your tongue to be anything other than used for kind or holy words there is no room in heaven for a nasty tongue. caring for the poor is helping someone less fortunate than are selves but with no gain to ourselves, therefore generated by love, by caring for these people we are showing that we are not higher than they are or better than they are and that we are not wavered about things that most worldly people would turn there nose up at. Our quiet time and worship is important however God see's that is is far more rewarding helping someone else as this is unselfish, our worship and our quiet time is about us and God, God already knows whats in our hearts. Its also so easy to make quiet time and worship you don't really have to make that much effort, what about helping the homeless or the poor when was the last time you did anything!!!!!

The perfect law is Gods desires that gives us freedom, the perfect law is what James calls the "Royal law" that is love thy neighbour as yourself, its perfect as it sums up what Jesus taught. By following the perfect law you are doing Gods will therefore you are holy and you would be saved, it is the only way, to listen to the word of God and to follow it. The perfect law brings freedom as it is written!

We are fooled by gettting complacent, You hear the words so much and you understand exactly what they mean and maybe we even try to follow them in our daily lifes and i'm sure some better than others, but as humans we forget and in an instant all is forgotton, we need to listen to the word and then do it as best we can other wise we are just hypocrites, all you can do is all you can do if you fall get back up again and press on, for there is only one perfect person and that is Jesus Christ all tha rest of us fall short of the glory of God. All we can do is try try try and if we fall get up and try again. Self deception is when we believe we are something that we're not, in reality we're the complete opposite we lie to ourselves trying to cover up the truth. We need to be more honest with our selves or maybe just stop and take a look at our actions, like it says be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry in other words sit back and take it all in before reacting. Therefore we may be more likely to do the will of God.

We are given a Spiritual birth through accepting Christ and being baptized, leaving our old life and starting a new spiritual life with Christ. When we hear the gospal or "word of truth" then we can accept the Lord into our life and be reborn in spirit. Jesus states in John 3:7 "you must be born again". Flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit all we're born physically of the flesh but according to Jesus not all have been born spiritualy, this is a requirement to even see or percieve the kingdom of God Without the word of truth there would be nothing, nothing to base our lifes by.

No there is no independent freedom we are either slaves to God or slaves to sin but when we are slaves to God we are not really slaves in a bad way. God promises eternal life, love, holiness, life in Jesus Christ, God loves us with all his heart what an amazing gift!! We somtimes would like to think that we have it sorted that we can do it on our own but we can't we always make mistakes and we always fall short of the glory of God. This world is so evil and so many people are caught in a tough spot of not knowing whats right and whats wrong, people hesitate because of how difficult it is sometimes especialy if you meet someone who believes something different, thats why there is so much war in the world. People are attacked on a daily basis because of what they believe so it makes it hard, now in India i hear that alot of christians are being killed and attacked and by there thousands what sort of world do we live in!

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? Why should we honor good doctrine? If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? Well i think that this is really hard to answer but hey... If doctrine is the teaching of a belief then good doctrine is accurate, we need this to be good as people live by this also they pass things on to other people so things need to accurate so that people don't get the wrong message, if we get the wrong message people may act and think ungodly or do things that may effect theirs or others faith. We should honour good doctrine because of the fact that it envolves peoples lifes its the teaching from our Lord our God. However we need to be carefull of the demons in our world who are there to destroy us and do anything to waver our faith to get us to believe there lies, this is what we need to avoid.

Q3. What does obedience have to do with slavery? In way does doing acts of righteousness demonstrate your slavery to God? In what ways does doing bad things demonstrate a slavery to sin? How is such a slavery or bondage broken? What part does obedience have in breaking this bondage? In what areas is God speaking to you about a fresh obedience in your life? When you obey you do as your told, if you live under a rule you are a slave to it by obeying it wheather good or bad. Doing acts of righteousness for God demonstrates your slavery in a way that you are living how he wants you to, you are obeying his commands, being a good or a better person and doing good deeds. Obviously if you are a slave to God for doing acts of good, then if you do acts that are bad you are in sin and a slave to sin and also demonstating loyalty to satan. By being obedient to God you can break the chain, choosing to obey the holy one the righteous one the Lord Jesus Christ you are no longer under the power of sin, staying focused and keeping with Jesus your saviour, obeying him no matter what bondage has no power over you. Sometimes i rush in to things thinking that i know what i am doing thinking that i have the answers! I need to stay more focused on God and let him run my life more, obeying him as he knows best, Lord i pray that you help me and guide through what areas of my life need your help and you prompt me in the ways of your will Amen.

We offer our hands, our words, our hearts. Before i was with the lord i used to fight, be abusive in lots of different ways my heart at the center was really good though at times i did not really show it, i could be driving and someone would cut me up and i would just explode, or in a pub someone would do something i didn't like or approve of and i would react but in the wrong way. Now i'm walking with the Lord i'm really passive, i'm not interested in fighting, im not abusive, rarely i may swear but this i am trying hard not to do as before it was like second nature to me. My heart always wanted to be good and to help others but i was to busy in the world, now i want to help people, be kind to others and do Gods will. We unconciously sin because we don't always think before hand, like if you we're driving and someone cut you up don't start ranting and shouting abuse, We need to need to keep control, i always try to think how Jesus might of delt with this situation. We can sin unconciously by simply speaking before thinking first or raising a hand before thinking. It says in James 1:19b Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to come angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. We should use our members to deliberately help God like preaching and aiding people physically for example helping people less fortunate than yourself. The changes you need to make in your life is not to be so worldly to follow the system, think more about others instead of yourself giving, loving and doing God's will.

I think what he is saying here is that,the world is made up of all satan's desires in other words it reigns over the whole planet, therefore before we came to Christ we we're ruled by sin in every way we obeyed satan's evil desires, thus making us slaves to sin, now that we are with the Lord Jesus Christ we are still slaves but slaves to rightousness, we obey not sin but holiness.

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? What will be the effect in our lives if we actually do consider it to be true that we died with Christ's death with regard to sin? To count on something is you can believe its going to happen, a for definite in some ways for instance "you can count on Jesus Christ" Fact! I think what their trying to say there is true, its telling us that we can believe that we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. When the Lord uses the word "Count" you can believe it as the Lord does not lie. Knowing that now we have died to Sin and alive in Christ is a very powerfull message, we are more likely to try living like the Lord would want us to, believing that we have started again that the old sin has gone, that we can start a fresh and look forward, it gives us an easy start. If we had to carry all our sins alot of people would struggle and would probably feel that they would never make it, Because our old life has been lifted and our sins forgiven we are free, to live in Jesus Christ Amen!

Q4. (Romans 6:6-7) In what way has our "body of sin," our "flesh," our old nature been made powerless because of our crucifixion with Christ? In what way have we been freed from slavery? What difference does this understanding make in our struggles against temptation? Because we shared his crucifixion on the cross we are united in him therefore our flesh & our sinful nature has taken an almighty blow, although it still exists it has lost its power so we are less likely to be dominated by it. Before we were united with Christ we were slaves to sin now however we have been set free by his actions, his death broke the power of sin and slavery to sin. It gives us great reason not to be tempted although we still do as we are weak, as we are human, we are united with Christ therefore we are close to him, when we feel tempted we should ask him to help us and draw more close to him, also we know that Jesus did that amazing enactment for us we should respect his actions and avoid temptations at all cost. If we fall short we can believe by faith that we are forgiven for our wrong doings as long as we confess and repent. What an awesome God we have!

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? Whose death is he talking about? How does this death become our own? To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? Well he is referring to a figurative death when he's referring to us, as we did not actually die to sin, Christ did however die for all our sins. He was talking about Christs death but as we are in union to Christ through baptism this is symbolic,we also died that day, to sin as he died for our sins. I don't think it is just theological mumbo-jumbo i think this is a strong symbolic enactment in our lifes with Christ.

The promise to claim in verse 5 is "Wisdom", which you can claim on the conditions that you have a true heart in the Lord & that your faith is in God alone & you do not waver. Trials help us by strengthening us in faith, the more we lean on God the more we trust the stronger our faith grows, the stronger our faith the less likely we are to waver or for us to be divided in our thoughts or hearts. Trust Trust Trust!

How do trials help us of " Doublemindedness"? I think that it makes us look at our faith, if God is truly in your heart you will consult him with all your life and with all of your trials. How do trials help us grow in faith? When God tests us we should ask for his guidance in the situation and all throughout our lifes this will strengthen our relationship with God and help us grow in faith, also showing that we trust in him.

Q2. (1:13-15) Why do people blame God for evil? Does God tempt us with evil? Does he tempt sinful people with evil? Why does he allow people to sin? Why does he allow evil to exist at all? People blame God because they don't see fault in themselves they don't take responsibility for their own actions, as it is written for God cannot be tempted by evil nor does he tempt anyone, temptation comes from our own evil desires. God allowed evil into the world thus being part of our free will. God allowed the possibility of evil into the world we did the rest.