hanks

Q6. (Isaiah 6:9-10) How do you make sense out of these verses? Is Isaiah called to an impossible mission? Why will Isaiah's prophecy make the task worse? In which parable did Jesus quote this passage (Matthew 13:1-23)? In Jesus' parable, is there any frustration in preaching the gospel? Is there any hope? The Jews had heard the very Word of God but because of their stubbornness and pride they failed to understand the significance of the Truth. The people were so blinded, and hardened through the continuous rejection of God’s Word. Like in the world today, the more that Israel resisted God’s Truth, the less they were able to receive God’s Truth. They must have thought they were religiously successful while in actual fact they were spiritually blind, deaf, and under Divine condemnation. Even so, Isaiah was still to proclaim the Word no matter how people responded. Perhaps Isaiah hoped that by serving the Lord he could change the hearts of people. Instead the Lord told him that his message would not result in much spiritual response. They had not listened in the past and they would not listen now. The only way forward was to discipline the people because of their disobedience. Jesus in explaining the purpose of the parables encountered the same reaction to His teachings. The people would hear but not understand. There is always hope! Even though the world has turned its back on God. If left alone, all of us would surely be lost, but God in His grace and mercy does save some.

Q5. (Isaiah 6:5-8) What is Isaiah's reaction to the vision? How does God deal with Isaiah's fear? What question follows Isaiah's cleansing? What is Isaiah's response to God's question? What is your response when you sense God calling you? This vision of God’s majesty, His Holiness, and His Glory made Isaiah realize that he was a sinner not fit to be in God’s presence. He acknowledges this by saying that he is a man of unclean lips. God then deals with Isaiah’s fear by forgiving him his sins. In a symbolic act, where a live coal touches Isaiah’s lips, the prophet’s guilt and his sin is removed. After Isaiah’s cleansing God asked, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?” We note God asks this question after Isaiah has been cleansed – God does not use dirty vessels! Isaiah immediately replies “Here am I. Send me!” We see the refining fire of God at work here. It is only after we have been cleansed, that we will be able to sense God calling us. It is then that we can respond like Isaiah did.

Q4. (Isaiah 6:1-4) Why do you think Yahweh revealed himself in this way to Isaiah? In what ways does this vision reveal God's majesty? What do we learn about Yahweh from the seraphim’s chant? Yahweh revealed Himself to Isaiah so that the prophet could warn the nation of Israel about their total depravity. They had become so corrupt, defiant, and disobedient and desperately needed to change their ways and humbly come to the Lord in repentance. Each symbol in the vision revealed God’s majesty. The throne, the lofty position, and the full robe, together with the seraphim’s chant, all reinforced His sovereignty over all the world, and its rulers, nations, and people. From the seraphim’s chant we get a glimpse of the supreme and complete holiness of our Heavenly Father. They also proclaimed the fact that His glory fills the earth and at the same time announced His purity and perfection in this world.

Q3. (Isaiah 5:1-6) What was the vintner's vision for the vineyard? What did he do to accomplish his vision? What happened when the crop came in? What did the vintner say he would do with the vineyard? What does this parable mean? He would create the perfect vineyard and He would lovingly care for it. The best location would be chosen, the land would be cultivated and planted with the best vine. It would be protected and even have a winepress in the hope of a good harvest. However, when the crop came in, He did not get the harvest He expected. Instead He got foul-smelling wild grapes. Israel was His chosen nation and He had expected obedience, thanksgiving, love, worship, and service; instead He got disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry. No more could have been done, and because of the bad yield God announces He will take away the hedge of protection; the country will be invaded and laid waste; it will return to briers and thorns; and suffer drought. All of this was to lead eventually to their captivity. God’s chosen nation was to be an example to all the nations and it was to bear fruit. The main point of this parable was that if the chosen nation of Israel, whom God loves, nurtures, and protects, did not produce the fruits of justice and righteousness, He would lift His protection and leave them to the consequences of their sin. God was about to abandon Judah.

Q2. (Isaiah 2:1-5) What does this prophecy of the future Jerusalem tell us about God's plan for the Gentiles? About God's plan for the Jews? About spiritual hunger? About peace? Jerusalem will be established as the religious and political capital of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David and will have sovereignty over all the nations. The Gentile nations will make pilgrimages to Israel for worship and divine instruction. As for God’s plan for the Jews – we have the glorious prospect of Christ’s Kingdom calling the people of Judah to immediate repentance. His chosen people will minister the Word to the rest of the world. About spiritual hunger – out of Jerusalem will flow the Word. The Gospel will be preached to all nations - there will be a widespread hunger for God’s Word. About peace – there will be peace as our Lord will arbitrate international problems and settle disputes among the people. As a result there will be universal disarmament.

Q1. (Isaiah 1:2-20) In what way is Judah confused about its identity, according to verses 2-4? What are the consequences when Christians today suffer from such identity confusion? What injustices does God accuse his people of in verses 15-17? In verses 18-20 God argues that their behaviour is "unreasonable." Why is it unreasonable? What does God offer as an alternative? Judah as a nation have forsaken the Lord and have turned their backs on Him. They have become a defiant and disobedient nation who rebel against the Lord. They even fail to show any natural gratitude and devotion, towards Him, that could even be expected of an ox or donkey! Here we have a warning to Christians living in today’s world. As long as we continue to sin, we cut ourselves off from our Heavenly Father. We isolate ourselves from Him and thereby expose ourselves to the evil of this world. Only by turning to our Lord Jesus and confessing our sins can we restore our relationship with Him. God accuses them of being a nation of hypocrites - nothing but a bunch of deceivers. Their problem is spiritual apostasy – their hearts are in rebellion against God. Their actions are not sincere. They come into His presence as if they are really genuine, and then go through the motions of offering sacrifices, but these have no meaning. Their sacrifices are but mere rituals. They continue to live in sin and their faith is not honest and is totally worthless. God tells them their behaviour is unreasonable because if they should continue in their sinful ways, war and destruction await them. As an alternative God has told them to cleanse themselves through repentance and the forsaking of evil. They must practice righteousness and social justice.

Q4. (2 Thessalonians 3:9-16) Why do so many churches avoid exercising any church discipline? What is the result of a thoughtful and appropriate application of church discipline? What is the result of neglect of church discipline? Churches avoid exercising any form of discipline because they know if it is done they will loose church members, with the subsequent loss of income. There are so many other churches that will accept them with open arms. I feel, however, that the discipline should be firm and done in love – the person must not be treated with enmity. The whole object being to restoring that person to the Lord and to the church. This will eventually benefit both the church and the person. If allowed to continue unabated it can become a major disruptive cause in the church and do personal harm to the person as well.

Q3. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) If we were to follow Paul's rule, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat," wouldn't that allow people to starve? It sounds harsh. What are the positive results of this rule? To whom in a Christian community would this rule apply? To whom would it not apply? Paul is referring to those who are too lazy to work, and I doubt if they will ever starve to death. They will find a way to get free handouts without working! If people are hungry, we know they will work to get food. “The labourer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.” (Proverbs 16:26). I don’t think it is harsh at all. As it is in the world today we have much too many parasites who are bone lazy and will find all sorts of excuses not to work. It seems as if the state encourages this attitude by giving free handouts. The positive results if this rule is applied, will be countries not drowning in debt - as seen all over the world today. I can think of another positive spin-off - there will be less crime as there will be fewer idle time on hand. We must be careful not by our kindness to encourage laziness. Paul’s rule should apply to all and especially to Christians, who are to set an example to all. This rule would obviously not apply to those unable to work for whatever reason.

Q2. (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9) What kind of example did Paul set with regard to work when he was in Thessalonica? As a Christian worker, did he have a right to support? Why didn't he exercise that right? He earned his own living while he was preaching the gospel. Although he had a right to be supported, he preferred to forego this right in order to set an example. Paul not only taught them about idleness by word of mouth but also by his personal example. To not be a burden, he added manual labour to his mission work; working as a tentmaker to earn his food and keep. By earning his own living he was making himself a model for the Thessalonians to follow. Even going so far as to say that if a man does not work he shall not eat, as we see in the next verse.

Q1. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15) What does the Bible teach about sloth and idleness among those who can work but refuse to? Summarize it briefly. What is our Christian duty? The Bible often warns against idleness and its destructive power. Rather, we are urged through our Lord Jesus to work quietly and earn our own living and hereby glorify God. We are even commanded to withdraw, not to mingle socially, and to show our disapproval of those who refuse to work. However, I do feel that it is our Christian duty to help those that are not working. It might be because of idleness or there might be a deeper underlying psychological problem. We should be available to such people and try and get them back into society – without being taken advantage of. We have to be careful not to encourage pure laziness. They must be disciplined in love. I like the way some of Paul’s words have been paraphrased: some that are not busy people but are busybodies; some that are not busy in their own business but are over-busy in other people's business; minding everybody's business but their own.

Q4. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5) Why is perseverance so important as we see wickedness increasing? What happens if we stop believing and being patient? How can we help one another persevere? What part does faith and perseverance have in our salvation? What part does God's redemption and grace have in our salvation? I just feel that if a person is truly born again it is not possible for them to lose their salvation. Two passages in Scripture come to mind. “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:38-40 (NIV). And “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.” John 10:27-29 (NIV). In both, Jesus says that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. “I shall lose none of all that He has given me”, and “they shall never perish”. It is our Lord who is faithful – He will faithfully support us to the end (1 Cor 1:9); He will faithfully deliver us from temptation (1 Cor 10:13); He will faithfully forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). To make sure we are growing spiritually and to know we have kept going on the narrow way, we must ask ourselves if we continue to believe and trust in our Lord Jesus for our salvation? Do we love God’s commands and is there any evidence of growth in my Christian life? Others should start seeing evidence of the fruit of the spirit in our lives - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Even with all the wickedness increasing all around us, we know, we have this blessed assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us. If we stop believing we must question if we were ever saved. The more we study the Word the closer we come to having fellowship with Him, and so does our faith increase – and we will persevere.

Q3. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) What makes people so gullible that they believe the Antichrist's deceptions? What is the reason that God gives them over to this deception? Why is a fearless seeking of God's truth so important to us? How can a preaching of the truth set people free? I think people are so gullible because they do not know the true Word, and therefore have not developed the power of discernment. They do not love and therefore reject the truth; they hate our Lord Jesus Christ, and love their sin instead. It is almost like a self-imposed blindness. We know God is love and He so earnestly wants us to accept the truth but after repeatedly rejecting Him he hardens them so that they start believing all the lies and falsehood of the Antichrist. Only by fearlessly seeking God’s truth and listening to the true Word being preached will our eyes, heart, and mind be opened to love and accept the Word for what it is and not be hoodwinked by the evil that abounds.

Q2. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-5; Revelation 13:5-8) What are the characteristics of the Antichrist that Paul gives in this passage? What does Revelation 13:5-8 add to our basic understanding? The characteristics of the Antichrist, as mentioned by Paul, are that he will be lawless, rebellious, opposed to God, he will exalt himself over and above all that is God’s, take the place of God, and will proclaim himself to be God. John adds several additional characteristics. Besides making proud boasts, he will speak unspeakable blasphemies against God and all in heaven. His authority will last only 42 months, and during this time he will make war against believers and will be allowed to conquer them. However, he will not be able to spiritually harm true believers. There will be temporary suffering for believers who refuse to worship the Antichrist, but for those who persevere, there will be the reward of eternal life. All unbelievers of the earth will worship him as he will be given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

Q1. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) In what way were the Thessalonians confused? What is the order of Christ's coming in relation to the revealing of the Antichrist? The Thessalonians were concerned that the Rapture had not come quickly enough since some of their friends had died before it had taken place. To add to the confusion some false teachers told them that the day of the Lord had already come. Paul told them not to be deceived and goes on to explain the order of future events. First the Rapture will occur and then two things will precede the Day of the Lord. A certain event must take place - the Tribulation, a great revolt and the final rebellion against God. A certain person must appear. This person Paul calls “the man of lawlessness” – the Antichrist.

Q4. (2 Thessalonians 1:9) How might you describe Christ's glory? How will his glory be terrifying to unbelievers? If heaven involves sharing this glory forever, what would it be like to be excluded forever from the glory? In what ways is the phrase "outer darkness" a helpful description of hell? Christ’s glory refers to His divine majesty, greatness, shining moral brightness, and splendour. He revealed this divine glory while here on earth but it was partially hidden by His human flesh. A glimpse of His glory was shown at the transfiguration when, “There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). As the Son of God, He has a special glory and an unrivaled, unparalleled, and unrepeatable place of honour. For unbelievers His glory will be terrifying. When Jesus returns all will be exposed by the sheer glory of Christ and there will be no place to hide. Separation from the Lord's presence and glory is the ultimate punishment. For unbelievers it will be an eternity of darkness - well described as “outer darkness” meaning absolute total eternal darkness, and total eternal separation. In contrast, when we receive our resuurection bodies, we will be like Him and reflect His brightness; His glory will be seen shining in us.

Q3. (2 Thessalonians 1:9) According to verse 9, what kind of punishment will unbelievers experience? One definition of "hell" is "a place of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked." What parts of this definition are confirmed in verse 9? Which parts of the definition trouble you? Why? Unbelievers will experience everlasting, endless punishment, and be forever shut out from Christ’s presence and His glory. Verse 9 confirms that in hell there will be punishment and it will be eternal. Those in hell will be conscious – they will experience isolation from Christ’s presence and His glory. Our behaviour does have consequences and it is disobedience that results in eternal punishment not only because of our ignorance. But then we can never earn our salvation – it is a free gift for those who put their trust in Jesus. There can be no other way to avoid eternal damnation – our salvation is only through Jesus Christ. “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”(John 14:6). I can only get on my knees and thank God that in eternity past he chose me.

Q2. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7) Would God be just if he did not punish sin? What is the difference between rehabilitation and retribution? When does a Christian's rehabilitation take place? When does a sinner's retribution take place? How do you balance love and justice? A holy God cannot leave sin unjudged; He acts with complete justice when He punishes sinners. It can be very upsetting when we see the wicked flourishing and the righteous suffering. He will allow the wicked to prosper, but this will only be temporarily, and eventually His just judgment will fall on them. At the same time, He allows believers to suffer, thereby developing and strengthening their faith - qualifying them for His kingdom. Retribution is punishment for wrongs committed. Unlike us, God’s retribution is not selfish and hostile. Only He who is perfectly holy and just can render perfect judgment. Rehabilitation is trying to restore a person back into society as a useful member. Christian rehabilitation takes place when we confess and turn away from our sins – fellowship is restored with our Heavenly Father. Sinner’s retribution takes place when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ returns. As sinners it will be most difficult for us to balance love and justice properly. This can only be done through the Holy Spirit.

Q1. (2 Thessalonians 1:3-5) In what ways do persecution, pressure, and stress help us grow strong in Christ? What would we be like without the testing of our faith? We often see that any kind of persecution, pressure, or stress destroys one’s faith – this is especially true if we only have a shallow faith, not deeply rooted in our Lord and Saviour. This faith will actually be exposed as a false faith. True faith, on the other hand, is indestructible, because the Lord Jesus Christ will not allow it to be destroyed. It will only with the help of the Holy Spirit become stronger and stronger under any kind of pressure. So all these stresses we undergo are like a litmus test of our faith and will expose us for what we truly are.

Q5. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) If you met a true Christian who had no assurance of salvation, how would you explain to him or her God's power to protect and present them blameless before Christ at his coming? What is the problem of having no assurance of salvation? What is the problem of having a false assurance of salvation? I would ask that person if they have experienced a notable increase in certain character traits. Specifically, the fruit of the Spirit, any one or more of – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If this is the case then it is confirmation that the Holy Spirit is at work in that person’s life. I would also ask that person if they love Christ and want to bey His commands (John 14:15). If the answer is yes, then this would be further confirmation that Christ is in that person. This can be confirmed further, “But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 1 John 2:5”. Finally, I would let that person ask themselves if they fully trust Christ to forgive them their sins and they are fully dependent on His merits, and not on anything they may have done. And if now, today, they, truly believe Jesus’ words, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)”. Then, they can have absolute assurance of their salvation. Without this assurance of salvation there is always doubt and one cannot experience the joy of an intimate relationship with our Lord and Saviour. There can never be peace in our hearts. We need to be 100% confident of our salvation. There can be nothing more tragic than having a false assurance of salvation. This mistake can easily occur especially if we put our trust in our own deeds for salvation.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Corinthians 14) Why do churches sometimes despise or prohibit prophecy? What guidelines does Paul give here and in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep prophecy in a congregation healthy? I find myself not qualified to make any comments here. I have felt most uncomfortable when I have experienced it in a visting church. In my home church we do not practise it. We have the Word which is the absolute truth, and I do not think we need anything more. Besides this is all open to abuse.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) In your own words explain how a person can rejoice and pray continually. Are there any circumstances we might be in the midst of where we should not give thanks to God? I find myself often rejoicing in appreciation for what our Lord and Saviour has done for me on the Cross and for my Heavenly Father in His grace and mercy for electing me - before the creation of the world. All of this makes me say short quick prayers of gratitude very often during the day thanking Him for all the blessings I have received. As I grow spiritually I find myself praying more and more often. I converse with Jesus the whole day asking for His advice in any decisions I may have to make; speaking about the weather; quoting Bible verses I have memorised; remarking about the magnificent beauty He has provided in nature; asking forgiveness for sins committed or even omitted; and acknowledging His presence. All of this is done with a most thankful heart, and it brings great joy and peace into my life. I will not thank Him for any evil that occurs in my life, but I will pray that He will bring me through it.

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 5:15) What happens to people who seek revenge on those who hurt them? What happens when they neglect to forgive those who have wronged them? What happens in a congregation that has an unloving, superior attitude towards outsiders? How do these attitudes reflect on Christ? How can people or congregations get healthy after have been vengeful, proud, or unforgiving? The greatest hurts come to us from fellow believers in the church, and not so much from the unbelieving world. Perhaps it is because we do not expect such behaviour from our fellow brothers and sisters. There is absolutely no place among Christians for retaliation or personal vengeance. The only one who has the right to retaliate is God. The proper Christian behaviour is one of forgiveness toward those who have offended them. Remembering the divine unmerited blessing and forgiveness we received from our loving Heavenly Father. If this does not occur it can severely damage the congregation. There will be no growth in love and faith. The vengeful, proud, and unforgiving people must be taught that the offense they suffered is so small compared to God’s greatness and how He has been offended. The only way is to address any problems as they arise so that the church can get back to healthy ways.

Q1. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) What happens in a congregation when people don't show respect for their leaders? What happens when the disrespectful spread their disrespect? Will getting rid of the leader fix the problem, or is there something deeper going on here? In any organization there must be the recognition of the authority of its leaders if that organization is to function properly. The same applies to a church. We need to show our leaders respect and not take them for granted. It is easy to criticize and be disrespectful, for what ever reason, and by doing so, sow discord in the congregation. Leaders can be recognised by their actions; those thar work hard, they lead and direct, and they address and solve problems that may arise. It is these leaders that must be respected. If a congregation does not respect its leaders the result will be that every one in the church will suffer because of this lack of leadership and the church as a whole will not actively function in the community. Getting rid of a true leader will not solve the problem. One has to look at the root of the problem which will be in the congregation.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8) What effect should a belief in Christ's soon coming have on believers? What does it mean to be "sober" or "self-controlled" (verse 6)? What does it mean to be "alert" or "watchful" (verse 6)? How does this differ from our normal Christian lifestyle? As believers there is no reason for to be alarmed or scared of the Lord’s coming. Our world is in such a pathetic and evil state that the only solution to this mess is for our Lord to come soon. We know He is coming so there is no surprise element left. We have to be ready by staying alert and self-controlled. We are to live in faith, love and hope – faith in God, love for the Lord and for one another, and hope of Christ’s return. A consistent godly life – forsaking sin and avoiding excesses of all kinds. The Day of the Lord will be a time of wrath for the unsaved world – but for us it will be a time of great joy!

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) According to this passage, what warning can we expect to have prior to Christ's return? What does it mean that he will "come like a thief"? Nobody knows the date of Christ’s return; Jesus Himself said that He did not even know the date Himself – only the Father knows (Mark 13:32). Jesus will come unexpectedly at any time (Matthew 24:44). The Thessalonian believers knew all this and they also knew that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night - completely unexpected - taking the whole world by surprise. But this of course will not apply to true believers – who should be prepared at all times.