|
Thursday, January 30 2020
Contributor: Martins Olubiyi Introduction: In our last Bible studies, we learnt from Apostle Paul that the Gospel is ‘the gospel of God’. The Gospel originates from God. It is God’s idea. It was ‘promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures’. It is about ‘His Son’. Moreover, we learnt that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. He is the Christ- ‘the Messiah’. He is our Lord God. The Jehovah Adonai. Today we are going to study the remaining four verses in chapter one. These are considered as the theme of the Book of Romans. Text: Roman 1: 14-17 [English Standard Version (ESV)]. “14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” The Gospel Paul’s attitude about the Gospel.
Apostle Paul make the claim here that Jesus Christ Has given him the responsibility and calling to be a preacher of God’s Gospel. See Rom 1:1. Also 1Cor 9:16
The reason why Paul is so eager to preach the Gospel l to those in Rome is that Jesus Christ by means of Paul’s calling had given him the Gospel to share with others. Until that happens, Paul’s calling is, in some way, not fulfilled yet. His supreme desire is to glorify his Saviour and take the Good news to all who are still without it. Paul understood the cost in going to various places to preach the Gospel. He knew it would eventually cost him his life. Read Acts 20: 22-24 (ESV); Phil 1: 21-24. Paul’s conviction was centred on one goal, which is to obey Jesus Christ by fulfilling his calling. He was driven and obedient. We must strife to emulate Paul and be able to answer these questions: How driven are we to fulfil our calling? What barriers keep us from fulfilling what God Has called us to do? Why? What is more important to you than God’s glory.
Brian Evans maintained that in these two verses we have the theme of the entire Book of Romans. Moreover, he went on to say that many scholars believe these verses to be the two greatest verses in the entire Bible. It is worthy to note that Paul’s expression of his passion for the Gospel in a negative sense probably because everyone else is ashamed of the gospel. In other words, why could not Paul states ‘I am proud of the Gospel or I am confident in this Gospel. 1Cor 1: 18-31. The Gospel is foolish to the lost world. For that reason, the world is ashamed of the Gospel, the Cross, and ashamed of Jesus Christ. The world hates the Gospel because there is no ground for boasting and because God is infinitely in control not them. It is offensive to the self-righteous. But it reveals the power of God. For it is the power of God for salvation The word “Power” (dunamis) comes from a Greek word that comes into English language as ‘dynamite’. The gospel is the explosive dynamite of God unto salvation. There is no more powerful message in the entire world than this truth. The gospel power brings a life changing and eternity-altering experience. Hence, Paul stated again in 2Cor 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come”. The gospel of Christ has the ability to:
Rom 6: 23 “ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
Eph 2:5 ‘When we were dead in our transgressions God made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up with Him’. Col 3:1 ‘If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2Cor 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come”. See Rom 6:4; Rom 6:11; Rom 6:13; Eph 2:6. Conclusion: If truly you have accepted the Gospel, the evidence of your new creation must bear witness in your heart that you are no longer under the condemnation of sin. For sin shall not have dominion over you because you have been raised up with Christ. Therefore, keep seeking the things above. Keep preaching the Gospel by word and deeds. You are the epistle that the world read. Note: Teaching culled from Brian Evans via www.gccwaverly.net. Thursday, January 23 2020
Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Introduction We will be considering an in-depth study on the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Who are the intended recipient of Paul’s letter? Who is this writer himself? What exactly is the message? Who is the center focus of this message? Why is this letter important to Paul and his intended readers? What are the benefits of this letter to us as believers? These and other questions will be addressed in today’s study.
Verse 1: Paul Introduces himself Paul here introduces himself to his readers. He identifies himself as:
In identifying himself in this way Paul establishes his authority to write to the believers in Rome. What do you think that Paul meant when he said he was 'set apart for the Gospel of God'? Was it that he felt called to do nothing but preach the Gospel to unbelievers? Or was it that he felt compelled not only to proclaim the Gospel to unbelievers, but also to teach its true and full significance to believers, clarifying its meaning and implications, and defending it against the false interpretations which so quickly were attached to it? Verse 1b – 3a, 9: Paul introduces the gospel
Verse 3-4: Paul Introduces Jesus Christ
Verse 5: Paul Introduces his ministry Paul sees Jesus Christ as the source/origin ('through him') and goal/purpose ('for his name's sake') of his ministry. His ministry was not his idea, nor is he in it to make a name for himself. It is a Christ-focused, Christ-centred ministry. He also sees his ministry as 'grace', that is, as something that he did not earn, deserve or merit. Both his ministry, and the ability to pursue it, are a gift. Verse 6-8: Paul identifies his readers It would be easy when we read some parts of Paul's letter to the Romans to forget that his readers are already believers, and because of that, to misunderstand his meaning. He here identifies them as 'among those called to belong to Jesus Christ', 'loved by God' and 'called to be saints’ and mentions their faith which 'is being reported all over the world.' Paul's readers are true believers in Jesus Christ; they already belong to Jesus. They already are loved by God. They already are 'saints' - set apart by God, for God. They already have faith. Paul is not writing to them to bring them to the point of faith. Rather, he is writing to them to spell out the implications of their already existing faith. He is not writing to them to bring them to Christ. Rather, he is writing to them so that their already existing union with Christ will find expression in the way they relate to God and to each other. Verse 8-13: Paul introduces his priorities in relation to the Romans Although Paul has not yet met the Roman believers, he already has them firmly fixed in his heart and mind. He thanks God for all of them (verse 8). He prays for them all the time (verse 10). He longs to come to see them but has been prevented (verses 10-13). Considering that he has just stated that their faith is being reported all over the world, this is an interesting and informative comment. It gives us the insight that to 'preach the gospel' was not limited to initial, conversion-generating preaching, but included explanatory teaching of the meaning and implications of the gospel in the on-going life of the believer. Most of Paul's letters contain this kind of gospel teaching, and we know from his letters that the care of the churches and the preservation of the purity of the gospel within the churches lay heavily on his heart. This burden he affirms in verse nine where he states that he serves God with his 'whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son'. Conclusion Those who truly know the Gospel know that its impact is not initial only. Indeed, the more one knows and understands the Gospel, the more one realizes that it is increasingly impactive for every moment of the believer's life. The more a believer studies the message of the Gospel the bigger he/she understands it to be. So, Paul was eager to preach the Gospel - to expound its depth and its greatness, even, no, not just even, but especially to those who had already embraced it. He longs to see them and strengthen them through his ministry (Romans 1:11). It therefore follows that our call to preach the gospel to a dying and decaying world does not stop at the point of conversion, necessity is laid on everyone of us, believers, to bring men to the place of maturity. Some parts of this study culled from https://www.godswordforyou.com/bible-studies/romans/183-study-one-introductions-romans-11-15.html Thursday, January 23 2020
Contributor: Alex Alajiki INTRODUCTION: Paul was called by God to be an apostle to the gentile (Rom.11:13 “For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry”). He brought Christianity to the gentile world, and established churches for worship and ministry. Rome was the capital of the gentile world, and a church was planted there. Paul no doubt knew the strategic value of strengthening the body of believers by laying a strong doctrinal foundation. Paul was continually challenged by the Jews regarding the Gospel of Christ and the Law of Moses. Paul obviously wanted to clear up any confusion by creating a strong doctrinal statement in his epistle. He addresses the same issues as in his other epistles, false doctrine, false teachers, and troublemakers who would stir up dissension in the church. Authorship; Paul is universally accepted as the author of the epistle to the Romans. Throughout the entire letter it is easy to see Paul's sincerity, his unique insights in the teachings about God, the Jews, Jesus and salvation to all mankind. Statements in the epistle indicate that Paul was going to Jerusalem with the collection for the poor which he had gathered (Romans 15:25-27). The key personalities in the book of Romans are the Apostle Paul, and Phoebe who delivered this letter. Date; The epistle to the Romans appears to have been written near the end of Paul's third missionary journey, probably around 57 or 58 AD. One of the main reasons for this date is because 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians refer to this collection and this would indicate that Romans was written just after 1 and 2 Corinthians, toward the end of Paul's third missionary journey. Most scholars date the epistle near AD 58 and name Corinth as the city of its origin. Audience; The epistle begins with "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" in Rom 1:7. This would clearly indicate that Paul was addressing the Christian church in Rome. Throughout the book of Romans, it is clear that in the church at Rome there were many Jews and Gentiles. Outline of the Book of Romans 1, Doctrine and Theology - Chapters 1-8; Paul explains the fundamentals and foundations of the Christian faith (Rom.6:23). This is the Gospel Message, which all believers are commanded to share with the entire world. 2, God's Plan for Israel - Chapters 9-11; Paul explains God’s sovereignty over salvation. He also spells out how an individual may come into a right relationship with Go ( Rom. 10:9-10 ). Place your faith and trust only in what Jesus Christ has already done on the cross and make Him the Master of your life and trust He raised Himself from the grave conquering death. His promise to everyone is: "You will be saved''. 3, The New Life in Christ - Chapters 12-16; Paul gives instructions for all Christians about how to live a holy lifestyle ( Rom.12:1-2 ). Much of the errors and trials that Paul dealt with in his “Epistles”, were because the believers had conformed their lives to the world and not to God. Summary of Romans from 1 to 16 Romans 1—The Gospel Is the Power of God It covers Paul’s introduction to the book of Romans as well as building a case against the entire world that we were guilty before God. The reason for writing the book of Romans was to share the gospel and teach that our righteousness comes by faith in Jesus Christ apart from what we can do to earn it. Romans 2—God’s Righteous Judgment It is written to admonish the Jews that living by the law and circumcision does not make them righteous in God’s eyes. This comes as quite a shock, but Paul stresses that living by rules and regulations only brings about judgment and condemnation. Paul concludes that a true Jew is one that has experienced circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God. Romans 3—Righteousness Apart from the Law It completes the accusation that both the Jews and the Gentiles are guilty before God. Now the prosecution can rest and the defence begin. Paul switches gears by explaining that the righteousness that the law was powerless to give us, God did by sending Jesus. He maintains that this righteousness comes by faith to all who believe in Christ Jesus apart from obeying the law. Romans 4—Justified by Faith It is proof that faith has always been the means for justification. Paul reflects back to the Old Testament patriarchs who were justified by faith, not works, to illustrate his point. Paul uses this illustration to prove that Gentiles were part of this promise given to Abraham. The whole world was blessed through him because he chose to believe God rather than his circumstances and, because of this, his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Romans 5—The Results of Justification by Faith It is powerful and instrumental in understanding that we are reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. God did not spare His own son, but graciously gave Him for us to undo what Adam did in the garden. Death came through one man’s sin, but life came more abundantly in every way through the gift of Jesus. Paul stresses that this reconciliation is not something we are waiting for, but in every sense of the word, believers are righteous, holy, and acceptable to God. Romans 6—Freedom from Sin It eloquently teaches that when we are born again, sin’s power is broken in our lives. Paul maintains that we are freed from sin and made alive to God through Jesus Christ. Our sinful nature was crucified with Him when we were baptized into his death. Now through Jesus, we have received the gift of God, which is eternal life. Romans 7—Married to Christ It shows us the contrast between living bound to the law and living by the Spirit of God. We are no longer in bondage as slaves and are now free to belong to God. The struggle with sin may still be evident, but Paul maintains we have no obligation to succumb to it. We are instructed to live by the Spirit and bear fruit according to our new nature. Romans 8—Life in the Spirit It shows how to live by the Spirit and let peace rule in our hearts. The Holy Spirit within us continually testifies to us that we are children of God. He gives us assurance with God to convince us that nothing will ever separate us from His love. This is a passage of hope because we know our future is bright in Christ. Romans 9—Children of the Promise through Faith in Christ It teaches us that it is not natural children that are God’s children, but rather children of the promise. The promise comes through faith in Christ not by works of the Law. He uses the example of the Israelites, who pursued righteousness by the law without obtaining it, and Gentiles, who pursued it by faith and obtained righteousness through Jesus Christ. Chapter 9 is a sobering call that faith in Christ alone saves us. Romans 10—The Word of Faith It teaches the word of faith. By confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and by believing this in our hearts, we are saved—nothing more, nothing less. Christ is the end of the law so we can be justified and made righteous by faith in Jesus alone. Faith comes by hearing this gospel message and responding to it. Paul encourages us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 11—A Remnant of Israel It discusses that, although Israel as a whole rejected Jesus as the Messiah, there is still a remnant chosen by grace. Their dismissal of Jesus has blessed the world because this salvation message was then opened to the Gentiles. However, they have not fallen beyond recovery, and in the end Israel will be saved through faith. God’s plan includes bestowing mercy upon all mankind. Romans 12—Living Sacrifices It encourages us to be living sacrifices in view of the mercy we have received in Christ Jesus. We do this through renewing our minds to the truth of God’s word, serving and blessing the body of Christ through our gifts and above all by loving and being devoted to one another. Romans 12 is a call to live a life of peace, faithfully serving the Lord in all things and overcoming the evil of the world by faith. Romans 13—Submission to Authorities It is a charge to clothe ourselves with Christ Jesus and live as His children in this present world. We are to submit to authorities and to pay respect where it is due. We are to wake up and serve the Lord out of love by showing others the light of the gospel. Romans 14—The Weak and the Strong It encourages us to consider everything we do as if we are doing it for the Lord. It is a call to do what leads to peace and mutual edification within the body of Christ. We are not to condemn or look down on those who are weaker in faith, but be fully convinced of what is acceptable in our own minds, as everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 15—Unity among Believers It stresses unity within the body of believers. We are to take the encouragement from the scriptures and Christ as our example in how we live accepting one another. Paul reminds us that we are competent ministers of the gospel taking in and internalizing the amazing grace that was covered in the previous chapters. Now it is our job to share it with others. Romans 16—Commendations and Greetings It is Paul's final farewell and instruction to the believers in Rome. He is affectionate toward them and gives final coaching to watch out for false doctrines and teachings and those who would cause division among them. He reminds them that Satan will soon be crushed under their feet and that His gospel is able to hold them until the day of Jesus. Sunday, January 12 2020
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai INTRODUCTION: As Paul concludes his letter to the Galatian churches, he writes the final words in his own distinctive handwriting as if to certify the authenticity of the entire letter with his personal stamp of approval.
"With what large letters" calls attention to the fact that Paul's handwriting is distinct from that of the scribe who wrote the other parts of the letter. It was as if he were saying, "Pay careful attention to my final words!" These final verses emphasize the key points Paul had been making throughout the letter - that false teachers were trying to persuade the Galatians to submit to the system of the Law which is opposed to the new economy of the cross of Christ. These concluding comments contain many reminders which point back into the body of the letter to highlight points that Paul had already made there.
This study was culled from Thursday, December 19 2019
Contributor: Alex Alajiki INTRODUCTION We examined Temperance (Self Control), the last of the graces of the fruit of the Spirit last week. it is simply the ability to control oneself in all things. We understood that we must exercise self-control over our Flesh, Time, Anger, Our Tongue and Belly. In 1Corinthians 9:24‑27; Paul compared a believer to an athlete subjecting the body to rigorous discipline with self-control to be able to win, so also must we apply self-control to every area of our lives if we must win the Lord’s incorruptible crown. Finally, we are studying the last chapter in this Paul’s letter to the region of Galatia. We should remind ourselves, in conclusion of our studies, that the main theme of the book of Galatians is that we are justified by faith, not by the works of the law. 1: Restoring a Fallen Brother; Gal.6:1-5 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examines his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
originally, "take before (hand)." Here it means "take something by surprise, overtake, surprise someone." The word indicates a non-normal event. Sin isn't to be considered a "normal" part of the Christian's life. The normal Christian life is walking in the Spirit. However, the reality is that we goof up, we slip, we sin because we have an adversary (1 Pet.5:8). But grace made provision for restoration;
also be tempted; Grace made provision for restoration. 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” When we discover such a brother or sister, we must not jump on them with legalism, condemnation and judgment, but allow a mature spiritual person to handle them. Spiritual means Holy Spirit-filled person. Restoration must be done by a spirit of meekness, gentleness or humility; the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one's self-importance or superiority. James 5:19-20. While doing this work of grace and love, we must be carful less we fall into temptation of judging others.
are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." The law of Christ is the law of love; John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." It is the royal love as we see in James 2:8. We can be tempted to say, "I don't want to get involved. It's not my business." But that's not love -- nor does it recognize the fallen one as part of our Christian family. 1 Pet.4:8 “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
4 But let each one examines his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load It's easy to deceive ourselves about our own righteousness. long-time church leaders and members are particularly vulnerable, since we're around church, we've taught the Scripture, we believe in the truth. We think of ourselves as "good" people. But we can be the worst hypocrites! James is especially instructive here: James 1:22-25 “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing." Each one should test his own actions." We're not to be easy on ourselves. Only through continual self-examination and bare honesty can we protect ourselves from self-deceit. 2 Corin.13:5 The danger is that we who are restoring others may lose our humility and become condescending -- and lose our own edge! 2: Be Generous and Do Good; Gal. 6:6-10 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
uses this word also in his letter to the Philippians. “Not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only." (Phil.4:15b) Paul isn't trying to get money from the Galatians. Elsewhere he insists that he himself glories in preaching the gospel free of charge to the recipients (1 Corin. 9:18). He can do so because the Philippian church helped support him! But it is important that he teaches the churches how to provide some support for their own leaders and preachers both financially and materially. Otherwise these teachers won't be able to spend their time preaching. So, he asserts this important principle that came down from Jesus himself; Matt.10:10, 1 Corin. 9:4-14; 1 Tim. 5:17.
deceive ourselves by failing to observe God’s principle but expecting to reap the benefits. God watches over His words to perform them; Jer.1:12. We can’t mock God or treat Him with contempt, you will reap whatever you sow. Flesh to flesh and spirit to spirit. We can choose either to yield to God's Spirit in us or to go our own way. Each direction has eternal consequences. One end is eternal life; the other is "corruption," that is, destruction.
conduct or activity, lose enthusiasm, be discouraged. Why must we not grow weary, because there is a reward! At the proper time, the time God has chosen, Christ will come and reward us both here and after. I cor.15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain." CONCLUSION Vs 10, Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. God will always present us with opportunities for good works, but we have the personal preference to do them and be rewarded. We are to continually find ways to do good to others, since it is the natural outflowing of God's love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). It was this doing good which was to characterize Christians to the pagan culture that surrounded them. We're not to be known as religious weirdos, but as people who act in loving and kind ways, patiently doing good to others. Wednesday, December 04 2019
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai INTRODUCTION We have finally come to the last of the graces of the fruit of the Spirit. These graces, seeds or virtues manifest when we allow the Holy Spirit express Himself through us. The KJV calls this 9th seed of the fruit of the Spirit, Temperance, the NKJV calls it “self-control”. Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) says: “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Self-control is more commonly used today than Temperance. And Self-control is something that we have received from the Holy Spirit it’s also something that we have to exercise in our lives daily. Because we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, implies that we already have this grace in our hearts, but it’s up to us to bring it to the surface, to manifest it in the natural realm. WHAT IS SELF-CONTROL? Simply, it is the ability to control oneself, in particular one's emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations. As Christians, we need to exercise self-control in all things; it’s a very necessary part to the Christian life. Although it is possible to gain self-control by purely natural self-discipline; we can only go much further in exercising self-control, if we allow the Holy Spirit who dwells in us express Himself through us. WHY MUST WE EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL? There are basically three main reasons why we MUST exercise self-control.
The reason for these is seen in verse 5c “. . . so that the word of God will not be dishonoured.”
HOW DO WE EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL? Generally speaking, it is by creating boundaries and guidelines and living by them. Specifically, as Christians, it is by allowing the Holy Spirit dictate how we respond or react. Romans 8:14 (AMP) says: “For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” FIVE AREAS TO EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL
In 1st Corinthians 9:27 (AMP) Paul applies this strategy “But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].” TPT version put it this way: “but I train like a champion athlete. I subdue my body[a] and get it under my control, so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified. The footnote [a] says: Or “I beat my body black and blue.” This is an obvious metaphor of placing the desires of one’s body as second place to the desires of the Holy Spirit. See Rom. 8:13.
One area that we really need have to self-control in is with our time. These days too many things can steal your time. Things like TV, Social Media, sometimes fellowships, hobbies, and many others. Even your family can steal your time. Nothing wrong with any of the above things, but in excess, they can steal your time. Colossians 4:5 (AMP) says: “Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious].” We need to use every chance we have to tell people about the Good News. Ephesians 5:15‑16 (LB) says: “So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools, be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good.”
Another area where we have to exercise self-control in is with our temper. Eccl. 7:9 says: “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger dwells in the heart of fools. Proverbs 16:32 (TPT) says: “Do you want to be a mighty warrior? It’s better to be known as one who is patient and slow to anger. Do you want to conquer a city? Rule over your temper before you attempt to rule a city.” We need to control our anger. If you do, you are better than the mighty. Ephesians 4:26 (AMP) says, “Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behaviour], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down.
We must exercise self-control in what we say. Eccl.5 verses 2 and 6 say: “Don’t shoot off your mouth or speak before you think. Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.” “Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won’t get by with “Sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation?” (James 1:19) Says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” We are thus admonished to be slow to speak because when angry, many times, we speak off the top of our heads, and say things we don’t mean, things we’ll be sorry for later.
There are those who have allowed their bellies to be their gods due to greed. The Bible says in Philippians 3:19 that their end is destruction! The ESV says: “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Proverbs 25:6 says: “If you find honey, eat just enough-- too much of it, and you will vomit.” Proverbs 23:2 says: “Be careful to curb your appetite and catch yourself before you fall into the trap of wanting all you see.” Proverbs 23:20 says: “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.” CONCLUSION In 1st Corinthians 9:24‑27, Paul’s metaphor is about the lives of athletes in preparation for the old Grecian or Olympic Games, where every competitor had rigorous training before he/she could compete, during this rigorous training, they had to be temperate in all things. Even athletes today do much the same thing, they exercise temperance or self-control. Now if these athletes put in so much effort just to win a medal that fades, shouldn’t Christians put in even more effort to maintain their spiritual fitness and get an incorruptible crown? Of course we must take the pain to maintain our spiritual fitness by fasting, praying, fellowshipping, attending communal and individual Bible studies, etc. Wednesday, November 27 2019
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai INTRODUCTION Last week we considered three of the graces of the fruit of the Spirit kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. We learnt that these graces were all part of God nature. We concluded that our hearts should match our actions; and that God is just as concerned about our heart as He is our actions. Today we shall be considering the first of the last two - Meekness. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV) Matthew 5:5 “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the gentle, (humble or meek) [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth.” [AMP] Emphasis mine MEEKNESS DEFINED Meekness has been defined as power under control. A strong but gentle, reverent, and humble spirit of selfless devotion to God and submission to His purposes. It is the opposite of pride. It is a God-controlled person, who possesses a strong yet teachable spirit, with all the emotions and ability to take and conquer, but still is able to govern himself. The meek person rejects the attitude of self-sufficiency and superiority, but lives completely for God with no agendas other than to please Christ. A word with a closely-related meaning is magnanimous, defined as “generous in forgiving; avoiding resentment or revenge; unselfish.” Meekness is an important part of true love. “Love is patient; love is kind … It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, New International Version). The Bible places great value on meekness. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek [Greek praus], for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). That’s a mighty big reward for being meek! We are to be meek (yielded, teachable, responsive) first of all in our relationship with God, and secondly meek (humble, gentle, respectful) in our relationships with people. To become this kind of person, God must tame and train us! MEEKNESS VS GENTLENESS! Since “meek” is no longer a popular or commonly used word, modern Bible translations frequently substitute the almost-synonymous word “gentle.” The New King James Version, for instance, uses “meek” and “gentle” interchangeably. However, we must be aware that gentleness refers mostly to actions, whereas meekness refers to attitude— one’s whole state of mind as well as actions. Meekness produces gentleness. This explains why meekness is one of the beatitudes—beautiful attitudes for which God promises blessings (Matthew 5:5). MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS! Many people confuse “meek” with “weak.” It’s regrettable that they rhyme because godly meekness requires strength! Meekness does not refer to weakness or passivity but to controlled power, expressed by faith, obedience and a whole-hearted surrender to the Holy Spirit. Some people assume that a person who doesn’t retaliate tit for tat must be afraid or mousy. But true strength is shown by a secure individual who stays cool, thinks first and then responds in the way that will best help the other person. Proverbs 15:1 says: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly [humble] in heart” He used His power for healing rather than hurting. Remember His words: “Learn from Me.” JESUS: OUR EXAMPLE OF MEEKNESS/HUMILITY Philippians 2:5-9 says: “Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, but stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.” 1 Peter 2:23 “When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.” Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud! Behold, your King comes to you; He is [uncompromisingly] just and having salvation [triumphant and victorious], patient, meek, lowly, and riding on a donkey.” TWO PROMINENT EXAMPLES OF THE MEEK AND HUMBLE
CONCLUSION We are admonished to live a life completely clothed with meekness and humility. Colossians 3:12 says: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” In Philippians 4:5, the Bible admonishes us to have a reputation for gentleness. It says: “Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.” The Bible also admonishes us to live this way in several other scriptures. Matthew 23:11-12 “The greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and He who humbles himself will be exalted.” Titus 3:2 “Speak evil of none, do not be quarrelsome, but gentle, showing perfect meekness toward all (perfect courtesy toward all men).” 1Timothy 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Ephesians 4:2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” Remember that it is the result of His presence, the Holy Spirit within us that enables us to manifest these graces of which meekness is one. So let’s allow the fruit mature and ripen in us. Thursday, November 14 2019
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai INTRODUCTION: In the past few weeks we have been considering the virtues, graces or seeds of the fruit of the Spirit - the result of God’s presence within us. According to our text Gal.5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [AMP] We have since considered love, peace, patience (longsuffering) and in today’s study we shall be considering kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.
Kindness is defined as the quality of being generous, helpful, and caring about other people. It conveys the meaning of moral goodness, integrity, usefulness, and compassion. In the King James Version this word is translated “gentleness,” which links it to the meaning of a gentleman or a gentlewoman, someone who behaves properly, with moral integrity. Romans 2:4 reminds us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance not judgement. The Holy Spirit enables us to have moral integrity with kindness and not get trapped in self-righteousness judgement. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
God's kindness can be personal, meant especially for one person. David experienced God's kindness, and he praised God for it, saying, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me" (Psalm 18:16). God's kindness may also affect many people in a particular way. God shows His kindness through the ongoing provision described in Acts 14:17: "He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons."
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you. [AMP] “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 2 Samuel 9:7
Goodness means uprightness of heart and life. Goodness is seen in our actions not just the words of our mouths. This word relates to not only being good, but also doing good things. The Contemporary English Version of 2 Thessalonians 1:11 highlights this meaning, “We pray for God's power to help you do all the good things you hope to do, and your faith makes you want to do.” Through the Holy Spirit's work in Christians' lives, they are upright in heart, and they do good things. God knows how much we love Him by how much we are showing self-sacrificing love for other people. In man, Goodness is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good.
In the Bible, the “goodness” of God often refers to His gracious generosity in providing abundantly for mankind’s needs and benefits (Psalms 23:6; Psalms 65:11). It can also refer to God’s generous mercy and patience that allow more time for sinners to repent (Romans 2:4). But God’s goodness is much more than those things. It is the very essence of God’s nature— His righteousness and holiness. In Ephesians 5:9, we see that His goodness is closely associated with righteousness and truth. To the extent that we have God’s goodness, we have godliness or God-likeness.
Just as Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). So must we! Good works include obeying God’s laws. We have been “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Christ said to do good to everyone, even our enemies! “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28). Doing good to someone who does good to you, Jesus points out in (Luke 6:32-33), is not pure goodness. It is rather two people exchanging favours, which can be at least partly selfish. God’s standard is the very highest! “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith [fellow believers]” (Galatians 6:9-10).
Faithfulness is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Faithfulness is a character trait that combines dependability and trust based on our confidence in God and His eternal faithfulness. It implies the following: that a person is strict or thorough in the performance of their duty (Matt. 25:21, Col.1:7), that one is true to one's word, promises, vows, etc., and they are steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant, reliable, trusted, or believed.
"O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as You, Lord? Faithfulness is Your very character" (Psalm 89:8). Faithfulness is at the heart of all that God is and does. His truthfulness, holiness, love, righteousness, and other attributes ensure His faithfulness. He is incapable of being otherwise. God is faithful to protect us from temptation and the evil one. (1 Corinthians 10:13), He is faithful to us even when we are unfaithful. (2 Timothy 2:13). He is faithful to fulfil His promises. (Hebrews 10:23). He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9), etc.
We must remain faithful to God and to our commitments. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” Without faithfulness to God there can be no Christian life. Christianity is based first on faith that God is, and then that through Christ Jesus we can be forgiven and are saved. Our faithfulness is a commitment to adhere to the One God who is true and supreme and to keep His commandments. Proverbs 16:6-7 - “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” CONCLUSION God is just as concerned about our heart as He is our actions. James in James 4:8 wrote to the early Christians: “Cleanse your hands [actions], you sinners; and purify your hearts [attitudes], you double-minded [straddling the fence between God and the world]” Pure hearts require right motives. Paul said that if he did good works without love, “it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). Doing good deeds, being kind and being faithful to impress others will bring no reward from God (Matthew 6:1-4). But when the motive is to “glorify your Father in heaven” instead of yourself, doing good works that are seen by others is part of being “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16). So our hearts should match our actions. Once God’s Spirit is at work within us, it produces the wonderful fruit of the Spirit; expressing itself in these graces: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These virtues, seeds or graces, blend together to reflect the overall character of God expressed by us! Saturday, October 19 2019
Contributor: Dolapo Olaoye INTRODUCTION: We have been looking at various seeds of the fruit of the Spirit (Love, Joy and Peace). We have discovered that there is only one fruit of the Spirit, but it has multiple seeds or graces. With Love we learnt that first, love must be directed to God, to ourselves, then to our fellow men. We went further then to look at Joy where we learnt that joy is God’s nature and character! And since God is exceedingly joyful, His servants should also be joyful! And then last week we studied the definition of peace, examples of peace to follow and concluded with the demonstration of Peace. In today’s study we will be looking at “longsuffering”. “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Gal. 5:22 [AMP]
Merriam Webster dictionary defines longsuffering as “patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship.” Jack Wellman describes longsuffering in short has suffering long! He went on further to say, “It refers to a great deal of patience or endurance of something or someone like an illness or the mistreatment by others of one’s self”. God’s people (Christians) are to be Christ-like and we are to walk in the Spirit. This means, among other things, showing the fruit of the Spirit manifesting as love, joy, peace, and now longsuffering.
Longsuffering enables us to never give up, regardless of life’s difficulties or trials. The opposite of longsuffering is having a short fuse and being quick to react in an angry, irritated, short-tempered manner in a stressful challenging situation. When you have longsuffering, you are always trying to look for the positive and highlighting that rather than murmuring and complaining.
Expressing this seed of the fruit of the Spirit means handing over whatever difficult, annoying or frustrating, situation to Him, asking that God will bless you and make you a blessing despite it, or by means of it, and through it. In the end God will take care of everything, and the trials now in circumstances will soon be over. Joni Eareckson Tada said: “The times we find ourselves having to wait on others, [or be longsuffering towards them] may be the perfect opportunities to train ourselves to wait on the Lord [and to remember His longsuffering towards us].” And James also said in James 5:8: “You also be patient [longsuffering]; establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” The Holy Spirit works this seed of longsuffering out in and through us by guiding us in faith and humbleness and giving us an everlasting perspective in life.
The Longsuffering seed is part of God’s renewing work on His people’s lives by His grace and Spirit. When we become able to “suffer long” towards others, it shows much of God’s grace and graciousness in us proving we are living truly in faith and depending upon God. On the flip side, when we are unable to express longsuffering, it often brings a lot of disgrace to the gospel and our Christian testimony. Think about it, do you easily get drawn to a person who easily gets upset with other people (“short fused), someone who is impatient and exhibits bad-tempered in difficult situations? No, it makes you uncomfortable right? That’s why having longsuffering is essential as it brings a calm disposition and it helps in promoting endurance and perseverance to the end. This is attenable by God’s grace and through His Spirit and Word as your guide and refuge.
Some people are naturally patient while some also come from families and or churches where patience was taught as a virtue and practiced. Longsuffering is slightly similar but also quite different. The longsuffering we are talking about today is a result of the fruit of the spirit. As previously discussed, it manifests itself in patience, mercy, forgiveness, and in facing and enduring trials with courage and perseverance. Let us link this quickly to the “love chapter” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Notice how many times longsuffering appears in its various manifestations, covering all angles. I would like us to do a quick exercise exercising the “power of the tongue” by inserting your name in this confession below: <YOUR NAME> suffers long with kindness, I refuse to be easily provoked to anger, I refuse to ever wish to get revenge, and I will endure any suffering and persecution life throws at me. We can accomplish all this through God in us - Agape! We therefore need to ask God every time to fill us with longsuffering. God is very longsuffering. That is one of His traits. His Spirit in us gives us that same quality that emanates from God. But for it to be the real thing it must be from God. Colossians 1:9-11: “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;” CONCLUSION It is hard to suffer long in this world without the Holy Spirit. Hence why people without God find it hard to live through hardships and agonies life throws at them, they lack the hope of an eternal future which is free from all suffering. We should always pray for these sets of individuals. Pray that God grants them repentance so that they too can be saved. Until that happens, we must be kind to them, continue daily to pray for them, love them, and be longsuffering in their struggle to our belief in Christ because at some point so were, we! Let us ask God to fill us with this amazing gift more than ever before and by so doing we will reap the benefits of having more self-discipline in the face of provocation. Making us less willing to retaliate, less easily provoked to anger but rather more merciful, less liable to surrender to circumstances and less likely to crumble under trials and full of hope. Thursday, October 10 2019
Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Introduction We will continue our study of the Fruit of the Spirit as we consider another of the seed, result or grace called Peace. During the last meeting, we had an in-depth study of Joy. We learnt and discovered that Joy is more than a definition, Joy is spiritual! We learnt from the scriptures that the root of Joy is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We also learnt that since Joy is spiritual, this is different from Happiness, which is rooted in emotion. Today, we will consider Peace and the significance and meaning of this manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in general.
What Really Are the “Graces”, seeds or “results” of the “Fruit of the Holy Spirit? Quite a number of Christians still believe that these graces of “fruit of the Spirit” are things to strive for and work towards in the Christian life. These are the things God wants us to do to be “better Christians”. This has been the lesson taught on this verse many times and it sounds pretty good. However, it will appear that this teaching directly betrays the meaning of the passage and the overall context. Specifically, at issue here is the nature of fruit. The idea of fruit is used throughout the New Testament almost always as an illustrative idea and not as literal fruit (apples, oranges, etc.). The theological idea of fruit is that of a natural result. An apple tree produces apples. An orange tree produces oranges. An apple tree will not produce an orange. No matter how hard an apple tree might try to produce an orange it will always be a losing battle. Yet, an orange tree has no problem producing an orange. In fact, everything from the roots to the branches are made to do just that. Paul uses of the word “fruit” here to complete an idea that started earlier in the passage (Galatians 5:16-17 AMP). The Christian has something unique that the rest of the world does not. We can choose to complete our daily activity, “walk”, by our own resources, a.k.a. “the flesh”, or by recognizing our lack of ability to produce Christ-like characteristics and trusting the Holy Spirit to work through us in our daily activity. The fruit of these two trees (the flesh and the Spirit) are predictable. When we choose to go through any activity of our day by our own resources, our flesh tree will only ever produce flesh fruit, some of which are listed Galatians 5 vs 19-21. We might be able to cover up our flesh with a smile, justification, or comparative morality (“my flesh is not as bad as so-and-so’s flesh”), but it will always truly be fruit that is sickly and rotten at the core. No matter how much we might desire the opposite kind of fruit we can never, nor will we ever, produce it by our own efforts. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts and passions. 13 Do not go on offering members of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness. But offer yourselves to God [in a decisive act] as those alive [raised] from the dead [to a new life], and your members [all of your abilities—sanctified, set apart] as instruments of righteousness [yielded] to God.” Romans 6:12-13 AMP On the other hand, when we choose to offer ourselves to God and allow Him to work through us, our Spirit tree will only ever produce Spirit fruit. What is Peace? The word Paul used for peace was the Greek word eirene. This word includes the meaning “peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). Peace is the opposite of James 4:1-4. Notice Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (emphasis added throughout). God’s perfect peace is one of those wonderfully deep things of God that have not “entered into the heart of man” but are only “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:9,14). The fruit of the Spirit of peace also provides the inner peace of mind and contentment found by living God’s way of life—even in less-than-peaceful situations. Peace is more than the absence of war or something felt in the mind. It is a way of living life in a proper relationship between man and God, as well as man and man. Why Does God Want Us to Demonstrate Peace? Peace is so alien a thing in this world. Imagine a world:
Why, in Romans 12:18, does Paul say, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”? He said this because God wants His entire creation to be at peace, and this must start one person at a time. The coming Kingdom of God will be one of peace; and if we are to be a part of it, we must demonstrate this reality. Christ explicitly explained this in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). So why does God want us to demonstrate peace? God wants us to be a part of His family as sons and daughters, and His family must be peaceful. Eventually the whole world will be part of this peaceful family; but now, amidst the hatred and conflict, it must start with us. An Example of Peace to Follow A great example of making peace can be found in the story of Abram (whose name was later changed to Abraham) and his nephew Lot. The two were traveling together, but their possessions were too great and their herdsmen began bickering and fighting over grazing land. Abram came to Lot and said: “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left” (Genesis 13:8-9). Instead of letting anger build up and shouting accusations, Abram calmly assessed the situation and made a suggestion, giving Lot the preference. His example shows that making peace might involve sacrifice of comfort and preference. But God blessed the results of Abram’s efforts at peace and recorded it as an example for us. Conclusion – Demonstration of Peace We must practice the way of peace starting in the only area we can really affect: our sphere of influence. Remember, Paul urged us “if it is possible” and “as much as depends on you” to live peaceably with “all men.” This will be challenging. Here are a few ideas:
Some parts of this study culled from https://www.compellingtruth.org; https://www.ucg.org; https://lifehopeandtruth.com |
