This post is meant to offer guidance to common “What now?” questions that could emerge from Pastor J.D.’s sermon on I Peter 2:13-25 preached at The Summit Church Saturday/Sunday November 19-20, 2011.
This passage addresses a very uncomfortable subject – being subject to authority, even when that authority is not honoring God or loving its subjects. The passage is made less popular by the context in which it was written – teaching exiled Christians how to response to an oppressor emperor (v. 13). We cannot chalk this passage up to theory or idealism; it was written for real people in a very un-idealistic situation.
While much more could be said about what this passage does mean, in this post I want to derive three things from the text that this passage does not mean.
First, this submission is not value neutral, and it is not to be applied to criminal activity. Peter states the purpose for which the authority has been put into place – “to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good” (v. 14). While Peter’s reader may have been in a situation where they had no protective authority to petition for help, it is clear that Peter was not saying “authority makes right.”
Based upon this, no one should apply this passage to fail to report criminal activity of someone in authority. Recently, this has been in the public discussion because of the Penn State scandal. More commonly, families fail to report physical or other forms of abuse by a parent. In these kind of cases, “being subject” does not include “being silent.” Knowing the function of authority actually requires just the opposite.
Second, this submission is not passive. The objective of the submission is to silence the ignorance and foolishness of those who are abusing their power (v. 15). Peter is not silencing his readers; he is teaching them God’s way of silencing their abusive authorities.
It is important to note that Peter does not surrender the definition of “good” to the abusive authorities. He is not saying, “Do whatever they want. Concede. Make them happy to protect yourself as best you can.” That is the mindset of codependency. It does not triumph over evil with good (Rom. 12:21). It lets evil define good and pretends that evil is right.
By doing good—true God-defined good—in the presence of evil, you leave evil speechless—at least to say anything coherent. The worst that can be said is, “Are you so stupid that you would continue to live well even when life does not reward you?” The reply is, “No, I just do not think the alternatives of being bound in fear or joining in foolishness are worse than not getting a reward.” But most often that answer is better lived than spoken until the question is asked with genuine inquisitiveness (Prov. 26:4-5).
Third, this submission is not mindless or will-crushing; it is free (v. 16). Peter does not equate submission, even to an ungodly authority, to counter freedom. Here I think it helpful to define freedom. Freedom is the ability to pursue what is most important in life. For Peter that was living as servants of God. Peter’s friend Paul spoke similarly about his experience with an unjust justice system (Phil 1:12-14).
In the oppressive environment in which his readers lived, it would have been easy for them to use their limited freedom as a reason for living in ways that displeased God – taking their anger out on one another (after all the police would not assist the exiles), to escape through substance abuse, to exact revenge on the authorities by stealing to “make things even,” or other such practices.
So what do we gain from learning what submission is not? We gain the ability to be boldly submissive with a mission. Ungodly authority does not rob us of our mission or the ability to carry it out. Evil doesn’t win when it has the upper hand. Evil wins when it becomes contagious.
In the same way, good doesn’t lose because it is disadvantaged. Good wins when it becomes contagious. Our goal when we have an ungodly authority is to make good—the gospel-powered embodiment of Christ’s character—contagious in our sphere of influence. In oppressive circumstances, we do this by utilizing the freedoms and resources we have to make God’s good more contagious than the authority’s evil.
Posted 2 months, 2 weeks ago at 11:13 am. Add a comment
This post is meant to offer guidance to common “What now?” questions that could emerge from Pastor JD’s sermon “Self-Destruction: 2 Samuel 11:1-27” preached at The Summit Church Saturday/Sunday January 22-23, 2011.
How should I think about sex?
Here is a quote that I believe captures the glory of sex and cautions us against the over-emphasis of sex.
“Our Christian task is to remember that every sexual union is profound. It always points to the deeper union that we have with Christ by faith. Sex mirrors the glory of God in the gospel. It exists because it expresses God’s oneness with His people, His fidelity to us, His ownership of us, His self-sacrifice, and the pleasure we can take in this relationship… Sex is a good thing, there’s no question about that, but we don’t need sex. Humanness, found in Jesus, is not defined by sexual intercourse.” Edward T. Welch in “The Apostle Paul: On Sex” The Journal of Biblical Counseling (Fall 2005).
How does sexual sin (or any other sin) begin to change me?
The article “Not Again Sin” by Brad Hambrick [SIN_article_Hambrick] takes you through nine questions to help you see the influence of your sin in your life. Often, like David, we miss the subtle changes. He moved from sense of entitlement about rest (staying home “because he had already won many battles and deserved a rest”) to a sense of entitlement about pleasure (having Bathsheba). Chances are, he didn’t see the connection. When we see the ways our sin influences us, then our resolve to avoid temptation becomes stronger.
What should I do if I struggle with pornography?
Act now! You need to talk to somebody. Private sins, like pornography, fester in anonymity. We would highly recommend you join our Freedom Group on purity.
Install accountability and blocking software on your computer. For free accountability software on your computer, see www.xxxchurch.com. If you want a slightly more sophisticated program, see www.covenanteyes.com.
How hurt or offended should I be by my spouse’s pornography problem?
The article “Is Pornography Biblical Grounds for Divorce?” by Brad Hambrick [PORN_MARRIAGE_article_Hambrick] is meant to walk couples through this question. Don’t let the title make you think it’s a debative article. It attempts to walk a couple form hurt (intense and personal) to hope (real and honest). The article walks a couple through understanding the hurt, what to ask, who to involve, and what each spouse should do next.
A sample piece of advice: don’t let your wife be your primary or exclusive accountability partner (or vice versa). These dual roles of spouse and accountability are hard to balance. The wife should be allowed to ask any question she would like to know, but the husband should protect his wife by not forcing her to perpetually ask him uncomfortable questions or risk her husband being alone in his battle with pornography.
What do I do if my spouse has been unfaithful?
Don’t continue to hurt alone and in silence. Yelling at your spouse doesn’t count as speaking up. Infidelity should not be handled alone. The powerful emotions of anger, betrayal, fear, shame, shock, and the corresponding temptations to denial, blame-shifting, manipulation, and quick fixes are too strong to be navigated alone. Reach out to our counseling office for help (919.383.7100).
What if my struggle stems from insecurity?
Our culture tells us that the universal solution to all our problems is to love ourselves more. The Bible predicted this and warned against it long before psychology “discovered” it (2 Tim. 3:1-2). Focusing on and thinking more of self doesn’t provide relief from insecurity – it makes it worse. Staring in a mirror longer and closer doesn’t excite us any more about our appearance. This is especially true when we “score” ourselves by appearance, instead of treasuring who we are in/to Christ and what God has done for us and is willing to do through us.
The following four articles should help you think through this further.
How should I talk to my children about sex and lust?
You should talk to your children about sex and lust. If you don’t, somebody else will. With that said, it is an intimidating and awkward subject. Paul Tripp’s booklet Teens & Sex: How Should We Teach Them? provides an excellent brief discussion of how to have these talks (yes, plural). Joshua Harris’ book Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is): Sexual Purity in a Lust-Saturated World is an excellent PG book on lust written for teens with a gospel focus.
Pastor JD talked about not dressing for attention. This is not an attack on style and is difficult. Carolyn Mahaney has written a four page “modesty checklist” [PARENTING_Modesty Checklist_Mahaney] that takes you from heart to heels. It is an excellent tool for parents to talk through with their daughters (and their sons concerning what attracts them to girls).
How do I train myself to be “captivated by God’s beauty”?
Too often a phrase like this can be good rhetoric, but hard to apply. There are no picture magazines of God’s beauty and our captivation in God’s beauty is more declaration than self-gratification. If this question intrigues you and you want to make a reality in your life, I would recommend chapters 25-27 of Future Grace by John Piper (only 30 pages total for all three chapters combined). The title of chapter 27 is “Faith in Future Grace vs. Lust.”
Posted 1 year ago at 4:04 pm. Add a comment
Tamper with God’s Word (4:2)
In II Corinthians 3:5-6 Paul had already said, “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Paul is now explaining what this competent ministry in God’s sufficiency looks like – faithful handling of God’s Word with a reliance upon God’s Person (God’s Spirit not our interpretation of the letter).
This is a hard balance to strike. On one side, many come to Scripture and ask, “What does this passage mean to me?” They tamper with God’s Word (often putting words in God’s mouth) that are not consistent with the words God inspired. On the other side, others explore Scripture exclusively in its historical context thinking an extensive understanding of the culture and setting in which the Bible was written is a “deep” understanding of Scripture. They tamper with God’s Word by ignoring or being silent about the modern relevance of God’s Word.
For what it’s worth, both groups often treat conversations with other people the same way. One group thinks what they feel is the same thing as what you meant. The other group thinks that if you only understood the context of their thinking you would agree with them. Here again we see that we tend to treat other people the same way we treat God (life reveals our hearts).
Application: If you have never read a book on interpreting and applying the Bible, I would recommend two. The first one does an excellent job of teaching you how to interpret each genre of Scripture (epistles, narrative, parables, prophetic literature, wisdom literature, and psalms). The second gives excellent examples and a model of how to make application of Scripture to the modern context and struggles of life.
Blinded the Minds of Unbelievers (4:4)
Evangelism is about more than convincing someone about the Truth of who Jesus is, why Jesus came, and how the Bible says we are to respond. Evangelism is a miracle in which God gives sight to the blind. Ezekiel described humanity in his prophecy, “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.”
With this in mind we can see how evangelism is more spiritual warfare than it is education. The Gospel does have exclusive content, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” But it takes a supernatural intervention in the heart of an unbeliever for him/her to “see” this truth. When you share the Gospel you are conducting a “spiritual vision check (even believers need this; II Pet 1:9).”
Application: When you pray for a lost friend or family member, pray that God will open their eyes to His truth. When you meet resistance or confusion in sharing the Gospel recognize that you will not argue someone into sight. At that point, your first goal is to help them “see their blindness” (which oddly enough spiritually blind people are the only blind people who think they can see). The type of question (modify it to fit the conversation) I advise for this is, “What do you think makes life worth living?” Only when they see the inadequacy of their current hope will they “see” their need for an eternal hope.
Outer Self vs. Inner Self
(BCH_2Cor_4_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
In Ephesians 4:20-24 Paul discusses the old man and the new man in reference to our battle with sin. In II Corinthians 4:16-18 Paul contrasts the outer self and the inner self in reference to our struggle with suffering. We learn from this that we are conflicted people (without a derogatory connotation) whether our challenge is moral or endurance.
Unless we realize this we will often wonder “Am I going crazy?” when we feel so torn in the midst of every life challenge (sin or suffering). The points below are meant to help you find encouragement by rooting your identity in your “inner self” during episodes of suffering.
- The “inner self” lasts longer. The passage contrasts wasting away with being renewed and transient with eternal to make this point. We are called to treat suffering like a woman treats pregnancy. The condition is temporary and comes with a great reward.
- The “inner self” is more real. We would tend to think the outer self is “weightier” than the inner self. But we learn the opposite. The outer self is the shadow that will fade away when we come fully into God’s light (presence).
- The “inner self” belongs to the unseen reality. Just like there are more micro organisms (which we can’t see) than there are animals, there is more unseen reality than seen. Before we acknowledged germs we got sick for lack of washing our hands. Until we acknowledge the greater unseen reality we will be sick for lack of hope in suffering.
- God understands our attachment to the “outer self.” God gave us this passage to comfort us in our current level of awareness. God is not impatient with our finite limitations. He believes the benefits of the process are worth the effort in ways we probably cannot understand because of our limited awareness. We must trust that Father knows best.
- It is right to grieve the decay of the “outer self.” God does not expect us to be unmoved about the process of change. We should not grieve the dying of the “old man” (it is sin), but we should grieve the decay of the “outer man” (God said it was “very good” Gen 1:31). God has not told us we can only come out of our room when we stop crying. After all it has already been said He is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (II Cor 1:3).”
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:53 pm. Add a comment
Click Image To Order Oden's Book
Too often we miss the most amazing and profound aspects of our world. We miss the smile of a loved one. We miss the miracle of creation. We miss the calm and rest of quiet and stillness. We miss seeing blessings because we are lost in our grumblings. Most of all we miss the hope of God’s presence.
The following quote comes from The Living God by Thomas C. Oden pages 68-69.
“The presence of God was thought by classical exegetes to encompass the widest possible range of creaturely activity:
1. God is naturally present in every aspect of the natural order, every level of causality, every fleeting moment and momentous event of natural history (Ps 8:3; Isa 40:12; Nah 1:3ff).
2. God is actively present in a different way in every event of history, as provident guide of human affairs (Ps 48:7).
3. God is in a special way attentively present to those who call upon his name, intercede for others, who adore God, who petition, who pray earnestly for forgiveness (Matt18:19ff; Acts 17:27).
4. God is judicially present in moral awareness, through conscience (Ps 48:1-2).
5. God is bodily present in the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:14; Col 2:9).
6. God is mystically present in the Eucharist, and through the means of grace in the church, the body of Christ (Eph 2:12ff; John 5:56).
7. God is sacredly present and becomes known in special places where God chooses to meet us, places that become set apart by the faithful, remembering community (I Cor 11:23-29), where it may be said, “Truly the Lord is in this place (Gen 28:16, 23:18; Matt 18:20).”
Use these seven items as a scavenger hunt over the next week. Notice what is in front of you each moment. When you see God speak to Him. Say “Thank you.” Say “I love you.” Say “Hello.” Seeing God in the details of life allows prayer to be more conversational than a discipline or an appointment. Knowing where and how to look for God fuels hope when the rest of life seems dark.
Posted 1 year, 11 months ago at 4:24 pm. Add a comment
The blog entry “Communication with Our Desires on the Table” provides a relevant communication exercise that a Sunday School teacher or pastor would want to consider when teaching this passage.
Chapter 1 Verses 19-20:
What was it that would have made James’ readers angry? Why did James’ readers need to hear “be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger”? James’ readers had to flee their homes due to persecution in Jerusalem. They were now in the process of rebuilding their lives. The shock was wearing off and the anger was settling in. This was unfair and wrong. They missed their home and extended family. They were starting over when they should have been getting ahead.
How does this context help us apply this passage? James was writing to people whose anger was prompted by a righteous cause. Rarely are we angry and believe we are wrong, but James’ audience truly knew they were right. Yet James still gives this advice. Too often we assume that anger with a righteous cause is righteous anger. If this were true, James would not have needed to pen these words.
What was James trying to get his readers to see, understand, and do? James’ readers were not in the same cities as those with whom they were angry. If they remained angry with every pagan who might pose a threat, the Gospel would have been trapped. Their anger would “not accomplish God’s righteousness.” They must listen to their new neighbors and resist the urge to quickly interject when fear was aroused (and it would have been if you had already been run out of town for your faith once). Pagans would not understand why these people were refugees for Jesus. If the dispersed Christians were argumentative and defensive, trying to plead their case to their new neighbors, then relationships (conduits of the Gospel) would have been closed before they had the chance to open.
What do I do with this when I am trying to apply it with someone who did hurt me? James’ readers were tying to obey this passage by not allowing bitterness to spill over onto innocent new neighbors. Does that mean I don’t have to listen and be patience with my rude and inconsiderate spouse, child, boss, parent, neighbor, friend, co-worker, etc…? No, I am afraid we do not get off the hook. Honor remains the same. Understanding the context helps us see that this passage applies even to our righteous anger. As we see the context of the passage, it allows us to see how clearly this passage does apply to many of the “exception clauses” that come to mind.
Chapter 1 Verse 25:
Becoming “Doers of the Word”
(Click Here for a Printable PDF Handout — with clearer formatting)
One of the ways that we become forgetful and casual in our Bible intake is when our method of study becomes routine and mundane. We go through the motions and remember what we read as much as we remember making our morning coffee or brushing our teeth. A variety in our biblical intake increases our retention. The following chart is designed to help you brainstorm different types of intake for each level of study.
Level of Study Scripture In what ways can Bible study be implemented at this level in your life?
Hearing II Tim. 3:14-15
Reading John 17:17
“A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months, or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God’s boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it.” D.L. Moody
Studying II Tim. 2:15
“Our age has been sadly deficient in what may be termed spiritual greatness. At the root of this is the modern disease of shallowness. We are too impatient to meditate on the faith we profess… Rather it is unhurried meditation on gospel truth and the exposing of our minds to these truths that yields the fruit of sanctified character.” Maurice Roberts
Memorizing Psalm 119:9-19
“While some advocate a kind of meditation in which you do your best to empty your mind, Christian meditation involves filling your mind with God and truth.” Donald Whitney
Applying James 1:22-24
“All too often people rush to the application stage and bypass the interpretation stage: they want to know what it means for them before they know what it means!” Richard Foster
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry“
Posted 2 years, 6 months ago at 8:38 pm. Add a comment
Preparation is the key to success. This is just as true in Bible study as it is anywhere else in life. In the coming weeks we are going to spend many hours in personal study, listening to teaching, and discussing the book of James. The question is, “Are we ready to receive what God has for us in this great book?”
I want to suggest several things that would help you prepare for our study of James. If you will commit to preparing yourself for our study with one or more of these, I believe it will greatly enrich the personal benefit you receive from James and corporate benefit we receive from the discussion.
- Read through the book of James once per week while we study it together. If you go to website [www.bradhambrick.com], you can download the book of James (in several translations) to print out on 7-8 pages of paper double-spaced and with extra wide margins. This will allow you to read the book as a letter (how it was written) and make notes all over it (those you like you add to your Bible).
The Book of James in the King James Version
The Book of James in the New International Version
The Book of James in the English Standard Version
- As you read through the book of James keep in mind that James is writing to a group of Christians who are refugees for their faith. They left their home, extended family, work, language, and culture rather than forsake the name of Christ. They are hurting (emotionally, relationally, financially, physically) and angry. This letter is James’ encouragement and instruction to them. Often with the practical nature of the book of James we forget to read this book in light of the historical context of its recipient.
- Review the handout of topically arranged memory passages from James. Identify one or more that fit you and commit to memorize them. As we study through the book of James pay particular attention to how James is “setting the stage” for the passage(s) you are memorizing. This will allow your Bible memorization to be enriched by a more complete understanding of the context of the passage that speaks to your need.
- Pray at least once per week for me, as your teacher, and my time of preparation. Ask God to use our time of study and discussion to expand your understanding of and ability to apply (live out) the book of James.
Bible Memory Verses for James
(PDF Handout Available Click Here)
Below are passages to memorize from the book of James based upon various life struggles and family roles. Use this not only to assist you in strengthening the discipline of memorizing Scripture (Psalm 119:11; Hebrews 412-13), but also to prepare your heart for this study.
- Those who are in the midst of suffering (1:2-4, 12; 5:7-11)
- Those who are seeking to live with greater wisdom (1:5-8)
- Those struggling with pride or identity is in “stuff” (1:9-11; 4:6; 5:1-6)
- Those struggling with temptation (1:13-15; 2:10-12; 4:17; 5:19-20)
- Those who struggle to rest in the goodness of God (1:16-17)
- Those who need to work on conflict (1:19-21, 26; 3: 2-12; 4:1-10; 5:12)
- Those with more “head knowledge” than practice (1:22-25; 3:13-18)
- Those who neglect the call to care for others in need (1:27; 2:15-17)
- Those who favor or seek favor those with status (2:1-7)
- Those trying to evangelize the pseudo-religious (2:19)
- Those who struggle to evaluate sincere faith (2:14, 20-26)
- Those who struggle with control issues (4:3-16)
- Those who live with as “that’s none of your business” motto (5:16)
Psalm 119:11
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS:
Click here and scroll down to find one lecture by Dr. Robert Stein (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) on the book of James.
Click here and scroll down to find one lecture by Dr. Craig Blomberg (Denver Seminary) on the book of James.
Also consider using the group study prayer journal.
Posted 2 years, 6 months ago at 8:26 pm. Add a comment
Chapter 2 Verse 16:
When you sin what do you do to “help” the “stink” of sin wear off? Often we treat sin like a bad perfume or cologne. We believe that God is turned off by its presence on us and we want to make ourselves more presentable before we come to Him in prayer. We develop our habits or rituals to make ourselves more presentable (i.e., spending time with our kids, being nice to our spouse, withdrawing from people that make us feel guilty, giving extra to the church, reading our Bible extra, beating ourselves up repeatedly, etc…). These are activities that when we use them to make up for our sin Paul would consider “works of the law.” What habits do you have? How did they develop? How have they replaced embracing God’s grace? How have they eroded your joy in things that should be a blessing?
Chapter 2 Verses 19-21:
“Handling Ongoing Guilt”
(Click Here for PDF Handout)
The question is frequently raised, “How do I handle ongoing guilt?” Often it is said, “You just need to forgive yourself.” There are at least two reasons to be leery of this answer. First, our sin is against God and a violation of His will not self (Psalm 51:4). Second, there is no passage in the Bible that commands, teaches, or provides an example of self-forgiveness. If forgiving myself was essential to good mental health, the Bible would not have left it out.
There are many things a struggle with ongoing guilt can reveal. This handout does not attempt to deal with them all, but to provide a general outline.
First, we deal with guilt by accepting God’s grace by faith. Our sin is as bad (or worse) than we think it is. However, the price has been paid in full. Rehearsing forgiven sin is like trying to make payments on a car that has already been paid off.
Second, we worship and accept/correct the consequences of past sin through our acts of faith and thanksgiving. We must not believe that the forgiveness of sin means the removal of consequences. Forgiveness means the relational barrier between us and God has been removed.
If we get these two backwards we are trapped. We begin to work in order to ease our guilt and then try to muster enough faith to worship. Because working off guilt is impossible we never feel like we are in a place to worship or good enough for God.
If you struggle with ongoing guilt, at first do not do anything. Action before embracing the reality of forgiveness will inevitably result in “works of the law.” Also, do not repent over and over again. Instead, pray thanking God for his complete forgiveness with a heart of “I believe. Help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).” God is patient and more concerned that you understand the cross than His is needy (blasphemous word) for your service. Then, out of the relief and joy that emerges, love people, study God’s word, and offer the lost the hope you have found.
Posted 2 years, 8 months ago at 3:24 am. Add a comment
Life is worship. Because we are made in God’s image to reflect His glory everything we do and every struggle we face reveals what we believe to be worthy (of time, attention, resources, or sacrifice), relevant, beautiful, and valuable. Losing sight of the fact that all of life is worship is the ultimate example of missing the forest for the trees. And we all do it.
In the “Living Worship” series my goal is to add application lyrics to well-known hymns and praise songs in order to bridge the gap between daily living and perpetual worship. I pray that whether you use them in personal worship, small group worship, or corporate worship that they help you see that we live all of life “before the face of God.” I hope this increased realization can be source of comfort, encouragement, and spurring on to holy living.
Each lyric also comes with a brief devotion. This devotion attempts to explain how the added lyrics seek to bridge the message of the original song to the life application. These devotions come in reproducible PDF format.
No charge or compensation is expected for these resources. I do ask that you document where the applications lyrics came from (www.bradhambrick.com) if they are printed or reproduced in a PowerPoint format. No charge or profit should be made by the individual or group using the materials without express written consent.
Posted 2 years, 8 months ago at 3:23 am. 1 comment
It is wonderful and comforting to know that:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17),”
and,
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence (2 Pet 1:3),”
and,
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Heb 4:12-13).”
However, the best tools still require the skill of the craftsman to fulfill their purpose. This is the goal for the “Living Our Faith” series. I will be examining a passage of Scripture and providing points of application. I pray that my training and experience as a counselor who specialized in hermeneutics (big word for principles of biblical interpretation) during my theological training will allow this series to be of value to those who utilize it.
The biblical texts that are chosen will correlate with the Southern Baptist “Explore the Bible” Sunday School curriculum. This series is not endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention or the “Explore the Bible” curriculum, and the material is written independently from their lessons. The goal is to provide the supplement two weeks before a text is scheduled to be taught, so that the teacher can use the material in their lesson preparations.
These application supplements can be used to enrich any personal Bible study, group study, or sermon series. If you use these supplements in your teaching or preaching ministry, it is asked that you do not change the content in any way or charge for them. This series is intended to be a free resource to assist lay and pastoral teachers.
Posted 2 years, 8 months ago at 3:21 am. 32 comments
