Bible Studies 6 (For newest Bible Study see "Bible Studies 19")
Where does it end? (Added 2/3/13)
I used to have a job where I made allot of money. But the weird thing is we were struggling just to make it from one payday to the next. We owed lots of money. We got in the habit most Americans do: keep reaching for more things. Instant gratification. Put it on credit. We ended up nickel & diming ourselves to the point that we didn’t have any nickels and dimes. We resorted to taking out “payday” loans just to make it through some of them. We were in bad shape. No savings, no “rainy-day” fund. And on top of that, I HATED that job. It got to the point where I began to dread (hate is not too strong a word here) even walking in that door. Well, after talking it over with Patty, I quit that job.
It starts out small and easy: food, warmth, safety, love. That is where our lives start. So simple. For most of us our Mommy and Daddy were able to fill those needs pretty easily and quickly. If only it stopped there. But it didn’t did it? Our lives quickly progressed to “want.” A puppy, a new toy, a pair of shoes or some other clothing item, a bike, a car, to fit in, to be liked/loved, to be happy, to feel good, a new house, a wife/husband, children, money, promotions, power, fame, etc. Where do we end up?
Never satisfied with enough? Addicted to drugs/alcohol, pornography, fame, money, the next “big” high, the next conquest – NEVER satisfied?!!
“All work no play may have made Jack a dull boy
But all work no God has left Jack with a lost soul
But he's moving on full steam
He's chasing the American dream
And he's gonna give his family the finer things”
Casting Crowns – “American Dream”
The lyrics in this song are pretty accurate. If we live our lives for our pleasure, the way we want to live our lives, to satisfy ourselves we will never be satisfied. We will always want more. The song ends with Jack unhappy living alone because he forsook his family for the things. He traded in the intangibles for the tangibles. The truth for the lie. Is that what we’re doing? Are we trading in the truth for the lie? Before we get to the truth let’s first look at the lie.
The lie is that we can be satisfied (happy and fulfilled) through things/people/power/position. However, there is never enough. Because once we “realize” our current dream, our current want, we immediately begin to long for something else we don’t have. We live our lives striving for more/better/different/new. That is the lie – that we can be happy living this way. So tell me: are you REALLY satisfied (happy and fulfilled) living this way?
In John 8:44 Jesus is talking to the Jews who did not believe Him. He said, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Jesus said Satan is the father of lies and there is no truth in him. Satan has deceived mankind to believe we can make ourselves happy. Romans 1:25 says, “Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” This is the lie. You see, as long as we depend on ourselves, we will not put our trust in God.
So, what is the truth? More accurately “Who” is the Truth?
Where does it end? (Added 2/3/13)
I used to have a job where I made allot of money. But the weird thing is we were struggling just to make it from one payday to the next. We owed lots of money. We got in the habit most Americans do: keep reaching for more things. Instant gratification. Put it on credit. We ended up nickel & diming ourselves to the point that we didn’t have any nickels and dimes. We resorted to taking out “payday” loans just to make it through some of them. We were in bad shape. No savings, no “rainy-day” fund. And on top of that, I HATED that job. It got to the point where I began to dread (hate is not too strong a word here) even walking in that door. Well, after talking it over with Patty, I quit that job.
It starts out small and easy: food, warmth, safety, love. That is where our lives start. So simple. For most of us our Mommy and Daddy were able to fill those needs pretty easily and quickly. If only it stopped there. But it didn’t did it? Our lives quickly progressed to “want.” A puppy, a new toy, a pair of shoes or some other clothing item, a bike, a car, to fit in, to be liked/loved, to be happy, to feel good, a new house, a wife/husband, children, money, promotions, power, fame, etc. Where do we end up?
Never satisfied with enough? Addicted to drugs/alcohol, pornography, fame, money, the next “big” high, the next conquest – NEVER satisfied?!!
“All work no play may have made Jack a dull boy
But all work no God has left Jack with a lost soul
But he's moving on full steam
He's chasing the American dream
And he's gonna give his family the finer things”
Casting Crowns – “American Dream”
The lyrics in this song are pretty accurate. If we live our lives for our pleasure, the way we want to live our lives, to satisfy ourselves we will never be satisfied. We will always want more. The song ends with Jack unhappy living alone because he forsook his family for the things. He traded in the intangibles for the tangibles. The truth for the lie. Is that what we’re doing? Are we trading in the truth for the lie? Before we get to the truth let’s first look at the lie.
The lie is that we can be satisfied (happy and fulfilled) through things/people/power/position. However, there is never enough. Because once we “realize” our current dream, our current want, we immediately begin to long for something else we don’t have. We live our lives striving for more/better/different/new. That is the lie – that we can be happy living this way. So tell me: are you REALLY satisfied (happy and fulfilled) living this way?
In John 8:44 Jesus is talking to the Jews who did not believe Him. He said, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Jesus said Satan is the father of lies and there is no truth in him. Satan has deceived mankind to believe we can make ourselves happy. Romans 1:25 says, “Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” This is the lie. You see, as long as we depend on ourselves, we will not put our trust in God.
So, what is the truth? More accurately “Who” is the Truth?
- Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
- Exodus 34:6, “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.”
- Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.”
- Psalm 25:10, “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.”
- Isaiah 25:1, “O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”
- John 1:14, “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Sanctity of Marriage (Added on 1/2/13)
Ok. I tackled abortion in a previous Bible study. This is one I was going to try to avoid like the plague. Until recently. Then last week I started seeing these red Equal Signs on Facebook and I googled it. Apparently they stand for equality in marriage. The thing that disturbed me though is I’ve seen quite a few people who are Christians that changed their avatars to the equal sign or they posted up in support of gay marriage. Well, time for me to write my thoughts on this.
I started out like I usually do with all of my Bible studies. I do research on the Bible verses and also surf the net to find out what those who are much smarter than I have to say about the subject. Then I started to write out this really long winded, eloquent article on why gay marriage and homosexuality is wrong. However, I am going to reverse course. No, I’m not changing my mind. :-) I’m just going to keep it simple.
These are the scriptures in the Bible that talk about homosexuality. All of them condemn the act as a sin. “The Bible consistently tells us that homosexual activity is a sin (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27 (This is the “obscure passage in Romans” that President Obama referred to when justifying his stance. Not very obscure. Paul is pretty clear and straightforward in what he wrote here.); 1 Corinthians 6:9). Romans 1:26-27 teaches specifically that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.” (GotQuestions.org, What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Is homosexuality a sin?)
There is not one verse in the Bible than can even remotely be used to condone homosexuality or gay marriage. Anyone who tries to do that is twisting scripture to make it fit their agenda. Not once in all of scripture did God condone any kind of sin or change His mind and allow sin to be acceptable. Also Jesus did not condone any sin in any way. Just because He did not specifically come out and say homosexuality was wrong and a sin does not make it acceptable by omission.
As I wrote in a previous article, I believe that any conduct proscribed or forbidden in scripture (the Bible) is a sin. Whether it is adultery, stealing, covetousness, homosexuality, lying, etc... I also believe we are not put on this earth to condemn a person for their sins. "For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And Believers (a person who is saved and is a Follower of Jesus - Christians) are instructed to council one another and edify (to instruct or improve morally or intellectually) each other. We are to pray and love our fellow man. Yes, we are supposed to teach and help a person realize they're living in sin. And we are supposed to help them understand that we can have eternal life with God as long as we accept Jesus as our Savior and ask for forgiveness for our sins. God gave us Salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who defeated sin when He rose again. No Christian should EVER subscribe to hate or unloving actions toward a person who is living in sin - REGARDLESS of the sin. We are supposed to hate the sin (the actions), but we are INSTRUCTED to LOVE the sinner as Jesus loves us. It is not through anyone’s good works, or righteous living that they are, or can be, saved. It is ONLY through the sacrifice of Jesus.
As Christians we cannot compromise our beliefs in order to appease someone or to be accepted. We must hold to what is right and true. What God declared in His Holy Word is immutable. As Christians we do not have the privilege of picking and choosing what we will support or agree with from God’s Holy Word. We must accept everything He has declared in the Bible. Otherwise we are living a lie and living in sin because of our unbelief and compromise. So, to support gay marriage because it is the “right” thing to do in society is still condoning sin. Remember ultimately it does not matter if you want to be liked, respected, to fit-in … What does matter is what God says.
Here are two more articles that go into greater detail and expound on this subject:
President Obama, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Future of Evangelical Response
Homosexuality Today: The Art of Justifying Sin
Ok. I tackled abortion in a previous Bible study. This is one I was going to try to avoid like the plague. Until recently. Then last week I started seeing these red Equal Signs on Facebook and I googled it. Apparently they stand for equality in marriage. The thing that disturbed me though is I’ve seen quite a few people who are Christians that changed their avatars to the equal sign or they posted up in support of gay marriage. Well, time for me to write my thoughts on this.
I started out like I usually do with all of my Bible studies. I do research on the Bible verses and also surf the net to find out what those who are much smarter than I have to say about the subject. Then I started to write out this really long winded, eloquent article on why gay marriage and homosexuality is wrong. However, I am going to reverse course. No, I’m not changing my mind. :-) I’m just going to keep it simple.
These are the scriptures in the Bible that talk about homosexuality. All of them condemn the act as a sin. “The Bible consistently tells us that homosexual activity is a sin (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27 (This is the “obscure passage in Romans” that President Obama referred to when justifying his stance. Not very obscure. Paul is pretty clear and straightforward in what he wrote here.); 1 Corinthians 6:9). Romans 1:26-27 teaches specifically that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.” (GotQuestions.org, What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Is homosexuality a sin?)
There is not one verse in the Bible than can even remotely be used to condone homosexuality or gay marriage. Anyone who tries to do that is twisting scripture to make it fit their agenda. Not once in all of scripture did God condone any kind of sin or change His mind and allow sin to be acceptable. Also Jesus did not condone any sin in any way. Just because He did not specifically come out and say homosexuality was wrong and a sin does not make it acceptable by omission.
As I wrote in a previous article, I believe that any conduct proscribed or forbidden in scripture (the Bible) is a sin. Whether it is adultery, stealing, covetousness, homosexuality, lying, etc... I also believe we are not put on this earth to condemn a person for their sins. "For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And Believers (a person who is saved and is a Follower of Jesus - Christians) are instructed to council one another and edify (to instruct or improve morally or intellectually) each other. We are to pray and love our fellow man. Yes, we are supposed to teach and help a person realize they're living in sin. And we are supposed to help them understand that we can have eternal life with God as long as we accept Jesus as our Savior and ask for forgiveness for our sins. God gave us Salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who defeated sin when He rose again. No Christian should EVER subscribe to hate or unloving actions toward a person who is living in sin - REGARDLESS of the sin. We are supposed to hate the sin (the actions), but we are INSTRUCTED to LOVE the sinner as Jesus loves us. It is not through anyone’s good works, or righteous living that they are, or can be, saved. It is ONLY through the sacrifice of Jesus.
As Christians we cannot compromise our beliefs in order to appease someone or to be accepted. We must hold to what is right and true. What God declared in His Holy Word is immutable. As Christians we do not have the privilege of picking and choosing what we will support or agree with from God’s Holy Word. We must accept everything He has declared in the Bible. Otherwise we are living a lie and living in sin because of our unbelief and compromise. So, to support gay marriage because it is the “right” thing to do in society is still condoning sin. Remember ultimately it does not matter if you want to be liked, respected, to fit-in … What does matter is what God says.
Here are two more articles that go into greater detail and expound on this subject:
President Obama, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Future of Evangelical Response
Homosexuality Today: The Art of Justifying Sin
