The real view of humanity.
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
The real view of humanity.In the era of self-esteem, we all like to tell ourselves we're not that bad. We look at other people and assume we're doing better (or atleast as well as) than everyone else. Take a look at
Romans 3:9-20 and answer these questions:
1. Is one race any better than another? Why?
2. Who looks for God?
3. What does this mean then? When a person does seek God, who created that desire?
4. How does this passage describe individuals?
5. What is our attitude about God?
6. Can any of us be saved through obedience to the Law? Why not?
We desperately need God to step in and rescue us because none of us are good. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at one more passage that expresses how helpless we are. Please join us Wednesday night to hear how God offers salvation to us who are desperately evil and helpless to save ourselves.
Why does God get to be jealous?
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Why does God get to be jealous?We've spent the better part of two weeks discussing our sin in contrast to God's holiness. Yesterday, as we're working through the Ten Commandments we come across this verse: "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me," (
Exodus 20:5).
How can God be jealous? Isn't that a sin? Haven't we been establishing that God can have nothing to do with sin and now suddenly He declares Himself to be jealous? Here are a couple things to consider.
1.
Original Language. When speaking our human jealousy, the Hebrew uses the term, "Qana." But when speaking of God's jealousy, the Hebrew uses a similar (but clearly different word) "Qanna." The words are different, explaining that God's jealousy is not similar to ours.
2.
God has a right to demand attention. When I am jealous that someone is not giving me enough attention, praise, or gifts, I am making a statement that I deserve more attention. I really can't back that statement as there is nothing about me that has a right to demand the attention. However, God has a right to demand it. He has given us everything and deserves all of our attention.
3.
God's not calling us to do that which He does not do. The attention of the Trinity is on one another. They look to One Another and call us to do similar.
4.
His jealous creates righteousness. When I'm jealous, I call someone to focus on me. Inevitably, that will only hurt the person and cause failure. Yet, when God calls us to focus on Him, it is also the healthiest thing we can do. He will not fail us and therefore is worthy of demanding all attention.
If someone challenges you that God is sinful because He says He is jealous, you can simply explain to them that the word is different to describe God's jealousy. It has to be different, because God is different from us.
Commandments 1 & 2
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. For this week's devotionals, we'll tackle two of the commandments each day. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
You shall have no other gods before Me. (
Exodus 20:3)
God is to be kept first in our lives. Yet, we all so easily get distracted. Joshua served the nation of Israel for years, and as he approached the end of his ministry, he challenged them about this very issue. Read
Joshua 24:14-28 and answer the following questions:
1. How does Joshua call the people to respond to God?
2. How does this require they respond to other "gods"?
3. How confident were the people that they could do this?
4. How confident was Joshua in the people? Why?
God is not just requiring that you don't worship Buddha, or Allah, or another God. He's calling that He should be first at all times. In every moment, in every activity, in every thought, honoring God should be our foremost purpose.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. (
Exodus 20:4)
This one appears as no problem for us. Most of us have not created any shrines or bow down to images. Yet, Jesus again explained that the issue goes deeper than bowing to a statue. Read
Matthew 6:24-33 and answer these questions:
1. Why is it impossible to serve two masters?
2. How can we worship material possessions without literally bowing down to them?
3. How do we keep from worshipping things?
Romans 1 tells us it is so easy to worship things God created instead of the Creator. We don't have to bow to them, sing praises toward them, or say creeds to worship something other than God.
If you stood before God, just based on these two commandments, could you claim you were righteous in His sight? Apart from Christ, none of us can.
Can't He do just a small "curve system?"
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Can't God grade on the curve?We typically want to compare ourselves with the really evil people that we consider. We think of mass murders, child molesters, or tyranical dictators as the worst of the worst. We have no problem considering that God must punish the totally evil, but what about us? Certainly, we're not as bad, are we?
Hopefully, as we've tracked through the weeks, you've seen your own sin. You've realized you need God to do something about it, because it is far beyond your remedy. Nothing you could do would be enough. But consider what
James 2:8-13 says about our condition.
If you've broken one law, you've become a law breaker. It's important that we don't see some as "more guilty" than us, but rather, that we acknowledge that we have broken the law. You can not be more of a fugative than someone else. You either are one, or you aren't.
That's why we need Christ to pay the ransom for our sin.
Commandments 3 & 4
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. For this week's devotionals, we'll tackle two of the commandments each day. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. (
Exodus 20:7)
From early childhood we've recited, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Why can't God hold to the same standard? Consider
Job 2:7-10 and answer these questions:
1. What made Job's wife suggest cursing God?
2. What reason did Job give for not doing what she said?
3. When we use God's name lightly, what does that reveal about our heart?
Jesus told the disciples that their
mouths revealed the nature of their hearts. When we use God's name flipantly, or worse still, as a replacement for a cuss word, we are showing we have contempt for God in our heart.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (
Exodus 20:8)
This is another confusing commandment. Why does God care if I rest or not? Take a look at
Hebrews 4 and answer these questions:
1. What is the sabbath designed to represent?
2. What event changed the need for a sabbath?
3. If a person rejects the concept of rest, what are they really saying?
The sabbath is a difficult issue to understand. This passage explains to us that it represents our own striving instead of trusting God. I need to take a break at times to remind myself that it is not I who makes all things happen. It reminds me of my need to trust, and rest in God. Do you approach all situations with an attitude of dependance upon God? Or, do you depend more on yourself?
If you stood before God, just based on these two commandments, could you claim you were righteous in His sight? Apart from Christ, none of us can.
Was this a setup?
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Like Andy in the video series, many people wonder if God didn't just set us up to fail. It's easy to see God as unfair and us as defenseless if this was all one major setup.
However, consider these elements:
God created man and woman with no sin. They had no sin nature and had no reason to be ashamed.
God did not make sin, but gave man and women the ability to choose Him or sin.
Adam and Eve choose to sin and immediately become aware of evil. Many want to claim that sin is not their fault, for God set them up for failure. Take a look at
Genesis 3 again, Adam and Eve tried to pass the blame for their failure. When we try to pass responsibility for our actions onto God, we're doing the same thing they did.
A good and gracious God gave us a capacity for choice. Each of us has used that opportunity to choose to sin. We did it because we wanted to. It was hardly a setup.
Commandments 5 & 6
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. For this week's devotionals, we'll tackle two of the commandments each day. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Honor your father and your mother. (
Exodus 20:12) God calls us to show honor to our parents. Check out
Ephesians 6:1-9 and answer these questions:
1. How should we respond to our parents?
2. Verse two indicates that parents may struggle at times. Does this dismiss the first verse?
3. Take a look at the context. How is our relationship with parents like other authority structures? Is authority a bad thing?
God gave each of us our specific parents. When we decide to disrespect them, we rebel against the authority God has established for our lives, and therefore rebel against His authority.
Do not murder (
Exodus 20:13). Most people sigh relief when confronted with this commandment. But Jesus explained the heart behind the command in
Matthew 5:21-24. Take a look at that passage and answer these questions:
1. What is at the heart issue of murder?
2. Should a believer come before God in worship if he/she is angry? What should he/she do?
3. Who should work to reduce anger?
God has created each of us in His image. Even when we just tell someone they are worthless or wish ill upon them, we are discarding that which God considers precious.
Matthew 18:21-35 also explains that when I am angry it proves that I am not keeping perspective of the grace God has shown me. When I am angry at someone, I am really displaying pride; pride that I think I am better than the other person and pride that I think I don't really need God's grace.
If you stood before God, just based on these two commandments, could you claim you were righteous in His sight? Apart from Christ, none of us can.
Why can't good works make up for our bad?
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Many people tell you that their good works will outweigh their bad. First, this typically a gross underestimation of how much evil they have done. We often dismiss our sin while God is still aware of our violation. Second, we usually misunderstand what we are calling "good works."
Isaiah said, "all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment" (
Isaiah 64:6). When we think we are doing good deeds, apart from Christ, we are actually presenting filth to God. How? When we think, with our sin, that we can enter into God's presence, we offend him with our sin and with our arrogance to think we are good enough. We basically challenge God's righteousness to say to Him that our sin should not be a problem because we've done something nice.
So then, our good deeds are actually a great offense to God.
Why can't good deeds earn people forgiveness from sin? Because even our thought that they are good and worthy of earning forgiveness is an offense to God. Our good works actually pile up the list of filthy sin that much more.
Commandments 7 & 8
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. For this week's devotionals, we'll tackle two of the commandments each day. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
"You shall not commit adultery." (
Exodus 20:14)
This one seems to be a little more black and white. You either are having sex with someone outside of marrige, or you aren't. But then Jesus raised the bar when He said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (
Matthew 5:27-28) Why would Jesus raise the bar so much? Why would even my thoughts make a difference? Take a look at
Ephesians 5:22-33 and answer these questions:
1. What relationship should our marriage be an example of?
2. Why is purity so important to God?
3. If I am unfaithful in my relationship, what example does this send to the world about God?
Paul explains that the big deal about marriage is that it is a display of Christ's love for the church. God enters into a covenant relationship with us (that's why we know He can not leave or abandon us). I am to experience intimacy only inside the structure of a covenant relationship (marriage) to properly display God's character. He never did, nor will He ever cheat on me. Therefore, to even entertain lust in my heart displays a unfaithfulness that is contrary to the character of God.
You shall not steal. (
Exodus 20:15)
Many people consider this law to be one mostly constructed for social reasons. Imagine the chaos if we could just steal from one another without it being wrong. Take a look at
Ephesians 4:28 and answer these questions:
1. How quickly should we cease the sin of stealing?
2. What should we do instead of stealing?
3. Why should we work?
God created us with work to do. Adam had duties in the garden before he sinned. When we desire to steal, instead of paying for something, we thwart the system God has placed. We show a lack of gratitude (sin) for what we have, and a laziness (sin) to keep from working toward it.
If you stood before God, just based on these two commandments, could you claim you were righteous in His sight? Apart from Christ, none of us can.
Was Moses saved by sheep?
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Was Moses saved by sheep?The animal sacrificial system is confusing for us from the Old Testament. It seems so gross and cruel to us today, that rarely do we consider whether we should be practicing it now. But if you spend much time reading passages in the Old Testament, you will see it everywhere. Should we be doing it now? Have we only stopped because we are scared of
PETA?
Hebrews 10:1-18 explains how the sacrificial system worked. A key verse to consider is, "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (
Hebrews 10:4).
The Old Testament saints were not saved by sacrificing bull and goats. They are saved the same way we are: faith in Jesus Christ. Their sacrificial system was used as a reminder for them that One is coming who will defeat sin and give them forgiveness by making the ultimate sacrifice. That's why we don't sacrifice animals anymore. It's not necessary. We have the event of Christ dying on the cross, the Holy Spirit living with us, and the Bible to all remind us of that sacrifice.
In fact, the animal sacrifices were intended to declare the gospel message. They were a reminder that we were sinners and we needed a sacrifice to be made (Jesus) to pay the penalty for our sins.
After Christ's resurrection,
stopping animal sacrifices is a way to declare the gospel. We are stating to the world that the Perfect Sacrifice has already been offered.
So take your hands off of "Gracie-the-rat-dog." You don't need to offer her as a sacrifice.
Commandents 9 & 10
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Sin cannot be paid for by good works. For this week's devotionals, we'll tackle two of the commandments each day. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (
Exodus 20:16)
Each of the ten commandments are based out of the character of God. He does not tell us to be honest because it would break down society if deception was acceptable. He desires truth because
He IS the truth. Take a look at
Hebrews 6:9-20 and anwer these questions:
1. What guarantee do we have that God keeps His promises?
2. How does this affect our confidence in salvation from God?
3. How should we communicate to others, knowing that God relates with 100% honesty?
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (
Exodus 20:17)
The commandment to not covet goes much further than not wanting other people's things. It has to do with your attitude about what you do have. Take a look at
Philippians 4:10-19 and answer these questions:
1. What attitude did Paul have despite his possessions?
2.
Philippians 4:13 is often quoted for all kinds of situations, but what specifically was Paul saying Christ could give him the power for?
3. How did Paul describe his status?
4. Having been given so much by God, what should our attitude be about the things we have?
Remember, the Ten Commandments are to be a mirror that shows us that we don't stack up to God's character. Have you always been totally honest with everyone? God is, and He desires that we would be. Have you acknowledged that all that you have is from God and been totally content with what He has given you? Often, instead of gratitude, we complain to God, wondering why we don't have more.
If you stood before God, just based on these two commandments, could you claim you were righteous in His sight? Apart from Christ, none of us can.
So I'm bad, but can I plead ignorance?
During the week, we'll be looking at the commandments for our
devotional. If you haven't checked it out today, go there first. Then, come back here and take a look at some questions people often ask when dealing with the Law.
Many people claim that they will stand before God and simply claim ignorance. They will readily admit that they broke His laws, but then they will say they will claim they didn't know the laws, so God certainly can't hold them responsible. Will this work?
Paul addresses this issue in
Romans 2:12-16. Paul explains that the defense won't work because we have the law marked on our hearts. Basically, Paul is saying we all have a conscience that informs us when we are violating God's law. The fact that people that deny God's existance still show morals in their lives prove that we all know right and wrong. We know right and wrong, but we don't always do right.
I remember my first speeding ticket. It was on a street I traveled many times in high school. Just a week earlier, the speed limit had been 55mph on this stretch of road. As I came over the hill I saw the officer's lights. Just that week they had changed the speed limit to 35mph. I truly did not see the sign. I told the officer that I honestly thought I was obeying the law. Guess what? I got the ticket anyway. Ignorance of the law did not change the fact that I violated the law.
No one will be able to stand before God and claim they didn't know any better.
Week Two Review
Our sin separates us from God.That was the theme we dealt with in week two of the GOSPEL Journey. In case you missed some of it, here are the statements we dealt with:
Sin enters humanity.Satan is a proud sinner.Sin brings death.Sinners sin, that's what they do.God is always offended.We also wrestled with these questions:
What is holiness?What is sin?Did God make sin?Does hell make God seem evil? (Thoughts directly from Greg Stier.)
Why is separation eternal?Next week, we tackle
Sin cannot be paid for by good works.Stop on by and check it out!
God is always offended.
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Our sin separates us from God. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
We often think our sins only affect a few. I steal from someone, only the victim was truly sinned against. However, Scripture says in all sins, God is offended because His law has been violated. King David slept with another man's wife, then had the man killed when he found out the woman was pregnant. But read his words in
Psalm 51 and answer these questions:
1. Who does David say he sinned against?
2. Obviously David hurt some people (adultery, murder, lying), but what do you think he means when he says, "you
only?"
3. Does David consider God right for seeing him as guilty?
4. Who does David turn to for forgiveness?
5. What kind of sacrifice does David say God desires?
David obviously sinned against other people, but ultimately even the fact that they hurt others who were made in God's image meant the violated God's standards.
Why is separation eternal?
Each day we will also ask a question. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Why is separation eternal?A popular pastor in America recently mused that hell is probably not eternal, because it doesn't make sense to him. He says that he thinks a person should get another chance, or God is not merciful. But
Matthew 25:46 says that punishment is eternal.
There are several reasons why hell is eternal punishment, but here are a couple to consider:
1. As we looked at in today's
devotional, you sin against an eternal God, therefore, the crime was an eternal crime. An eternal crime calls for an eternal punishment. Consider if you pushed me. What would happen? Most people would laugh and probably nothing would happen to you. Now, walk up to the President and push him. While some people may laugh, you will be in serious trouble. You see, we often punish crimes, not just based on the crime committed, but who it was committed against.
2. Hell is not a correctional facility. Some people see our current jail system as an allegory of God's punishment. Yes, there are some crimes a person is locked away for, and the government tries to rehabilitate the criminal. But there are other crimes committed, where rehabilitation is not the goal, punishment is. God gives people an opportunity to repent in this life. If they don't, the time after your death is not designed as a spiritual rehabilitation opportunity, but punishment for violating God's standards and then rejecting His forgiveness.
Sinners sin, that's what they do.
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Our sin separates us from God. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Remember the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" At risk of sounding similar in question, let's pose this question: Do we sin because we are sinners, or are we sinners because we sin?
Take a look at
Romans 3:10-23 and answer these questions:
1. Who is righteous?
2. Would anyone choose to follow God?
3. What kind of things describe the fate and character of all people?
4. Why can't people be justified by the Law?
5. Where to all people stand in relation to God?
Later, in
Romans 4:12-13, Paul explains that sin entered the world through Adam. We've all be infected with it. You weren't born morally neutral and then you sinned and messed it up. You were
born a sinner, that's why you sin.
Does hell make God seem evil?
Each day we will also ask a question. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Does hell make God seem evil?Just as I was about to write on this, I noticed
Greg Stier already wrote an article.
Check out Greg's
"My Problem With Hell." But read the whole thing to make sure you understand what he's saying.
Sin Brings Death
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Our sin separates us from God. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
James 1:14-15 says that sin brings about death. Romans 6:23 says it is our wage for sin. It’s what we earn. Sin has consequences for eternity. You violate a infinite God, you must pay an infinite penalty (eternal). If that seems difficult to believe, take a look at
Psalm 38:1-12 and answer these questions:
1. Why would God be angry?
2. What does David say caused his suffering?
3. How guilty does David see himself?
4. What consequences has David faced for his sin?
5. How are David’s relationships affected because of his sin?
Since sin is a violation of the perfect God, there must be a penalty for that violation. Any suffering we face on earth should only remind us that we have violated God and deserve His anger. It should motivate us to consider that our suffering now is just a reminder that if our sin is left alone, we will face eternal punishment.
Adam and Eve were told they would die the moment they ate of the fruit, and they did. They may not have keeled over the second they ate it, but they were separated from a pure relationship with God, and they began to suffer. That suffering serves as a reminder of what waits for unforgiven sin.
DId God Make Sin?
Each day we will also ask a question. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Did God make sin?It’s a perplexing issue for us to consider. We know that God can have nothing to do with sin, so it seems He couldn’t have created it. However, we’ve looked at a ton of passages that say God created everything, so how could sin be created by someone else?
This is an incredibly deep theological and philosophical question, so it’ probably a bit to deep for me to address on a blog (well, too deep for me to address period). But let’s consider this.
Was sin created?
To help answer this question, let’s look at some specific sins and consider how they were “created.”
When God made man, He formed him and then said, “It is good.” His will would be that man would value life, for it is a gift from God. However, do you think once God made man, He then said, “Now, man is frail and His life is a gracious gift from me. Next, I’ll invent murder so that others can take that life from people. I’ll make it, then I’ll say it is wrong.”
Or consider things. God told man that the whole earth was to be under his dominion. He was giving man all things to be under his control. Next, do you see God saying, “Man will take care of things and keep them in his possession. I’ll next invent theft so that men can take thing from each other that they shouldn’t, then I’ll say it’s wrong.”
Lastly, let’s consider sex before marriage. What makes it wrong? Is it that God decided it would be too much fun for teenagers to handle? (no.) Is it that He just wants to keep STD’s under control? (Remember, the diseases are a consequence of the sin, not what makes it sin.) What makes sex outside of marriage wrong is that God is faithful to us. He desires for us to be faithful to others and a covenant relationship (marriage) is a great picture of God’s covenant relationship with us (through Jesus). When a person has sex outside of marriage, they are acting outside of God’s desire for us to illustrate His faithfulness. That’s what makes it wrong.
You see, God wasn’t in heaven making out a list of what would be good and what would be bad. God is good. All that matches His character and nature is good. All that goes against His character and nature is sin. That’s what makes something sin. That’s why the same action, with different motives, can be sin.
God didn’t make sin. Sin is the absence of God’s will. When he allowed Adam and Eve to choose to follow Him, and they chose not to obey, sin was in that decision.
(don’t forget to link the word “devotional” to post 6. You’ll have to edit this post after you post article 6 to make it work)
Satan is a Proud Sinner.
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Our sin separates us from God. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Satan is a proud sinnerMost of what we learn about Satan from the Bible is by watching his actions. We see how he treats people and how he responds to God, and that tells us a lot about who he is. However, in a complicated passage about the King of Tyre, the prophet Ezekiel appears to be giving us some background information about Satan. Read
Ezekiel 28:11-19 and answer the following questions:
1. What was Satan originally like?
2. Where could Satan go?
3. What was Satan’s sin? What did it make him believe?
4. What has Satan become?
Satan was magnificent, and that magnificence is what he focused on instead of God. He still retains his power, but now it has been twisted with unrighteousness.
What is Sin?
Each day we will also ask a question. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
What is sin?Sin, like holiness, isn’t a word we use very often. It can be pretty easy to misunderstand what sin is. Some people make it too much; assuming that dropping a pencil or missing a question on a test is sin. Others make too little of it; saying their rebellion against God is just a mistake or an accident.
I John 2:16 seems to give us a good picture of what is sin. Are you acting/thinking to gratify yourself? That would be sin. Are you acting/thinking because something other than God has caught your eye? That would be sin. Are you acting/thinking because you are focused on yourself? That would be sin.
Sin is an action of the heart. I could give you a gift and it is a pure action. But I could give a police officer a gift in the attempt to have him overlook my crime and that would be bribery. Anytime we act or think in a way that is contrary to the character and nature of God, we are sinning.
You may feel like that really raises the bar on what sin is. But remember, the bar for holiness if very high too!
Sin Enters Humanity
Welcome to the GOSPEL JOURNEY. This week we'll be working through the sentence:
Our sin separates us from God.. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Sin enters humanity.Last week we worked through the concept that
God created us to be with Him. That sounds so beautiful, but isn't something we see when we look at the news, at those around us, or even inside our heart. The Bible explains that God created a perfect paradise for us, but that perfection was quickly destroyed. Take a look at the account in
Genesis 3:1-21 and answer these questions:
1. Did the serpent accurately quote God?
2. Did Eve accurately quote God?
3. By what does the serpent tempt Eve? What does he say will happen?
4. What happened as soon as Adam and Eve sinned?
5. What was their response when they realized they sinned?
6. What did God say would happen now that sin had entered the earth?
7. What did God do for Adam and Eve?
One law. That's what Adam and Eve were given. And they broke it. That sin had immediate consequences that they were aware of, but even had some that God had to tell them happened. But before you get all angry at Adam and Eve, let's be honest...we would have done it too.
What is Holiness?
Each day we will also ask a question. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Holiness is a word we don't use very often today. What exactly does it mean to be holy?
Consider
I John 1:5. The apostle John uses the analogy of light and darkness to convey a point to us.
Absolutely no darkness. Part of being holy is that God is absolutely pure. All that is good flows from Him and every positive virtue is but a reflexion of His perfect character. God is holy because He is absolute righteousness. There is no sin or imperfection in Him.
God is Light. It doesn't say, "God is the lightest" or "God's the brightest light." No, it says God is light. You can't really use a superlative with God. You can't say, "God is the biggest" for nothing is big compared to God. You can't say, "God is the most loving" because "God is love" (
1 John 4:8). God all together seperate from everything we see or compare Him to.
After all, as we looked last week, God is Creator, and everything we see is just creation.
Was God Lonely?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Was God Lonely?We've spent the week looking at how we got here. Today we're going to consider why we got here. Take a look at
Colossians 1:15-23 and answer these questions:
1. According to verse 16, who created all things?
2. What does "firstborn" mean? It's not possible for something created to create everything, so what must the passage really be saying?
3. What is Christ's position in comparison to all things?
4. Why does this passage say all things were created?
5. For whose pleasure were all things created for?
If we only look from our perspective, it could be easy to think God created us because He needed us. We could assume, since we get lonely, that God was sitting in heaven either bored or lonely. But this passage reminds us that even our creation isn't about us, it's about Him. Creation exists for the glory of God.
God didn't have to create us. God was doing just fine before we entered the picture. Therefore, we should be grateful to be created and should be seeking to fulfill the purpose for our existance.
There's Probably More to Discuss
Feel free to post any other thoughts or questions in the comment section.
Just please keep them along the theme
God created us to be with Him.
Who are You?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Who are You?We've looked at passages that suggest God created us. But those passages reveal that He created everything. Are we any different from the animals He created? Take a look at
Genesis 1:24-31 and then answer these questions:
1. God does not have a
physical body, so what do you think is meant by
"the image of God."2. What does God say one of the functions of mankind is to be? What should our relationship to animals be?
3. What's the significance of God blessing them?
4. Compare verse 25 and verse 29. What things does God to differently with mankind that He doesn't do with the animals.
5. What did God think of all that He had created?
Certainly all that God has created is magnificent. But even at the time that He created it, He did not consider all things to be equal. You are not just like all other forms of creation.
I remember sitting in a psychology class in junior college. One of the students was telling the professor that all forms of life were completely equal. At first, it sounded great. It sounded like she valued all life. However, when you understood what she was saying, it meant she didn't see human life as anything special. The professor (who I don't believe was a Christian) pressed the lady a little further. She laid a hypothetical situation in front of her. "Suppose you mother is sick and dying. The doctors come to you and explain that to save your mothers life, their going to have to kill the family pet. What would you do?"
The student didn't even hesitate. "How could I chose one life over another?" she asked. "You'd let your mother die?" the professor responded. "I'd let my mother die," she coldly said.
Now, what was amazing to me was that I was sitting in this class full of a bunch of people who would not claim to be Christians and didn't really care much what God's standards are. However, the whole class was disturbed by her answer. Everyone knew we were created differently...even the evolutionists in class who didn't believe we were created!
Lonliness in Perfection
Each day we will also take a look at a statement. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
We've looked at a couple of passages now where God says creation is good. In
Genesis 2:18-25 we see that Adam was lonely and God didn't want Him to feel that way. His lonliness was even before sin had entered the world. In fact, after creating Eve, God says that a man will leave his mother and father for the purpose of joining with a wife.
Whether in marriage or not, God has wired us to need other people. No one can, nor wants, to survive completely alone. In those moments of lonliness, it should be a reminder that we aren't alone. God is available to have a relationship with us as well.
Lonliness isn't a product of the fall. Lonliness is a reminder to us that there is One who desires a relationship with us.
Were You Created By God?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Were You Created By God?
We see that God created Adam and Eve (
Genesis 1 & 2). He was actively part of their formation. But what about us? Are we just the product of our parents, or was God involved in our creation as well? Take a look at what David says in
Psalm 139:7-18 and then answer the following questions:
1. Can a person escape God's presence? Can a person escape God's notice?
2. Who formed you in your mother's womb?
3. Consider a part of your body (hand, mouth, eyes, whatever). How is it wonderfully constructed? Would you classify the construction of your body as miraculous?
4. What does verse 16 say about your arrival? Did it surprise God or did He see it coming?
5. What does the fact that God sees all, that He created you, that He anticipated your coming and that He thinks of you say to you about the way you should relate to Him?
Our third child was quite unexpected to me and Charity. However, no one can ever say that Karis was an "accident." This passage says that though we weren't expecting her, or trying for her (actually taking meausures to ensure the opposite!), God knew she would enter our lives on August 29, 2005. He knew it before she was conceived. In fact, He has all her days recording in His book already.
When you arrived on this globe, you did not come into existence unbeknownst to God. He was not just aware of your arrival, but He is the One who formed you. He wants you here.
Seth Met His Wife at a Family Reunion
Each day we will also take a look at a statement. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
If Adam and Eve were the only two formed by God, and God told them to be fruitful and multiply, doesn't that mean that Cain and Seth had to have married their sisters?
In short, yes. But before you start breaking out all your jokes about West Virginia let's look at a view issues:
1.
Romans 5:12-14 makes it clear that sin entered the world and has contaminated all, because of Adam. Therefore, we must all be decendants of Adam.
2. Wouldn't it create defects? Inbreeding in animals or people usually heightens mutation and defect. Wouldn't this mean that human kind got off to a pretty bad start? Consider that Adam and Eve were made perfectly. Sin entered into their bodies and immediately began decay and death, but their DNA would have been relatively pure. Consider the long lives that people lived back then. It may have made some features appear dominant in children, but probably was void of life threatening abnormalities for a few generations.
3. Isn't it gross? Well, yeah, for us it's really hard to imagine. But here's a twist that might make it a
little less "icky." Adam lived to be
912, and didn't have Seth until he was
130. We know Adam had other children before Seth (for we know Cain and Abel had already been born). Therefore, by the time Seth was looking for a bride, his options could have been cousins, nieces, or even daughters of cousins/nieces (whatever that would make them).
4. Why would God declare it wrong later? By the time of Moses,
God very clearly forbids incest. By this time, it was quite unhealthy for blood relatives to reproduce. Mutations and abnormalities had exceeded to the point of serious harm. Also, God as the Author of Love, desires that it remain pure. For family, who should be relating to each other in a way that exalts the gospel, to be caught up with romance as well, would send the wrong message to others.
For us, Seth (or any of Adam's decendants) marrying a relative appears gross. It should appear gross. So hold your jokes about folks in West Virignia meeting their spouse at family reunions...it's in all our ancestory.
Who Made Your Eyes?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Who made your eyes?Many are now referring to creation as “intelligent design.” It seemed to lessen the emotion involved in the creation/evolution debate. However, the term “intelligent design” implies an “intelligent designer,” doesn’t it?
Take a look at
Romans 1:18-23 and then answer the following questions:
1. What is God’s wrath in response to? Is the idea of a wrathful God hard for you to comprehend?
2. How available is the evidence of God?
3. What displays attributes of God to all? What are some of those attributes?
4. Can a person claim that God has not revealed Himself to him/her?
5. Who do those who deny worship to the Creator ultimately end up worshipping?
You don’t have to see the Ford oval on the grille of a car to know it had a manufacturer. You may not know who printed your textbooks, but that doesn’t change the fact that you believe there is a publisher. Now consider your eyes. Is it really possible that they developed without a Designer? Even just tear duct, as simple as it may seem, is incredibly complex and the eye depends on it for its survival. Does time/chance allow for the evolution of the eye and the tear duct at the same time? What would be the purpose of the tear duct before an eye? What would be the function of the eye, if not for the tear duct?
Ask yourself the question. “Is the concept of creation that difficult for me to believe, or is it that I struggle with the idea that I may need to answer to a Creator?”
The Earth, Like Dick Fisher, May Not be as Old as You Think
Each day we will also take a look at a statement. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Though this is going to be largely based out of the Bible, I didn’t include it as a devotional for a couple of reasons:
a) This is not a mountain to die on. I will gladly worship with those who disagree with me over the age of the earth or the time involved in creating it. That doesn’t mean I don’t strongly believe one over the other (I do). But it does mean it’s nothing to create division over.
b) The application for this study is largely intellectual. I’m not sure it changes much in how we should act as believers, but rather, just gives us some thoughts to chew on.
With that said, here’s three reasons I believe the earth was created in six
literal (24 hour) days:
1.) The Hebrew word
”yom”.
While the word can mean either twenty-four hour period, or general time or era (As in “the days of Noah.”),
nowhere in the rest of the Old Testament is the word “yom” connected to a numerical qualifier that it does not mean a twenty for hour day. To argue that Moses was using “yom” to mean era, even though he added specific numbers to it, is to ignore the nature of that word in the rest of the Old Testament. It’s a little complicated to get into a Hebrew lesson right here and now (especially from one who barely passed Hebrew class!) but rewriting the rules for the function of the word in one unique situation is a bit of a no-no.
For further clarification, Moses added “evening and morning” to the description as well. To me, it appears obvious that by adding “evening and morning” as well as a numeric qualifier (first day, second day, etc.) Moses was making sure people understood he meant literal 24 hour time periods.
2.) Though God is not confined by time, He established time and speaks to us in respect to it.
A very common explanation I have heard is that a day doesn’t need to mean to God what it means to us. Typically,
2 Peter 3:8 is quoted at this point: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” Does this verse say that God doesn’t articulate time clearly because it doesn’t apply to Him? First, don’t miss the word
like. This is a simile, not a metaphor. Peter is not saying “a thousand years
is a day, and a day
is a thousand years. Second, creation, or even God’s communication of time is not the point Peter is making. Looking at
the context, Peter is saying that God is patient with bringing about the End Times. We look around and wonder what is taking Jesus so long to return, but God, Who is eternal, has not grown impatient. He has always existed, so a millennium doesn’t feel like a long time to Him. This passage does not suggest that God may say day, but it really means one thousand to Him. The passage suggests that if God returns tomorrow or a thousand years from now, He waits so that people can come to know Him.
3.) The redemptive story seems to require immediate action. This may be early in “the Journey” to deal with this concept. God had the story of Jesus dying for our sins prepared before He established the earth (
Ephesians 1;4). Jesus is the center of the story He wants to teach with humanity. If that is His agenda, it appears inconsistent for the God who has spoken life into existence at other times (
Mark 5:41,
John 11:43) to delay His redemption story by having creation take six thousand years (or more). It seems more consistent with the whole of Scripture that God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, they took advantage of the opportunity to sin quite quickly, and then He began showing humanity that their sin is a severe violation of His character and that He alone is the only One who can pay for such a penalty.
Again, these are just some thoughts to chew on. Don’t let it create division among others. Share your opinions, thoughts, questions. But let’s use this kind of discussion to explore even more the glorious nature of God.
Who was God Talking to?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Who was God talking to?According to Genesis 1:26a, God said, “Let
Us make man in
Our image, according to
Our likeness…” (emphasis added). Why would God be speaking of the plural? The next verse makes it clear that male and female were created in the image of God. Therefore, whoever God was talking to, must be God too.
Take a look at
John 1:1-5, 14 and then answer the following questions:
1. According to verse one, how long has the Word been with God?
2. The verse says more than that the Word was with God. What else does it claim?
3. According to verse three, what did the Word create? What didn’t the Word create?
4. When did God take on flesh? What does this establish about Jesus?
So Jesus was present at the creation. Was the Holy Spirit there? Genesis 1:2 says that “the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” We also know that the Holy Spirit must have been there, because He too, is God. Take a look at
Acts 5:1-11 to establish that the Holy Spirit is God.
1. What was Ananias and Sapphira’s sin?
2. Obviously they lied to men, but in verse three, Peter says they also lied to Whom?
3. Who does Peter say they lied to in verse 4?
4. Who does this passage say the Holy Spirit is?
The Trinity is a difficult concept to grasp. (There should be some things about God that are
mysterious.) In a nutshell, the Bible teaches that God is God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. However, Scripture also teaches that God the Father is not Jesus or the Holy Spirit and neither is Jesus the Holy Spirit. They are distinct.
It can be difficult to grasp. But when the Bible says that God created, we need to realize that means God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit were all present and active during creation.
The Original Jurassic Park
Each day we will also take a look at a statement. If you haven't read the
devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Carl Everett once said,
“Nobody ever saw a dinosaur.” While Everett may make a good outfielder, he’s probably not a paleontologist or theologian that we should be learning from.
And since I’m not a scientist, I’m going to refer you to the following sites to research some of your questions about the coexistence of dinosaurs and man.
Stand to ReasonAnswers in GenesisInstitute for Creation ResearchBut from a Biblical standpoint, consider a few possibilities:
1. Dinosaurs could have been extinct by the time of the flood.
2. Noah could have taken baby dinosaurs, or even dinosaur eggs onto the ark.
3.
Behemoth (
Job 40:15-24) and
Leviathan (
Job 41:1-34) could refer to dinosaurs.
Maybe Everett wasn’t terribly wrong. No one that we can talk to has seen dinosaurs. But they are possibly mentioned in the Bible and some scientists today believe there is substantial proof that man and beast coexisted.
Can you prove that God exists?
Welcome to the GOSPEL Journey discussion. These posts are to help you engage with the central message of the Bible. This week, we will be dealing with the statement:
God created us to be with Him. Comment. Question. Agree. Disagree. Either way, let us know what you think.
Can you prove that God exists?A central pillar of any religion is faith. In fact, many today speak of religions and their structures as "faith systems." But did you realize that even the unreligious have to exercise faith? You place faith in all kinds of things during the course of your day. (faith that your seatbelt will hold you, faith that your teacher knows what they are talking about, faith that your food isn't poisoned...or in the case of cafeteria food, not poisoned too much).
Take a look at
Hebrews 11:1-6 and then answer the following questions:
1. What is faith?
2. Does this passage say it takes faith to accept the creation story?
3. Read about
Abel and
Enoch. What about each of their stories requires faith to accept?
4. What is required for a person to please God?
5. To come to understand God, what two things must a person already accept?
If you are worried about proving the existence of God, relax. You can't. Now, if you've grown up in a church, your first reaction may to flip out about the idea that you can't prove God's existence. (Breath, then read on.) The issue is the difference between proof and evidence. There are all kinds of evidence that point to the existence of God, but what a person decides to do with that evidence is completely up to him/her. You can't prove a thing to anybody. Because if they want to be really stubborn about the evidence before them, they could even deny your existence.
If you're stuggling with the concept of God, we want to invite you to take a look at the evidence before you. The passage in Hebrews basically says that a person who comes to the table wanting to deny God's existence and that He is a good God, will ultimately refuse the credibility of the evidence. We simply ask that as you question and work through some of these issues, you try to keep an open and objective perspective. Do not require the demands for evidence to be so much greater than any other portion of your life.
The Bible Defends and Attacks Evolution.
Each day we will also take a look at a statement. If you haven't read
the devotional for today, please do that first. Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Genesis 1:20-27 defends and attacks evolution.(20) "Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." (21) God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (22) God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." (23) There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. (24) Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so. (25) God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (26) Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Specifically, the Hebrew word for kind defends and attacks evolution.Since most people realize the Bible defends creation and speaks against evolution (in many more places than just this passage), let's tackle that one first:
This passage in Genesis states quite clearly that the creation of birds, fish, sea creatures, cattle, creeping things, "beasts," and man were each separate intentional actions. He created them according to their "kind." Each was created according to its order and then kept in those categories. The concept of lifeforms transitioning from species type to another species type (macro evolution) is something that this passage eliminates as possibility. (Incidently, this is a major scientific difficulty as well...since we have found millions more fossils since Darwin, yet still do not have any "transitional species.")
But did you know that the same passage defends evolution?
When God created the "kinds" it means He was not required to create every breed we see today. Consider dogs. Did God create every breed of dog we see today? New breeds are developed, so we know that can not be the case. Though they look quite different, a daschund and a dalmation could come from the same ancestry. But it doesn't Biblically (or scientifically) coincide for a zebra to have had the same predecessor. We also don't have to believe that the daschund has always had its exact shape or size. The word "kind" requires the concept that changes, adaptations and mutations will happen within a species (micro evolution).
So next time someone asks you if the Bible really speaks against evolution, you can answer "depends." Are they talking Macro Evolution or Micro Evolution?
