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Week of May 6, 2001
A CHANGED RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST1
Being a child of the living God means not only that one has been born again into God's family by the Holy Spirit, but it also means that we now have a unique relationship with Christ. This week's Bible study will help you explore this unique relationship.
BIBLE STUDY
Read the story of Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3:1-21 and answer the following questions.
What was the question that Nicodemus asked of Jesus in verse 4?
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Why did Jesus say it was necessary to be born again? (vs 3, 5)
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What besides being born again did Jesus say was necessary to see the Kingdom of heaven? (vs 14-16)
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Being born again in God's family means that we believe in Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son (vs 16).
YOUR IDENITY IN CHRIST
Believing in Christ means much more than just having a common understanding of who He is. Read the following scriptures and write down in your notebook what these scriptures are telling you about who you are in relationship to Christ when you become born again.
John 20:16-17
Romans 8:29
2 Corinthians 5:17
1 John 1:3
1 John 3:1
Hebrews 2:11
James 1:18
This new birth that Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 5:17 is what theologians refer to as regeneration. It is a moral and mental transformation in which our spiritual eyes are opened to understand the truth of the gospel (Ferguson). New birth is not meant to be a mystical, private experience but is the entering into the fellowship of brotherhood with Jesus Christ and every other believer (Ferguson).
PERSONAL APPLICATION
Write down the most meaningful scripture you read in this week's study of the word.
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How does this scripture apply to you and your life at this time?
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How do you think God wants you to respond to this study?
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Take some time to pray about what the Lord is showing you through His word.
Week of May 13, 2001
A CHANGED RELATIONSHIP TO SIN1
Entering into fellowship with Jesus Christ through regeneration is not in the least bit a superficial or insignificant event. Ferguson tells us that through rebirth we now participate in the power of the resurrection and that the glory of God's image is being restored in our lives.
BIBLE STUDY
Read Ephesians 2: 1-3 and answer the following questions.
Read Romans 8:5-10 and answer the following questions.
Read 1 John 3:6. What does John say is the evidence of being in Christ?
1 John 1:8 states, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." How do you reconcile what John says in 1 John 1:8 with what he says in 1 John 3:6?
When we become saved, we remain sinners. We are not yet fully redeemed and glorified, that part comes later. But, God is definitely in the process of restoring us which means that although we are still sinners, we now recognize and despise our sin, and we have the power and desire through the Holy Spirit to turn away from our sin, seek personal holiness and become more like Jesus.
Read 1 John 3:2-3. What is the hope that John is speaking of in verse 3? According to verse 3 what will we do if we have this hope?
Because we continue to sin John informs us in 1 John 1:9 and 2:1 of the remedies that are at our disposal to cleanse us from our sin. What are the two remedies that he speaks of?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
Write down the most meaningful scripture you read in this week's study of the word.
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How does this scripture apply to you and your life at this time?
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How do you think God wants you to respond to this study?
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Take some time to pray about what the Lord is showing you through His word.
Week of May 20, 2001
A CHANGED RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURCH1
Sinclair Ferguson tells us that God's eternal purpose is the creation of a family. God is our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is our first-born, only begotten brother. All the reason for the activity of the triune God is the creation of the family with the Christian, as a grown-up son, at the heart of it. Ferguson says, "The Father destines us to be his children; the Son comes to make us his brothers and sisters; and the Spirit is sent as the Spirit of adoption to make us fully aware of our privileges."
BIBLE STUDY
Read John 17:20-23 and answer the following questions.
Read Hebrews 10:24-25. Based on this passage and the passages from John 17 above, how important do you think it is to belong to a local fellowship of believers (a church)?
Read 1 John 2:10 and 3:14-19 and answer the following questions.
According to 1 Corinthians 13:3 is generosity and sacrifice always a sign of love?
What does 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 and 1 John 3:16 tell us is the underlying motivation in true love for one's brother?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
How has this study changed the way you think about the purpose and function of the church?
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Write down the most meaningful scripture you read in this week's study of the word.
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How does this scripture apply to you and your life at this time?
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How do you think God wants you to respond to this study?
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Take some time to pray about what the Lord is showing you through His word.
Week of May 27, 2001
A CHANGED RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD1
In our study "A Changed Relationship to Sin" from the week of May 13, we learned that prior to being adopted into the family of God that we lived in the kingdom of darkness, which is controlled by the ruler of the kingdom of the air-namely Satan. John reiterates this truth in 1 John 5:19 when he says that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. Those who belong to Christ though are no longer part of the kingdom of the world, which is controlled by Satan. Christians are under the control of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, our adoption into God's family results in us having a changed relationship with the world. This week we will take a look at some scriptures that will help us to better understand our relationship to the world and what it looks like.
REFLECTION
Have you ever traveled to a foreign country where you were unfamiliar with the language and the culture? Describe what that was like for you?
BIBLE STUDY
Read the following verses and write down the key thought about who Christians are in relation to the world.
Our identity is not what it used to be since we have become children of the light. Continue to read 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 and identify 4 ways that Peter says Christians are different from those who still walk in darkness.
1. __________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
3. __________________________________________
4. __________________________________________
Read the following passages from Matthew 6 and write down the characteristics that Jesus is emphasizing should be evident in the Christian's life.
For each verse above, write down the opposing wisdom of the world. Jesus says in verse 33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." What does this mean to you in light of the verses you just read?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
Write down the most meaningful scripture you read in this week's study of the word.
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How does this scripture apply to you and your life at this time?
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How do you think God wants you to respond to this study?
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Take some time to pray about what the Lord is showing you through His word.
1This month's Bible studies will draw from Sinclair Ferguson's book "Children of the Living God." Ferguson identifies four family traits that identify God's children: A changed relationship to Christ, a changed relationship to sin, a changed relationship to the church and a changed relationship to the world. We will tackle one of these traits in each weekly Bible study this month.
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