Summary: Topical Study on the Word of God.
Clarification of points that may have been made unclear during the night:
10 Commandments are not things we must fulfill to become Christians. We are saved by the grace of God and by acknowledging Christ as our one true saviour, we go to Heaven.
For a Christian to be drinking and smoking is not necessaridly wrong. However, we are told that if what we do causes someone to stumble, we are doing something wrong.
Notes for the night:
Sword in battle
- The sword is an important piece in a soldier’s equipment list. It must be ready to be drawn and used.
- Notice that in scripture that the sword is after all the other pieces of armour. In order to wield the sword, one must have the previous armour pieces.
- Grace, truth, righteousness, faith, gospel of peace.
- There are many who use the word of God (or God’s words) out of context
- refer back to Jesus’ temptation
- refer to Satan tempting Eve
- Gen 3:4-5 “ 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””
- We can’t go to battle if we don’t have one or the other (armour or sword).
- Important things about a good sword we use in battle:
- Sword must be strong, heavy, and solid.
- Further elaborate the obvious need for a sturdy sword and relate to the activity.
- Metaphorically speaking, if the word that we use to battle the enemy is not strong, heavy, or solid enough, it will not be able to drive away or damage the enemy.
- We are told, man’s words stand tall like grass, which is then cut down and put into the flames. But God’s word endures forever.
- Also, it is not us who speak the words that will damage the enemy, but the power that the Holy Spirit has when the HS is wielding the word of God.
- Only though the power of the HS is when the sword of the Spirit/word of God used effectively to attack the enemy.
The Word of God
- The word of God is powerful.
- The word of God comes from revelations from God.
- Hebrews 4:12 “12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. “
- It is like a double edged sword. It convicts us of our sins and shows us how unworthy we are compared to God’s Holiness. It removes our goodliness and brings us to the mercy of God.
- It is both a law for us as Christians
- Also a message for others who don’t believe
- There is nothing else like the word of God that will pierce through the conscience and heart.
- Sword of the spirit also reproves and corrects mankind.
- It refutes Satan and repels temptations of the evil one.
- Think about the these three men of the bible:
- Solomon – Wisest man of all, had great wealth and great power
- Samson – strongest man of all, killed 1000 men with the jawbone of an ass, toppled a temple with his own bare hands
- David – gifted with devotion, loved God and sought to honour and glorify God. Look as psalms and all the adoration for God
- Yet all these men fell at Satan’s schemes
- Solomon – led Solomon to marry many foreign women and then fell into the temptation of serving false gods
- Samson – as strong as he was, was unable to resist the persistence of a woman. Screwed up cause he told Delilah about the secret to his strength.
- David – fell into temptation of lust, adultery, and then murder
- Jesus’ temptation Matt 4:1-11
- Here get group to read and discuss the importance of knowing scripture in context and using it effectively
Reflection questions:
- What does scripture say about dating non-christians? Abortion? Drinking/Smoking? Suicide?
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