You can view an in-depth discussion of “Old Testament Faith” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School … [Click to read more …]
If you love me, obey my commandments. John 14:15 NLT Jesus didn’t say, “if you want to go to heaven, obey my commandments.” He did not say, “if you don’t want to go to hell, obey my commandments.” Okay we already knew all that, but while studying Monday’s lesson about the works of the law, … [Click to read more …]
The King James version of the Bible is often considered the gold standard for modern translations, but few of us are familiar with its history, mandate, publication and early printing. This article provides a brief glimpse in the hope that we will understand it and its historical context a little better. The Bibles in Use … [Click to read more …]
In the previous post we examined the oldest systems of Protestant covenant thought. The two systems to emerge we labeled as belonging to “Category A: Covenantalism.” They include both the Westminster Confession and the Second London Baptist Confession. We also had the opportunity to see that Adventist theology has a lot of similarities with these … [Click to read more …]
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed’ ” (Gal. 3:8, ESV). Paul writes that not only was the gospel preached to Abraham, but it was God who preached it; so, it must have been the true gospel. … [Click to read more …]
Key Thought: Abraham’s faith in God’s promises counted him as righteous. The same gift of righteousness is available for us today who share Abraham’s faith. Lesson 5, July 29, 2017 1. Have a volunteer read Galatians 3:6-8. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. … [Click to read more …]
Why do you think Paul first appeals to Abraham as he looks to the Scriptures to validate his gospel message? (Gal. 3:6). Abraham was a central figure in Judaism. Not only was he the father of the Jewish race, but Jews in Paul’s time also looked to him as the prototype of what a true Jew … [Click to read more …]
The memory text for this weeks’ lesson study instantly brings to mind Hymn 337 or 338, “Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It”. This theme continues in Thursday’s lesson study. We are redeemed by Christ. In Sunday’s lesson, it appears the Galatians have forgotten what Hymn 237, “In the cross of Christ I glory” says. … [Click to read more …]
Old Testament faith. [Edited] Was faith in the Old Testament different from faith in the New? Are you, a commandment-keeping follower of Christ, a works-oriented Christian? Or can commandment keeping be acts of faith? What makes the difference? Paul seems just a bit upset with Christians in Galatia and he told them they were under … [Click to read more …]
So far, in his letter to the Galatians, Paul has defended his gospel of justification by faith by appealing to the agreement reached with the apostles in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-10) and to the personal experience of the Galatians themselves (Gal. 3:1-5). Beginning in Galatians 3:6, Paul now turns to the testimony of Scripture for the final and ultimate confirmation … [Click to read more …]
Read Galatians 3:1-5. Summarize below what Paul is saying to them. In what sense could we be in danger of falling into the same spiritual pitfall, of starting out right and then falling into legalism? Several modern translations have tried to capture the sense of Paul’s words in verse 1 about the “foolish” Galatians. The … [Click to read more …]
Read for This Week’s Study: Gal. 3:1-14, Rom. 1:2, Rom. 4:3, Gen. 15:6, Gen. 12:1-3, Lev. 17:11, 2 Cor. 5:21. Memory Text: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’ ” (Galatians 3:13, ESV). A little boy had made a little boat, all … [Click to read more …]
Further Thought: “The danger has been presented to me again and again of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point. The law of God has been largely dwelt upon and has … [Click to read more …]
You can view an in-depth discussion of “Justification by Faith Alone” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath … [Click to read more …]
