Lesson 5 (July 22-28), Old Testament Faith

The Foolish Galatians

1. What is the difference between calling a person foolish and calling the person a "fool?" 
2. What are various reasons why people become Christians? Under what circumstances may the reasons change, either for better or for worse?
3. Is it wrong to think that we are better than other people?

Grounded in Scripture

1. Are some parts of the Bible more inspired, or less inspired than others?
2. When does something become "scripture?" When it is inspired? As soon as it is written? When it is accepted by a reader? When it is included/bound along with other Scripture?
3. Did the Spirit inspire the Bible writer with words or with thoughts? Should one memorize Scripture word for word, or thought for thought? Which version should one use for memorization? 

Reckoned as Scripture

1. Is Abraham better as an example of "faith" or of "works?" 
2. What does Rom 4:5 mean when it says "he who does not work, but believes in the One who justifies, his faith is counted as righteousness?" What kind of "work" is meant?
3. Why can't God count us as righteous on the basis of our "trying our best" to keep the law?

The Gospel in the Old Testament

1. How were "all nations of the earth" blessed because of Abraham?
2. What was the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? 
3. How cheap is "grace?" Do different people require differing amounts of grace?

Redeemed From a Curse

1. How can Paul label our sincere attempts to keep the law a "curse?"
2. What does James 2:10 mean by stating that one who breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all?
3. How much control did God have over the manner of Christ's death? 

Lesson 4 (July 15-21), Justification by Faith Alone

How could Paul say on the one hand that "Christ lives in me," and on the other hand say "What I want to do I do not, and what I don't want to do I do?"

The Question of Justification

1. What does "justification" mean in everyday speech? What does "justification" mean in theological terms? How are they connected?
2. What made the Jews feel superior to the Gentiles? Were they justified in that opinion?
3. Can a person be justified by keeping the law in current life? What about in the spiritual realm?

Works of the Law

1. Why do so many Adventist institutions construct replicas of the ten commandment? What message does it convey?
2. Why do some of the Ceremonial Laws still apply to us while others don't? Is it a sin to eat pork and shrimp, or are they just bad for health?
3. How well do Adventists keep the law? Which of the ten commandments do we keep best?

The Basis of our Justification

1. What made it okay for Jesus to give us His righteousness?
2. How can Christ's righteousness save more than one person?
3. In His victorious life did Jesus access any power unavailable to us?

The Obedience of Faith

1. Can one doubt and have faith at the same time? What is the difference between belief and faith?
2. How can one who does not faith acquire it?
3. Why is faith necessary for salvation?

Does Faith Promote Sin?

1. Do Christians who do not believe in salvation by works break the law more than those who do?
2. What is the result of trying to keep the law?
3. What is the gospel? 
4. What is the effect of grace on the recipient?

Lesson 3 (July 8-14), The Unity of the Gospel

The Importance of Unity

1. When Jesus prayed that "they may be one" who was he referring to? What did He mean by "one?"
2. What did Paul mean when he wished that the Corinthians would be "united in mind and thought?" Are those two things or the same thing?
3. What if anything is more important than unity of the church?

Circumcision and the False Brethren

1. Why didn't God require a more visible sign of relationship and belonging to Him such as piercing a ear or a tattoo?
2. Why did God not require females to be circumcised?
3. Would we have required non-Jews who had been circumcised to be re-circumcised? Why or why not?
4. What did Paul mean when he wrote to the Galatians that if they allowed themselves to be circumcised, Christ would be of no value to them

Unity in Diversity

1. How free should Christians be to practice their own culture
2. In what essential things should the gospel not be subjected to culture?
3. What are the major areas that converts will have challenges when they become Christians?

Confrontation in Anticoch

1. What made it right for Peter to eat with Gentile Christians? Would it have been wrong for Peter to eat with Gentile non-Christians?
2. Why was it wrong for Peter to avoid eating with Gentiles when some Jewish Christians were watching?
3. Why can we not take Peter's vision to indicate that Christians can eat any kind of animal now?

Paul's Concern

1. Would it have been better for Paul to talk to Peter privately first about eating with Gentiles? Wasn't it Peter's privilege to choose who to eat with?
2. Why were Gentiles considered unclean? 
3. Why do some Indians look down on those who eat beef? Why do some vegetarians not like to eat with non-vegetarians?
4. When Paul and Peter differ how do we know who is right?

Lesson 2 (July 1-7), Paul's Authority and the Gospel

Paul, the Letter Writer

1. How did the invention of something to write on (papyrus) compare with the invention of the internet today?
2. Why did the apostles write letters to churches instead of just visiting them?
3. Did the apostles realize that the letters they wrote would have the force of Scripture? What gave those letters such authority?
4. Why did churches make copies of letters written by apostles to other churches?
5. How do world church leaders give instruction to local churches today? How authoritative are those communications?

Paul's Calling

1. What convinced people that Paul's letters had the same weight as the letters of Jesus' disciples?
2. Why didn't Jesus call Paul like he called his other disciples?
3. Why was there opposition to Paul's authority?
4.  On what basis could Paul assert that the Mosaic law did not apply to the gentiles?

Paul's Gospel

1. What do the words "grace" and "peace" convey? What if anything, do they convey anything about the writer and receivers of the letter?
2. What is the essence of the gospel for Paul?
3. If one had to write a summary of the gospel on one page what would it look like?

No Other Gospel

1. How close are Adventists to believing like the Galatians that faith is not enough, but works is also important for salvation?
2. How important is keeping the law for salvation? When Jesus separates the sheep and the goats why does he make no mention of the importance of keeping the law?
3. Of what value is personal "experience" compared to what was written by Paul two thousand years ago?

The Origin of Paul's Gospel

1. How much compromise is permissible in order to convert people to Christ? What does Paul mean when he says he became all things to all people?
2. Were apostles influenced in their thinking by any other than the Holy Spirit?
3. How do church leaders today develop their thinking on any subject? How reliable are those methods?