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?