Old Testament Faith

The Foolish Galations

1.       Which would you imagine happens more often (1) shifting from believing in righteousness by works to righteousness by faith or (2) shifting from believing in righteousness by faith to righteousness by works like the Galatians.

2.       Can you blame wrong theology on being “bewitched” or having had a spell cast on you, like Paul inquires of the Galatians?

Grounded in Scripture

1.       Why do people have trouble accepting justification by faith – free salvation?

2.       On what basis should Old Testament scripture be authoritative for Christians?

3.       Are some parts of the Bible more inspired than others ?

Reckoned as Righteous

1.       Why is Abraham so important as an example for Jews?

2.       Is it legal to be considered righteous when in fact you are guilty?

3.       Is it easier to give grace or accept it?

The Gospel in the Old Testament

1.       Do you think God ever expected humans to live in obedience to the law, or did He understand from the beginning that it would be “impossible” and that therefore they would have to receive salvation by grace?

2.       Was Abraham an example of salvation by faith or also of salvation by works?

Redeemed from a Curse

1.       How would you feel if you had done something you thought commendable (like trying to obey the rules  and also getting others to do the same), and then being condemned for the very thing?

2.       Many Christians view Adventists as believing in salvation by works.  Is this true?  If it is not, on what basis could those Christians be forming their opinion? 

Justification by Faith Alone

The Question of Justification (Gal 2:15, 16)

1.       Do we have second class citizens in the Adventist church / the local church?  If so who are they and why are they second class?

2.       Which would you prefer for a verdict in your case and why?  (a) declared innocent, (b) found to be innocent, (c) found to have saving relationship with the judge? 

Works of the Law (Gal 2:16)

1.       What do you desire more from your pet doggie, love or obedience?  Do you love your pet because it obeys you or because it is trying to obey you?

2.       Is it possible for anyone to keep the law well enough to merit God’s favour?

The Basis of Our Justification

1.       Is it legal to allow a person to be punished for another person’s wrongdoing?

2.       What is the role of (a) grace, and (b) faith in our salvation? Can one come before the other or do they come together?

The Obedience of Faith

1.       How is “faith” different from “belief”?

2.       How does “faith” start?

Does Faith Promote Sin

1.       Does the realization that you are not saved by keeping the law result in less keeping of the law, either because we are not on our toes all the time or because we don’t have to be?

2.       If my relationship with Christ does not result in law keeping do I have to be worried about my relationship?

3.       Are there different levels of faith (are some taller and some shorter)?  Is it possible to have faith like Abraham (the father of those who have faith), or was he the very tallest and it is not necessary to be so tall?

The Unity of the Gospel (Oct 8-14)

What is the root cause of disunity?

The Importance of Unity

1.       Who is more responsible for unity, leaders or subordinates?

2.       What are factors that complicate unity between Gentile Christianity and Jewish Christianity?

3.       How important is it for the Adventist church to remain united?

Circumcision and the false Brothers (Gal 2:3-5)

1.       Why is a marriage sign (such as circumcision used to be in the ancient near east) more appropriate for the male? Why would a sign between God and his people be only on the male?

2.       Why would Jewish Christians insist on the ritual for gentiles rather than discard it themselves?

3.       Is there any tradition or ritual that our church is hanging onto unnecessarily?

Unity in Diversity (Gal 2:1-10)

1.       As Christians do we encounter more restrictions or more freedom?

2.       What qualities are required in a person who is going to take the gospel to people of a different culture?

Confrontation in Antioch (Gal 2:11-13)

1.       What was wrong in Peter avoiding eating with gentiles while Jews were around?

2.       If you were Peter and Paul condemned you as a hypocrite, would you defend yourself justifying your behavior or would you submit and apologize?

Paul’s Concern (Gal 2:14)

1.       Was Paul right in confronting Peter in public or should he have done it in private first?

2.       Is it necessary to believe like some commentators that Peter’s hypocrisy consisted of eating unclean gentile meat with the gentiles on one hand and insisting on their circumcision on the other? Is there another way to understand Peter’s hypocrisy? Would mere avoiding associating with gentiles when Jews were around amount to hypocrisy?

3.       How can Peter be held responsible for the hypocrisy which spread to Barnabas?  

Paul’s Authority and Gospel. (Oct 1-7)

Judaizers countered Paul by appealing to tradition.  How important is tradition?  Considering that Paul used to be a persecuting Pharisee (before his conversion) how would you expect it to influence the way he deals with Judaizers?

Paul the Letter Writer

1.       What makes Paul or any other scripture more difficult to understand?

2.       Why should Paul’s personal letters be considered “inspired” and useful for others?

Paul’s Calling

1.       Why was it important for Paul to be considered an apostle or eyewitness of the resurrection?  Since some books of the NT were not written by apostles, why bother?

2.       Can a person not commissioned by Christ be inspired by the Holy Spirit?

Paul’s Gospel

1.       What is the meaning of “grace and peace” that Paul should wish that for his readers?

2.       What is the essence of the gospel? How many sentences is the minimum required to describe it?

No Other Gospel

1.       In speech and in letters why do some people not get to the point immediately?  What are the some of the merits and demerits of beating around the bush?

2.       Why do some people allow themselves to be swayed by “preachers of another gospel?”

The Origin of Paul’s Gospel

1.       Should a person’s life or motives be taken into account when evaluating the message?   What kinds of facts or rumours can we spread about a person to render his/her message ineffective?     

2.       If you hear rumours about yourself that negative your message, how should you react?

Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles (for Sept 24-30)

Do God’s plans for our lives restrict our freedom?

Persecutor of Christians

1.       What do you imagine Saul’s relationship to God was like while he was a persecutor?

2.       How do you think God felt about Saul as He viewed the Pharisee’s sincerity in persecuting the early Christians?

3.       At the stoning of Stephen why do you think Saul chose to stand by the clothes rather than participate in the throwing of stones?

Saul’s Conversion

1.       What requires greater conviction, to be a persecutor or to be persecuted? How easy is it to change your opinion about something?  How does it feel to suddenly realize you have been on the wrong side? 

2.       Why does God not use such extreme measures to convert people today as he used for Saul?

Saul in Damascus

1.       How was inflicting Saul with blindness more appropriate than other things for example loss of hearing?

2.       What qualities would God have desired in a person whom he could send to Saul?

3.       Why do you think the record is silent on the effect of Saul’s conversion on his associates?

The Gospel Goes to the Gentiles

1.       During persecution which is a better place to hide, a city or a wilderness?

2.       Why do you think Saul changed his name? What challenges do you think Paul encountered as he began his ministry?

3.       Which is more challenging, establishing a new church or preserving members in an established one?

Conflict Within the Church

1.       Why do you think Jewish Christians were unhappy with gentiles joining the church?

2.       Considering that all of them had been expelled from the synagogue why would Jewish Christians still insist on Gentile members adopting their customs?

3.       Do those who have been in the church a long time have some right to preserve the “faith of our fathers?” 

4.       In conflict how can we be sure that we are on God’s side? 

Worship in the Book of Revelation

Why does our memory text and so many other texts stress “learning a new song?” What is there about learning a new song?  Does God appreciate a well-sung song better than an off-key one?

I Fell at His Feet as Dead

1.       How can we combine the need to maintain a view of God’s sovereignty and majesty on one hand with the other need to view him as a close friend?

2.       Why did Job keep quiet after observing all that God showed him in creation?  What did nature tell him?  Why did he not see all that before?

3.       Is it true that one cannot create anything greater than one’s self?

Holy, Holy, Holy

1.       What is the connection between praise and worship?  Can you have one without the other?

2.       How do you think you would feel in God’s presence?  How can you best prepare for such an encounter?

3.       Are we going to get punished for being so irreverent in his unseen presence?

Revelation 13

1.       Would you like to be worshipped?  Why or why not?

2.       Why is Satan so anxious to recruit people to his side?  What does he get out of it?

Revelation 14

1.        Why is Sabbath observance so important to God?

2.       Can a sincere Sunday-observer get the same blessing as a Sabbath-keeper?

3.       Is only Sunday worship the mark of the beast or is Friday, Thursday, etc, worship the same?

Worship God

1.       Why are angels not worthy of worship?

2.       Why do humans have an inclination to worship?

3.       Have this quarters lessons impacted your worship?  Why or why not?

Worship in the Early Church

Is the apostolic church the correct model for the form of worship today? (Wasn’t the church in that era evangelistic?) Is there an ideal format for worship or does the ideal change according to time and location?  How much has the format of Adventist worship adjusted to situation?

Many Proofs

1.       The personality of the disciples at Pentecost was a far cry from that which they displayed at the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.  What were reasons that contributed to this drastic change in them? 

2.       Observe the women and the disciples at the tomb: Why were they so slow to comprehend that Jesus had risen from the dead?

3.       Even after the disciples accepted the fact of the risen Savior, why was there no attempt to preach till Pentecost weeks later?

The Preaching of the Word

1.        Why is it that in many parts of the world public evangelism is giving way to personal evangelism?  Are we missing anything because of this?

2.       Why do many members prefer the conversational style of preaching to the “evangelistic” style?

3.       Can we and should we have the “Spirit” of Pentecost in our worship services?

4.       Do we have anything to learn from the worship of Pentecostals?

Paul on Mars Hill

1.       How appropriate is it to quote uninspired sources in sermons?

2.       How wise or unwise is it to use illustrations from non-Christian mythology?

3.       Paul used logic and reason but did not have much success.  Why does emotional appeal often bring more results than logic and reason?

Worship Contrary to the Law

1.       Was it necessary for Christianity to be a new religion?  Could it have dovetailed Judaism?

2.       When is it necessary for an “offshoot” to separate?

3.       Why were the Jews so blind to see Christ as the fulfillment of all they were hoping for?

Love Conquers All

1.       What is the relationship between love and worship?  Does my dislike for anyone in the church affect my worship?

2.       How do others come into the picture of worship which is between you and God?

3.       Jesus instruct hearers (Matt 5:23) to leave their gifts and make things right with persons who had aught against them before proceeding with giving their offering.  Does that apply only to the giving of offerings or even to other aspects of worship?