8/6/14 11:32 AM

Jubilee Series • The Heart and Hope of a Christian • Pentecostal Publishing House • Adult Teacher’s Manual • Summer 2015

ISBN-13: 978-1-56722-403-0
ISBN-10: 1-56722-403-2

Adult 14-15 TM.indd 4

 The
Heart and

of a
Hope
Christian

JUBILEE SERIES

ADULT TEACHER’S MANUAL

SUMMER 2015
Adult Teacher’s Manual
© 2014 Pentecostal Publishing House

8855 Dunn Road • Hazelwood, MO 63042-2299

All rights reserved.
Manufactured in USA, June 2014, 194511.

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor in Chief: Robin Johnston
Curriculum Senior Editor: Lee Ann Alexander
Word Aflame Adult Editor: Karen Myers
Editor: Richard M. Davis

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reserved.

Scripture quotations marked “NKJV™” are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by
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 CONTENTS

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

UNIT 1: BASICS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

June 7 First of All, Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

June 14 Fundamental Forgiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

June 21 Clothed with Humility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

June 28 Compassion—Love in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

July 5 The Principle of Generous Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

UNIT 2: THE CHURCH—A PLACE TO GROW IN CHRIST

July 12 Prayer—the Christian’s Lifeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

July 19 Reverence for the Word of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

July 26 Growing in the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

August 2 United in Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

August 9 Living Testimonies to Our World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

UNIT 3: THE CHRISTIAN’S FUTURE HOPE

August 16 The Rapture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

August 23 The Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

August 30 Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

3
EDITORIAL
FUNDAMENTALS
OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
by Richard M. Davis
This quarter we are privileged to revis-
it some of the most fundamental aspects of
the Christian life—The Heart and Hope of a
Christian.
Our study will be divided into three units:
(1) Basics of the Christian Life, (2) The
Church—a Place to Grow in Christ, and (3) The
Christian’s Future Hope.
First, we will consider some of the most ba-
sic aspects of the Christian life. We will take a
fresh look at the subjects of love, forgiveness,
humility, compassion, and giving, which are
all fundamental issues in our relationship with
Jesus Christ. How can we have an authentic
Christian life without the love of Jesus active in
our heart? How can a Christian live victorious-
ly without forgiveness—both receiving and
extending forgiveness? It is impossible. Fur-
ther, living a Christian life leads us to exercise
compassion, which is love in action; humility,
knowing the degenerate state in which Christ
found us and from which He saved us; and
generous giving, which is one of our greatest
privileges.
Second, we will study five lessons that will
examine the normal spiritual growth we should
experience as Christians within a fellowship of
other believers—within the church, the body
of Jesus Christ. As we become anchored with-
in the body of Christ, we will naturally grow
to appreciate the power of prayer. We will
develop a special reverence for God’s Word.
We will continue to grow spiritually within the
4
church as we meet together for worship and
fellowship with other believers, and out of that
growing relationship will develop a strong
sense of unity with our brothers and sisters
in Christ. As these characteristics develop
and grow within us as believers, our lives be-
come strong and living testimonies for Jesus
Christ—living examples of His grace at work
in the lives of imperfect humans.
We will conclude the quarter by examining
once again three of the most fundamental fu-
ture hopes shared by all Christian believers.
First, we will consider the Rapture, which is
the catching away of the living believers at the
beginning of Christ’s return to earth. Christ
does not actually return to the earth at that
time, for the living believers will be caught up
together, along with the resurrected dead in
Christ, to meet Jesus in the air. We will share a
time of communion with Christ prior to return-
ing with Him to bring a conclusion to the battle
of Armageddon when He actually returns to
the earth. Second, we will study the Millenni-
um—the one-thousand-year period that will
follow the ending of Armageddon. Finally, we
will conclude our study with a fresh look at
Heaven, the eternal home of every believer,
for which we look with great anticipation and
expectancy.
Nothing is greater than our relationship with
Jesus Christ! These lessons will remind us of
the greatness of that growing relationship and
its ultimate victory and destiny in Heaven!
 WEEK 1
FIRST OF ALL, LOVE 06.07.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
John 13:35 THOUGHT
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.
Love is the most
LESSON TEXT
essential quality in
I John 4:7–21
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;
a Christian’s life. It
and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth is the foundation of
God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. our relationship to
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, be-
cause that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, God and to others.
that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
By His love God
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our redeemed us and
sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love in His love we are
one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one
made perfect.
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he
in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that
dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: be-
cause as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

5
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Ultimately, Love
“F
or God is love” (I John 4:8). Love is
the highest characteristic of God.
He loves the good and the bad and
proved His love by giving His life for all (Ro-
mans 5:8). “In this was manifested the love of
God toward us, because that God sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through him. Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to
be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:9–10).
God’s greatest expectation of us is a reciproca-
tion of His love. (See Matthew 22:37.)
Not only are we recipients of God’s love,
but being created in God’s image transfers the
preeminence of love to humankind. Love is
the cornerstone of all virtues. It is the ultimate
test identifying authentic Christian faith (John
OUTLINE
I. GOD’S LOVE MANIFESTED
A. Love in Redemption
B. Love Revealed in Daily Provisions
C. Love Provides an Eternal Inheritance
II. OUR LOVE DEMONSTRATED
A. Our Love to God and His Word
B. Love to Fellow Christians
C. Love toward Sinners
III. OUR LOVE PERFECTED
A. Love Perfected by God’s Spirit
B. L
 ove Perfected by Serving Others
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
If God had left it to us to draw up the spec-
ifications by which the world could recognize
His people, what would we have included
in the description? Would we have included
such items as faithfulness in attendance to
church, style of dress, physical appearance,
or doctrinal purity?
There is no question but that each of these
items is important. Christians should always
exercise faithfulness in gathering with fellow
6
by Gary D. Erickson
13:35). Love is the greatest commandment
(Matthew 22:36–40; Luke 10:25–28; Galatians
5:14) and the greatest empowerment given by
the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). The other
fruit of the Spirit emanate from love. In The
Moody Year Book (1900), D. L. Moody wrote,
“The fruit of the Spirit begins with love. . . . Joy
is love exulting; peace is love in repose; long-
suffering is love on trial; gentleness is love in
society; goodness is love in action; faith is love
on the battlefield; meekness is love at school;
and temperance is love in training.”
God loves us because it is His choice and
nature. We love God because He first loved us
and gave His life to prove it. We love one an-
other because it is a commandment and it’s
the glue that holds civilization together.
believers. A Christian’s dress and physical ap-
pearance definitely distinguish him from the
world. Further, it is absolutely necessary to
know and love truth.
When giving the quality that would identify
His disciples, however, Jesus mentioned none
of these things. Instead, He said, “By this shall
all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another” (John 13:35). Love
is a fundamental characteristic of the Christian
life, and it is the one distinguishing trait specif-
ically mentioned by Jesus.
Obviously, if a person has and exhibits the
love of God, all else will follow. Jesus prob-
ably gave love as the proof of discipleship
because it is impossible to fake true love. The
Pharisees were certainly faithful in attendance
at the synagogues, and their outward appear-
ance conformed to Jewish laws, but they did
not have love. It is just as possible today for
one to attend church regularly, dress modest-
ly, and adhere to the true doctrines, and yet
lack the vital ingredient of love.
What is scriptural love? In his book Fruits
of the Spirit, Charles Hembree wrote that
love is not “that sticky and selfish affection
one experiences in adolescence.” Neither is
it “that silly and flabby Santa Claus love de-
manding no discipline or withholding.” Nor is
love “an unbending discipline allowing for no
mistakes, much less human feeling.”
Hollywood and Madison Avenue have
teamed up to warp the definition of love in our
generation. Commercials flaunt paid actors
testifying of their “love” for the products of-
fered by their sponsors. Weekly tabloids blare
headlines about the latest “love” of various
movie stars or celebrities.
This is as far from scriptural love as day is
from night. Genuine love, according to I Corin-
thians 13, is patient, kind, generous, humble,
courteous, unselfish, good tempered, guile-
less, and sincere.
It was well put by the person who said, “We
like someone because; we love someone
although.”
Jesus described the love that proves disci-
pleship when He said, “A new commandment
I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I
have loved you, that ye also love one another”
(John 13:34).
The qualifying words “as I have loved you”
go far beyond the perception of “love” on Mad-
ison Avenue or in Hollywood. This exceeds the
carnal affection one may have for another be-
cause of a pleasing appearance or personality.
This is love as projected on the Cross—Calva-
ry’s exhibited love. It caused Jesus to love us
although we were sinners and unlovely.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. GOD’S LOVE MANIFESTED
God has many characteristics. Strength,
power, wisdom, knowledge, judgment—all
serve to describe some aspect of God’s be-
ing. Scripture speaks even of the wrath of
God, but never do we read, “God is wrath.”
Instead, we discover “God is love” (I John
4:8). All that God is, and all that He does, is
founded solidly in this fact: God is love. Love
shapes and forms all else that He is and does.
Even His wrath is tempered by His love. This
love of God is not something of which He
speaks only; it prompts Him to action. His love
is manifested:
“In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his
7
only begotten Son into the world, that we
might live through him” (I John 4:9).
A. Love in Redemption
Much that passes for love in our era is
tainted with selfishness. Too many marriages,
rather than being based on scriptural love, are
founded on the shifting sand of mutual bene-
fit. Those involved in such “marriages” tend
to see the union as a “fifty-fifty” proposition.
Just how unstable this is, however, is reflected
in the high divorce rate. As long as “love” is
colored by mutual benefits, it is not true love
and will not weather the storms that blow up
when one of the partners is unable to continue
providing a benefit.
This writer reviewed a marriage
certificate dated June 6, 1880.
A comparison of this document with
today’s marriage “contracts” reveals
something of how far love has drifted
in the last one hundred years from its
ancient moorings. The certificate is
adorned with Scriptures: “Man is the
Head of the Woman,” “Woman is the
Glory of the Man,” “Whoso findeth a
Wife findeth a good thing,” and “The
wife is a Crown to her Husband.” In-
cluded is the statement “. . . upon
satisfactory evidence to me by both
and each of them jointly and separate-
ly given, showing that they had freely
and deliberately chosen each other as
bosom companions for life, and were
sacredly pledged to each other for a
faithful performance of all duties aris-
ing out of the marriage relation. . . .”
Such phrases as “companions for
life” and talk of “duties” is increasing-
ly considered by many individuals to
be outmoded, but these things are the
outgrowth of genuine love.
God set the example for us in unselfish love
when He gave His only begotten Son (John
3:16). Christ’s love was totally giving in nature;
there was nothing we had to offer in return.
“Christ died for the ungodly. For
scarcely for a righteous man will one
die: yet peradventure for a good man
some would even dare to die. But God
 commendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us” (Romans 5:6–8).
Though extremely rare, it might be possible
to find someone willing to die in the place of
a good person. But we were not good. We
were ungodly and sinful, yet God loved us
enough to give His Son, His express image,
in our place.
Love cannot be perceived apart from
actions; words mean little. And it is by this su-
preme action of our Lord, the death of Christ
on the cross, that we perceive the love of God.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren” (I John 3:16).
In the Cross, God gave us a high and lofty
example. As He laid down His life for us, so
should we lay down our lives for others.
B. Love Revealed in Daily Provisions
The demonstration of God’s love did not end
with Calvary. From there, God has continued
to display His love for humankind by providing
for every need mankind will ever know.
In the Old Testament, God was known by
various compound names, each of which
described a certain attribute or characteristic
of God. For example, Jehovah-jireh (Gen-
esis 22:14) means “the Lord will provide.”
Jehovah-rapha (Exodus 15:26) is interpreted
“the Lord that healeth thee.” Jehovah-shalom
(Judges 6:24) speaks of “the Lord our peace.”
Jehovah-tsidkenu (Jeremiah 23:6) means “the
Lord our righteousness.”
These and many other names of God in the
Old Testament reveal Him to be concerned
with every conceivable need of the human
race. All of these names are summed up in
Jesus Christ. Paul said, “But my God shall
supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
God demonstrated His love to the Israelites
with manna from Heaven and water from the
rock. God still supplies the needs of people
today, and the motive is His love.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies
. . . that ye may be the children of your
8
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if ye love them which love you,
what reward have ye? . . . Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:44–48).
The love of God motivates Him to supply
the basic needs of humans, including those
who do not love Him. All about us—in the
sparkling streams, the roaring waterfalls, the
sprigs of green poking up through the soil, the
fresh breeze, and the warm glow of the sun—
we see God manifesting His love for the whole
of mankind.
C. Love Provides
an Eternal Inheritance
Though we deeply appreciate the daily
provisions God has made for us through His
love, the greatest of His provisions for us is
that of an eternal inheritance. This is an inher-
itance “incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”
(I Peter 1:4).
This surpasses our imagination. How could
a righteous and holy God condescend to this
earth to live among sinful men and to provide
for them an eternal inheritance—while they
were yet in their sinful state? There could be
only one motive: love. Jesus loved His disci-
ples “unto the end” (John 13:1). This kind of
undying, unfading love provided an incorrupt-
ible, undefiled inheritance, which will never
fade away.
Romans 8:17–23 speaks of this inheritance
and declares that “the sufferings of this pres-
ent time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
An earthly father, out of his human love for
his family, may provide them with an inher-
itance. But, however great it may be, it is a
fading, corruptible inheritance. The love of
God is manifested as He lifts frail individuals
out of time into eternity, out of corruption into
incorruption, out of death into life.
II. OUR LOVE DEMONSTRATED
If we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ,
we will demonstrate to others the love He has
shown to us. This is not an option; it is a re-
quirement and proves genuine Christianity.
 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth
his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth
not his brother whom he hath seen, how
can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from
him, That he who loveth God love his
brother also” (I John 4:20–21).
Why must we love one another? Because
God loved us (I John 4:11). In other words, we
show we have received His love as we give it
to others.
“And we have known and believed the
love that God hath to us. God is love; and
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,
and God in him” (I John 4:16).
A. Our Love to God and His Word
It would be impossible for us to love God
apart from His love for us. We have absolutely
nothing as a basis upon which we can com-
mend ourselves to God. Our salvation and our
relationship with Him rests solely on the foun-
dation of His compassion for us.
“We love him, because he first loved
us” (I John 4:19).
“For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: not of works, lest any man
should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Because God has loved us, we can love
Him. We demonstrate our love for Him through
our actions toward Him. We will want to spend
time with Him in prayer and in His Word. We
will hunger to work with Him and to do those
things close to His heart. Jesus showed the
relationship between our love for God and our
actions: “If ye love me, keep my command-
ments. . . . He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and
he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him, and will manifest myself to
him” (John 14:15, 21).
In other words, our obedience to God
proves our love for Him. We can say we love
Him, and we should, but we prove it when we
obey Him.
Our love for God will be followed by an in-
tense love for His Word: “O how I love thy law!
it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).
9
A love for God’s Word equates with a love
for His truth. It is deadly not to love the truth.
“Because they received not the love of
the truth, that they might be saved. And for
this cause God shall send them strong de-
lusion, that they should believe a lie: that
they all might be damned who believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous-
ness” (II Thessalonians 2:10–12).
Some individuals may misinterpret one’s
love for truth as “dogmatism” or “stubborn-
ness.” But to those who love God and His
truth, there is no room for compromise or
flexibility about truth. While we must speak the
truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), we must, nev-
ertheless, speak the truth. Indeed, we cannot
speak falsehood in love.
B. Love to Fellow Christians
A love for God will manifest itself in a love
for His children. This is not just saying we love
others, but demonstrating our love by our
deeds (I John 3:18).
“If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, and one of you
say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye
warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye
give them not those things which are
needful to the body; what doth it profit?”
(James 2:15–16).
A characteristic of a true Christian is that he
will be found “distributing to the necessity of
saints; given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13).
These are the sacrifices that please God (He-
brews 13:16). Indeed, regardless of how loud
and long one may testify of his love for God,
the proof is found in the manner in which he
responds to the needs of others.
The Word of God commands that we per-
sonally minister to the needs of others. It will
not do to excuse our lack of involvement by an
appeal to present welfare systems and pub-
lic-aid programs. God’s way is not to funnel
our brothers and sisters off to public agencies
but to meet their needs personally.
C. Love toward Sinners
Our responsibility to demonstrate the love
of God does not end with our relationship with
God or with our brothers and sisters; it ex-
tends even to sinners. This is one of the major
ways in which we show them the love of God.
We are even to show love toward those who
consider us their enemy.
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him
bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him
water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals
of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall
reward thee” (Proverbs 25:21–22).
The natural tendency of the human nature
is to gloat over an enemy’s hunger or thirst.
Love, however, can reverse this tendency and
cause us to act in ways that do not seem to
benefit us.
“Ye have heard that it hath been said,
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also”
(Matthew 5:38–39).
The reaction of love to persecution could be
termed, to this point, passive. That is, it does
not return evil. But Jesus’ instructions go be-
yond passive non-resistance to evil.
“And if any man will sue thee at the law,
and take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also. And whosoever shall compel
thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give
to him that asketh thee, and from him that
would borrow of thee turn not thou away”
(Matthew 5:40–42).
Clearly, love goes beyond what is required.
Acting upon love toward those hostile to us
demonstrates God’s love to the sinner and
frees the Christian from bitterness. As long as
a person does only that which is necessary,
he feels constantly in bondage. But when he
goes beyond the call of duty, he frees himself
from bondage and escapes into liberty.
History tells us the Roman soldiers could
command Jewish boys to carry their heavy
packs for one mile. During that mile, the boy
would only be fulfilling his duty. But should he
choose to continue carrying the burden for
another mile, it is likely that the Roman sol-
dier, impressed with the boy’s willingness to
10
go beyond the call of duty, would begin to talk
with him in a friendly manner, sharing news of
distant places and exciting events.
As someone said, “I walked a mile and dis-
charged my responsibility; I walked a second
mile and met a friend.”
“Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate
thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use you, and per-
secute you” (Matthew 5:43–44).
Jesus made it clear that love is not an emo-
tional attachment but a practical outworking
of compassion for another. Love is seen as we
bless those who curse us, do good to those
who hate us, and pray for those who despite-
fully use us. What is the purpose of such a
demonstration of love toward sinners? Primar-
ily, it is to reveal God’s goodness and bring
glory to Him in the day of judgment.
“Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles: that, whereas they
speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works, which they shall be-
hold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
. . . For so is the will of God, that with
well doing ye may put to silence the igno-
rance of foolish men” (I Peter 2:12, 15).
By demonstrating the love of God to unbe-
lievers by our good works toward them, we
rob them of the freedom to mock Christiani-
ty or to falsely accuse the followers of Christ.
They cannot deny the demonstration of love in
the face of hate.
III. OUR LOVE PERFECTED
Love, like a fragile flower, must be protect-
ed, nourished, and encouraged to grow. This
is the “perfecting” of love. Signs that love is
being perfected in us include the following:
• Dwelling in love (I John 4:16)
• Conquering fear (I John 4:18)
• Loving others (I John 4:20–21)
A. Love Perfected by God’s Spirit
God is love. God is also Spirit (John 4:24).
It is the Spirit of God that enables us to love:
“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Ro-
mans 5:5).
It is impossible to display the love of God
apart from the Holy Ghost. Human nature may
permit a man to show a certain amount of tol-
erance, concern, or affection, but the kind of
love demonstrated by Jesus Christ on Calvary
is impossible without the Holy Ghost. There
comes a time when human abilities end. A
man without the Spirit of God may turn the
other cheek once or twice, but the time will
come when he will strike back.
B. Love Perfected by Serving Others
Our love toward others must be selfless. It
is the same kind of love Christ had for us.
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as
dear children; and walk in love, as Christ
also hath loved us, and hath given him-
self for us an offering and a sacrifice to
God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephe-
sians 5:1–2).
What characterized Christ’s love? He gave
Himself for us. As we learn, little by little, to
give ourselves for others, the love of God is
being perfected in us. As we learn to yield our
“rights,” we are allowing the love of God to
REFLECTIONS
• Why is love listed first as the fruit of the Spirit?
• Discuss Christ’s reasons for giving love as the proof of discipleship.
• What is the scriptural definition of love?
• In what ways has God manifested His love for us?
• What are some of the ways in which our love for God will be demonstrated?
11
grow in us.
If someone speaks disparagingly of us, we
give up our right to be respected. If someone
steals from us, we give up our right to own-
ership. If someone strikes us for our faith in
God, we give up our right to self-defense. If
someone abuses us, we give up our right to
revenge.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
God’s love for the human race depended
not on the reaction of individuals to His love.
Jesus Christ came to give Himself, and His
face was set like a flint toward that purpose,
regardless of the reactions He met along
the way.
He demonstrates His love in a variety of
ways, including His sacrifice on Calvary for our
redemption from sin, His provision of our daily
needs, and the offer of an eternal inheritance.
If we love as He loved us, our love too will
be demonstrated in a variety of ways. We will
put God first in our lives, and we will love His
Word—reading it, memorizing it, and meditat-
ing upon it. Both fellow Christians and sinful
enemies will be the recipients of our love.
As we allow God’s Spirit to fill us, and as
we increasingly learn to yield our “rights,” the
love of God will be perfected in us. 
 FUNDAMENTAL WEEK 2
06.14.15
FORGIVENESS
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Matthew 6:14 THOUGHT
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Fa-
ther will also forgive you.
If we are to receive
LESSON TEXT
true forgiveness
Matthew 18:21–35
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall
from God and
my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven humanity, we
times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven must be willing to
times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a forgive those who
certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought
have wronged us.
unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and
children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me,
and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave
him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an
hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou
owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with
me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told
unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave
thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on
thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was
due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their trespasses.

12
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Me? Forgive Him?
“M
e? Forgive him? Why? What’s in
it for me?”
I am glad you asked. While
your question sounds a bit narcissistic and
selfish, there is something in it for you. “If ye
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).
Rabbi Eli Mallon, M.Ed., LMSW, wrote that
we would do well to study that which leads us
to grow spiritually and improve our behavior.
He gave an example of such a study from the
Mayo Clinic on the topic of forgiving. “When
someone you care about hurts you, you can
hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of
revenge—or embrace forgiveness and move
forward. Nearly everyone has been hurt by
the actions or words of another. . . . These
wounds can leave you with lasting feelings
of anger, bitterness or even vengeance—but
OUTLINE
I. SEEKING FORGIVENESS
FROM GOD
A. Recognize the Need for Forgiveness
B. Repent of Wrongdoing
II. RECEIVING FORGIVENESS
A. Removes Condemnation
B. Brings Freedom from Sin
III. EXTENDING FORGIVENESS
A. Forgive to Be Forgiven
B. Leave Vengeance to God
C. Continue to Forgive
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
The idea of forgiveness is linked to the
story of humankind. When Adam and Eve
disobeyed God and ate fruit from the forbid-
den tree, they discovered the disciplinary
side of God. As punishment for their wrong-
doing, God removed them from the idyllic
setting of Eden into a world of struggles,
sweat, and death.
13
by P. Daniel Buford
if you don’t practice forgiveness, you might
be the one who pays most dearly. By em-
bracing forgiveness, you can also embrace
peace, hope, gratitude and joy. . . . Forgive-
ness doesn’t mean that you deny the other
person’s responsibility for hurting you, and it
doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can
forgive the person without excusing the act.
Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps
you go on with life.”
So, to answer your question “What’s in it
for me?,” according to Rabbi Eli Mallon and
Mayo Clinic, forgiveness can lead to healthier
relationships; greater spiritual and psycho-
logical well-being; less anxiety, stress, and
hostility; lower blood pressure; fewer symp-
toms of depression; and lower risk of alcohol
and substance abuse.
“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly
multiply thy sorrow and thy conception;
in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;
and thy desire shall be to thy husband,
and he shall rule over thee. And unto
Adam he said, Because thou hast hear-
kened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree, of which I com-
manded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat
of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;
in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days
of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it
bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the
herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face
shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken:
for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return. . . . Therefore the Lord God sent
him forth from the garden of Eden, to till
the ground from whence he was taken”
(Genesis 3:16–19, 23).
Their punishment actually was less than
what they deserved. God had warned Adam
that to disobey would cause death. Death
came in two ways when Adam and Eve dis-
obeyed: (1) they suffered immediate, spiritual
death, which severed their intimate relation-
ship with God in the Garden; and (2) they
began the process of aging, which eventually
culminated in their physical death. Merciful-
ly, however, God permitted Adam to live 930
years before he died physically.
God’s mercy is the principle upon which
the doctrine of forgiveness is built. God has
always punished and always will punish those
who commit sin. Because sin is contrary to
God’s nature and He abhors it, He punish-
es those who commit it. Yet, He also makes
provision for sinners to be relieved from the
penalty of their transgressions by making a
way for them to receive forgiveness. In Adam
and Eve’s case, He granted them many more
years of life, provided them with clothing,
and gave them a promise that one of their
offspring would take vengeance upon the ser-
pentine adversary of their souls.
Through Moses, God provided a working
solution to the sin-imposed guilt of the He-
brews—atonement through blood sacrifices.
For almost two thousand years, from Moses
to Jesus Christ, the blood of animal sacrifices
brought divine pardon and forgiveness for sin
by looking forward to the redemptive death of
Christ on the cross. Jesus took the place of
the sacrificial lambs, and as the Lamb of God,
He dealt with the sins of the whole world—
once and for all.
John the Baptist declared the identity of
Jesus when he stated, “Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world”
(John 1:29). Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary
wonderfully provides forgiveness for the sins
of mankind and restores the broken relation-
ship with God, but His act of forgiveness also
calls upon human beings to make amends for
their wrongful deeds committed against one
another. Personal affronts and hurts require
personal forgiveness to restore the horizontal
relationship between estranged individuals.
Jesus taught that divine forgiveness is built
upon divine mercy. Divine mercy is the unmer-
ited favor that forgives the sin and the person
committing it. He also taught that those who
refuse to show mercy to others—by refusing
to forgive them—disqualify themselves from
receiving the mercy and forgiveness of God.
The unforgiving will be the unforgiven.
14
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
but if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your tres-
passes” (Matthew 6:14-15).
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. S EEKING FORGIVENESS
FROM GOD
The process of seeking forgiveness begins
in the mind and moves to the heart. Aware-
ness of sin and wrongdoing begins first in our
minds. We mentally recognize the fact of our
misdeeds; however, only admitting what we
have done wrong is insufficient to bring about
forgiveness from God and those whom we
have offended.
Some people acknowledge their sins but
then try to rationalize them away. In an attempt
to explain away their misdeeds as part of a uni-
versal problem, they quote Romans 3:23: “For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God.” They ask, “Since everyone sins, what’s
the big deal? What difference does it make?”
They stop short of actually being sorrowful or
repentant, wrongly thinking that to acknowl-
edge their mistakes is enough. But admission
alone is inadequate.
A. Recognize the Need for Forgiveness
Forgiveness depends on more than mental-
ly acknowledging wrongdoing. It requires an
emotional response of godly sorrow. The Bible
declares it is impossible for God to forgive an
unremorseful or unrepentant person. Sorrow
on the part of the wrongdoer must precede
forgiveness. Without remorse for sins, there is
no true sense of wrongdoing and the harm it
has caused. Paul provided some insights into
the powerful emotions that accompany true
godly sorrow, repentance, and forgiveness.
“For though I made you sorry with a
letter, I do not repent, though I did re-
pent: for I perceive that the same epistle
hath made you sorry, though it were but
for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye
were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to
repentance: for ye were made sorry af-
ter a godly manner, that ye might receive
damage by us in nothing. For godly
 sorrow worketh repentance to salvation
not to be repented of: but the sorrow of
the world worketh death. For behold this
selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, what carefulness it wrought
in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves,
yea, what indignation, yea, what fear,
yea, what vehement desire, yea, what
zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye
have approved yourselves to be clear in
this matter” (II Corinthians 7:8–11).
B. Repent of Wrongdoing
The motivation for true repentance comes
from acknowledging the damage and hurts
caused by the wrongs one has committed, a
genuine sorrow for the wrongs done, and a
sincere desire to undo the damages they have
caused. True repentance leads a person to
recognize something is terribly wrong and to
desire restoration to right standing with God
and man. He desires to rid himself of the guilt
and shame he suffers from his wrongdoing.
Sin broke the relationship between Adam
and God and, by extension, between all hu-
mankind and God. To restore the broken
relationship, God requires true repentance.
Moreover, repentance and forgiveness are
possible only because of the supreme sacri-
fice Jesus Christ made on the cross to atone
for sins. Consequently, we must offer nothing
less than true repentance. In return, God will
give us true forgiveness!
II. RECEIVING FORGIVENESS
C. S. Lewis said, “If God forgives us, we
must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost
like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal
than Him.”
To be complete, forgiveness must be
offered and it must be accepted. A man
condemned to prison who receives a par-
don must accept that pardon before he can
be released. Unfortunately many Christians
have never received the forgiveness of sins
God promised. They have acknowledged
their sinful life, confessed their sins to God,
and asked for His forgiveness through true
repentance, but they have never accepted
the forgiveness for which they asked. They
still hold the guilt and condemnation of an
unrepentant soul. For the grace of God to be
effective, a believer must accept it.
15
About the year 1830, a man
named George Wilson killed a
government employee who caught
him in the act of robbing the mail. He
was tried and sentenced to be hanged.
However, President Andrew Jackson
sent him a pardon. But Wilson did a
strange thing. He refused to accept
the pardon, and no one knew what to
do. So the case was carried to the Su-
preme Court of the United States.
Chief Justice Marshall, perhaps one
of the greatest justices ever, wrote the
court’s opinion. In it he said, “A pardon
is a slip of paper, the value of which
is determined by the acceptance of the
person to be pardoned. If it is refused,
it is no pardon. George Wilson must be
hanged.” And so he was.
A. Removes Condemnation
“There is therefore now no condem-
nation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
Receiving God’s forgiveness removes the
penalty of our sins and misdeeds. Forgive-
ness means we no longer owe anything for
wrongdoing. There is nothing more that can
be, or needs to be, done to bring a feeling that
all is well between God and us. Those who
accept the forgiveness of sins are no longer
under their penalty.
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is the
act by which all sins are once and forever
forgiven, remitted, and forgotten. Acts 2:38
reveals how to remove the condemnation of
sin: “Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re-
mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.” When we receive God’s
forgiveness, all our past sins are forgiven and
forgotten—forever.
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy
transgressions for mine own sake, and
will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
nor rewarded us according to our iniqui-
ties. For as the heaven is high above the
 earth, so great is his mercy toward them
that fear him. As far as the east is from the
west, so far hath he removed our trans-
gressions from us” (Psalm 103:10–12).
It is a geological fact that the North Pole is
a measured distance from the South Pole, but
there is no way to measure the east from the
west. That is the distance the psalmist stated
that our sins have been removed from us.
(See Psalm 103:12.)
The prophet Micah described God’s for-
giveness as His taking all our sins and casting
them into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18–
19). Further, some of the old hymns use that
terminology to describe the joy that comes
from having our sins pardoned.
Gone, gone, gone, gone, yes my sins
have gone!
Now my soul is free and in my heart’s
a song!
Buried in the deepest sea, yes, that’s
good enough for me!
I shall live eternally, praise God, my
sins have gone!
—Helen Griggs, 1936
Down in the depths of the deepest sea,
Lie all the sins once charged to me.
Buried for time and eternity,
Down in the deepest sea.
—Norman J. Clayton, 1945
You ask me why I’m happy, so I’ll just
tell you why,
Because my sins are gone!
And when I meet the scoffers, who ask
me where they are
I say, my sins are gone!
They’re underneath the blood, on the
cross of Calvary,
As far removed as darkness is from
dawn;
In the sea of God’s forgetfulness,
that’s good enough for me,
Praise God, my sins are gone!
—N. B. Vandall, 1934
God wants us to realize that the forgiveness
He freely offers is complete and forever. When
our sins are forgiven, they are forgotten. The
past—with its sins, hurts, brokenness, and
16
self-recrimination—is gone, dead, crucified,
and remembered no more. What God forgives,
He forgets!
B. Brings Freedom from Sin
“If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
Many Christians have never found the lib-
erty over sin Jesus Christ promised. Despite
being baptized in Jesus’ name and receiving
the Holy Spirit, some still are bound to old
habits, attitudes, and behaviors. Rather than
becoming new creatures in Christ (II Corinthi-
ans 5:17), they still are bound to the “old man”
of the flesh (Colossians 3:9). This is contrary
to the will of God. Paul wrote, “Knowing this,
that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that hence-
forth we should not serve sin. For he that is
dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6–7).
Finding forgiveness provides freedom from
the penalty of sin. Accepting forgiveness al-
lows us to look ahead with hope of a heavenly
reward rather than with a sense of dread of
eternal punishment. Forgiveness also releas-
es us to live sinlessly—consecrated to God
out of a sense of appreciation for what He has
done. God’s forgiveness means we no longer
are captives—slaves to sin—but liberated, de-
livered, and set free to live a glorious life in
Christ Jesus.
III. EXTENDING FORGIVENESS
Simon Wiesenthal was a pris-
oner and survivor of the Nazi
concentration camps. After the war,
he told the story of how, as the war
was ending, he encountered a Nazi
who made him listen to a confession
of all the atrocities he had committed
against Jews. The SS trooper told him
he was tormented by guilt and begged
Wiesenthal, as a Jew, to forgive him.
Wiesenthal said, “That, I cannot do.”
Instead he turned and walked away.
Later, Wiesenthal’s own conscience
began to bother him, and he wondered
if he had done the right thing in refus-
ing to forgive the SS trooper.
 In light of how God deals with our sins, how
should we treat others who have wronged
us? If someone is truly sorry and repents of
his crimes and asks us for forgiveness, should
we not forgive the person? Or are there some
crimes that simply cannot be forgiven?
God’s forgiveness
means we are liberated,
delivered, and set free
to live a glorious life in
Christ Jesus.
Simon Peter approached Jesus on the sub-
ject of forgiveness. “Then came Peter to him,
and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until
seven times: but, Until seventy times seven”
(Matthew 18:21–22).
When Peter asked Jesus how often a person
should forgive, he thought that forgiving the
same person seven times in one day would be
very generous. (See Luke 17:4.) Jesus taught
him a profound lesson. The different transla-
tors define Jesus’ words as meaning either 77
times or 490 times in one day, but the point
remains the same in either case: forgiveness
is not to be doled out in droplets, but in great
running rivers of mercy!
A. Forgive to Be Forgiven
Following His conversation with Simon
Peter about the number of times we should
forgive others, Jesus shared the parable of the
unforgiving servant. (See Matthew 18:23–35.)
It describes a man who, having been forgiven
a great debt, then refused to forgive another
man a comparatively small debt owed to him.
It provides a vivid picture of how God expects
us to act toward those who have wronged us.
We must forgive them; it is that simple. True
repentance brings us forgiveness from God,
and it should do the same for someone who
has wronged us.
Jesus taught that those who refuse to
show mercy to others by refusing to forgive
17
them disqualify themselves from receiving
the mercy and forgiveness of God. The un-
forgiving person will be unforgiven. Jesus
stated, “For if ye forgive men their trespass-
es, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, nei-
ther will your Father forgive your trespasses”
(Matthew 6:14–15). It is imperative that we
forgive others. Our own salvation depends
on our doing so.
B. Leave Vengeance to God
“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any
grudge against the children of thy people,
but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy-
self: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18).
“Dearly beloved, avenge not your-
selves, but rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
The Bible recognizes the basic human na-
ture for a person to seek revenge for wrongs
committed against him. Yet God wants us
to follow a more charitable way—loving and
forgiving others, leaving all retribution and
punishment to Him. He is just. Eventually,
He will punish the wicked and reward the
righteous.
Alexander C. Dejong (1922-
2003), a noted seminarian, once
gave these guidelines for dealing with
forgiveness and vengeance: “To for-
give someone involves three things.
First, it means to forego the right of
striking back. One rejects the urge
to repay gossip with gossip and a
bad turn with a worse turn. Second,
it means replacing the feeling of re-
sentment and anger with good will, a
love which seeks the other’s welfare,
not harm. Third, it means the forgiving
person takes concrete steps to restore
good relations.”
Somehow in our desire to redress wrongs
committed against us, we must restrain our
human impulse to punish others. Only God
can truly determine the motives of any per-
son. Only He knows the true intent behind
each thought and deed. What we might think
was intentional on the part of others may have
been done in ignorance or carelessness. Our
viewpoint is limited, but His is perfect; we must
turn all hurts over to Him for justice. That is not
always an easy thing to do, but it is always the
right thing to do.
C. Continue to Forgive
mandate of Scripture: Be slow to anger and
quick to forgive.
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God”
(James 1:19–20).

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE

trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if
he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass
against thee seven times in a day, and
seven times in a day turn again to thee,
saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him”
(Luke 17:3–4).
Jesus taught that forgiveness is not just a
once-in-a-lifetime event. Every person must
practice forgiveness daily. The Lord’s Prayer
teaches us to say, “Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive
our debtors” (Matthew 6:11–12). This seems
to equate our daily need for food to our daily
need to forgive others. Moreover, it is possi-
ble that each of us hurts someone else every
day, and we need to repent and receive for-
giveness ourselves. We all need to follow the
Our lesson has focused on the fact that if
we are to receive true forgiveness from God
and others, we must be willing to forgive those
who have wronged us. When we seek forgive-
ness from others, we must be motivated by
an attitude of godly sorrow and a desire to re-
store fellowship.
Being forgiven is a liberating experience.
And being forgiven of our sins brings us the
freedom to live above them. However, each of
us must practice the act of forgiving others on
a daily basis in order to truly receive and bene-
fit from God’s forgiveness. Moreover, we must
learn to leave all revenge and punishment in
God’s hands. Judgment and punishment are
God’s exclusive privilege and responsibility,
not mankind’s. 

REFLECTIONS
• Discuss how sin affected Adam and Eve’s relationship with God. What does sin do to our
relationship with God? Discuss.
• The forgiveness of all sins looks to the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Dis-
cuss why John recognized and identified Him as “the Lamb of God.”
• Discuss the relationship between extending forgiveness to others who have wronged us
and receiving the forgiveness of God.
• Discuss the necessity of receiving God’s forgiveness. Is it possible God would offer forgive-
ness, but because of guilt we would fail to receive His forgiveness?
• What is the determined distance between the east and the west? Discuss why the psalmist
stated that our sins have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west.

18
 CLOTHED WEEK 3
06.21.15
WITH HUMILITY
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Proverbs 16:18 THOUGHT
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit
before a fall.
God is against
LESSON TEXT
pride and always
Proverbs 16:5–19
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination
resists it, but He
to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be loves humility and
unpunished.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear blesses it.
of the Lord men depart from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
11 A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by
righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be
chosen than silver!
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his
soul.
18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

19
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Power under Control
S
am Walton built one of the largest retail
enterprises in America—Walmart. At his
death he left a network of almost two
thousand stores employing three hundred
eighty thousand people. In 1998 Time includ-
ed him in the one hundred most influential
people in America. In 1992 he received the
Presidential Medal of Freedom from President
George H. W. Bush. In spite of his enormous
wealth and outstanding success, Walton
drove a 1979 Ford F150 pickup truck with
dents, rust, and even Ol’ Roy’s teeth marks
on the steering wheel. He was an unassum-
ing man who refused to flaunt his wealth. His
lifestyle stands in stark contrast to people who
live beyond their means and carry enormous
debt in order to impress others.
Humility, or meekness, can be defined
as strength under control. Jesus is the best
OUTLINE
I. THE PROUD PERSON
A. God Hates Pride
B. God Punishes Pride
C. God Destroys Pride
II. THE HUMBLE PERSON
A. Knows the Path of Pride
B. Knows the Value of Humility
C. Walks with the Lowly
D. Resists Relationships with the Proud
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
This lesson focuses on pride and its oppo-
site—humility, demonstrating the blessing of
being clothed with true humility. Pride, Luci-
fer’s downfall, is possibly the oldest known sin.
God created Lucifer to be the most beautiful
and excellent of all the angels, but tragically,
he began to think of himself as being more
important than he actually was. Pride deluded
him and he fell victim to his own deceit. Isaiah
14:12–15 describes Lucifer’s pride as leading
to his banishment from God’s presence.
20
by Gary D. Erickson
example of humility. He was the Messiah—
God in human form—yet He gave Himself
willingly to the executioners. At His arrest,
Peter attempted to defend Him. But Jesus re-
fused defense and stated, “Thinkest thou that
I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall
presently give me more than twelve legions of
angels?” (Matthew 26:53).
Sometimes in life we may be privileged
to hold a position of power over others. This
power provides opportunity to take ven-
geance and punish those who have offended
us in some way. Being humble will keep that
power under control. Being able to do vindic-
tive things, yet having the discipline to stay
in control of our spirit, is a great virtue. Being
modest while enjoying success is an admira-
ble trait.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lu-
cifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken
the nations! For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the mount of the con-
gregation, in the sides of the north: I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the sides of
the pit” (Isaiah 14:12–15).
As recorded in John 8:44, Jesus credited
Lucifer, who afterward became known as Sa-
tan and the devil, as being the father of lies.
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the
lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode
not in the truth, because there is no truth
in him. When he speaketh a lie, he spea-
keth of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it” (John 8:44).
 The Scriptures further describe Lucifer’s
beauty and excellence in Ezekiel 28:12–19
but also mention his judgment. God had con-
ferred upon Lucifer the status of archangel.
Lucifer became lifted up in his excellence,
but he lost sight of the fact it was all God’s
doing. He erred when he began wrongly tak-
ing credit for qualities that God had created
in him. The fact that pride is based on lies
and self-deception points out the reason God
detests it.
God is truth and in Him there is no de-
ception or falsehood. He literally hates lying
because it goes against His truthful nature.
Since pride is based on a lie, God hates it.
True believers in Christ Jesus should reject
human pride and instead clothe themselves in
pure humility, recognizing their lowly nature
and God’s contrasting greatness.
God is truth and in
Him there is no
deception or false-
hood.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE PROUD PERSON
The study of world history reveals many
who regarded themselves as superior to oth-
ers. One of the worst examples is that of Nazi
Germany, where Hitler taught his people they
were a superior race. The Germans believed
all other people were inferior to them. This evil
regime either treated other races as slaves or
they disposed of them completely. Fanatical
Nazi pride led them to mistreat, enslave, and
murder millions of Jews, Poles, Russians,
Gypsies, and Slavic people.
Despite the lessons of history and nu-
merous warnings from the Bible, people
continue to deceive themselves with pride-
ful thoughts. The proud person believes he
is superior to others, but the Bible urges
him not to think more highly of himself than
he ought to think. Furthermore, it instructs
21
individuals to honor others above them-
selves. (See Romans 12:10.)
People become proud for many reasons.
Some are proud of their talents, looks, intel-
ligence, abilities, possessions, or position in
life. Others are proud of their education, busi-
ness and personal accomplishments, or of
their personal successes. Parents are proud
of their children’s major accomplishments, or
they are proud of the little things their children
say or do. The list of things that cause one to
feel pride is almost endless. Everything that
makes a person feel proud provides a de-
ceptive sense of superiority over others—an
attitude God hates.
A. God Hates Pride
“Every one that is proud in heart is an
abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 16:5).
God hates pride because it is based on the
lie that one person can actually be superior
to another. Every individual should remember
God formed mankind from the same common
substance—the dust of the earth. He shows
no partiality or preference among human be-
ings based on their personal attributes. (See
Romans 2:11; 3:23; Acts 10:34.) God hates it
when anyone expresses prideful superiority
over others.
Although God hates the sin of pride, He
continues to love the sinner. Pride is no differ-
ent from any other sin; it is just one of many
that God hates. Many people often have trou-
ble distinguishing between the person and his
deeds, but God has no problem with doing
so. He can even judge the intent of a person’s
heart. His ways and thoughts truly are above
ours in that He makes judgments based on
the heart of an individual.
It may come as a surprise to some people,
but God’s hatred for sin is as real as His love
for sinners. His hatred is as complete and
encompassing as His love. What God loves,
He loves totally without reservation. He also
hates in the same manner—totally and with-
out reservation. Many modern churches are
deliberately emphasizing God’s love, but they
are saying little or nothing about what God
hates. These churches do their members a
great disservice by omitting the truth of those
things God detests.
 The Scriptures describe the things the Lord
hates, and first on the list is the sin of pride.
(See Proverbs 6:16–19.) We should realize
whatever the Bible says God hates or abhors,
He will always hate and abhor. God has al-
ways hated pride, and He always will because
of the devastation it brings to His creation.
God truly pun-
ishes pride and
disobedience.
B. God Punishes Pride
Israel’s covenant with God was built on a
warning that God would punish them if they
became proud. When God delivered Isra-
el from Egyptian bondage, He warned them
that if they became proud He would punish
them severely. “And if ye will not yet for all this
hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven
times more for your sins. And I will break the
pride of your power; and I will make your heav-
en as iron, and your earth as brass” (Leviticus
26:18–19). God wanted Israel to recognize the
reality of their deliverance as a gift He had giv-
en to them. He wanted them to serve Him and
to be an example to the rest of the world of the
benefits of serving the Lord. He wanted them
to stay humble and refrain from being proud
of their success and prosperity as if they had
achieved such without Him.
Despite the covenant and the repeated
warnings against pride by Moses and the
Old Testament prophets, the nation of Isra-
el persisted in an arrogant disdain for God’s
sovereignty. When they were finally led into
captivity by Assyria and Babylon, Israel
learned the hard way that God truly punishes
pride and disobedience. (See Isaiah 28:1, 3;
Jeremiah 13:9; 48:29.)
C. God Destroys Pride
“The lofty looks of man shall be hum-
bled, and the haughtiness of men shall be
bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be
exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord
of hosts shall be upon every one that is
proud and lofty, and upon every one that
22
is lifted up; and he shall be brought low”
(Isaiah 2:11–12).
The Bible gives numerous examples of
God’s intolerance of pride. It describes how
He punished proud individuals as well as
whole nations. Sometimes He punished the
proud and reduced them from their lofty place
to one of subjection, while at other times He
completely destroyed those who lifted them-
selves up with pride.
Daniel chapter 4 describes King Nebuchad-
nezzar as a man of great power and influence.
His kingdom was dominant in the world, and
all other nations paid homage to Babylon and
to him. Because of his success, Nebuchad-
nezzar became proud of what he believed
to be his own accomplishments. He, like so
many other rulers, wrongly concluded he was
responsible for his position. However, God’s
Word declares otherwise.
“And he changeth the times and the
seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth
up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise,
and knowledge to them that know under-
standing” (Daniel 2:21).
“Lift not up your horn on high: speak
not with a stiff neck. For promotion com-
eth neither from the east, nor from the
west, nor from the south. But God is the
judge: he putteth down one, and setteth
up another” (Psalm 75:5–7).
God warned Nebuchadnezzar through
a dream He would punish him for his pride.
Exactly one year after the warning, Nebu-
chadnezzar felt the heavy hand of God’s
punishment fall on him personally. For seven
years he was insane and isolated from others
because he acted more like an animal than a
human. Then, just as God had promised, God
restored Nebuchadnezzar to sanity and to
his throne. He had learned his lesson. Daniel
4:37 states his reaction to the lesson he had
so painfully learned: “Now I Nebuchadnezzar
praise and extol and honour the King of heav-
en, all whose works are truth, and his ways
judgment: and those that walk in pride he is
able to abase.”
Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Bab-
ylon are excellent examples of how God deals
with the proud. He punished Nebuchadnezzar
but destroyed Babylon and cursed it with a
curse that remains to the present day.
“And I will punish the world for their
evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and
I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to
cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of
the terrible. . . . And Babylon, the glory of
kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ ex-
cellency, shall be as when God overthrew
Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be
inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from
generation to generation: neither shall the
Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the
shepherds make their fold there” (Isaiah
13:11, 19–20).
Not only should a
person reject the pit-
falls of human pride,
but he should seek
to clothe himself in
true humility from the
Lord.
II. THE HUMBLE PERSON
Humility is the opposite of self-centered
pride. Not only should a person reject the
pitfalls of human pride, but he should seek to
clothe himself in true humility from the Lord.
A person who is clothed with humility will
1. act as a servant to others, not expecting
others to wait on him;
2. not be deceived into thinking he is supe-
rior to others;
3. not compare himself with others, accept-
ing himself for who and what he is without
feeling inferior or superior to anyone else;
4. not suffer from low self-esteem with his
shoulders stooped and eyes focused on the
ground;
5. not necessarily be a shy person;
6. not be bothered by other people’s opin-
ions of his worth or value.
23
The humble person sees himself as a cre-
ation of God. He fully accepts himself without
minimizing or denying his faults and weakness
or exaggerating his strengths and good points.
An old proverb states, “A humble man is nev-
er discouraged.” This is true because he has
realistic expectations as to how life should be.
Andrew Murray (1828–1917)
commented on humility in this
way: “Humility is perfect quietness
of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is
never to be fretted or irritated or sore
or disappointed. It is to expect noth-
ing, to wonder at nothing that is done
to me. It is to be at rest when nobody
praises me and when I am blamed or
despised. It is to go in and shut the
door and kneel to my Father in secret,
and be at peace as in the deep sea of
calmness when all around and above
is trouble.”
In our self-centered “me generation” cul-
ture, humility is in short supply. Most people
are inclined to brag about what they are, what
they have, and what they have done. Few are
humble enough to keep from boasting about
their accomplishments. Matthew recorded Je-
sus’ comment on humility: “Therefore when
thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trum-
pet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, that they may
have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward” (Matthew 6:2).
Dwight L. Moody said, “A man can coun-
terfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can
counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but
it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.”
A. Knows the Path of Pride
“Pride goeth before destruction, and
an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs
16:18).
The person clothed with humility is famil-
iar with the path of the proud. He sees the
arrogance and listens to the vain bragging
of others, but he is different. He knows that
the path of pride is a dangerous one, having
seen the bitter reality of the proud when their
boasts did not come true. He has seen their
superiority melt after they discovered anoth-
er’s successes or realized their own failures.
Like Nebuchadnezzar, when the proud are
brought low, they are low indeed. Howev-
er, the upright person would rather walk the
humble road. “The highway of the upright is
to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way
preserveth his soul” (Proverbs 16:17).
B. Knows the Value of Humility
“Better it is to be of an humble spirit
with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with
the proud” (Proverbs 16:19).
There is tremendous value in humility. The
humble person does not have to prove any-
thing. He expects less from other people,
which makes his life calmer, sweeter, and
less stressful. He takes pleasure in the sim-
ple things that are abundant and free for his
enjoyment. He spends time enjoying what
he has without a great concern for what he
wants. If he is talented, he accepts his talent
as a gift of God to be used to bless others.
He does not seek fame or power; but if they
are thrust upon him, he is honest enough to
remain what he always was—humble and
unassuming. This quality is what makes a per-
son truly great.
God puts down the
proud individual and
lifts up the humble
person.
C. Walks with the Lowly
Mother Teresa won the admiration of the
world by doing something few others were
willing to do. She gave the dying street people
of Calcutta tender care and a chance to die in
dignity through her tender ministrations. She
bathed them, talked to them with respect, held
their hands and prayed for them. For many of
the dying she tended to, her benevolence was
the only kindness they had ever been shown.
24
Mother Teresa lived among the poorest of
the poor. She shared their world and sensed
their despair. In her humility, she reached out
to the lowly. Likewise, many of our missionar-
ies share the hardships of the people to whom
they minister. They do not live in proud iso-
lation from the natives, but they go right into
their midst and minister to them at their level.
Jesus Christ was the greatest example of
humility by coming to our level and walking
with the lowly. He was born into poverty with a
questionable paternity that could have made
Him a social outcast. He did not live among
the rich and famous; instead He came to the
poor and needy.
“Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: but made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men: and being found in fashion as a
man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross” (Philippians 2:5–8).
A stanza from Rudyard Kipling’s
famous poem entitled “If” ad-
dresses these issues to people who
truly want to clothe themselves in
humility:
If you can talk with crowds and keep
your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the
common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can
hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none
too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of
distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything
that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a
Man, my son!
D. Resists Relationships
with the Proud
The humble person avoids relationships
with proud people because fellowship with
them can lead to distorted thinking. He does
not avoid them because he feels superior, but
he realizes that friendship with wicked people
is risky at best. Even a humble person may be
coerced into joining with his proud friends in
putting down others.
When Satan was cast out of Heaven be-
cause of his vanity, he drew with him a third
of the heavenly host. These angels were evi-
dently in agreement with him, and they must
have believed his lies. They, too, were evident-
ly lifted up with pride, and God judged them
accordingly. “And his tail drew the third part of
the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the
earth. . . . And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast
out into the earth, and his angels were cast
out with him” (Revelation 12:4, 9).
“God spared not the angels that
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and
delivered them into chains of darkness, to
be reserved unto judgment” (II Peter 2:4).
The humble person will resist the tempta-
tion to fellowship with the proud and arrogant
in the interest of his own safety. It is interest-
ing to note that no one has ever been known
to “catch health” from another person, yet
it is very common for the healthy person to
“catch disease” from the ill. If one desires to
stay humble, he must resist walking with the
proud. The proud must not be numbered
REFLECTIONS
• Discuss how other family members should react when one member of the family excels.
• Discuss ways parents can teach children about the negatives of pride.
• Give some distinguishing characteristics between a person with a high degree of confi-
dence and someone who is proud.
• Discuss how a person may achieve proper self-confidence without a spirit of pride.
• Name some of the characteristics of a humble person.
25
among our close associates. It is far better for
an individual to walk as the Lord Jesus did—
humbly and among the lowly.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
Self-centered pride is the primary sin in
every human being. Every problem we have
can be traced to it. There is a difference be-
tween having healthy self-esteem and delight
in one’s accomplishments and having a con-
ceited attitude and feelings of superiority over
others. Our satisfaction in what we achieve
should not lead to a boastful attitude and con-
stant comparison to others. On the contrary,
God expects us to have humility and concern
for others.
God puts down the proud individual and
lifts up the humble person. If a person is pro-
moted, he should not proudly boast. (See
Psalm 75:5–7.) Jesus said the one who would
be first should be the servant of all, for “the
last shall be first, and the first last” (Matthew
20:16).
One can replace human pride with humility
by allowing the fruit of the Spirit (the nature of
God) to be produced within him. (See Gala-
tians 5:22–23.) The fruit of the Spirit includes
meekness, which produces an attitude of hu-
mility. To be free from the sin of self-centered
pride, one should repent and ask the Lord for
forgiveness. The Holy Spirit of God can re-
place mankind’s fleshly nature with the nature
of God. 
 COMPASSION— WEEK 4
06.28.15
LOVE IN ACTION
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
I Peter 3:8 THOUGHT
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of
another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.
Compassion
LESSON TEXT
compels the
Luke 10:25–37
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted
Christian to
him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? become involved
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how
readest thou? in helping his
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all troubled and
thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as
thyself.
unfortunate
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this fellowman.
do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell
among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving
him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by
on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he
had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his
own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host,
and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again,
I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the
thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou
likewise.

26
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Less Talking, More Doing
T
he man showed up at my door with
a tattered box of beer cans, which
were dropping out as he tottered. The
half-empty forty-pack made me wonder how
many he had ingested and how many had
plopped into the gravel as he wandered
down our country road. His breath answered
my question. Knowing about this family and
having heard that he and his wife had argued
earlier, I felt the need to give him a place to
sleep for the night until his stupor wore off.
I tried for a little while to minister to him but
could not get much spiritual discussion going
with him in his daze. Finally, he decided to
retire to the bed my wife and I had prepared
for him. Moments later, he began vomiting
OUTLINE
I. THE TRAGIC CONDITION
OF MANKIND
A. The Sinners
B. T
 he Problems
of the Christian Community
II. THE COMPASSION
OF THE SAMARITAN
A. The Failure of the Priest
B. The Neglect of the Levite
C. The Compassion
of the Good Samaritan
III. THE COMMISSION
TO SHOW COMPASSION
A. Christ Was Our Good Samaritan
B. W
 e Should Be Good Samaritans
to Others
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Gradually over a period of time, our society
has widened the meaning of the word love.
Sometimes our culture even uses the word
love when it more accurately means lust. On
the headlines of the sleazy tabloids that hover
about the supermarket checkout stands, we
read of the latest “loves” of this or that Holly-
wood star.
27
by Daniel J. Koren
in the bathroom. I had not bargained for this
complication.
Not thinking of telling this story to a soul,
never considering publishing it anywhere, I
got him to bed and then went in to wash the
mess off the walls, floor, and other surfaces of
our hall bathroom. On the phone, I was able
to minister to his wife who was hurting from
the day’s events and felt the Lord reaching
for her. When everything had calmed down, I
finally got to a long-overdue sleep.
The next morning the Lord woke me as
tears gushed into my eyes. I had only done
what needed to be done, thinking nothing of
it. But He said, “Thank you for caring for Me
last night.”
The biblical definition of love is something
quite apart from that. Paul gave the most com-
plete understanding of love in his letter to the
Corinthian believers. In I Corinthians 13 he
states that love (charity)
• is longsuffering,
• is kind,
• does not envy,
• does not promote itself,
• is not puffed up,
• behaves properly,
• is not self-centered,
• is not easily provoked,
• thinks no evil,
• does not delight in sin,
• delights in truth,
• bears all things,
• hopes for the best,
• endures all things.
At a glance, we can see that scriptural love
and some modern definitions of human love
are worlds apart. The biblical ideal of love
challenges us to live in a way that demon-
strates a deeper commitment to love. Biblical
love does not exist on paper only; it is to be
translated into action by each Christian. We
call the process of this translation “compas-
sion.” Compassion is love in action.
 “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another, love as breth-
ren, be pitiful, be courteous” (I Peter 3:8).
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE TRAGIC CONDITION
OF MANKIND
A. The Sinners
Sin is simply a transgression against God’s
law. Sin is a governmental principle, having as
its objective the destruction of the body, soul,
and spirit of individuals. There are three ways
in which sin expresses itself in us: the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life (I John 2:16).
The purpose of the first coming of Christ
Jesus was to demonstrate God’s thought pro-
cess and discipline in the human dimension.
His life reflected the ideals of God.
The crucifixion of Jesus was the plan,
designed in the foreknowledge of God, to
completely restore the broken relationship
between the spiritual and the natural. God’s
original intent was to mirror the invisible by
the visible: “who is the figure of him that was
to come” (Romans 5:14). Man’s spiritual-
ly immature response temporarily thwarted
this plan. Therefore God, being determined
to complete His eternal purpose, borrowed
Adam’s house and substitutionally intervened
through Christ. If His mission had not been
successful, the human family would have
been a total loss to God.
Having saved us from our sins through the
blood of Christ by faith, God imputed to us the
righteousness that was in Jesus Christ. Further,
this is the only righteousness acceptable to
God. (See Romans 3:22.) If we place our com-
plete trust in Jesus through simple obedience,
He will impute His righteousness to us by faith.
B. The Problems
of the Christian Community
Jesus explained He “came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark
2:17). The Jewish religion in Christ’s day was
a mask worn by the pretentious and the hypo-
critical. The entirety of Matthew 23 is devoted
to the pronouncement of judgment upon the
Pharisees.
28
The word Pharisee means “separatist.” The
Pharisees used their Talmudic interpretation
of the law of Moses to accuse John the Bap-
tist of having a demon and Jesus of being a
winebibber (drunkard) and a glutton. The re-
sponse of the Lord Jesus toward the religious
community concludes that their basis for spir-
itual judgment was incorrect.
The Bible records in Isaiah a specific proph-
ecy concerning John the Baptist that explained
his mission. (See Isaiah 40:3–6.) This fore-
runner of the Messiah was to unveil to Israel
their God. This is precisely what John fulfilled.
John’s bold, unconventional, and unblemished
character was designed to aid in his shocking
message: “Israel, behold your God.”
The Pharisees also decided Jesus was
guilty by association. If we carefully notice,
we can see a pattern beginning to form that
paints an eventual picture of their premise.
Their premise was based on guilt. Guilt is
the basic motivation for all religion. Religion is
a man-made defense mechanism that eventu-
ally insulates mankind from truth. “But wisdom
is justified of her children” (Matthew 11:19).
Pharisaism is judgmental, critical, and full
of envy. It is filled with religious pride. Why?
Because it is a legalistic approach to God.
The basis of right or wrong is in the keeping of
rules. All the miracles Christ performed when
this religious com­ munity was present pro-
voked their criticisms. It was the wrong day,
wrong time, wrong place!
Religion cannot house the Holy Spirit, be-
cause the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love and
reconciliation. In religion, there is nothing
compatible with Christ and the truth. Religion
is man-made, engineered, and worn to hide
the true person from God and His mercy.
Religion must condemn in order to survive
or exist. When truth appears to us, we either
accept and believe, or reject and deny. The
latter was what the religious community did in
Jesus’ day.
The following are some attributes every be-
liever should possess. These references are
found in Romans 12:9–13.
1. “Let love be without dissimulation.” We
are to express the love of God in all our be-
havior. The new commandment of “love”
carries with it a tremendous responsibility. We
are to love each other as Jesus Christ loved
us. How did He love us? He loved us under
all circumstances. He loved us although we
were sinners.
What great potential we have as believers!
The command to love others declares the po-
tential of the believer. In other words, it means
humans are capable of loving as Christ loved.
His commandment for believers to love one
another comprises one of the greatest com-
pliments ever paid to mankind.
Further, by performing this Christian duty,
we witness to the world we are Christ’s dis-
ciples. New Testament Christianity is to be
interpreted and exhibited within this frame
of reference. We are not to be known by our
economic strength or by our intellectual rea-
soning; we are to be known by our love for
one another.
2. “Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love; in honour preferring one
another.” Mutual love should govern all our
relationships. Love is the strongest principle
in the universe. This is why the Bible reveals
God is love. Emanating from God’s love are
all right forms of behavior.
3. “Not slothful in business.” Our working
for God should be always in order and good
taste. When we deal with this unconverted
world, we are to do it on a scriptural basis.
4. “Fervent in spirit.” We are to perform
our Christian roles in a zestful way with great
intensity. At no time can we justify slothful per-
formance, which reflects a careless attitude.
The Christian community is to demonstrate
the work of God to the best of its ability. After
all, we represent God to the world.
5. “Serving the Lord.” This phrase indicates
that we are to serve the Lord in all we do. The
Lord is to be at the center of all our activity.
Our life and desire should orbit around God
and His will.
6. “Rejoicing in hope.” We as believers are
always to reflect “eternal hope” in our lives.
This living and abiding hope should always
stand out in all our endeavors.
7. “Patient in tribulation.” When we have
hope, we can afford to be patient. Knowing
what the future holds can make us patient with
all the negative emotions of life. Regardless of
our encounters with life and all of its irregular-
ities, this hope is to be the outstanding gem
in our life.
8. “Instant in prayer.” This is our eternal re-
source. This is the pacesetter in life, which will
29
provide us the spiritual con­solation we so des-
perately need.
9. “Distributing to the necessity of saints.”
This is a spiritual request to give attention to
our fellow-Christians and their needs.
“But whoso hath this world’s good,
and seeth his brother have need, and
shutteth up his bowels of compassion
from him, how dwelleth the love of God
in him?” (I John 3:17).
If we behold our brother’s need and do
not respond to it as we should, is the love of
God in us? Love never ignores the need of
others. It is always concerned. The needs of
others give us a challenge and an opportuni-
ty to serve God and His people in a proper
measure.
10. “Given to hospitality.” This denies the
flesh the right to reign and hurls us into an or-
bit of servitude toward fellow believers. This is
the Holy Spirit’s will for us.
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one
of the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).
When we serve each other, we are serving
the Lord! “Bless them which persecute you:
bless, and curse not” (Romans 12:14). This
further reflects our response to each other
in the Christian community. We can offer our
positive contribution to aid and help fellow be-
lievers who are suffering. We should decide
to bless, pray for, and love others. When we
make this choice we immediately begin to
neutralize the circumstances causing their
suffering.
We should not confuse empathy with sym-
pathy. Sympathy is predicated on emotional
reaction. Empathy is based on the personal
knowledge of joy and pain in our past expe-
riences, which we use as a stepping-stone to
communicate true love and compassion.
II. T
 HE COMPASSION
OF THE SAMARITAN
The parable of the Good Samaritan was
given to answer the question of an individu-
al who wanted to protect himself in his own
religious endeavor. He was not seeking more
truth, but he wanted to be told that what he
was doing was sufficient within itself; he de-
sired to be commended for his self-centered
way of life.
A. The Failure of the Priest
The priesthood had degenerated into a
cold, intellectual, elitism. Its duties were large-
ly carried out by the power of the flesh, with
little thought of spiritual qualifications or val-
ues. If our ministry were to so degenerate, it
would embody only our own thought, imagi-
nation, and exclusivism.
As long as our vision is marked with
self-centeredness, our service to others will
be bound in grave clothes. There must be a
resurrection; thought must be released from
cold, lifeless mental assent to literal action.
James said, “If a brother or sister be naked,
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say
unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed
and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not
those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:15–17).
There must be some vehicle of delivery in
order to supply the needs of our fellow be-
lievers. Faith is visible only when clothed in
practical efforts. Faith, the substance, is in-
visible, but it creates action and illustration. It
must have some visible evidence.
The priest had time to attend the Temple but
not to demonstrate disciplined empathy for a
dying man. Nothing in his frame of religious
reference prompted him to aid the suffering.
He was successful in his duties of the Temple,
but he failed in his responsibilities toward his
fellowman.
The priest came down from Jerusalem
to Jericho “by chance.” Geographically, it is
down from Jerusalem to Jericho. In fact, Jer-
icho is about thirty-four hundred feet lower in
elevation.
Twelve thousand priests lived in Jericho.
They were the most frequent travelers of this
busy thoroughfare. They, of all people, should
have been the most likely to offer charitable
assistance. But their religion was in word and
name only and seemed to have no ability to
translate itself into reality.
B. The Neglect of the Levite
As with the priesthood, the service of the
Levite was an inherited ministerial function. If
30
motivation for ministry is based on religious
in­heritance, we are not likely to be useful in
the kingdom of God. Family inheritance will
not project us into real Christian endeavor. A
man became a Levite by being born of a cer-
tain Hebrew tribe, but our burden must push
us beyond the shores of religious inheritance.
When the Levite came to the moment of
practical need, he was unwilling to become
involved in the wounded man’s pain. Noth-
ing in his past experience lent itself to the
needy, suffering, and displaced person. He
came to where the man lay, but he offered no
assistance. He chose rather to hurry on his
way to religious service rather than provide
life-giving service to another person. He saw
the need but failed to supply it. He did not
want to neglect his duties at the Temple, but
he neglected to fulfill the basic requirement
of an individual—loving and caring for those
in need.
C. The Compassion
of the Good Samaritan
The Samaritan was the most unlikely per-
son to stop and serve a Jewish traveler.
Tremendous animosity existed between the
two races. In fact, there was little social ex-
change between them.
To boldly reveal the religious farce of that
day, Jesus chose a Samaritan to display the
love, mercy, and help the injured traveler
needed. Jesus made a man from a despised
race the hero of His story (Luke 10:33–35).
1. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came where he was.” This affected the Samar-
itan’s plans and time. If we are to help people
in their distress and want, we must go where
they are. We must submit to their immediate
need and share what we have with them. If we
are reluctant to so do, we will be of little benefit
to the needy. It takes time to love, pray, and
have mercy upon people.
2. “He had compassion on him.” This af-
fected his attitude. What we see in people and
their need must affect our attitude. “Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”
(Matthew 5:7). The words merciful and mer-
cy in the Greek language of New Testament
Scripture mean “to be gracious. . . . to have
mercy. . . . to spare. . . . to have mercy on”
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) and “compassion-
ate” or “merciful” (Strong’s Concordance).
 3. “And set him on his own beast.” This af-
fected his transportation. The owner of the
beast was willing to walk and allow the wound-
ed to ride. He was willing to share his means
of transportation with the stranger. Are we as
Christians willing to share our transportation
with the wounded stranger who does not
know the Lord? Could it be that by allowing
our automobile to be used to bring someone
to the house of the Lord, or “the inn,” it would
be the means of his “recovery”? If the Lord
has His way with us and what we own, we will
be willing to share all we have with those who
are less fortunate.
4. “He took out two pence.” It affected his
money. If we are committed to the Lord and
His work, our money will be involved in the
work of the Lord. If not, we have a serious
problem. First of all, the tenth (tithe) belongs
to the Lord. Secondly, beyond that we are
to participate in His kingdom with freewill of-
ferings. When we experience a redemptive
relationship with Jesus Christ, we will always
involve our money in His service.
We must be willing to appear as the de-
spised, unwanted, social outcast. Paul stated,
“But this I confess unto thee, that after the way
which they call heresy, so worship I the God of
my fathers” (Acts 24:14). The Samaritan was
the socially despised, rejected half-breed—
hated and ridiculed. Like the Lord Jesus
Himself, we must be willing to suffer reproach
and misuse for the glory of God.
III. THE COMMISSION
TO SHOW COMPASSION
Christians are called to demonstrate
compassion. Like the Samaritan, we may
sometimes be despised, hated, and ridiculed
socially, but still we have an obligation to be-
come involved. It was the Samaritan who
stopped; it was the Samaritan who bound
up the injured man’s wounds; it was the Sa-
maritan who poured in oil and wine; it was
the Samaritan who placed the stranger on
his donkey; it was the Samaritan who walked
and allowed the wounded stranger to ride. It
was the Samaritan who made a reservation
for the stranger and gave the innkeeper the
two pence. The religious services of the priest
and Levite were not practiced on the wounded
man; they were too busy with religious duties
that were of no benefit to the wounded traveler.
31
If we fail to place our Christianity in some
workable tributary that will aid humanity and
save lost souls, we only deceive ourselves.
Christ pronounced woes on the pharisaical
community because of their arrogant, hypo-
critical attitudes and ideology. He exposed
their narcissism and their selfish, fleshly failure
to help others.
Jesus asked, “Which now of these three,
thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that
fell among the thieves?” (Luke 10:36). The at-
torney answered, “He that shewed mercy on
him.” Jesus said, “Go, and do thou likewise”
(Luke 10:37).
A. Christ Was Our Good Samaritan
Compassion, which is love in action,
motivated God to demonstrate His love for
humankind through Jesus Christ and the
Cross. Christ became the Good Samari-
tan for mankind by tending to our mortal
wounds and carrying us to a place where we
could experience spiritual healing through
His Holy Spirit.
The redemption of mankind was an act
that only God could perform; therefore, He
provided the ultimate sacrifice through the
incarnation in Christ Jesus. There was no
one else who could pay the necessary price
for salvation. Man, in his fallen state, was in-
compatible with God; therefore, no man could
co-author redemption. Jesus Christ was the
condescension of Providence! Deity reduced
Himself to the lowest possible term when He
became flesh.
In God’s wisdom, He needed a means by
which He could live among mankind and
bring about his redemption. Jesus was the
Son of Man through Adam, and He was the
Son of God, having been begotten by the Al-
mighty through the virgin birth. This identified
deity with humanity, one of the human race,
our Kinsman-Redeemer!
God fully expressed His love for mankind
through the life of Christ. Further, through
Jesus Christ the love of God revealed its
amazing bountifulness and unlimited scope.
Mankind was unable to pay the necessary
price of redemption, but the love of Christ
reached out to all people. Jesus died for sin-
ners. He did not die for His friends only but
also for His enemies.
B. We Should Be Good Samaritans
to Others
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength: this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There
is none other commandment greater than
these” (Mark 12:30–31).
Our love toward God and our neighbor is
the basis upon which all the law, prophets,
and psalms were founded. If these contain the
whole, there must be a principle interwoven
into them that is most important where the
Christian community is in­volved.
If we love each other as ourselves, we will
at no time do anything to others we would not
want done to ourselves. If our worship is prop-
er, our relationship with our fellowman will be
acceptable. In other words, if we are secure in
our relationship with God, we will reflect secu-
rity and love toward our fellowman.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
The only solution to the sin problem was
love in action: compassion. Our Lord demon-
strated this when He gave up the majesties of
Heaven and humbled Himself to be born into
the human family. He came in poverty to live
REFLECTIONS
• Discuss the biblical definition of love.
• Why was love the only answer for mankind?
• What are potential manifestations of Pharisaism today? Discuss.
• How is it possible for religious “busyness” to blind one’s eyes to the real needs of those
around him? Discuss.
• Compare the story of the Good Samaritan with Christ’s demonstration of compassion for us.
• Discuss ways in which we can be the “Good Samaritan” to those around us.
32
among us, to minister to us, and to suffer the
death of the cross for us. We were powerless
to help ourselves; our only hope was the in-
tervention of another who had the power to
redeem.
The love Jesus demonstrated for us we are,
in turn, to demonstrate to the world in need.
Jesus said, “As my Father hath sent me, even
so send I you” (John 20:21). He was sent on a
love mission. So are we.
To dramatically illustrate this point, Jesus
told the parable of the Good Samaritan. The
moral of the lesson was “Go, and do thou like-
wise” (Luke 10:37).
This parable is not just a beautiful sto-
ry; it is a specific illustration of how to show
compassion, upon whom we should show
compassion, and what circumstances require
it. Further, it illustrates a clear command to
do so.
To prevent the invention of any excuses,
Jesus included the mention of two religious,
but unloving, men. His crystal clear represen-
tation of religious “busyness” hits home and
challenges all believers to re-evaluate their
priorities.
God is concerned about people. His heart
does not go out to buildings, programs, or
plans, but to people. Our priority must be the
same. We must follow the example of Christ
as He ministered on the earth, meeting the
needs of sinners with compassion—love in
action. 
 THE PRINCIPLE OF WEEK 5
07.05.15
GENEROUS GIVING
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Luke 6:38 THOUGHT
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,
pressed down, and shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same mea- To give is to be
sure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Christlike. The
LESSON TEXT Christian’s attitude
II Corinthians 9:6–11 toward giving to
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap
also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap finance God’s work
also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so in this world must
let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth
a cheerful giver.
be unselfish.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency
in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness
remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply
your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving
to God.

Malachi 3:8–11
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In
tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and
prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven,
and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

33
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
God Owns It All
T
he Bible makes it clear that God owns
everything, and we are stewards of His
earth and a measure of its wealth. God
told Israel, “Behold, the heaven and the heav-
en of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth
also, with all that therein is” (Deuteronomy
10:14). The psalmist said, “The earth is the
Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and
they that dwell therein (Psalm 24:1). Though
it may be hard to comprehend, God owns ev-
erything! The earth and the heavens are His.
We may have a title to a piece of the earth, but
it is only a piece paper that prevents others
from using it for a time.
Most people are territorial and protective
of their accumulated possessions. We take
pride in our abilities and achievements. We
may be tempted to conclude we are totally re-
sponsible for our wealth and success. But we
OUTLINE
I. THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING
II. THE ATTITUDE OF GIVING
III. THE AVENUES OF GIVING
A. Tithe
B. Offerings
IV. THE REVENUES OF GIVING
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Giving is one of the most important factors
in a Christian’s life. This privilege is available
not only to the wealthy but to everyone. Re-
gardless of wealth, race, creed, or color, every
believer has the opportunity to be a contribu-
tor to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
The beautiful plan of God is proportioned
for everyone to be involved. The tithe, which
means “tenth,” proportionately costs every-
one the same, and offerings, which are given
over and above tithing, are to be given ac-
cording to ability and willingness. In giving
offerings, Deuteronomy 16:17 applies: “Every
man shall give as he is able.” Giving is a great
34
by Gary D. Erickson
should never forget our abilities are a gift of
God. The air we breathe and the life we enjoy
are His gifts. He gave us our bodies, brains,
talents, and heritage. Opportunities come our
way because God allows it. Even our friends,
parents, children, and grandchildren are His
gifts. The money in our bank account, pocket-
book, IRA, 401K, and our real estate holdings
belong to God.
This is an essential foundational principle
for believers. Understanding that all things
are His and we are only stewards will loosen
our hold on things of this world. Liberal giving
to God’s work and to others is an essential
virtue for believers. Being a liberal giver will
open the door of blessings. Being stingy and
hoarding God’s blessings will close the door
to true riches.
privilege, but by the same token it is also a
commandment.
The principle of giving is compared to the
law of sowing and reaping. In II Corinthians
9:6, Paul wrote, “He which soweth sparing-
ly shall reap also sparingly; and he which
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
The true secret in giving is not the total
sum of the individual’s contributions but the
attitude one has when giving. The Scriptures
warn the giver not to give grudgingly and also
advise us that it is more blessed to give than
to receive.
There is no reason for any Christian to feel
left out of God’s giving program. The biblical
standard of giving is summed up to be tithes
and offerings, but the church encourages the
Christian to give both to the needs of his local
assembly and also to the cause of missions
throughout the world.
God never allows a person to give to the
cause of the gospel without blessing the con-
tributor in return. However, the individual must
be careful not to demand or expect God to
give back. Still, if one gives freely, there is a
promise that God will give back “good mea-
sure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over” (Luke 6:38). It may not
come back to that person monetarily, but he
will experience a return on his giving.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING
Individuals of principle are those whose
lives are ruled by a certain code of conduct.
Everyone admires the person who lives by un-
changing, bedrock principles.
If we as Christians are to live by the princi-
ple of giving, we must understand that giving
is not just the result of an emotional stimulus,
and neither is it just the act of sacrifice for a
season. Giving is a code of conduct, a rule to
live by, and a way of life.
Often we may give because our emotions
have been touched by a severe need. This is
good; however, when the emotional experi-
ence has passed and the heart is no longer
stirred, we must continue to live by a principle
of giving. The life we live should be continually
punctuated with the act of giving.
Giving is a code of
conduct, a rule to live
by, and a way of life.
Paul stated, “I die daily”; he presented his
body a living sacrifice continually. Although
Jesus died once for the sins of all mankind,
the Scriptures teach that His daily life was
spent for others (Matthew 26:55; Mark 14:49).
We, too, must take up our cross daily if we are
to fulfill the principle of giving.
God has established the law of spiritual
action and reaction or the law of sowing and
reaping. If a person sows sparingly, he shall
reap sparingly; and if he sows bountifully,
he also shall reap bountifully (II Corinthians
9:6). The law of sowing and reaping applies
not only to monetary substance, but also to
the giving of one’s time, energies, and tal-
ents. When a person gives in these areas,
God always honors His law of sowing and
reaping.
35
Solomon was aware of this principle for he
wrote, “Honour the Lord with thy substance,
and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So
shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy
presses shall burst out with new wine” (Prov-
erbs 3:9–10). God has a storehouse full of
blessings, and He is waiting to pour out those
blessings upon those who will live by the prin-
ciple of giving.
How easily we understand God’s law of
sowing and reaping, yet how difficult for us
to learn its truth. The widow received a prom-
ise from Elijah that her meal would not waste
and neither would her oil fail if she would first
give of her substance to the prophet (I Kings
17:14). She clearly un­derstood the promise,
but she still had to learn the lesson. After hav-
ing acted upon the promise, she received the
blessing.
“And the barrel of meal wasted not, nei-
ther did the cruse of oil fail, according to
the word of the Lord, which he spake by
Elijah” (I Kings 17:16).
God desires that we not only hear and un-
derstand the law of sowing and reaping but
also put it into practice through our actions.
In order for us to receive the blessing, we first
must act upon the promise. The blessing be-
longs to the giver.
“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and
he that watereth shall be watered also
himself” (Proverbs 11:25).
II. THE ATTITUDE OF GIVING
God has always placed great emphasis on
attitude. God allows the winds of adversity
to blow not only to reveal to us His keeping
power, but also to gauge our attitude during
storms of life. Often we are victorious be-
cause of God’s help, but our attitude leaves
much to be desired. Doing the right thing
with the wrong attitude grieves the Spirit
of God. This same principle applies to giv-
ing: “So let him give; not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver”
(II Corinthians 9:7).
Giving with a strong feeling of resentment
displeases God and causes the giver to re-
linquish his rights to a blessing. Giving with
the wrong attitude releases God from His
obligation to give back. In the case of Ananias
and Sapphira, hypocritical giving provoked
God’s anger and judgment. They gave, but
with the wrong attitude. The Pharisees paid
tithes but were condemned because of their
attitude of hypocrisy (Matthew 23:23). Again
let us remember that God loves the cheerful
giver.
Our motivation for
giving should be our
love for God and a
desire to see His king-
dom prosper.
There are those who give to be seen and
praised of others. These also disqualify them-
selves from God’s promise of blessing.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms be-
fore men, to be seen of them: otherwise
ye have no reward of your Father which is
in heaven” (Matthew 6:1).
Our motivation for giving should be our love
for God and a desire to see His kingdom pros-
per. We tithe and give offerings not only because
it is God’s plan, but also because we want to
please God and live according to His wishes.
The praise of others should have little influence
on our giving. Those who give in order to re-
ceive glory from people receive their principal
reward in the form of human glory. On the other
hand, when we give willingly, disregarding the
praise and glory of others, our Father, who sees
in secret, will pour out His blessings openly be-
fore all people (Matthew 6:4).
In the study of giving, the poor rise to a
place of prominence. The widow who fed
Elijah, the woman with an alabaster box of
ointment, and the young child with a lunch
of bread and fish have something in com-
mon. It is not the quantity of their giving, but
the quality of their giving that garnered them
prominence in the Scriptures. If the attitude is
right, God will bless whatever amount one is
able to give. God loves the cheerful giver.
36
III. THE AVENUES OF GIVING
A. Tithe
The word tithe is an English word rooted in
Anglo-Saxon from teothe and meaning “tenth.”
The idea of tithing dates back to ancient civi-
lizations and existed even outside the biblical
record of the Israelites. Historical records
verify that Egyptians, Phoenicians, Arabians,
Greeks, Romans, and Chaldeans paid tithes
to their gods. Long before God gave to Moses
His tithing plan on Sinai, Abraham paid tithes
to Melchizedec, king of Salem. This is indic-
ative that Abraham believed and practiced
tithing before it became a commandment.
This philosophy and practice of tithing ap-
parently was handed down from generation to
generation, for Abraham’s grandson, Jacob,
remarked in Genesis 28:20–22, “If God will be
with me . . . and will give me bread to eat,
and raiment to put on, so that I come again
to my father’s house in peace; then . . . of all
that thou shalt give me I will surely give the
tenth unto thee.” Jacob could not think of any
stronger seal with which to bind himself to
God than to vow to give God His tenth.
With the examples of the patriarchs Abra-
ham and Jacob in mind, we also must
consider that tithing and giving offerings be-
came a compulsory practice of the people of
God as recorded in Leviticus 27. When Israel
became an independent nation, God gave to
them a rule of giving to live by, a rule of tithes
and offerings. Under the law of Moses, people
actually paid three tithes: the Feast Tithe, the
Levitical Tithe, and the Poor Tithe.
The Feast Tithe was a tithe of the land, the
fruit of the tree, and the flock of the herd.
“And all the tithe of the land, whether of
the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the
tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.
And if a man will at all redeem aught of his
tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part
thereof. And concerning the tithe of the
herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever
passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be
holy unto the Lord. He shall not search
whether it be good or bad, neither shall
he change it: and if he change it at all,
then both it and the change thereof shall
be holy; it shall not be redeemed” (Leviti-
cus 27:30–33).
 Let us note the breakdown of the Feast
Tithe:
• A tenth of the land, whether it was seed
or fruit, was regarded as holy and set apart
for God.
• If the giver of this tithe wished to keep the
tenth of the seed or fruit he was allowed to do
so, but he must pay its value and add one fifth.
• Every tenth calf or lamb of the increase of
the herd was given to God.
• The tithe from the herd could not be re-
deemed or exchanged.
The Levites received a tenth or tithe for their
inheritance. This tithe was called the Levitical
Tithe.
“And, behold, I have given the children
of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheri-
tance, for their service which they serve,
even the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation. Neither must the children
of Israel henceforth come nigh the taber-
nacle of the congregation, lest they bear
sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the
service of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation, and they shall bear their iniquity:
it shall be a statute for ever throughout
your generations, that among the chil-
dren of Israel they have no inheritance.
But the tithes of the children of Israel,
which they offer as an heave offering
unto the Lord, I have given to the Lev-
ites to inherit: therefore I have said unto
them, Among the children of Israel they
shall have no inheritance” (Numbers
18:21–24).
There are several important factors to con-
sider in the paying of the Levitical Tithe.
• The offerer did not have the right to ex-
press how this tithe should be used.
• The offerer did not receive any of it back
again.
• If the Israelite did not pay the tithe, God
considered it dishonest; and when it was
given, it was an amount that could not be
diminished.
• Further, once the Levite had received this
tithe, he offered to Jehovah a heave offering,
which was given to the high priest and his
family (Numbers 18:26–28).
It is commonly believed and taught that the
Levite is an Old Testament type and shadow
37
of the office of the ministry of the gospel of
Christ and that the Old Testament high priest
is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. As the
people of Israel paid their tithe to the Levite,
so shall the church pay tithe to the ministry.
As the Levite in turn paid a tithe unto the high
priest, so shall the ministry pay a tithe unto
Jesus Christ.
It is an honored privi-
lege to support God’s
kingdom financially.
Paul clarified the will of God as it related to
the right of ministerial support in I Corinthians
9:7–11. An analysis of these verses of Scrip-
ture follows several principles:
• A person who goes to war is compensat-
ed for his services.
• A person who plants a vineyard eats the
fruit thereof.
• He who feeds a flock eats of the flock.
• “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treadeth out the corn.”
From this analysis it is clear in Scripture that
it is natural for a minister to receive a livelihood
from his ministerial labors. We should careful-
ly note that Paul defended his position from
the Old Testament law: “Say I these things as
a man? or saith not the law the same also? For
it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not
muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out
the corn” (I Corinthians 9:8–9). Further, Paul
stated that the gospel minister is an antitype
of the Levite (I Corinthians 9:13–14).
The tithe payer should not feel in his giv-
ing that it is a forced responsibility and not an
opportunity. The offerer is correct in the fact
that it is a responsibility; however, it also is an
honored privilege to support God’s kingdom
financially.
The third tithe was the Poor Tithe.
“At the end of three years thou shalt
bring forth all the tithe of thine increase
the same year, and shalt lay it up within
thy gates: and the Levite, (because he
hath no part nor inheritance with thee,)
and the stranger, and the fatherless, and
 the widow, which are within thy gates,
shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied;
that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all
the work of thine hand which thou doest”
(Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
The Poor Tithe was not paid annually as the
Feast Tithe and the Levitical Tithe, but it was
given every third year. It is in­teresting to note
that even though this tithe was primarily for
the poor in the land—the stranger, the father-
less, and the widow—the Levite also shared in
receiving from this tithe.
B. Offerings
“Every man according as he pur-
poseth in his heart, so let him give”
(II Corinthians 9:7).
It should be understood that tithing is dif-
ferent from offerings. The tithing is a set
percentage—one tenth of one’s increase—
while the offerings are a voluntary amount.
However, God expects one to give both tithe
and offerings.
Under the Law the Israelites gave to God
the following offerings of their substance in
the Tabernacle service.
• Acceptable (Leviticus 1:4)
• Burnt (Exodus 29:18)
• Drink (Exodus 29:40)
• Freewill (Numbers 15:3)
• Heave (Exodus 29:27)
• Meat (Leviticus 6:14-15)
• Peace (Exodus 20:24)
• Sin (Exodus 29:14)
• Thank (Leviticus 7:12)
• Trespass (Leviticus 5:6)
• Wave (Leviticus 7:30)
In the church today, we have practically
concluded that all acceptable offerings are
monetary, but often we overlook that the great-
est gift a person can give to God is himself.
To be a tithe payer is to be obedient in giv-
ing a tenth of one’s income. To give offerings
over and above tithing is a com­mitted princi-
ple of Christianity.
The Apostolic church movement today of-
fers members many programs that facilitate
special offerings and opportunities for each
individual to participate in giving. These spe-
cial offerings allow focused evangelistic efforts
38
through the children, youth, ladies, men, and
missionaries—both foreign and domestic.
Further, these funds help reach others with the
gospel around the world.
Through structured programs and activi-
ties for giving, every person in the church can
contribute to the cause of worldwide evange-
lism—taking the message of salvation to all
people. Every person qualifies to give in offer-
ings, which is one of the special privileges of
being a Christian.
God considered it
robbery when Israel
did not pay tithes and
offerings.
IV. THE REVENUES OF GIVING
It has been said, “Regardless of the sac-
rifice one makes in giving to God’s work, it
serves only as an investment, which will surely
pay great dividends.” One of the great vers-
es of Scripture that supports this statement is
found in Matthew 6:20: “Lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven.” In fulfilling the verse, it is
easy to perceive that an offerer of gifts does
not expect to receive earthly rewards but is
willing to receive the benefits of his giving in
Heaven.
A contrast of this principle is found in Luke
18:22. In His conversation with the rich young
ruler, Jesus urged him to obey the command-
ments. The Lord also advised him to “sell all
that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” This
young ruler was too nearsighted and blinded
by personal possessions to see the treasures
of Heaven. Consequently, he refused to give
to others that he might enjoy the revenues of
his offering.
One of the most outstanding promises of
Jesus Christ was given to His disciples in Luke
6:38. This promise is in regard to the returns
of a Christian’s giving. Christ emphasized that
not only would the offerer be repaid for the gift
given, but he would receive an abundance:
“good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into
your bosom.”
Another Bible promise to those who give in
offerings appears in Ecclesiastes 11:1: “Cast
thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find
it after many days.”
God considered it robbery when Israel did
not pay tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8–10).
It must be crystal clear that God has not
changed His opinion when Christians today
fail to pay their tithes or give offerings. The in-
dividual guilty of not paying tithes is certainly
in danger of the judgment of God, for when
tithes and offerings are withheld a person is
stealing from God.
In II Chronicles 7:14, God mentioned three
prerequisites to be blessed: (1) “If my people,
which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, (2) and seek my face,
(3) and turn from their wicked ways. . . .” God
then promised the revenues: (1) “Then will I
hear from heaven, (2) and will forgive their sin,
(3) and will heal their land.”
In Malachi 3:10 there was only one re-
quirement from God to receive immeasurable
revenues: “Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse.” We should note how willing God
was to give abundantly: “I will . . . open you
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a
blessing, that there shall not be room enough
to receive it.”
How true the statement, “A person cannot
out give God.”
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
God ordained a financial program for His
people that supports biblical requirements—
the giving of tithes and offerings. With this
financial policy, all people paid a balanced per-
centage and amount according to their ability.
Before the Mosaic law, tithing was appar-
ently practiced by other ancient civilizations
among the Egyptians, Arabians, Chaldeans,
and others. Some 430 years before the Mosaic
law, Abraham, our father of faith, paid tithes to
Melchizedec, the king of Salem. Further, Jacob,
the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, prom-
ised tithes to God centuries before the Law.
The Old Testament teaches that under the
Law there were three tithes the Israelites paid:
(1) The Feast Tithe, (2) the Levitical Tithe, and
(3) the Poor Tithe. Over and above the three
tithes, Israel had in their laws of giving twelve
separate offerings.
In Matthew 23:23 Christ placed His approv-
al on the paying of tithes. The writings of Paul
in I Corinthians 9:7–11 concur with the prac-
tice of giving tithes and offerings.
An important part of tithes and offerings is
the attitude in which they are given. Paul stat-
ed in II Corinthians 9:7 that one should not
give grudgingly, but willingly and cheerfully.
The many promises from God are astound-
ing as He irrevocably promises that if we give
to His cause, we will in return receive “good
measure, pressed down, and shaken togeth-
er, and running over” (Luke 6:38). 

REFLECTIONS
• Discuss God’s law of sowing and reaping as it pertains to giving.
• What other areas in one’s life does this law of sowing and reaping affect? Discuss.
• What type of attitude should accompany the giver?
• Discuss the three different types of tithes for which the people of God were responsible in
the Old Testament.
• Discuss God’s tithing program for the New Testament church.
• How do offerings differ from tithing according to God’s Word?
• Why is giving to the work of God considered an investment?

39
 PRAYER—THE WEEK 6

CHRISTIAN’S LIFELINE 07.12.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
James 5:16 THOUGHT
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for an-
other, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is the lifeline
LESSON TEXT of the Christian’s
Luke 18:9–14
walk with God.
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trust- Without prayer,
ed in themselves that they were righteous, and despised
others: he is powerless,
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican. fruitless, and
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extor-
lifeless. Prayer can
tioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. do anything God
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess. can do.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up
so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 6:7–13
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of,
before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

40
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Secret Conversations
O
ne day T. W. Barnes had a vision in
which he saw thousands of people
weeping and wailing. He cried out,
asking the Lord what this meant. Jesus told
him, “Pray for the Jews.” This was before the
Six-Day War.
By staying close to the Lord, we allow
Him to open our understanding and show us
things we would never have known otherwise.
We could rely on the news to tell us what is
going on in the world. But by learning to talk
to the One who knows everything, we can be
ahead of the news. We do not have to depend
on the events of the day to provide us with
excitement or happiness.
How many times we can get distracted with
busyness, social media, or everyday issues
OUTLINE
I. THE MANNER OF PRAYER
A. The Pharisee
B. The Publican
C. The Prevailing Prayer
II. THE EXPECTANCY OF PRAYER
A. Pray in Faith
B. Pray in Perseverance
III. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRAYER
A. Prayer Changes People
B. Prayer Changes God’s Mind
C. Prayer Changes Circumstances
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Prayer is the Christian’s lifeline. The prin-
ciple of prayer involves communication
between humanity and deity—humans seek-
ing assistance and direction from God in
matters beyond their ability or situations they
may not fully understand. The expectation of
receiving answers through prayer is based
solely on the premise that the Creator has
bestowed certain privileges upon His people,
whom He has invited to seek His involvement
in their lives through prayer.
41
by Daniel J. Koren
that arise. With so many distractions, it would
be easy not to take time to pray. It would be
easy to justify distracted prayers while driving
or working as pure communication with the
Lord. However, when we take the time—set
aside the time—to visit with the Lord, the day
becomes so much sweeter.
Abraham found out inside information just
by spending time with the Lord. What could
you learn just by being in His presence? T. W.
Barnes arrived in Jerusalem after the Six-Day
War and visited the Wailing Wall. The Lord let
him know this was what he had seen in his
vision.
What experiences await you in your prayer
journey?
Through the Incarnation, God has provid-
ed specific life patterns for believers through
Jesus Christ. Consequently, prayer was one
of the principal ingredients of Christ’s life and
ministry on earth.
“Now when all the people were bap-
tized, it came to pass, that Jesus also
being baptized, and praying, the heaven
was opened, and the Holy Ghost de-
scended in a bodily shape like a dove
upon him, and a voice came from heaven,
which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in
thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21–22).
Jesus prayed while being baptized, and
during His prayer the Holy Ghost descended
and proclaimed His identity as the Son of God.
Prayer was necessary in the life of Jesus,
for prayer strengthened Him and gave Him
favor with God and mankind. The Scriptures
reveal Jesus was tempted in all points like we
are, but He kept His humanity under control
through prayer. He never assumed that His
identity as the Son of God would preclude His
need for prayer to bolster and strengthen His
existence in the flesh. Prayer was relevant in
the life of Jesus Christ, and it is vital for be-
lievers today.
Jesus also on occasion withdrew from the
multitudes and from His disciples for seasons
of prayer. This teaches us that we too must
have opportunities for private prayer in our
lives. Prayer in a group is wonderful. Church
services packed with moving experiences
in prayer are invigorating and essential. But
nothing can replace times of private or secret
prayers for Christians.
Believers must commune with God alone
consistently, faithfully, and intimately. Only
these kinds of prayer can keep families healthy
and together; only these kinds of prayer can
nurture spirituality within individuals. These
prayers are also the glue that sustains mem-
bers within the body of Christ.
“And he withdrew himself into the wil-
derness, and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
“And it came to pass in those days,
that he went out into a mountain to pray,
and continued all night in prayer to God”
(Luke 6:12).
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE MANNER OF PRAYER
There are many kinds of prayer. Each ses-
sion of Congress is still opened with prayer.
Some presidents of the United States have
been noted for attending or hosting prayer
breakfasts; some have called certain individ-
uals to the White House to receive special
prayer. Some public meetings and gatherings
commence with a formal prayer, invoking the
guidance of God. In times of conflict, war, or
tragedy Christians have prayed to God for
safety, victory, or deliverance. Several na-
tions of the world, including Canada and the
United States, recognize an organized “Day
of Prayer” to call citizens to a special time of
seeking God.
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them
to pray (Luke 11:1). We also can ask Him
to teach us to pray as well as teach us how
to pray. In the Bible we find certain guide-
lines to be followed if prayer is to gain God’s
approval and receive His answer. Let us
look at the Lord’s Prayer for some of these
guidelines.
42
“And he said unto them, When ye pray,
say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hal-
lowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in
earth. Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also for-
give every one that is indebted to us. And
lead us not into temptation; but deliver us
from evil” (Luke 11:2–4).
1. A salutation includes the One to whom
we pray and the name by which we address
Him. Of course, God is the One with whom we
identify when we pray. We cannot give to Him
the proper honor if we do not know His name
or if we fail to use it. We can pray only to God
through His name, Jesus Christ.
2. We must be willing to obey God. His in-
terests must be uppermost to us.
3. We must be specific in what we pray for,
and we must prepare ourselves to receive His
answer.
4. A proper prayer life helps us live in peace
with our neighbors and fellow Christians.
5. Communing with God in prayer draws us
to the Lord so we can better serve Him.
6. Proper prayer results in God giving us in-
struction and power to live free from sin.
A. The Pharisee
The prayers of the Pharisee and the publi-
can (Luke 18:10–14) offer a study in contrasts.
Note the pride and self-sufficiency of the
Pharisee:
• I do not pray with sinners (he prayed “with
himself” Luke 18:11).
• I am not like other men.
• I am not an extortioner.
• I am not unjust.
• I am not an adulterer.
• I am not like this publican.
• I fast twice a week.
• I pay my tithes.
Pride alienated the Pharisee from God. He
failed in all but one of the prerequisites to an-
swered prayer. He addressed himself to God,
but immediately he defeated his purpose
with his presumptuous attitude. He had no
thankfulness to God for freeing him from sin
or forgiving him for a filthy spirit. He made no
mention of his thankfulness for his income and
for God’s bountiful blessings. He did not ask
for God’s guidance in reaching the destitute.
Though he called on God, he actually “prayed
with himself.”
It is little wonder the Pharisee received no
justification for his prayer. He prayed to him-
self and to be heard by people nearby. His
prayer was not really addressed to God at
all. The Pharisee displayed a selfish, self-con-
gratulatory spirit that warranted no attention
from God. Principally, his greatest satisfaction
came from the knowledge that others heard
what a wonderful person he was. There is no
indication he searched his soul as he called
upon God. Instead, he had a self-satisfied
smugness that he was a great Pharisee.
B. The Publican
The publicans, despised by the Jews, were
Jews who served as tax collectors for the
Roman oppressors. They were classed with
sinners. To be called a “publican” was a sig-
nificant insult. Many publicans, however, did
repent and were baptized. One of them, Mat-
thew, became an apostle.
1. The publican’s prayer expressed his hu-
mility. No one had to tell him he needed God.
He knew he was a sinner; he did not feel
worthy to approach the presence of God. He
expressed his desire perfectly. He showed a
humble spirit.
When someone calls on God for salvation
and presents himself with humility in repen-
tance, God is more than interested in saving
that person. This man felt the burden of sin so
heavily he could not bring himself even to look
toward Heaven. He merely hung his head and
trusted the Lord to forgive him.
He also realized he was an outcast of so-
ciety. He had no friends associated with the
religious world. The only way he knew to pray
was as one pleading for mercy. Such prayer is
the epitome of humility.
He prayed only seven words compared to
the Pharisee’s thirty-four words, but his prayer
brought results because he based his plea on
atonement, not self-righteousness.
2. The publican’s prayer was sincere. The
sincerity of his prayer is evident from the un-
assuming manner of his approach. He felt
unworthy to look up. There was absolutely
no pretense of his being righteous. He knew
his standing in society was unacceptable and
that the Pharisees had no love for him. God
was his sole source of trust as there were no
43
deeds of righteousness to which he could
point in an effort to justify himself.
Nobody was interested in hearing the pub-
lican pray. He made no pretense to be a holy
person. Rather, he sincerely asked for mercy.
3. The publican’s prayer was earnest. To
get the same results from our prayers that the
publican received, we must pray as earnestly
as he prayed. The most important thing about
the prayer of the publican is that results fol-
lowed. He prayed; God answered.
C. The Prevailing Prayer
Some believers have not learned the sim-
plicity of prayer, and their results are less
than satisfying. The following suggestions
will help those who earnestly want an answer
from God.
1. Prevailing prayer demands contrition.
“If my people, which are called by
my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).
To be God’s people, we must conform to
His requirements—first of all, that we be born
again, experiencing spiritual regeneration. We
must seek the face of God; however, it must
not be the self-righteous ramblings of a phari-
saical prayer, which disgusts God. To seek the
face of God is to earnestly desire to hear what
God is trying to say to us. It involves present-
ing our sincere desires to Him.
2. Prevailing prayer calls for obedience.
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of him, because we keep his command-
ments, and do those things that are
pleasing in his sight” (I John 3:22).
We must obey God if we are to please Him.
To go through the motions of prayer as the
Pharisee did, and not pray with submission, is
to fail. Willful disobedience is an abomination
unto the Lord. Merely uttering words such as
“Lord, Lord,” and failing in obedience will nev-
er bring an answer from God.
3. Prevailing prayer requires our lives to
be conformed to God’s will. God will hear us
when we pray according to His will.
 “And this is the confidence that we have
in him, that, if we ask any thing according
to his will, he heareth us” (I John 5:14).
We fail in our prayers when we pray amiss
by asking for things with the wrong motive.
The Pharisee prayed selfishly, not according
to God’s will.
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye
ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon
your lusts” (James 4:3).
II. THE EXPECTANCY OF PRAYER
If there is to be an answer to prayer, there
must of necessity be some expectancy from
the person who is praying. God fully intends
for the petitioner to expect an answer.
God has ordained that believers ought al-
ways to pray. Indeed, we are enjoined to “pray
without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17). When
we pray in the will of God, He will answer, but
if we pray halfheartedly and expect nothing,
God is not obligated to answer.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing waver-
ing. For he that wavereth is like a wave of
the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall re-
ceive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6–7).
To really discover God involves searching
for Him with all the heart. The Old Testament
patriarch Jacob sought after God in this fash-
ion. He wrestled with an angel until daybreak.
Jacob was unable to prevail, but he refused to
turn loose until he received a blessing.
God rewarded Jacob’s determination with a
name change. He wrestled out of his image as
a “heel-grabber” to the image of a new name,
“Israel,” which means “as a prince he wrestled
with God.” Jacob expected a blessing, and his
determination in prayer brought an answer.
Jacob’s prayer was not without time and
effort; it lasted all night. Neither he nor the an-
gel prevailed. This suggests he had to expend
great physical effort. God challenged not only
Jacob’s expectancy, but also his willingness
to invest himself physically.
When we consider the effort and the results
of past prayers of great individuals of faith, it
should reveal to us that if we anticipate spiri-
tual victories in our day, we must be willing to
44
spend time and physical energies in the ex-
pectancy of God’s answer to our prayers. We
must not be afraid to ask; when we simply ask
in faith, we shall receive.
Asking is not limited to salvation. “Whatev-
er,” “anything,” and “all things” will be given
when prayerfully and properly sought in the
name of Jesus Christ.
A. Pray in Faith
Faith is the ultimate condition required in
prevailing prayer. Without faith it is impossible
to please God.
“But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him”
(Hebrews 11:6).
The prayer of faith first requires belief that
“God is.” Accepting this with its fullest impli-
cations is to believe in the identity of God. The
words “God is” comprise a form of the words
“I AM,” with which God identified Himself to
Moses and others. The words recognize the
eternal, ever-present deity of God. Only by
first recognizing in whom we are believing and
on whom we are calling for help, can we hope
to experience the saving, healing, delivering,
and answering power of the Almighty through
prayer. To believe we are healed expresses
faith and confidence in the only One able to
heal us. To pray for a job and believe God will
provide a job is the key to receiving the an-
swer through employment provided by God.
The Scripture is emphatic that God rewards
those who diligently seek Him.
The key to answered prayer is belief that
God is hearing and trust that He will answer.
A believer is then to continue praying until evi-
dence appears to confirm the answer. Anyone
can pray with faith, trusting God for proof that
the answer has been given.
Prophets were successful in prevailing
prayers. Abundant examples are evident in
the experiences of Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Elisha, David, Moses, Caleb,
Joshua, and many others. The apostles also
were blessed with answers to fervent prayer.
The present church will not be destitute
of these great achievements through fervent
prayer so long as dedicated men and women
commit themselves unreservedly to God in
prayer. However, we can expect no extraordi-
nary results if we offer only excuses for why
we do not pray. To see mountains moved in
prayer will take commitment—praying some-
times for an hour or more. Such prayers will
cause revival to surge as it did in the Book of
Acts. A committed Christian is one who has
consecrated himself—body, soul, and spir-
it—to the Lord Jesus Christ and His service. A
committed believer dedicates all his energies,
interests, and possessions to the demands of
Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note that the church in the
Book of Acts experienced the miraculous due
to the fervent and committed practices and
actions of the believers.
B. Pray in Perseverance
Jesus persevered in prayer in Gethsemane.
He realized He was in a dangerous hour. He
also needed the disciples to pray with Him,
but they were too sleepy to do so. Tiredness
and exhaustion are powerful enemies to per-
severance in prayer. To be effective, we must
give ourselves to prayer with a full commit-
ment to Jesus Christ through loving devotion
and loyalty. Any lesser commitment will prove
insufficient.
With the Holy Spirit in us, Jesus will provide
answers to our questions and our prayers. As
we pray, He will teach us how to become ef-
fective Christians, how to live in His love, how
to be committed to Him, how to be continual-
ly involved with Him, and how to be involved
in His mission in our world today. Persever-
ance in prayer activates the Holy Ghost within
us and brings a new spiritual dimension to
our lives.
III. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRAYER
Asa, king of Judah, wonderfully illustrat-
ed the effectiveness of prayer. The host of
the Ethiopian army came against Judah with
about four times as many troops as Asa had.
Hopelessly outnumbered and facing a much
larger army, Asa did the only possible thing:
he prayed to the Lord. (See II Chronicles
14:11–13.)
Asa’s prayer was effective; God answered
him immediately. He offered his prayer in
earnestness because he felt the immedi-
ate need. He simply prayed for God to help
45
them. His prayer recognized the partnership
they had with God, and he knew the Lord
understood and sympathized with Judah.
Recognizing God as the only source of their
deliverance, Asa came boldly to His throne in
their time of need.
Any Christian can be effective in prayer if
he will use the approach of Asa. His prayer
amplified that
• God is no respecter of persons.
• God is within the reach of all.
• God will hear the cry of all who call on
Him in faith.
A. Prayer Changes People
An engineer who dedicated his life to prayer
said the Bible seemed like a new book to him;
its message seemed fresh and alive. Prayer
became more meaningful, and his life was
more open to others, who sensed a differ-
ence in him. He became more sensitive to the
needs of others and was better able to give
them help and assistance than before. He was
aware of a new sense of ability, which came
from God, and a deeper consciousness of the
presence of Jesus within his life. He learned
to rely on the Lord and to draw heavily upon
divine resources. The new awakening through
prayer made him a more effective Christian.
The church must have prayer as its focal
interest and practice. Men and women of the
Lord’s church must be committed to prayer
if Christendom is to positively influence this
world for Jesus. Prayer has changed others;
it will change us if we will make the dedication.
B. Prayer Changes God’s Mind
In the days of King Hezekiah of Judah,
God sent him a message by Isaiah the
prophet informing him that soon he would
die (Isaiah 38:1).
When Hezekiah heard the sentence of
death pronounced upon him, he turned his
face toward the wall and prayed and wept. He
became penitent. God loves a broken spirit
and a contrite heart. (See Psalm 51:17.)
Something in the actions and prayer of
Hezekiah changed the mind of God. When
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, he liter-
ally turned from everything he was doing or
planned to do. He pushed everything away
except prayer. Talking with God suddenly be-
came his first and consuming priority.
 This is the kind of praying necessary to
change the mind of God. Are we interest-
ed in petitioning God to change His mind
about some things today? Do we have a fer-
vent desire to have greater divine favor from
God? If so, we must be willing to pay the
necessary price. It will require times of inter-
cessory prayer, possibly groaning in prayer,
and a heartfelt burden that prompts us to pray
in the Spirit according to the will of God.
C. P
 rayer Changes Circumstances
Dedicated people with a commitment to
prayer can bring about changes in circum-
stances. Prayer delivered Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego from the fiery furnace. Prayer
closed the mouths of the lions so they could
do Daniel no harm. The agonizing prayer of
Jesus in Gethsemane gave Him power to
endure the cross, finish His course, and rise
again. Prayer changes circumstances! The
desire for drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and many
other hurtful lusts is swept away through the
power of prayer.

“And when they had prayed, the place
was shaken where they were assembled
together. . . . And with great power gave
the apostles witness of the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was
upon them all” (Acts 4:31, 33).
Prevailing prayer by a group of believers
can change circumstances around them and
in them. When the disciples prayed for bold-
ness to declare the name of Jesus to their
generation, the place was literally shaken.
On another occasion, angels of the Lord
entered a prison, opened the doors, and set
the apostles free with instructions: “Go, stand
and speak in the temple to the people all the
words of this life” (Acts 5:20). Again, during a
prayer meeting of the church in John Mark’s
mother’s house, an angel set Peter free from
prison. Chains fell from his hands, prison
doors swung open wide, and the apostle
walked to the home where the prayers were
being offered.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
Jesus spoke a parable to a group of men
who trusted in themselves and believed
themselves to be righteous. He described
two different men in their approach to prayer.
The parable taught the necessity of humility,
sincerity, and earnestness in the prayer of an
individual to God.
The religious Pharisee, who prided himself
on his lifestyle and on his ability to pray, re-
ceived no justification from God for his proud
and arrogant manner. The lowly publican,
however, prayed a short seven-word prayer
and was justified by the Lord.
We are no closer to God than the ferven-
cy of our prayer life. The privilege of being a
Christian involves the responsibility to pray
in faith with perseverance and expectancy.
The effectiveness of prayer changes people,
changes the mind of God, and changes cir-
cumstances. 

REFLECTIONS
• Why is it necessary for each Christian to have a personal commitment to prayer? Discuss
the advantages of group prayer and individual prayer.
• Discuss the motive of the Pharisee in praying as he did. What did he receive from God
through his prayer?
• What was the primary difference between the prayers of the Pharisee and the publican?
What was the difference in the length of each?
• What was the greatest truth expressed in the prayer of the publican? Discuss his attitude.
• What should we expect to receive from our prayers? How much time should we allow for
an answer?

46
 REVERENCE FOR WEEK 7
07.19.15
THE WORD OF GOD
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Psalm 138:2 THOUGHT
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy
name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast
magnified thy word above all thy name. Proper reverence
LESSON TEXT and obedience to
Psalm 119:65–72
God’s Word will
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, accord- bring blessings
ing unto thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have to any individual
believed thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I or congregation.
kept thy word.
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy
Christians should
statutes. cultivate a need
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will
keep thy precepts with my whole heart. for and love of the
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might
Word.
learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Nehemiah 8:5–10
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;)
and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with
lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to
the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah,
Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the
law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them
to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that
taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not,
nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions
unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry;
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

47
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Reverence for the Bible
I
googled “How to show reverence for the
Bible” and got some surprising answers.
There was everything from “It makes ex-
cellent paper aeroplanes. Especially the old
testament, it has more weight, being heavy
with bloodshed and slaughter” to “By daily
reading and meditating on its contents and
then doing what it says.” The swing of public
opinion’s pendulum is drastic. The answers
ranged from “I pray before I read it” to “Isn’t
that idol worship?” Someone even wrote, “I
once used one to scrape some gum off my
shoe. I’m dead serious, there was some idi-
ot handing em out at my middle school so I
grabbed it, said thanks, and promptly scraped
the bottom of my shoe with it.”
Such irreverence indicates the degree to
which respect for the Bible has declined. By
and large, earlier generations would have
OUTLINE
I. RECEIVING FROM THE WORD
A. Recognizing the Word
B. Reading the Word
C. Hearing the Word
II. UNDERSTANDING THE WORD
A. The Need for a Teacher
B. Spiritual Illumination
III. OBEYING THE WORD
A. Feast of Tabernacles
B. Revival from the Word
IV. BLESSINGS FROM THE WORD
A. Receiving Joy and Gladness
B. Sharing the Word with Others
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
The Bible is no ordinary book. More Bibles
are printed every year than any other book.
No book has undergone as many transla-
tions or been printed in as many different
languages as has the Bible. Its presence has
solemnized the oaths of countless kings and
presidents. Its words have bright­ ened the
48
by P. Daniel Buford
been aghast at the idea of making a paper
plane from the pages of God’s Word; but
clearly many people in today’s generation do
not believe the Bible to be the Word of God
or do not believe in God at all. With society
degenerating so, a proper perspective on the
Bible is important for believers committed to a
right relationship with God.
How can we show respect and reverence
for the Bible? I was taught that nothing should
ever be on the Bible, especially dust! So how
about never putting anything on top of the Bi-
ble, handling the Bible with care, and placing
the Bible in a prominent position? We show
devotion to the Bible by reading it faithfully
with the desire to grow spiritually. We show
respect for its teachings by following them.
After all, the Bible is God’s Word for us today.
writings of the world’s best authors. Its teach-
ings are the catalyst for the development of
Western civilization. As the center of Chris-
tianity moves increasingly southward, its
message will bring change to the Southern
Hemisphere.
The Bible also receives more dubious hon-
ors. Despite its place of honor in countless
homes, it annually collects more dust through
disuse than practically any other book. Op-
posing sides of an issue will quote the Bible
to try to prove their points. Many different re-
ligions regard it as a holy book. Hundreds of
supposedly “expert” interpretations of the Bi-
ble matter-of-factly guarantee understanding,
but hopeless confusion results when some of
them are compared.
Misuse or failure to use the Bible makes it
the victim of a great tragedy. Its presence is
honored, but its pages are often unread. Its
cultural contribution is extolled, but its call
to commitment is often ignored. Its literary
worth is acclaimed, but its total authority is
often disclaimed. In short, the Bible is grossly
misunderstood.
 This lesson addresses the tragedy of the
Bible’s misuse. Its purpose is to sweep away
our clouded thinking about the Bible and to
give a clearer picture as to what the Bible is all
about. It will suggest why the Bible is import-
ant and how to use it. This lesson is designed
to reveal the satisfying delights and the
life-changing power of the Bible, God’s Word.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. RECEIVING FROM THE WORD
A. Recognizing the Word
1. The Bible is unique. The Bible is well
named. “Book” is what Bible means. And it
is the Book, the Book of books. There is none
other like it.
What is so different about the Bible? To
answer this question properly we have to
look at two things: first, what other books
contain; and second, the special role the
Bible plays in human experience. When we
see these two things, we can understand
why the Bible should be received not as a
word but as the Word.
A book is a compilation of human thought
and opinion, although the literary form may
vary. An encyclopedia is quite different from a
collection of poems, and a cookbook is not at
all like a book of short stories. Yet all of these
types of literature record facts that are acces-
sible to human research and opinions.
The sacred writings of the world’s promi-
nent religions are the fruit of human reasoning.
They represent lofty thoughts about the nature
of life, noble musings on the destiny of man-
kind. But they all are limited in perspective
because they have no vantage point beyond
the human one from which to look at life. The
rebellion of humankind has badly blurred his
spiritual vision, and he sees neither himself
nor God as clearly as he should. And the
problem is compounded by the fact he does
not recognize his blindness.
To salute the Bible is one thing; to surrender
to its teaching is another. We can respect the
contribution the Scriptures have made to our
society and culture without really grasping the
Scriptures’ meaning and power as they apply
to our lives.
2. The Word of God is the abiding mes-
sage. Peter called the Bible “the word of God,
49
which liveth and abideth for ever” (I Peter
1:23). Granted, the Bible is written in the lan-
guage of men and bears the mark of the forty
or more writers who contributed to it. Yet in
every sense it is the Word of God because it
con­tains the foundation of what God wants us
to know about our relationship with Him. Be-
cause it is the Word of God, it is abiding, it is
living, infused by His own life.
The Bible’s powerful
message has pene-
trated our hearts and
produced permanent
change.
3. The Word of God has transforming pow-
er. What is so different about the Bible? Its
abiding message and its transforming pow-
er! Peter reminded his hearers of the kind of
people they were in the past: caught up in the
passions of their ignorance and bogged down
in the futile ways inherited from their fathers.
(See I Peter 1:14–18.) Immorality and supersti-
tion were the substance of their lives.
But all this was changed. “You have been
born again,” Peter rejoiced, “through the living
and abiding word of God” (I Peter 1:23, ESV).
They had made a fresh start and they had ex-
perienced a total transformation. The good
news of who God is, how He feels toward us,
and what He has done for us has reversed the
direction of our lives. Sane worship and sound
conduct are the new style. The Bible’s pow-
erful message has penetrated our hearts and
produced permanent change.
B. Reading the Word
There are stages in the development of our
attitudes toward Bible study and degrees of
progress as we grow toward a point of enjoy-
ing Bible reading.
First, our study of the Scripture may seem
a bit distasteful, but it is good for us. We rely
on the Bible to cure our ills of rebellion against
God, apathy toward God, and ignorance
about God. We need the Bible whether or not
we at first enjoy its admonitions. It is God’s
authoritative voice, expressing His claims to
all mankind. If we do not enjoy it at first, we
should press on through personal discipline;
we will grow to enjoy it in time.
Secondly, Bible reading may seem dry and
difficult to ingest. We may not always enjoy
the text, but we take consolation in the fact
that it is wholesome. And again, we are grow-
ing toward ultimate enjoyment whether or not
we realize it at first.
Openness to the Bible as the very Word of
God expressed in human language eventually
leads us to a degree of enjoyment far beyond
the attitudes that suggest “take it because it’s
good for you” or it is “dry but wholesome.”
The Bible can be a medicine for sick minds
and spirits. It can be basic, staple nourish-
ment for our spiritual sustenance. But above
and beyond these, it can become a sheer de-
light. This is the third level of growth toward
complete and total enjoyment. It becomes as
our dessert after the meal—a real delight.
His Word soaks into
our lives through the
anointed preaching
and teaching that
comes across God-
ordained pulpits.
C. Hearing the Word
The same verses of Scripture that remind
us of the marvel of God’s thoughts and the
wonder of His ways also encourage us. They
describe the way in which God’s thoughts
come into human experience with striking
power and remarkable vitality.
God often breaks through to us by His
Word. We do not reach Him through our
thinking or our investigation; but like rain on
parched earth, His Word soaks its way into
our lives and becomes fruitful. Isaiah tells
us His Word gives “seed to the sower, and
bread to the eater” (Isaiah 55:10). His Word
50
soaks into our lives through the anointed
preaching and teaching that comes across
God-ordained pulpits.
Through the ministry of the Word, God is
able to get His thoughts through to us. This is
not always easy. Our human nature and finite
minds often present a problem. We are limited
in our thinking in a way that God is not. We
can no more successfully comprehend God’s
thoughts than a five-year-old can understand
Einstein’s theory of relativity.
We have a more serious and sinful problem
than the limitations of our human abilities. If
our humanity makes it hard for us to find God,
our sinfulness makes it hard for us to face God.
The thoughts and ways of God not only baffle
us, they also condemn us. Granted, they re-
mind us of our frailty; but worse yet, they point
out our failures. Deadness of spirit, hardness
of heart, blindness of vision—these are some
of the terms the Bible uses to describe our
moral and spiritual condition. Only the anoint-
ed, preached, and taught Word of God can
cope with these problems. The fact that the
Word ministers to carnally minded people is a
tremendous testimony to its power.
When God speaks, astounding things hap-
pen. In the beginning God spoke, and the
world in all its order and beauty came into be-
ing. The great phrase of creation in Genesis
is “and God said.” The psalmist summarized
the creative power of God’s Word in a sin-
gle verse: “By the word of the Lord were the
heavens made; and all the host of them by the
breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6).
Think of the time and effort it takes for us to
make an item—knit a sweater, cut out a dress,
saw and fit the pieces of a bookcase, pour
a cement walkway, or bake a pie. All these
tasks require effort. There is no way we can
just speak and make things happen. But that
is exactly what God did when He created the
heavens and the earth. Oh, how powerful is
God’s Word!
From the beginning God has continued to
speak. He spoke through prophets and apos-
tles, and He speaks today through faithful
ministers of the Word.
II. UNDERSTANDING THE WORD
“And Philip ran thither to him, and heard
him read the prophet Esaias, and said,
 Understandest thou what thou readest?”
(Acts 8:30).
A. The Need for a Teacher
The eunuch’s reply to Philip’s question
gives us the first necessity for understand-
ing the Scriptures: “How can I [understand],
except some man should guide me?” (Acts
8:31). The first need we have is for a teacher.
Teaching has always been a central part
of biblical faith. When God first made Himself
known to Israel as the one, true, and living
God, He urged the Israelites to teach these
truths to their children. (See Deuteronomy
6:4–7.) One of Jesus’ most common titles was
teacher or “Rabbi,” as the Jews would have
said. (See John 3:2.)
In the early church one of the qualifica-
tions of a minister was that he be “apt to
teach” (II Timothy 2:24).
Paul declared in II Timothy 3:16 that all
Scripture “is profitable for doctrine.” This dec-
laration indicated the Bible is comprised of
instructional applications that are to be con-
veyed to the church through the medium of
teaching.
To be a Christian is more than warm feel-
ings, positive attitudes, and good deeds. The
Bible is filled with doctrines that must be stud-
ied and taught so we can comprehend them.
We must be careful not to downgrade the
importance of teaching. What we believe and
think affects what we feel and do. Therefore,
we must be taught correctly, believe and think
correctly, and fulfill the Scriptures to be pleas-
ing in God’s sight.
B. Spiritual Illumination
There is a second necessity in understand-
ing the Scriptures: spiritual illumination.
Science cannot give us the evidence we
need. It only deals with the finite, the measur-
able; it depends on carefully controlled, easily
duplicated experiments for its knowledge.
Science tries to observe what happens and
predict what will happen under similar cir-
cumstances. Elaborate compounds, minute
particles, remote galaxies—all of these yield
their secrets to various types of measurement
and analysis. But the tools and methods of
science cannot give us incontestable proof
of God’s existence. Nor can they be used to
argue that God does not exist.
51
Likewise human reasoning falls short when
it comes to discovering God. We cannot reach
beyond the framework of our own thinking.
Images or ideas we conjure up about religion
are just projections of our own needs and
longings. They have no correspondence to
divine reality; they make no significant contri-
bution to the puzzling questions about God.
W. H. Auden, the English poet,
wryly remarked in his poem “Fri-
day’s Child” about our human attempts
to gather evidence for or against God:
All proofs or disproofs
That we tender of His existence
Are returned unopened
To the sender.
The Bible warns us against trying to use
human reasoning to find out about God. (See
Isaiah 55:8–9.) Our reasoning is no match for
God’s thought, and our research cannot fol-
low God’s tracks.
The loftiness, the majesty, the holiness of
God mean He is on a different wavelength
from us. We cannot listen to FM music on an
AM radio. Similarly, our finite methods and our
limited minds cannot of and by themselves
gain true knowledge of God. We need God’s
help and this He gives us. As we study the
Word and listen to it being taught, God super-
naturally illuminates the Scriptures for us and
causes us to have understanding. There are
certain truths we can comprehend in no other
manner. We cannot have true understanding
without spiritual illumination.
III. OBEYING THE WORD
A. Feast of Tabernacles
One of the most outstanding references in
the Bible concerning obedience to the Word of
God is found in the eighth chapter of Nehemi-
ah. It concerns the people of Israel reinstating
the practices desired by the Lord upon their
reentry to their land and holy city.
“And all the people gathered them-
selves together as one man into the
street that was before the water gate; and
they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring
the book of the law of Moses, which the
 Lord had commanded to Israel” (Nehe-
miah 8:1).
While Ezra read from the Book (he read
only the first five books of the Bible, known
as the Pentateuch), the people discovered a
feast the Jews had not kept for one thousand
years. Yet it was commanded in the Holy Word
of God. What did they do? Did they say, “Well,
it has been so long that now it is outdated”?
No, their attitude was that if God’s Word com-
manded it, then they must obey it.
The passage Ezra read was from the Law,
and it concerned keeping some very import-
ant truths current in the minds of the Israelites.
(See Leviticus 23:42–43.) Israel had failed to
remember this Feast of Booths or Tabernacles
and had not dwelt in booths for a thousand
years. Failure to obey the Word of God may
account for their frequent backsliding.
Notice the attitude of these Israelites. When
they discovered it was in the Word of God,
they obeyed without hesitation. It may have
been this very incident that James had in mind
when he said, “Be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers only” (James 1:22).
This should be the motto and goal of every
child of God. If it is in the Word of God, we
should do it. Obedience to the Word of God
always brings inward peace as well as out-
ward blessings.
B. Revival from the Word
One of the great blessings that comes from
obedience to the Word of God is revival. There
are many illustrations of this in the Scriptures,
and we will look at two.
1. Hezekiah. Sometimes a lovely flower will
unexpectedly bloom in a rubbish pile or the
city dump. Sometimes an unusual individual
will spring from the most unpromising back-
ground. Such a person was Hezekiah. His
father was a cruel, superstitious weakling
named Ahaz, who burned alive one of his own
children as an offering to the god Moloch.
How Hezekiah grew up amid such degrading
surroundings to be the great man he was is
one of the marvels of history.
Hezekiah’s entire life was a series of cri-
ses. Crisis number one was a religious crisis.
His father, Ahaz, was a turncoat from the real
faith. Ahaz had encouraged people to follow
the crude, corrupting attractions of paganism,
52
and Hezekiah set out to reverse the trend. It
was not easy. He was opposed by perverse
politicians and corrupt priests who wanted to
leave things as they were.
In a bold crusade, Hezekiah swept out
the degrading cults, reorganized worship
services, and repaired the Temple. A mov-
ing service formally started Temple worship
again, which had lapsed under Ahaz. The
Passover was observed for the first time in
years. It was this return to the Word of God
and obedience that brought great revival un-
der Hezekiah’s reign.
2. Josiah. Even more remarkable than
Hezekiah was the young man Josiah. Josiah
was the last king of Judah who endeavored to
be spiritual.
There were two great influences in Josi-
ah’s life. One was his mother. Josiah’s mother
is one of those near-anonymous persons
who was really “somebody.” Her name was
Jedidah (appropriately, “God’s darling” in
Hebrew).
The other great influence in Josiah’s life
was the Word of God. The rediscovery of the
Law (the Book of Deuteronomy) had a pow-
erful effect on this young man. He was so
deeply af­fected when he heard Deuteronomy
read he ripped his robes. Through the Word,
God convicted Josiah, showing him not only
the man he was but the man he was meant to
be. Most of the rest of his life was a response
to the God who expressed Himself through
that Book; Josiah knew he must obey. And his
obedience brought not only personal revival
but national revival.
IV. BLESSINGS FROM THE WORD
A. Receiving Joy and Gladness
After the reading of the Law was accom-
plished and the people were weeping, Ezra
and Nehemiah had some beautiful words of
comfort. (See Nehemiah 8:10.)
There are many things about this joy we
need to notice:
• This joy had a firm foundation. It was
based squarely on the rediscovered Word of
God which, when explained, revealed God’s
great love for His people and His plans for
their welfare.
• This joy was intelligent. The people were
made to understand the revealed will of God
with its profusion of gracious benefits to all
who would obey.
• This joy was important. It glorified God.
• This joy was conditional. It could only
come when the people met certain condi-
tions, which they did most readily. They wept
in repentance over their sins, which the Law
revealed (Nehemiah 8:9). Then they obeyed
its precepts (Nehemiah 8:10) coupled with
faith in its contents. Then, and only then, did
joy come.
The Bible, when studied, will produce the
same kind of joy and gladness in our day.
B. Sharing the Word with Others
Another great blessing that comes from
studying the Bible is the privilege of sharing
the Word with others.
The Dead Sea illustrates what happens
when a person does not allow the Word to
flow from his heart to others. The sea is dead
because it only takes in and never gives out;
water flows into it but does not flow out of it.
By the same token, if we only receive the Word
and never give it out, we will die. There is great
joy in sharing with other people that which
God has given us. If we have the faith, we must
pass it on. It is the will of God.
REFLECTIONS
• What does the word Bible mean?
• What is so different about the Bible?
• What is the greatest benefit derived from reading the Bible? Discuss.
• What two things do we need in order to understand the Bible? How may they be obtained?
• What are two blessings that come from studying the Bible? Discuss.
53
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
The Bible is the Book, the Book of books—
the Book that we must not ignore. The Bible
reveals things we could not discover else-
where. It tells us how to be saved, how to
know God personally. Indeed, its main theme
is salvation, the story of what God has done
and is doing for us through Jesus Christ.
Only the Bible tells what God is like and
how we can know Him. It alone illuminates
our ignorance, exposes our selfishness, and
unmasks our bitterness. Only the Bible tells us
how to set things straight. It is a manual for a
relationship with God.
Why listen to the Bible? Because God
speaks through the Bible as He speaks no-
where else. And when God speaks, we are to
listen. His Word, though written long ago, is
right on target. It speaks with startling clarity
to our deepest needs.
When God speaks, astounding things hap-
pen; everything from creation to conversion
takes place. The power of God’s Word unveils
our fears and misconceptions, exposing us to
the healing rays of God’s love. 
 GROWING WEEK 8
07.26.15
IN THE CHURCH
FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
II Peter 3:18 THOUGHT
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and
for ever. Amen. Christian growth
LESSON TEXT is fostered by
I Peter 2:1–5
wholehearted
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and participation in
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the activities designed
word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. to promote the
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
kingdom of God.
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

II Peter 1:4–8
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

54
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
It’s a Travesty
P
arents with developmentally disabled
children are amazing guardians. Most
embrace the reality of their situation and
deal with it lovingly and compassionately. A
developmentally disabled child will not de-
velop normally and will require special care.
Many parents say that even though it is diffi-
cult, the experience is rewarding. They would
prefer for their children to have perfect health
and be normal in every way; nevertheless,
they learn and grow through the experience.
A child who is healthy but deliberately be-
haves immaturely and refuses to learn can
be an even more difficult challenge. Not only
do parents suffer the turmoil and heartbreak
it brings, but they see their child’s life being
wasted. The child’s dependence and trouble-
some behavior are disappointments difficult
to deal with.
OUTLINE
I. PREREQUISITES FOR GROWTH
A. Sincere Desire
B. Self-Denial
C. Forsaking All
D. Steadfastness
E. Walking in the Spirit
II. MANIFESTATIONS OF GROWTH
III. BLESSINGS OF GROWTH
A. Guidance
B. Honor
C. Spiritual Light
D. Eternal Reward
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Certain plot lines are recycled in popular
literature. One of those plots involves an im-
poverished individual or family who inherits or
otherwise acquires great wealth. Inexplicably
the newly rich individual or family continues
to live as paupers. Although great wealth is
55
by Gary D. Erickson
Jesus compared conversion to being
born again. If the analogy is carried further,
that means when we are saved we are spiri-
tual babies needing lots of care (I Peter 2:2).
Normally as time progresses we grow and
develop in spiritual knowledge and Christian
behavior. Paul told the church at Corinth they
were spiritual babes and unable to receive
strong meat (I Corinthians 3:1–3).
When Christians do not grow, it is a traves-
ty! A pastor should not be changing diapers
and spoon-feeding older saints. Seasoned
saints behaving immaturely must be a dis-
appointment to God. Infancy is temporary.
Paul said, “That we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine . . . but speaking
the truth in love, may grow up into him in all
things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephe-
sians 4:14–15). (See also II Peter 3:18.)
available, they somehow cannot grasp what
it means.
Unfortunately, some Christians live with
a similar mindset. Although they become
wealthy through the riches of God’s grace,
they continue to live as they did before they
became Christians.
Peter had people like this in mind when he
wrote, “But grow in grace, and in the knowl-
edge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”
(II Peter 3:18).
A growing Christian moves beyond the
initial conversion experience through a pro-
cess of advancement into spiritual maturity. A
person who makes progress must move on
from the point of initial commitment. He will
be committed to a life of consistent growth.
Such a person is not content just to be in the
church. He will purpose to maintain a con-
stant improvement program—growing in the
church.
Growth involves adjustment. It means
change. To grow in the church, we must grow
in Christ. His grace was bestowed upon us
when we committed our lives to Him. It was
because of His grace that we could obtain
forgiveness and receive His Spirit. Because of
that experience we are initiated into a life that
can only be lived by active dependence upon
Him. The grace in us comes from the grace
in Him. We make spiritual progress by con-
tinuing to rely on Him to help us do what we
cannot do by our strength alone. We grow as
Christians as our knowledge of Jesus Christ
increases.
One girl who became a Christian while
studying at a religious college said, “I started
out studying the life of Jesus Christ to find out
who He was and ended up finding out who I
really am and what I can be.”
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. PREREQUISITES FOR GROWTH
Christian growth is not automatic. We do
not develop spiritual character by chance. It
comes about by intentional effort. We must
wholeheartedly give ourselves to activities
that promote God’s will in our lives.
Let us consider five prerequisites for
growth. A prerequisite means something that
is required beforehand. It is used to refer to
a necessary condition for something that fol-
lows. A student cannot take trigonometry if he
has not completed certain preliminary math
courses. Arithmetic is a prerequisite to alge-
bra. Algebra is a prerequisite to geometry.
Geometry is a prerequisite to trigonometry.
Certain things must be learned in a set order.
In the same way, we cannot expect to enjoy
the adventure of spiritual growth without pass-
ing through the necessary process that will
advance it.
A. Sincere Desire
Basic to our personal growth is the intensity
of our desire. If we want to advance, we can.
But to do so, we must have spiritual growth as
a purpose that captures our imaginations and
consumes our energies.
Peter used the metaphor of a baby craving
milk to describe the all-consuming desire nec-
essary to grow spiritually.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow there-
by” (I Peter 2:2).
56
When we bring a baby home from the hos-
pital, it does not care what color the walls are
in its room. There is no concern on the part of
the baby as to the furnishings in the home. It is
oblivious to its surroundings. The newborn’s
single yearning is for milk. Giving the baby the
necessary nourishment and providing for its
other basic needs are the responsibilities of
the parents.
Desire comes from the Greek word epipo-
thein. It has the same meaning as the word
used for the deer longing for the water brooks
(Psalm 42:1) and the psalmist longing for the
salvation of the Lord (Psalm 119:174). When a
Christian has his whole heart set on growing,
nothing he does is labor. It is a delight and
causes excitement.
B. Self-Denial
A second prerequisite for growth in Christ
is self-denial.
“If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Psychologists agree that humans are ego-
centric by nature. They are self-centered and
self-pleasing in disposition.
We cannot grow as Christians until we learn
to deny ourselves. This does not mean simply
choosing between what is good and what is
bad but also between what is good and what
is better. We must deny ourselves of what is
better in order to do what is best.
When we deny ourselves, we discipline our
desires. We exercise self-control to live by
principle rather than by appetite. To deny our-
selves is to deny that part of us that is naturally
selfish. It is to refuse to listen to the voice of
our carnal senses and choose to do what is
right and best.
One man who battled his excessive weight
told a friend, “There is a thin man inside of
me crying to get out.” Self-denial will cause a
man to ignore his voracious appetite and eat
only what is conducive to good health. This is
the kind of attitude that is essential to spiritual
growth.
C. Forsaking All
The third prerequisite for growth is what Je-
sus called “forsaking all.”
 “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh
not all that he hath, he cannot be my dis-
ciple” (Luke 14:33).
The advertising industry has cre-
ated the impression that luxuries
are necessities and wants are needs.
Sales personnel appeal to our desire
for more things, as Arthur Gish sati-
rized in Beyond the Rat Race:
How many times must a guy spray with
Ban
Before he doesn’t offend?
And how many times must he gargle
each day
Before he can talk to a friend?
How many tubes of shampoo must he
buy
Before his dandruff will end?
Ah, the sponsors, my friend, will sell you
all they can.
The sponsors will sell you all they can.
Christ taught that a person who followed
Him had to renounce all claims to posses-
sions. Instead of stressing the importance
of accumulating more for our enjoyment, He
em­phasized transferring ownership of all we
possess to Him.
Christ did not intend for us to take the pau-
per’s oath. What He meant was that we must
be willing to part with any of our belongings if
He directed us to do so. A good question to
ask would be, “Is there anything I own that I
could not give away?” If there is, we do not
possess it. It possesses us.
We can never reach the potential of full
Christian living until we become unattached
from things. We must experience complete
surrender to do whatever God wants us to
do, give up whatever He wants us to give up,
and do without whatever He asks us to live
without.
D. Steadfastness
Fourth on the list of prerequisites for spiritu-
al growth is steadfastness. Christ spoke of this
to the Jews who believed on Him.
“If ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
57
The Amplified Bible translates the phrase
“continue in my word” as “hold fast to My
teachings.” To continue conveys the idea of
staying with what has been started. It means
once we take hold of truth, we refuse to let go.
The Christian life is not a one-hundred-
yard dash; it is a long-distance marathon. To
complete the course we must develop an un-
willingness to throw in the towel.
To evaluate our steadfastness we can ask
ourselves, “What does it take to stop me?” We
are no bigger than the obstacles that cause
us to give up. When we make up our minds to
persist until we succeed, we will carry through
on our promises long after the mood in which
they were made has been forgotten.
Christ saw the Cross as His destiny. There-
fore, when the time came for Him to go to
Jerusalem, He refused to stop short, even
though He knew the authorities were watching
for a chance to seize Him.
“And it came to pass, when the time
was come that he should be received up,
he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusa-
lem” (Luke 9:51).
It is this type of steadfastness that is a pre-
requisite to growth.
E. Walking in the Spirit
The fifth prerequisite to Christian growth is
walking in the Spirit. Paul said, “Walk in the
Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Nothing is easier to tell than whether or not
a person is walking. A look is enough to see
whether one is moving or standing still. The
Christian cannot remain static any more than
a boy riding a bicycle can stay up without
pedaling. There must be forward motion. If we
stop, we will fall.
Paul’s description of our life in Christ as a
walk reminds us that our spiritual experience
is not isolated to our time in church services.
Successful living is not usually rooted in mam-
moth steps or mountaintop experiences but
the day-to-day living of life, one practical step
after another.
As in ordinary walking, some steps may
be greater than others; some may be harder
than others. Some may lead to higher ground,
but the spiritual life is a walk. It calls for a
will­ingness to progress daily. We cannot grow
by only lifting a hand in a meeting, throwing a
log on the consecration fire, or kneeling at an
altar. No single decision finalizes growth. We
learn to walk by walking.
This walk in the Spirit means living in con-
scious, consistent dependence upon the
Spirit within for the strength to please God. To
grow, we must go to God for the ability to live
the Christian life. He demands so much that
only He can supply the capabilities for what
He demands.
II. MANIFESTATIONS OF GROWTH
We know growth is taking place when Christ
becomes visible in our lives. Our personalities
will bear the mark of God’s attributes.
Peter indicated this growth in character
called for an all-out effort. We are to be “giving
all diligence” to improve. In this phrase, Pe-
ter combined two words, one implying great
cost and the other meaning great effort. He
stressed that no price was too high and no
labor too hard for us to grow as Christians.
“And beside this, giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge; and to knowledge temper-
ance; and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness; and to godliness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kind-
ness charity” (II Peter 1:5–7).
Peter admonished us to grow in faith, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
brotherly kindness, and charity.
1. Faith. Like a building erected one story
on top of the other, the edifice of our lives
must have a solid foundation. That foundation
is our faith. All that we are and do is founded
upon that faith; we must begin there.
We should have an absolute personal re-
liance on Jesus Christ for the saving of our
souls and the solving of our problems. With-
out faith, we cannot please God. Without
faith, we cannot live up to our full potential as
Christians.
As we begin to believe God, we make our
decisions in light of His promises and expect
His goodness. We become sure God is going
to do what He said He would do.
2. Virtue. Just as a choir director might
start a song and then call on the rest of the
58
members to sing their parts, Peter indicated
that a whole host of qualities should join in
with our faith as we grow in Christ.
To faith we must add “virtue,” or what we
could call “excellence.” The Greek word is
arete. It was used in Greek literature to de-
scribe the mighty deeds of the gods, and the
Greeks viewed arete as the virtue that made
a person a good citizen and friend. It was the
kind of virtue that made him an expert in the
art of living well.
As our faith grows, we face the problems
of life with courage—bold as a lion. We
approach the Christian life with the determina-
tion of a boxer who refuses to dance around
the ring, but who stands up to his opponent
and slugs it out.
3. Knowledge. Once we learn to execute
our faith with courage, every attempt should
be made to gain new information. Ignorance
is an enemy of growth. What we do not know
can hurt us. Realizing this, Peter instructed us
to add knowledge to courage.
There are several Greek words for knowl-
edge. The one Peter used here means “the
practical wisdom to handle life.”
Whatever our educational attainment is, we
ought to have a desire to continue learning.
We should have a teachable spirit, being open
to new ideas that will make us more proficient.
We should be eager to acquire fresh insights
and apply them to our living. Such knowledge
will help us not only to understand God’s
Word better, but also to discern His will more
clearly. Developing knowledge will cause us
to make wise decisions that will point the way
to further spiritual progress.
4. Temperance. As we exercise the knowl-
edge God gives us, we develop temperance,
or self-control. We discipline our passions,
desires, and ambitions. We are able to get a
better grip on ourselves and direct our lives.
One article a number of years
ago suggested that a large per-
cent of an individual’s worries involve
money. Further, many divorces involve
differences over finances. Sadly, is-
sues involving money continue to be
a major source of concern and conflict
both for individuals and for marriages
today.
 God intends for us to control our spending.
As we make the effort, the Holy Spirit will en-
able us to succeed.
5. Patience. We are to add patience to
self-control. Our English word patience does
not do justice to the Greek word in this Scrip-
ture verse, which might better be translated
“steadfastness.” It is the strength to endure
everything that happens to us and transmit
it into another step up the ladder of spiritual
growth. It is a positive attitude of hope in the
midst of perseverance.
6. Godliness. The next ingredient in a
growing Christian is godliness. It means “god-
like-ness.” The purpose of spiritual growth is
“to be conformed to the image of his Son”
(Romans 8:29).
God’s aim is that we reflect Him in our
personality as clearly as still water in a lake re-
flects the shining moon. As we become more
and more like Christ, we do not become less
like ourselves. Rather, we become what we
were meant to be.
7. Brotherly kindness. The next trait a grow-
ing Christian should develop is that of brotherly
kindness. The Greek word is philia, which
means “brotherly love.” The church should be
a network of caring relationships. We should
be loyal, helping friends to one another.
Real evangelism will never happen in a
community unless the congregation is truly in
fellowship. We cannot reach the world if we do
not love each other. There must be a commit-
ment and involvement that reaches beyond
shaking each other’s hand on Sunday morn-
ings. Non-Christians must see love in action in
our personal relationships.
The essence of a circle is in its roundness,
not its bigness. The essence of a church is in
its love for each other, not its size. It does no
good to invite a sinner to a meeting to hear a
sermon about God’s love if he cannot see our
love for each other.
8. Charity. As we add each quality in turn,
the whole should culminate in Christian love.
Perhaps Peter’s understanding of spiritual
growth was informed by Stoic philosophy. The
Stoics insisted that in life there should be what
they called prokope. The word can be used
for the advance of an army toward its objec-
tive. They used it to mean moral progress.
We should not be satisfied until we love oth-
ers with the kind of love God has for us. We are
59
to love others with a universal, unconditional,
undeserved love. Our love should compel us
to act in others’ best interests. Further, from a
context of love we should reach out to the lost
and seek to win them to the Lord.
III. BLESSINGS OF GROWTH
A. Guidance
As we grow, our lives are blessed with
God’s guidance. Jesus said we would be like
sheep that knew their shepherd’s special call
and answered it.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
In the Middle East a sheep might be with his
shepherd for years, and often the shepherd
would give his sheep descriptive names such
as “Brown Ear” or “Black Leg.”
It also is true that sheep know and under-
stand their shepherd’s voice. The eastern
shepherd talks to his sheep in a sing-song
voice, using an unusual language with ani-
mal sounds arranged in a kind of order. At the
sound of the shepherd’s call, the flock lift their
heads and trot in his direction.
When we live in Christ, we become sensitive
to His Spirit within us. A gentle inner nudge is
enough to convict us of sin or direct us to wit-
ness. If it is our own desire, it will wane with
time. But if it really is God’s voice, assurance
grows in us as time passes, letting us know it
really is God telling us what to do.
B. Honor
A second blessing of growth is honor. Je-
sus said, “If any man serve me, him will my
Father honour” (John 12:26).
A parent gives the child his first impression
of what God is. That impression may be dis-
torted, but the child instinctively responds with
love and adoration to those who care for him.
The child’s actions are ordered to gain paren-
tal approval. He is honored when they express
their pleasure for him.
As God’s child, we can expect Him to honor
us. We can have an inner assurance that not
only does He love us but He is pleased with
us. This crowns our life with dignity. We may
not receive recognition from the media while
we are participating in activities that involve
God’s kingdom, but we can be sure the Lord
will not overlook us. He sees our efforts. They
will not go unnoticed. He will recognize our
contributions to His cause.
C. Spiritual Light
A third blessing of growth is mentioned in
John 8.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Those who follow Christ have a Guide who
will lead them safely through this life and into
a glorious eternity. Jesus is the light that gives
life. Just as a flower will never blossom if it is
kept from sunlight, our lives will never have
the beauty they should have until they are il-
luminated with the light of Christ’s presence.
D. Eternal Reward
The ultimate blessing of spiritual growth
comes not in this life, but in the next. Paul
spoke in terms of eternity.
“For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).
REFLECTIONS
• What is the danger in being a Christian contented with his spiritual level of development?
Discuss.
• Name some benefits of a growing Christian.
• Discuss the importance of desire and discipline to personal growth.
• How will our growth in grace be manifested in our daily lives? Discuss.
• What criteria can we use to determine if we are making progress as a Christian?
60
At the judgment seat of Christ, each Chris-
tian will give account to God for how he used
the talents and opportunities God gave him
for spiritual growth. If we have reached God’s
spiritual objective for us, we can be sure
we will stand before God with the joy of an
overcomer.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
God has given all Christians the necessary
resources to grow in their faith. He does not
intend for any of us to be satisfied with our
experience.
In order to grow, however, one must be a bit
of an explorer. We must be willing to launch out
into new areas of discovery. Like Christopher
Columbus standing on board ship shouting,
“Adelante!” we must order ourselves onward.
We must chart a course into new waters. We
must sail forward toward our spiritual horizon.
Our growth will not take us away from the
church. It will take place in the context of a
redeeming fellowship where we realize we
belong to each other, need one another, and
affect others. We cannot grow in isolation.
God uses the lives of others to deepen our
own. As we grow closer to God, we will grow
closer to each other. Together we will work in
harmony to accomplish God’s purpose. We
will be a growing people, producing a grow-
ing church. 
 WEEK 9
UNITED IN CHRIST 08.02.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Ephesians 4:3 THOUGHT
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace.
Jesus Christ prayed
LESSON TEXT
for the unity of His
I Corinthians 1:10–12; 25–27
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our
sheep. Unity of
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and purpose was the
that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be per-
fectly joined together in the same mind and in the same strength of the early
judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my breth- church. Every true
ren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there
are contentions among you.
Christian should be
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of striving to keep the
Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
.....
unity of the Spirit.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger
than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath
chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

Ephesians 4:1–6, 13
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation where-
with ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
.....

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Philippians 1:27
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and
see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one
mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

61
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
The Power of Unity
T
here is great power in unity. Many stu-
dents of Scripture have observed that
God halted the building project at Babel
because of the power of unity.
“And they said, Go to, let us build us
a city and a tower, whose top may reach
unto heaven. . . . And the Lord said, Be-
hold, the people is one, and they have all
one language; and this they begin to do:
and now nothing will be restrained from
them, which they have imagined to do”
(Genesis 11:4, 6).
God introduced multiple languages at Ba-
bel, which brought confusion and disunity, to
interrupt their building program that was trans-
gressing His will and purpose for humankind.
Tom Brown observed, “There is a law called
synergism. This law states that when the joint
action of agents are brought together they
increase each other’s effectiveness. This law
was first introduced to me when I heard the
OUTLINE
I. THE UNITY OF THE BODY
A. Unity within the Individual
B. Unity in the Home
C. Unity in the Church
D. Unity in Organization
II. THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT
A. Prerequisites for Unity of the Spirit
B. Benefits Derived
III. THE UNITY OF THE FAITH
A. Admonition for the Last Days
B. The Challenge
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Unity in itself is not necessarily a virtue.
There was unity of purpose displayed in the at-
tempt to build the tower of Babel, “whose top
may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a
name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the
face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4). The
62
by Richard M. Davis
story of one [of] the top bridge builders in the
country. He built one of the biggest and stron-
gest bridges in the world and exclaimed that
nothing could bring down this bridge. This
bridge could withstand the weight of almost
innumerable cars. The only thing that the
designer said could destroy the bridge is if a
few hundred men walked across it marching
in unison. So he gave the warning that if any
group marched across the bridge, whether it
be soldiers marching or a band playing, that
the marchers would have to stagger their
steps, or else the bridge would collapse. This
teaches us an important lesson in unity” (“The
Power of Unity,” www.tbm.org, accessed Feb-
ruary 12, 2014).
Believers need to learn the intrinsic value
and power in unity. When the body of Christ
is truly unified, nothing can halt the power of
the church performing God’s will and purpose
on earth.
motivation for this unity was pride and self-
aggrandizement. The builders of the tower of
Babel desired to make a name for themselves.
They had not included God in their plans.
Their arrogant pursuit of power and fame
brought the judgment of God upon them, and
God disrupted their plans.
Forms of ecumenism represent another
kind of unity with which God is not pleased.
Most of its proponents work tirelessly to bring
Christians from all denominations together.
Although it may appear admirable, the basis
of the union and the ultimate results compro-
mise the true doctrines of Scripture. Many
do not view the Bible as the inspired Word of
God. Further, they typically deny major biblical
truths such as the oneness of the Godhead,
the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, the substitu-
tionary nature of Christ’s death, and the reality
of the physical resurrection, to name a few.
Still, Jesus Christ does desire unity within
the church—His body on earth.
 “That they all may be one; as thou, Fa-
ther, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may be-
lieve that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21).
The kind of unity for which Jesus prayed
and which the Bible teaches has as its goal
the uniting of all believers within the body of
Christ—not necessarily into one organization,
but into a unity of faith in Christ and His Word.
The necessity of this kind of unity is made
clear by the words of Jesus: “Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation;
and every city or house divided against itself
shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE UNITY OF THE BODY
It would be absurd in the physiological
sense to expect the human body to function at
all if the various members of the body were to
perform independently of each other. Impuls-
es are sent from the brain through the central
nervous system causing the hand to reach,
the feet to walk, and the mouth to speak. All
members of the body work together in har-
mony and unity of purpose to accomplish a
specific task.
In a spiritual sense, Jesus Christ is the
head of His body, the church. (See Ephesians
1:22–23.) Many members constitute the body
of Christ. Each member is necessary and we
should not consider any member nonessen-
tial. (See I Corinthians 12:14–27.)
A. Unity within the Individual
The body of Christ is comprised of indi-
viduals. The individual Christian who has the
peace and love of God in his heart will en-
deavor to promote the work of God and strive
to be a peacemaker. Where there is no peace,
there can be no unity, either in the life and
purpose of the individual or in the body of
Christ. It is much easier to destroy unity than
it is to preserve and promote it. Jesus placed
His blessings on individual peacemakers
when He said, “Blessed are the peacemak-
ers: for they shall be called the children of
God” (Matthew 5:9).
Unity of purpose is evident in the life of the
Christian who can truthfully repeat the testi-
mony of Christ: “My meat is to do the will of
63
him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John
4:34). The individual who has this kind of goal
for his life will desire to see the same objective
accomplished in the whole body.
In contrast to this singleness of heart is the
person who wavers. James compares this in-
dividual to “a wave of the sea driven with the
wind and tossed” (James 1:6). This kind of
person should not expect to receive anything
from the Lord. “A double minded man is un-
stable in all his ways” (James 1:8). A Christian
who is divided in his loyalties and ambitions
and unstable in all his ways can do nothing to
bring stability and unity to the body of Christ.
Paul stressed this unity within the individu-
al, which is actually peace with oneself, in the
prayer he prayed for the Thessalonians.
“And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly; and I pray God your whole
spirit and soul and body be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23).
B. Unity
The church, and ultimately the body, can be
no stronger than the family units of which it is
comprised. Satan and all the forces of evil are
allied in a deliberate attempt to destroy unity
and harmony in the family. Significant issues
involving the family unit have been discussed
and studied for years by the intellectual com-
munity including sociologists, historians,
theologians, psychologists, and even poli-
ticians. Today, approximately one-half of all
marriages in the United States end in divorce
(CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System,
2010). Rates are possibly similar for all of
North America, but the statistics only account
for the total number of marriages and divorc-
es; they do not consider multiple marriages/
divorces by individuals.
Further complicating marriage and the
home today are the current trends toward
same-sex “marriage” and the rising numbers
of couples living together without the benefit
of marriage. Needless to say, there are multi-
ple crises affecting the family unit today.
God’s plan is for one husband and one
wife to remain together in unity, raising and
instructing their children to fear God and
keep His commandments. (See Genesis
2:24; Deuteronomy 6:4–7.) Many parents fail
to realize the tremendous influence their lives
and instructions have on their children. Firm
discipline in the home, administered in love,
with father and mother standing together as
one will do much toward establishing unity in
the home. The Word of God teaches that chil-
dren are to honor and obey their parents. (See
Ephesians 6:1–3.)
Parents should conduct their lives in such
a way that their children will have confidence
in them. This requires mothers and fathers to
live a consistent godly life; children learn best
by example. Parents should be able to say to
their children, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
Parents who do not have time to spend with
their family, frequently miss church, or criticize
the pastor and other members in the church,
need not expect their children to be enthusias-
tic supporters of the faith or the church.
Today, more than ever, young people need
firm guidance, love, and understanding; par-
ents must provide this in the home. Children
feel most secure when they see mother and
father showing love and respect for each oth-
er. Paul gave the guidelines for this kind of
relationship in Ephesians 5:21–25.
A peaceful home in this world of chaos,
frustration, and confusion is like an oasis in
the desert. This kind of home will not be di-
vided; it will be unified. The atmosphere in
this home will be governed by the principle
expressed in Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath
forgiven you.” Christian homes in which unity
has been established will be instrumental in
producing strong churches.
C. Unity in the Church
Unity of purpose was the strength of the
early church. The 120 disciples who first
received the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pente-
cost were the original members of the church.
What kind of individuals were they? They were
subject to all the human emotions of sorrow,
gladness, cowardice, bravery, regret, hope-
lessness, loneliness, disappointment, loyalty,
humility, and consecration.
James and John, the “sons of thunder,”
were there. Their quarrel over who would be
greater in the kingdom of God was not an is-
sue. Peter was there—the disciple who was
ready to use carnal weapons in defense of
64
his Lord. Thomas, no longer a doubter, was
in that church. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was
among the 120.
The early church, like churches today, was
made up of individuals from many walks of
life and with very different per­sonalities. The
secret of success in the early church was the
ability of individual members to forget their
petty differences and selfish motives and
work together with one accord. They were
“daily with one accord in the temple, and . . .
did eat their meat with gladness and single-
ness of heart” (Acts 2:46).
Following the healing of the lame man at the
Gate Beautiful, the Jewish authorities threat-
ened Peter and John and commanded them
to refrain from speaking or teaching in the
name of Jesus. After reporting these things
to their brethren, “They lifted up their voice to
God with one accord” (Acts 4:24). The Lord
heard their united prayer and manifested His
power by shaking the place in which they were
assembled; they received power to speak the
Word of God with boldness. (See Acts 4:24–
31.) United prayer, united hearts knit together
by love, and singleness of purpose still move
the heart and hand of God.
D. Unity in Organization
One local assembly in which members
work together in harmony can accomplish
great things for the Lord. Many assemblies
working together in harmony can accomplish
even greater things. With a total united effort,
it becomes possible to extend the arm of the
church to minister to the needs of the whole
world. How many missionaries would be in
foreign nations today without organization
and cooperative planning? How many new
church plants across North America would be
established without the finances and prayers
of many churches working together?
Paul implored the Corinthians to work to-
gether with the “same mind” and the “same
judgment.” He plainly told them there should
be no divisions among them, and they should
all speak the same thing. (See I Corinthians
1:10.) To expect all believers to speak in com-
plete unity may seem idealistic, but it does
reflect God’s will for the church. Further, it is
not so remote from reality when all believers
are walking according to the Spirit and all
have the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in
you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philip-
pians 2:5).
It would be naive to think that questions
of a contentious nature would not arise in
an organization comprised of many church
assemblies comprised of many individuals.
This was true even in the early church. Cer-
tain men taught it was impossible to be saved
without submitting to the ordinance of circum-
cision and keeping the law of Moses. Paul and
Barnabas could not concur with this teaching.
They and certain others were delegated to go
to Jerusalem to bring this controversial matter
before the apostles and elders.
A meeting was called and Peter was the
first to speak. After Peter had spoken, Paul
and Barnabas were permitted to present
their views. James made the concluding re-
marks and proposed a solution. The deciding
voice was heard and a decision was reached.
Well-respected men, Judas Barsabas and
Silas, were chosen to accompany Paul and
Barnabas back to Antioch. A letter was drafted
containing these words for the consolation of
the confused believers in Antioch.
“It seemed good unto us, being assem-
bled with one accord, to send chosen
men unto you with our beloved Barna-
bas and Paul, men that have hazarded
their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and
Silas, who shall also tell you the same
things by mouth” (Acts 15:25–27).
1. The problem was solved while the apos-
tles and elders were assembled in one accord.
2. Men who had hazarded their lives for the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ were involved
in the solution.
3. The men who were to communicate the
findings of the assembly were to speak “the
same things.”
4. The apostles also had solicited the help
of the Holy Ghost (Acts 15:28).
5. The council at Jerusalem went on to
provide the necessary guidelines for solving
difficult problems and preserving unity in the
body of Christ.
II. THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT
In Ephesians 4:3, Paul made reference to
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
65
The unity of the Spirit involves believers seek-
ing to demonstrate unity in their sentiments,
desires, and affections, springing from the
Spirit of God within them.
By the bond of peace we are to understand
a peace or union through which the interests
of all parties are concentrated, cemented, and
sealed; the Spirit of God is the seal upon this
bond. (See Clarke’s Commentary, volume VI.)
The unity of the Spirit can be maintained
only as Spirit-filled believers worship God “in
spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
A. Prerequisites for Unity of the Spirit
Ephesians 4:1–6 and Philippians 1:27 men-
tion some of the necessary character traits
that should be evident in the life of the Chris-
tian who is endeavoring to keep the unity of
the Spirit.
1. Lowliness and meekness. Lowliness re-
fers to humility and the absence of high and
lofty thoughts pertaining to oneself. Jesus
said, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew
11:29). Paul admonished Christians to refrain
from doing anything through strife or vain glo-
ry. He desired that in “lowliness of mind” they
would esteem others better than themselves.
He further warned them to show interest not
only in their own affairs but also in the affairs
of others. (See Philippians 2:3–4.)
Meekness makes Christians unwilling to
provoke others and prevents Christians from
being easily provoked or offended by the ac-
tions of others. One who is meek does not
harbor feelings of resentment. Jesus said,
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit
the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Unity is quickly de-
stroyed when one individual is easily offended
or tries to pro­mote himself at the expense of
others. Meekness and lowliness are good an-
tidotes for this tendency.
2. Longsuffering and loving forbearance
(patience). Longsuffering implies the ability
and willingness to patiently endure trouble,
pain, or injury. The Lord “is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should per-
ish, but that all should come to repentance”
(II Peter 3:9). His longsuffering for us causes
Him to lovingly deal with us and endeavor to
draw us toward Him in relationship. Long-
suffering also is that quality of character that
prevents one from allowing trials and tribula-
tions to exhaust his patience.
 Loving forbearance causes the Christian to
refrain from passing judgment too quickly. In
some instances the judgment may be based
upon half-truths. One should never label his
fellow believer “guilty” until he knows all the
facts. Loving forbearance also means Chris-
tians should help others bear the difficulties of
life. The necessity of “bearing with each other
in all our faults and weaknesses” is another
idea conveyed by the Word. When we realize
how much the Lord and others have done for
us, it should not be so difficult to be patient
with others. This is all made possible by the
love of God being “shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost” (Romans 5:5).
Loving one another is one manifestation of
discipleship.
“By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to anoth-
er” (John 13:35).
Brotherly love is something we must strive
to keep. It is within our power to destroy or
preserve brotherly love. “Let brotherly love
continue” (Hebrews 13:1). The word let indi-
cates it is possible to “not let” love continue. If
unity of the Spirit is to be maintained, we must
continue to manifest God’s love in our hearts.
3. Christian lifestyle. Paul encouraged the
Philippians to let their conversation, or manner
of life, be such as is appropriate to the gospel
of Christ. When Timothy read, “But thou hast
fully known my doctrine, manner of life, pur-
pose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience”
(II Timothy 3:10), he knew Paul’s manner of
life was all he professed it to be. Paul wrote
with confidence concerning his lifestyle. It was
a life of consecration, dedication, honesty,
service to God, and service to others.
B. Benefits Derived
If we strive to exemplify the attributes of our
Lord, there will be nothing in our lives to fos-
ter disharmony. The goal Paul hoped to see
reached in the lives of the Philippian Christians
will be fulfilled also in us: “That ye stand fast
in one spirit, with one mind striving together
for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).
III. THE UNITY OF THE FAITH
Jude exhorted Christians everywhere to
“earnestly contend for the faith which was
66
once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). One
definition of faith is “a firm persuasion, a con-
viction based upon hearing, producing a full
acknowledgment of God’s revelation or truth”
(An Expository Dictionary, W. E. Vine).
The Christian often is confronted with many
beliefs that conflict with the Scriptures. Al-
though many “faiths” or systems of beliefs
are evident in our world today, there is only
one faith, the faith “once delivered unto the
saints.” It is the truths of Scripture, which we
have received. We must firmly resist the doc-
trines of individuals that conflict with Scripture
and establish ourselves in the eternal truths of
God’s Word.
A. Admonition for the Last Days
Jesus gave a clear warning of the danger
that many individuals would grow weak in the
faith prior to His coming. He asked, “When the
Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the
earth?” (Luke 18:8). The faith referred to here
is the sum total of all revealed truth; it does
not just apply to personal faith. He referred to
a day when many would have “itching ears,”
desiring to hear “watered down” messages
that would require little or no commitment on
their part. Such is our day. It is a time when
many will not endure sound doctrine.
“For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to them-
selves teachers, having itching ears”
(II Timothy 4:3).
Even though we may observe some indi-
viduals who seem to fit the description of this
verse of Scripture, still there are many hungry
hearts who desire truth. Many hunger for the
gospel of one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
and the pursuit of holiness.
Many warnings in Scripture alert Christians
to the dangers of departing from the faith.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils” (I Timothy 4:1).
There is a grave danger that those who do
not have a love for the truth will be suscep-
tible to false doctrines. False doctrines are
promoted by teachers who are well trained
in the art of deception. Much of the success
of these false teachers may be attributed to
their zeal and boldness. “But evil men and se-
ducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13).
B. The Challenge
Great is the challenge for God-called minis-
ters and God-fearing Christians to search the
Scriptures daily, pray without ceasing, and de-
clare the true faith. We must speak “the things
which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).
When approached regarding the plan of
salvation, some individuals ask, “How can I
be sure which religion is right?” Clearly, the
answer to this question is that Jesus is the
way; He is the true example to follow. He died
for our sins, was buried, and rose again. This
is the gospel of the death, burial, and resur-
rection that is fulfilled in the life of the believer
through repentance, water baptism in Jesus’
name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
The Bible then teaches the absolute ne-
cessity for believers to deny ungodliness
and worldly lusts and “live soberly, righteous-
ly, and godly, in this present world” (Titus
2:12). This is the kind of teaching true faith
encompasses.
The best way to combat error is to pro-
claim truth; the challenge is great, but the
reward will be greater. As the truth of God’s
REFLECTIONS
• Discuss some examples of the kind of unity that is undesirable.
• What kind of unity does the Bible teach? Discuss.
• Discuss what is meant by “unity within the individual.”
• Discuss some Christian characteristics that help to nurture and maintain unity.
• What is the difference between meekness and lowliness? Discuss.
• What guidelines were established at the council in Jerusalem that would help solve contro-
versial issues today? Discuss.
67
Word is claimed with Holy Ghost anointing,
Christians will be brought together into the
unity of the faith.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
Unity is not always motivated by com-
mendable goals. For instance, it is a negative
kind of unity that helps to achieve the objec-
tives of socialism and ecumenicalism at the
expense of proclaiming the undiluted truths
of Scripture. The Bible teaches a kind of unity
that has as its goal the uniting of all in the faith
of God’s Word.
The seeds of unity first begin to grow in
the heart of the individual. The Christian who
is at peace with himself and the Lord will be
instrumental in the promotion of unity in the
home, the local church, and the full body of
Jesus Christ.
Propagators of error are often bold, zeal-
ous, and subtle, causing some to be deceived.
However, Christians must stand together in
the unity of the Spirit to declare the one faith
proclaimed by the Scriptures.
Satan’s plan is to divide and conquer.
Jesus warned, “Every city or house divid-
ed against itself shall not stand” (Matthew
12:25). Let us determine that nothing shall
divide us, for there is great strength in unity,
and we will be able to accomplish much for
the kingdom of God. 
 LIVING TESTIMONIES WEEK 10
08.09.15
TO OUR WORLD
FOCUS VERSES
FOCUS
II Corinthians 3:2–3 THOUGHT
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read
of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be
the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, It is imperative that
but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone,
but in fleshly tables of the heart. Christians maintain
LESSON TEXT a consistent walk
manifested by
I Thessalonians 4:1–12
1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and ex- good deeds in the
hort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of
us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would practical areas of
abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by
life—in business,
the Lord Jesus. in the community,
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that
ye should abstain from fornication: and on the job.
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his
vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the
avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his
holy Spirit.
9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught
of God to love one another.
10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech
you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own
hands, as we commanded you;
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of
nothing.

68
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Transformed Living
L
ee Roy Erickson, my grandfather, was a
man of many trades and strong character.
While raising children, he worked at in-
stalling lawn-sprinkler systems. One lady who
hired him could not find anything good with
the work he had done, though the job was top
quality. When he came to claim the payment
at the end of the project, she refused to pay
and complained some more.
Not to be outdone by her rottenness, he re-
turned a short time later with the 50 percent
deposit she had paid at the beginning of the
job, saying something like, “If you don’t think
the work was good enough to pay for even half
of it, I don’t think you should pay for any of it.”
Though his family could have used the money,
OUTLINE
I. ON THE JOB
A. Punctual
B. Dependable
C. Industrious
II. IN BUSINESS
A. Not Slothful
B. Just Dealings
III. IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
A. Genuine Concern
B. Hospitality
IV. IN THE COMMUNITY
A. Prayer for Leaders
B. Respect for Leaders
C. Obedience to Laws
D. Civic Responsibility
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Two scientists once performed an experi-
ment to see if the night lights of the heavenly
bodies would stain light impressions on earthly
objects. In their planning, they had to obey the
laws of the universe. This called for an electric
motor that would turn at the same speed as
the earth. A disc was formed from a soft, im-
pressionable metal and attached to the motor.
69
by Daniel J. Koren
he followed the principle of Jesus’ teaching
about turning the other cheek and giving your
shirt if someone sues you for your coat.
Born in the Depression Era, he knew not
only the value of hard work but also the im-
portance of every dollar. Still, his frugality and
resourcefulness did not eclipse his generosity
and obedience to the scriptural teachings on
finances. God blessed his business and took
care of his needs over and over again.
The world is full of people who are always
trying to get more out of everyone else. God’s
people should not spread this disease. By
working hard, taking care of others, and giv-
ing generously, we witness that we live for
something greater.
With precision and perfect weather conditions,
this motor rotated one whole night. When the
disc was removed and placed under a micro-
scope, one could see stained impressions that
reflected the pattern of the heavenlies.
This experiment reminds us of the relation-
ship of a Christian and God. “His marvellous
light” (I Peter 2:9) has made an indelible im-
pression on our lives. His light shines on us and
through us, impressing the nature and qualities
of His life into ours. He told His disciples, “Ye
are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
“Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is heaven” (Mat-
thew 5:16).
When we obey the laws of the kingdom and
become soft and pliable in His presence and
influence, we assume the form of living epis-
tles of God. (See II Corinthians 3:2–3.)
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. ON THE JOB
When we turn our lives toward spiritual
matters, we should not neglect our vocational
endeavors and duties. Every job is a self-
portrait of the person who did it. As believers
we are representatives of the living God, on
assignment to make God visible to others in
this world. Therefore, we should autograph
our work with excellence.
A. Punctual
A man who had worked the same job for
twenty-six years never missed a day or was
tardy. When asked how he achieved such a
record, he replied: “My work is twenty min-
utes away. I always planned to arrive at work
thirty minutes early. If the weather seemed
bad, or I suspected I would be delayed, I left
an hour early.” Then he was asked if he had
ever been sick. “Sure, but fortunately never so
serious that I could not go to work. If I was
not feeling well, I found working helped get
my mind off my feelings.” What a record of
punctuality!
Because we are ambassadors of Christ, we
should endeavor to do our best in the work-
place. Part of doing our best involves doing all
we can to be faithful and punctual on our job.
B. Dependable
When the people of Israel returned to their
homeland after the Babylonian captivity, Ne-
hemiah was in charge of rebuilding the walls
of Jerusalem. The workers erected these walls
under the threat of attack by the Arabians, the
Ammonites, and the Ashdodites. Nehemiah
succinctly gave the reason the Israelites were
successful in building the wall: “for the people
had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6). These
people were so dependable they worked with
one hand and held their weapon in the other;
and for fifty-two days the workers evidently did
not take off their clothes except to wash them
and bathe. They exemplified dependability as
they worked toward the full achievement of
the completed project.
Laziness is the opposite of dependability.
The Book of Proverbs depicts several traits
of the lazy man. Believers should work hard
at avoiding slothfulness and faithfully demon-
strating their dependability.
C. Industrious
The first mention of an individual being giv-
en a job appears in the first book of the Bible:
“And the Lord God took the man, and put him
70
into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to
keep it” (Genesis 2:15). This should not seem
strange because the first time we meet God in
the Bible, He was working. Since we are made
in His image, it follows we too should work.
One young man applied for a job
but the owner refused him: “I am
sorry, but we don’t have enough work
to keep another employee busy.”
The young man replied, “I’m sure
you have. You don’t know what a little
bit of work it takes to keep me busy.”
Someone asked another young man
the secret of his success. “I’ll tell you,”
he replied. “I always play a small trick
on myself. I pretend I own the place,
lock, stock, and barrel.”
Industriousness is a blessing and benefit
to a person. Being industrious offers several
benefits:
• Releases nervous tension;
• Teaches discipline;
• Provides exercise, thus improving health;
• Enhances wealth.
More than anything else, being industri-
ous provides a positive testimony to others,
especially to unbelievers. The workplace is a
wonderful setting for believers to demonstrate
their redeemed character in Christ Jesus.
II. IN BUSINESS
A. Not Slothful
V. M. Burrows said, “One of the
saddest experiences which can
ever come to a human being is to
awaken, grey haired and wrinkled,
near the close of an unproductive
career, to the fact that all through the
years he has been using only a small
part of himself.”
To be slothful in business is to be lazy in
business. The Bible puts a high level of value
on being diligent in one’s business.
Paul told the Thessalonians that “if any
would not work, neither should he eat” (II Thes-
salonians 3:10).
 “Be thou diligent to know the state of
thy flocks, and look well to thy herds”
(Proverbs 27:23).
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a
slack hand: but the hand of the diligent
maketh rich” (Proverbs 10:4).
The Scriptures challenge the sluggard to
consider the ant as an example of diligence.
The ant “provideth her meat in the summer,
and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Prov-
erbs 6:6–8).
“He also that is slothful in his work
is brother to him that is a great waster”
(Proverbs 18:9).
Jesus Christ knew the value of working. He
said, “I must work the works of him that sent
me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no
man can work” (John 9:4).
Paul spoke to Timothy: “But if any provide
not for his own, and specially for those of his
own house, he hath denied the faith, and is
worse than an infidel” (I Timothy 5:8).
Why does the Bible admonish us in this
area? Because the slothful man is at one time
or another going to be put under pressure to
tally up and balance the books. He often re-
sorts to fraud, stealing, lying, cheating, and
deceiving as a quick means to try to make up
for that stolen by his slothfulness. These ac-
tions are not Christian; therefore, the Christian
must be diligent lest he be tempted and lose
his soul.
B. Just Dealings
“Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers
weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt
not have in thine house divers measures,
a great and a small. But thou shalt have a
perfect and just weight, a perfect and just
measure shalt thou have: that thy days
may be lengthened in the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do
such things, and all that do unrighteous-
ly, are an abomination unto the Lord thy
God” (Deuteronomy 25:13–16).
Deuteronomy 25:13–16 communicates
God’s original rules concerning just dealings
in business. Further, the Book of Proverbs
71
reinforced the same principles by repeat-
ing them at least three times. (See Proverbs
11:1; 16:11; 20:10.) It was essential to edu-
cate Israel about the importance of living by
a high standard of integrity. And so it is true
for believers today.
We dare not live by these phrases:
• No one will ever know.
• The company is so rich it will never miss
this.
• After all I’ve done for them, they owe it
to me.
These thoughts are deceptions offered by
the liar of all liars, Satan. We must not give in
to his deceit.
III. IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
A. Genuine Concern
“Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart, and of a
good conscience, and of faith unfeigned”
(I Timothy 1:5).
Two important characteristics should be
a part of every Christian’s life: “a servant’s
heart” and “a sensitive spirit.” Only then can
he be an effective witness for Christ in his
community.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren” (I John 3:16).
In the organizational structure of business,
management demands service from others.
But Jesus reversed the direction of service. He
was the Master, but He said: “I am among you
as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27). Jesus did not
come “to be ministered unto, but to minister”
(Mark 10:45).
The Bible teaches that the way up is down.
“But he that is greatest among you shall be
your servant. And whosoever shall exalt him-
self shall be abased; and he that shall humble
himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12).
The second necessary attitude of the Chris-
tian toward his community is a sensitive spirit.
Jesus was sensitive to people’s needs: “I have
compassion on the multitude, because they
have now been with me three days, and have
nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2). He knew what it
was like to be hungry, and He desired to help
those who were hungry.
When an individual develops a servant’s
heart and a sensitive spirit, he will begin to
exhibit a genuine concern for his community.
Through genuine concern he can become a
true witness of the love of Jesus Christ to all his
neighbors. This is what Jesus meant when He
indicated that His people were to be salt and
light to their generation. (See Matthew 5:13.)
B. Hospitality
The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenos
and means “lover of strangers.” This word is
used several times in the New Testament and
perhaps has a much deeper meaning than we
may readily realize. Bruce Rowlison, author of
the book Creative Hospitality, believes hospi-
tality can be a means of evangelism.
Hospitality is definitely a biblical concept,
and there are at least four motives for prac-
ticing it.
1. Hospitality—a God-given gift.
“Use hospitality one to another without
grudging. As every man hath received the
gift, even so minister the same one to an-
other, as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God” (l Peter 4:9–10).
The word gift in I Peter 4:10 is charisma in
Greek, which refers to “a gift” or “an ability”
given by the Holy Spirit. One ability given by
the Holy Spirit could be hospitality, as men-
tioned in I Peter 4:9. It is a gift or ability to open
your home to guests. When we have the priv-
ilege to perform this service, we should serve
with love and not with grudging or murmuring.
Through this gift we can influence others pos-
itively for Christ.
2. Hospitality and future accountability. For
four hundred years Israel lived in Egypt as
strangers and slaves. During this time, they
were repressed, despised, and deprived. Af-
ter Israel escaped, they were commanded by
God not to mistreat foreigners living in their
land. (See Leviticus 19:18, 33–34.) They were
instructed: “Love ye therefore the stranger: for
ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deu-
teronomy 10:19).
The Lord taught His disciples that those
who opened their homes to them would be
72
blessed, and those who did not would be
cursed. (See Matthew 10:11–15.)
John scolded Diotrephes for not receiving
the brethren he sent out. The apostle also
warned Diotrephes that he would remember
his deeds. (See III John 9–10.)
3. Hospitality—an encounter with God.
“He that receiveth you receiveth me,
and he that receiveth me receiveth him
that sent me” (Matthew 10:40).
Scripture compares the hospitality shown
toward others to the welcoming of God.
4. Hospitality—missionary possibilities. Bruce
Rowlison stated, “Hospitality was crucial to Je-
sus’ ministry. It propelled the gospel forward
into people’s lives.” Jesus’ ministry depended
on hospitality, and the early church continued
the pattern. (See Matthew 10; Luke 10; Acts
10; 16; 17.)
The opening of a Christian’s home to his
neighborhood is a perfect way to reach lost
souls. Friendships can be formed, and the
sinner can have a chance to feel and relate
to a Christian environment. Many believers
today were first drawn as sinners to Christi-
anity through the kindness and hospitality of
believers.
Too many believers allow themselves to
become locked into their own little world,
sometimes feeling that non-believers think
they are odd. True, they may not necessarily
understand us, but often they are hungry to
experience the very things we have to offer,
even when they do not realize it. They just
need to observe our lives in a positive light,
which can become to them a strong and pow-
erful attracting force. The believer’s home can
become a powerful soulwinning outpost.
IV. IN THE COMMUNITY
A. Prayer for Leaders
God has ordained civil government as a
means to control human behavior. Human
government certainly has its shortcomings
and sometimes becomes corrupt. While God
does not condone this, He does respect man-
kind’s attempt to establish law and order.
The Word of God calls us to be vigilant.
We are to pray “for kings, and for all that are
in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour” (I Timothy 2:2–3). The
righteous are to serve as salt and as light in
our lost and unregenerate world. As such, the
righteous have a preserving influence upon a
community.
Unfortunately, as part of a community we
will reap the evil influences others are sowing.
For this reason, among others, we should do
everything in our power to help stem the tide
of lawlessness and wickedness.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is
the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).
The righteous are to
serve as salt and as
light in our lost and
unregenerate world.
B. Respect for Leaders
Respect for a leader goes further than re-
specting the person himself. He may be living
a life that one finds disgusting and unworthy of
respect. However, the respect we are to give
is not so much for the individual, but for the
office he holds and what that office stands for.
Some of the most corrupt men of Jesus’
day were the Caesars of Rome. Yet Jesus
commanded, “Render therefore unto Caesar
the things which be Caesar’s” (Luke 20:25).
Jesus taught that respect should be shown to
the leaders of the land.
Paul gave a classic example concerning re-
spect for leaders. (See Acts 23:1–5.) He was
pleading his cause before the Sanhedrin (the
Jewish Senate). Paul did not address Ananias
with the proper title because he did not know
he was the high priest. (Ananias was once
the high priest, but the Romans removed him
from office for crimes he had committed. He
was succeeded by Jonathan, who later was
murdered. During the vacancy, Ananias took
the office again.)
When Paul became aware of his mistake,
he said, “I wist not, brethren, that he was the
73
high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not
speak evil of the ruler of thy people” (Acts
23:5). (See also Exodus 22:28.)
This is a good lesson for Christians today.
We are constantly faced with disappointments
in politicians. The Christian could develop a
cynical attitude that would lead him to say,
“Oh, what’s the use! They’re all corrupt. Any-
way, I’m part of God’s kingdom. I’ll just leave
the government and its problems to everyone
else.” However, we have an obligation to re-
spect their positions and pray for our leaders.
C. Obedience to Laws
Someone said, “My freedom ends where
your nose begins.” Laws are boundaries and
they also define liberties—paradoxical but true.
Only when we live within boundaries can we
experience true liberty. A stop sign may be con-
sidered a boundary, but obedience to the law
liberates us from others who could harm us.
Every Christian is obligated to live accord-
ing to the laws of his society unless they
conflict with his relationship with God or vio-
late the Word of God.
“Let every soul be subject unto the
higher powers. For there is no power but
of God: the powers that be are ordained
of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the
power, resisteth the or­ dinance of God:
and they that resist shall receive to them-
selves damnation” (Romans 13:1–2).
Paul called for Christians to be subject to
authority. If they are not, they will receive pun-
ishment from the civil rulers. Paul continued:
“Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to
the evil” (Romans 13:3). The ruler is also de-
scribed as a “minister of God” (Romans 13:4).
There are two reasons Christians must
obey the law:
1. If we do not, we will suffer the wrath of the
government because we have broken the law.
2. God has ordained leadership and rule. If
we do not honor the law, we will suffer from a
guilty conscience. How can we expect the un-
saved to honor our way of life and respect our
relationship with Christ if we live in rebellion to
civil authority?
“Render therefore to all their dues:
tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to
 whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour
to whom honour” (Romans 13:7).
Peter also gave instructions concerning
obeying the laws of the land.
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be
to the king, as supreme; or unto gover-
nors, as unto them that are sent by him for
the punishment of evildoers, and for the
praise of them that do well. For so is the
will of God, that with well doing ye may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men” (I Peter 2:13–15).
D. Civic Responsibility
When Christians withdraw from civic re-
sponsibilities, it allows unbelievers to take
advantage of our neglect. The Scriptures do
not teach us to alienate ourselves from the af-
fairs of the community; our society needs a
Christian influence. The government is a good
place to begin.
Voting is a responsibility of each citizen. It
is also a privilege. A community finds it hard
to respect the Christian who never takes part
in projects governing the freedom of their so-
ciety. Time and again cities and entire states
have been spared the harmful effects of un-
godly practices because Christians became
concerned and fulfilled their civic duty to
vote. And certainly, Christians also have an
obligation to become informed about candi-
dates and legislation and be able to perform
their civic duty with knowledge. It is an as-
pect of believers acting as salt and light in
this world.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
We will pass through this world but once.
Any good work, any kindness, or any service
we can render, we should do it. An important
principle in life is, “Render a service if you
would succeed.” We should give our best as
believers and thereby represent well the God
we serve and also influence unbelievers pos-
itively for Him.
Paul was a successful man. His last writ-
ten words were, “I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
(II Timothy 4:7). These words have been a
challenge and an inspiration to all. 

REFLECTIONS
• Discuss what it means to be lazy and undependable versus the traits and qualities of one
who is dependable and industrious.
• What is an infidel? Discuss the point Paul made in I Timothy 5:8.
• Reflect upon the two characteristics that must be found in a Christian’s life if he is to be
effective in his community—a servant’s heart and a sensitive spirit.
• Discuss the evangelistic potential in hospitality.
• Discuss the reasons a Christian should obey the laws of the land.

74
 WEEK 11
THE RAPTURE 08.16.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Titus 2:13 THOUGHT
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appear-
ing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Our blessed hope is
LESSON TEXT
in the soon return
I Thessalonians 4:13–18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
of our Lord to catch
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, us away. This hope
even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even causes us to live
so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that as if today could
we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.
be the day of His
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with return.
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Titus 2:11–15
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righ-
teously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sav-
iour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself
a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

75
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
The Rapture Is Coming!
S
tudents of prophecy disagree on many
points. Some believe in a pre-tribulation
Rapture, some believe it will occur at the
mid-point of the tribulation, and others believe
it will happen afterward, or post-tribulation.
However, most all teachers of prophecy, both
Oneness and non-Oneness, maintain that the
Rapture is a biblical truth—Jesus Christ will
“catch away” His church prior to the culmina-
tion of all things on earth.
Irvin Baxter, prominent contemporary
teacher of prophecy, regularly follows the
news of current events and believes the be-
ginning of the final seven years is near. Baxter
wrote of the ongoing efforts between Palestin-
ians and Israelis to reach a peace agreement.
He believes when that peace agreement is
reached, the final seven years will begin. Bax-
ter wrote, “The two sides are negotiating in
OUTLINE
I. THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH
A. The Blessed Hope
B. The Purifying Hope
C. The Comforting Hope
II. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
A. The Imminent Return of Christ
B. Christ Will Come Suddenly
C. Christ Himself Will Return
III. THE RESURRECTED
AND TRANSLATED SAINTS
A. The Resurrection of Christ
B. The Transformation of the Saints
C. The Translation of the Saints
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
This is an urgent hour. The darkness of sin
deepens on every hand. The night is upon
us. The signs of Christ’s return are every-
where. We also live in an age of apostasy and
immorality.
The escalation of abortion and worldwide
terrorism are only two indicators of mankind’s
76
by Richard M. Davis
secret on a daily basis. If the stated goal is
achieved, the final seven years to Armaged-
don and the second coming of Jesus to the
earth will begin” (Irvin Baxter, “A Plan for the
Final 7 Years,” www.endtime.com, accessed
February 12, 2014).
We may never all come to the same conclu-
sions regarding the timing of end-time events;
however, we all should be watching and
waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. For the
church, that return will occur at what we call
the Rapture. At that time Jesus Christ will not
come back to earth, but believers—both dead
and living—will rise to meet Him in the air. We
will go away with Him for the Marriage Supper
of the Lamb and then return with Him to the
earth for the culmination of end-time events.
Are you ready, waiting, and watching for
His call?
disregard for human life. The world has bro-
ken all the laws of God with impunity. The
world scoffs at the idea of the sanctity of mar-
riage and the home and openly celebrates
homosexuality and same-sex marriage, so-
called. Wildly pursuing every fleshly pleasure,
people have pushed aside all that is decent
and modest.
In the midst of all this, however, the church
has hope. That hope does not dim with time;
rather, it grows brighter as the years pass. We
watch for Jesus Christ to return at the midnight
hour while “the whole world lieth in wicked-
ness” (I John 5:19). We anticipate His coming
like a new bride waits for her bridegroom.
The Greek word harpazo used in I Thessa-
lonians 4:17 speaks of a sudden snatching
up or catching away. As an iron magnet at-
tracts iron, so Christ will catch away those
who are His own. Soon He will come and
take His people home. If we are to have a
part in that glorious event, we must be His
people—filled with His Holy Spirit and bear-
ing His wonderful name.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH
The stage is being set for some of the
greatest events ever witnessed by mankind.
God has written the script, and it will not be
changed. Some of the world’s leaders, though
they may boast of their accomplishments, are
little more than stagehands. A few props may
have to be moved here or there. A few new
actors may have to be added to the cast. But
the climax of this present age is at hand.
Jesus is coming soon. This is the moment
for which Christians worldwide long. Christ
has been assigned a minor role by many in
this world, but soon He will command center
stage. He will indeed be the featured star of
this great event and of all eternity!
Jesus is coming soon.
A. The Blessed Hope
Believers need to be waiting and watching
for the return of Christ. We should be “look-
ing for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
The word “blessed” in Titus 2:13 speaks
of the rich benefits that shall be ours at the
coming of Christ. We can only imagine the
glorious things that will happen at that time.
(See I Corinthians 13:12.)
Centuries have passed since the writers
of Scripture wrote of the great hope of the
church. Nations have risen to power and have
fallen. Empires have come and gone. And yet
in the heart of every true believer the assur-
ance of Christ’s return lives on. All creation
anxiously awaits His return (Romans 8:23).
“And not only they, but ourselves also,
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even
we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the re-
demption of our body” (Romans 8:23).
What blessedness, what rich benefits, will
be ours at the Rapture! We may be suffering
now. We may be misunderstood and even ridi-
culed on occasion; but when Christ comes, all
pain and suffering will have been worthwhile.
77
Mankind failed to recognize Christ as the Cre-
ator during His earthly life (John 1:10), and
today people fail to appreciate the people of
God. But one day all this will change. One day
there will be a revealing, a grand disclosure.
Believers then will be fully recognized as the
people of God. (See Romans 8:18–19.)
B. The Purifying Hope
Orthodox Jewish brides go through a
purifying ceremony of being completely im-
mersed in water before their actual marriage.
This cleansing occurs before they meet their
bridegrooms for the marriage feast. (Often
these intended brides had been given beau-
tiful presents by the men to whom they were
betrothed, thus binding the agreement.)
Legally, though not actually married, the or-
thodox brides-to-be take on the name of their
bridegrooms at their cleansing ceremony.
We also are preparing to meet our Bride-
groom—Jesus Christ. The marriage ceremony
and the wedding feast have not yet taken
place. But we have been washed, sanctified,
and justified “in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians
6:11). Paul also wrote, “I have espoused you
to one husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ” (II Corinthians 11:2).
For now we live in anticipation of seeing our
heavenly lover. We have taken on the name of
Jesus Christ through water baptism and have
received the Holy Ghost, the precious token
of His love.
Utmost concern was shown on the wed-
ding day that a bride’s beautiful garments be
without spot, blemish, or even a noticeable
particle of dust. Christ loved the church and
“and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify
and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
word, that he might present it to himself a glo-
rious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27).
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye
look for such things, be diligent that ye
may be found of him in peace, without
spot, and blameless” (II Peter 3:14).
Why do believers take such care to sepa-
rate themselves from worldliness and sin? We
strive to be holy because we have discovered
the wonders of our glorious Lord. “We love
him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).
Joyously we have received the Holy Ghost,
the token of our Savior’s betrothal. We are
reminded continually of Christ’s promise to
return. Soon the righteous will hear, “Rise up,
my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song
of Solomon 2:10).
“It is high time to
awake out of sleep:
for now is our salva-
tion nearer than when
we believed”
(Romans 13:11).
C. The Comforting Hope
An orthodox bride received a written agree-
ment regarding the arrangements of the
wedding from her lover. The time, place, and
terms of the future marriage were firmly es-
tablished by this ketubah, or written contract.
While the groom was gone to prepare a home
for her, the bride held in her possession the
precious ketubah. As months went by, the
young woman gained comfort and joy from
reading time and again the vows of her future
husband.
The bride knew the wedding party could
arrive in her town at an unexpected hour
and that its arrival would be announced by a
shout, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh.” The
longed for, joyous moment would then have
come. She had made many careful prepara-
tions for this very hour. Her wedding dress
would be ready. Now she could go out to
meet her betrothed.
“For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of
God” (I Thessalonians 4:16).
Soon the church will be summoned by God.
Not even the grave can hinder that call, for the
dead in Christ shall be the first to resurrect.
78
“Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord”
(I Thessalonians 4:17).
No wonder Paul told believers to “comfort
one another with these words” (I Thessalonians
4:18). Jesus Christ has promised us a home in
Heaven, and we eagerly await His return.
II. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
A. The Imminent Return of Christ
This is an hour when many sinners cannot
sleep. Many people have a restlessness in
their souls. They toss and turn in the night.
They feel the emptiness of their misspent lives
and broken dreams. There is no loneliness
like the loneliness of a lost soul. Religious
formality will not satisfy. Neither will drugs, al-
coholic drinks, or promiscuous sex. When the
conscience awakes, people cannot be at rest.
Paul was deeply concerned that the church
be awake spiritually when the Lord returns. He
wrote, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do oth-
ers; but let us watch and be sober. For they
that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be
drunken are drunken in the night” (I Thessa-
lonians 5:6–7). To the Christians at Rome he
also wrote, “And that, knowing the time, that
now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for
now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed” (Romans 13:11). What a dreadful
shame at this hour for a person to lose his
blessed hope and risk his eternal soul!
On December 7, 1941, two pri-
vates were manning a radar
station on the northern tip of the island
of Oahu. The time was 7:00 am. The two
US soldiers became concerned when
more than fifty blips appeared on their
radar screen. But when their superior
officer, a young lieutenant, heard of
the approaching planes, he assumed
they were Flying Fortresses returning
to base. He replied, “Well, don’t worry
about it.” Unknown to the lieutenant,
the Japanese were about to bomb
Pearl Harbor.
 The return of Christ is imminent. Every-
where there are signs that a great, worldwide
judgment is pending. But before the terrible
Tribulation described by Jesus in Matthew 24
actually takes place, believers will be taken
home. The church will not be a battered bride.
Christ has built the church. He “also loved
the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephe-
sians 5:25). Our hope is not in enduring the
seven-year time of tribulation—which would
hardly be “glorious”—but in being caught
away to meet the Lord in the air.
Jesus will deliver the church from the
wrath to come (I Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).
The church in Philadelphia was the only one
of seven churches in the Book of Revelation
that was shown “an open door” (Revelation
3:8)—possibly a glimpse of the Rapture.
(See Revelation 4:1.) To that faithful group of
believers Christ also stated, “Because thou
hast kept the word of my patience, I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which
shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10).
In still another allusion to the Tribulation, our
Lord admonished, “Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted wor-
thy to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”
(Luke 21:36).
After Revelation 4:1 the church is not seen
until Revelation 19:7 at the marriage supper
of the Lamb in Heaven, and still later riding
victoriously with Christ in the sky. During the
Tribulation on the earth, the church is conspic-
uous by its absence. No wonder John wrote,
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
first resurrection” (Revelation 20:6).
Jesus gave forceful warnings that we should
prepare for His return. We should be watchful
as a man who guards his home against a thief.
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh”
(Matthew 24:44). We need to be ready!
B. Christ Will Come Suddenly
In Matthew 23 Jesus Christ pronounced
eight woes upon the scribes and Phari-
sees. His pronouncements were sharp and
scathing, exposing the great depths of their
hypocrisy. Then, having lamented over the
city of Jerusalem, the Lord climbed up the
Mount of Olives with His disciples.
79
To His disciples’ amazement Christ de-
clared of the Temple at Jerusalem, “See ye not
all these things? verily I say unto you, There
shall not be left here one stone upon anoth-
er, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew
24:2). How could this be? the disciples must
have wondered. Bewildered, they asked Him
three questions: (1) “When shall these things
be?” (2) “What shall be the sign of thy com-
ing?” (3) “What shall be the sign of . . . the end
of the world?”
Christ’s coming for
His church will be
a sudden event.
Jesus told His followers of difficult times to
come (“the beginning of sorrows,” Matthew
24:4–14) and then of even more desperate
times (the Tribulation, Matthew 24:15–26).
How strange Christ’s words must have sound-
ed to the disciples! He spoke of His coming
and of the tremendous signs that would pre-
cede that event. Some of these statements
suggest a sudden catching away of His
people.
“Then shall two be in the field; the one
shall be taken, and the other left. Two
women shall be grinding at the mill; the
one shall be taken, and the other left”
(Matthew 24:40–41).
Christ’s coming for His church will be a
sudden event. There will be no earthshaking
signs on that particular day. The Lord said it
would happen as in the days of Noah. (See
Matthew 24:38.) Life went on as usual. People
worked and played, bought and sold, loved
and hated. Eight people were missing, it was
true, but that to them seemed hardly cause to
expect the judgment of an angry God. How
wrong they were if those were their thoughts!
C. Christ Himself Will Return
God’s dealings with Israel were typical of
the methods He would use with the church.
(See I Corinthians 10:11.) Their experiences
should instruct us in our life of faith today.
Among many beautiful lessons in the Old
Testament, there is the theme of a specially
chosen bride prepared to meet her lover.
Rebekah was an appropriate type of a
church about to be caught away by the Lord.
Living in the foreign land of Haran, Rebekah
was at first unaware of Isaac, the son and heir
of Abraham. She “was very fair to look upon”
and “a virgin” (Genesis 24:16), strongly indi-
cating how Christ regards His church.
Gracefully Rebekah befriended Eliezer,
Abraham’s servant, and she welcomed him
into her home. The woman received cost-
ly gifts from him. But the pressing errand of
the steward was to bring a bride back to his
master. The critical question was whether this
daughter of Bethuel would consent to go to
Isaac. Despite the efforts of relatives to detain
her, Rebekah said, “I will go” (Genesis 24:58).
“And the servant took Rebekah, and went his
way” (Genesis 24:61).
Surely Christians have heard of the great-
ness of their Bridegroom—the Lord Jesus
Christ. We have been assured of His wealth
and His kindness through the gifts of His
Spirit. But we must consent and determine to
prepare ourselves to go to Him.
Isaac “lifted up his eyes, and saw, and,
behold, the camels were coming” (Genesis
24:63). Rebekah also “lifted up her eyes, and
. . . saw Isaac” (Genesis 24:64). Today there is
a loving anticipation on the part of the Bride-
groom, as well as the bride, for that great
meeting in the air. He will come personally to
take us home.
We testify about a glorious day coming,
but we are not simply looking for a day. We
preach with enthusiasm about certain signs,
but mighty signs in themselves could never
satisfy true believers. We wait for Jesus Christ
Himself. Our hope is in seeing the One who
has washed us from our sins. Jesus, the One
for whom we wait, is our Lord, our Savior, and
our King. In the words of Annie Johnstone
Flint, “We are looking and longing for Jesus,
and Jesus alone.”
III. THE RESURRECTED
AND TRANSLATED SAINTS
A. The Resurrection of Christ
For a Christian the resurrection of Jesus
Christ simply means the difference between
80
a sad mourning and a glad morning. It is the
difference between hopelessness and hope-
fulness, between defeat and victory, between
eternal death and eternal life.
Christ’s empty tomb brought a mighty vic-
tory over death for every believer. Though the
greatest forces of earth and hell had contrived
to keep the Lord’s body sealed in the tomb,
the angels declared, “He is not here, but is ris-
en” (Luke 24:6).
1. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
What a humiliating step God took when He
took upon Himself human flesh! From the por-
tals of glory He came to make His habitation
with mankind. “And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
The One in whom God fully dwelt grew up
in a carpenter’s home. Even in infancy there
had been a terrible threat against His life. His
mother, Mary, probably thought often of the
prophetic words of Simeon, “Behold, this
child is set for the fall and rising again of many
in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken
against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through
thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34–35).
The One in whom God in His fullness dwelt
was unwelcomed by His own nation. Isa-
iah the prophet had spoken of Him: “He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sor-
rows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as
it were our faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3). Yet
He gave His life that all might live. (See Isaiah
53:5.) Jesus could make such a profound sac-
rifice for us only because He was more than
just a man!
Jesus Christ was both man and God—hu-
man and deity. Not God, nor even a part of
God, died at Cavalry. It was the flesh of Christ
that died at Calvary, not the Spirit. In His flesh
He felt the searing, awful pain of the nails as
they were driven into His body. His precious
blood stained the Roman cross on which He
hung. At Calvary His blood paid the price for
all our sins.
For a time (shortly before sunset on Friday
until early dawn on Sunday) Jesus Christ lay
buried in a tomb, its entrance securely cov-
ered by a stone. All seemed hopeless. Life
seemed swallowed up by death.
But the story was not over. A mighty earth-
quake shook the garden tomb as an angel of
God “came and rolled back the stone from
the door, and sat upon it” (Matthew 28:2). The
man in the tomb was gone, raised by the pow-
er of the Almighty. He rose triumphant, with all
Heaven at His command. “For in him dwelleth
all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colos-
sians 2:9).
Moreover, we shall see Jesus Christ in His
flesh and in all His glory. Certainly the wounds
in His hands and side will still be there (Zech-
ariah 13:6), but on that day we shall perceive
His magnificent splendor.
In the depths of terrible trial, Job was given
a vision of this future deliverer. “For I know that
my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth: and though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in
my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for
myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not
another; though my reins be consumed within
me” (Job 19:25–27).
What you and I will see will be no vision. We
will see our Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face.
There is a power
greater than the laws
of aerodynamics.
There is a power
greater than gravity.
There is a power
greater than death—
the power of God.
2. Hope of a resurrection for all believers. In
a very real way God dwells in all born-again
believers who live victoriously by the Holy
Spirit of Christ. And they also shall be raised
to immortality. They shall be raised to meet
Christ in the air—either raised from death, or
raised to bypass death. Only the miraculous
power of God could do this.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
81
raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit
that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11).
There is a power greater than the laws of
aerodynamics. There is a power greater than
gravity. There is a power greater than even
death. The power of God is greater than all
because He made all. And all things are sub-
ject to His command.
In his explanation of the Resurrection, Paul
stated, “Now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept”
(I Corinthians 15:20). Even as the first sheaf of
ripened grain was lifted up and waved during
the Feast of Firstfruits, so Christ has become
the first sheaf of every believer who has fallen
asleep in death. He was the first, but He cer-
tainly will not be the last. Soon God’s mighty
harvest of souls will be gathered home.
B. The Transformation of the Saints
1. We shall be changed. For the present
time we humans dwell in human bodies that
suffer from fatigue, pain, and disease. Fleshly
desires often tempt us to sin. And so we long
to put on our immortal bodies. (See Philippi-
ans 3:20–21.)
What a change of garments that will be! No
more sickness, pain, or death! “For in this we
groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven” (II Cor-
inthians 5:2).
2. We shall be like Him. This world is fas-
cinated with its heroes—sports figures who
earn millions of dollars per year; entertainment
stars; the rich and the famous, whom they
equate with happiness and success. Further,
many people dream of becoming like one of
their heroes. They fantasize of themselves in
the role of a popular singer, entertainer, or ath-
lete. But none of this is the hope of the church.
We do not idolize the rich and the glamorous.
Instead, we long to put on the very nature of
Christ. Our greatest desire is to be like Him.
Jesus Christ is everything that is pure and
good, everything that brings joy and satisfac-
tion to our hearts. His Spirit constantly speaks
to us of His virtues. His Word continually tells
us of His magnificence.
Although there are many things we do not
know as yet, there are significant things we do
know. We know that as believers we are now
the sons of God and that we will be spectacu-
larly changed when we see Christ. We will be
transformed by His glory.
“We know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him
as he is” (I John 3:2).
C. The Translation of the Saints
Suddenly God will raise those who have
died in the Lord. It will be in a moment—an
indivisible point of time—in the twinkling of
an eye. Then those believers who are alive on
the earth will also be translated. Corruptible
bodies will become incorruptible. We who
have been mortal will become immortal. The
obscure will become distinct; the unknown
will become known. We shall know the Sav-
ior as we have never known Him before. (See
I Corinthians 13:12.)
The Greek word harpazo is translated
“caught up” in I Thessalonians 4:17. Ac-
cording to Strong’s Concordance, harpazo
includes the idea of being “forcefully caught
up, caught away, snatched up.” Consider how
harpazo is used in other New Testament vers-
es of Scripture (Matthew 11:12; 13:19; John
6:15; Acts 8:39; 23:10; Revelation 12:5; and
others). In Acts 23:10, for instance, the Ro-
man commander, hearing of the tumult over
Paul, ordered his soldiers “to go down, and
to take him by force.” Clearly, the church will
be caught away by an irresistible, all-powerful
act of God.
Someone has stated that we have been
saved by Christ, will be made like Christ, and
will forever be with Christ. No greater reward is
possible. We shall be “caught up” to “ever be
with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17).
What a hope we have in Christ!
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
In this urgent hour sin is increasing. End-
time prophecies are being fulfilled on every
hand. Ripened fields are ready to be harvest-
ed. The sun is rapidly setting on this present
age. The darkened horizon tells of the storm
to come. Soon our heavenly Bridegroom will
come.
The urgency of this hour demands our best.
When a neighbor’s house suddenly catches
on fire, a person forgets any differences or
difficulties of the past. The flower bed that
was trampled under children’s shoes is un-
important now. Last week’s broken window
is forgotten. The person now must do all he
can to meet the present need and assist his
neighbor. Time is critical. Others will perish if
we delay.
What shall we do? Our generation as a
whole is dying without knowledge of God.
Yes, Jesus is coming. The faithful and wise
steward works diligently in anticipation of
that day. “Blessed is that servant, whom his
lord when he cometh shall find so doing”
(Luke 12:43). 

REFLECTIONS
• What do we mean by the word Rapture, and what biblical basis do we have for using the
word? Discuss.
• Discuss how the Rapture is a glorious and purifying hope to the believer.
• How did the orthodox Jewish bride prepare to meet her bridegroom? How may we prepare
to meet ours?
• Will the church go through the great Tribulation? Discuss.
• In the light of the soon return of Christ for the church, what should Christians do? Discuss.

82
 WEEK 12
THE MILLENNIUM 08.23.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
Revelation 20:6 THOUGHT
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resur-
rection: on such the second death hath no power, but they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Jesus Christ will
him a thousand years.
rule the earth in
LESSON TEXT righteousness
Isaiah 65:17–25 and peace for a
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:
and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into thousand years.
mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I During this period
create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her
people a joy.
Satan will be
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: bound and true
and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her,
nor the voice of crying. peace and joy shall
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor
an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall
be in all the earth.
die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred
years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the
fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the
days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed
of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speak-
ing, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and
dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith
the Lord.

Revelation 20:1–3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a
great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound
him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season.

83
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
The Desire for World Peace
P
eople everywhere desire peace in this
world. We grow weary of crime, violence,
and wars. However, try as we might, there
are no real human solutions for peace. Such
solutions are honorable efforts and worthy
objectives, but the fallen sin-nature of human-
kind will never allow a complete achievement
of peace. Peace will be realized only at the
return of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
In an article titled “A Human Approach to
World Peace,” the Dalai Lama wrote: “When
we rise in the morning and listen to the radio
or read the newspaper, we are confronted
with the same sad news: violence, crime,
wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single
day without a report of something terrible
happening somewhere. Even in these mod-
ern times it is clear that one’s precious life is
not safe. . . .
OUTLINE
I. THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
A. Jesus Christ, the King of the Earth
B. Reigning with Jesus
C. Jerusalem, the Holy City
D. Joy and Peace in All the Earth
II. THE MILLENNIUM
A. Satan Bound
B. The Earth Blessed
C. Peace in the Animal Kingdom
D. Joy and Gladness
III. LIVING IN THE MILLENNIUM
A. People in the Millennium
B. Peace in the Millennium
C. Probationary Period
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Why the Millennium?
The beginning of a thousand years of peace
will be signaled by an angel with the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand to
bind Satan for one thousand years (Revelation
20:1–3). In spite of Satan’s absence, however,
84
by Richard M. Davis
“It is ironic that the more serious problems
emanate from the more industrially advanced
societies. Science and technology have
worked wonders in many fields, but the basic
human problems remain. There is unprece-
dented literacy, yet this universal education
does not seem to have fostered goodness,
but only mental restlessness and discontent
instead” (www.dalailama.com, accessed Feb-
ruary 12, 2014).
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27). Paul
wrote, “For when they shall say, Peace and
safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon
them” (I Thessalonians 5:3). The only true
and lasting peace will not come through hu-
man initiatives and human effort; it will come
only by Jesus Christ.
the people born during the thousand years of
Christ’s reign on the earth will still have a sinful
nature and will need salvation. (See Jeremiah
30:20; 31:29; Ezekiel 47:22; Zechariah 10:8.)
God has designed the millennial age to be
a final proof of the fallen nature of mankind.
Every possible advantage for mankind’s spir-
itual success will be set in place. Moreover,
the source of temptation will be removed. Still,
with every reason and assistance to obey the
King on the throne, mankind will continue to
display his sinful, human nature and fail to ful-
fill God’s plan for his life.
The earth will gain rest and redemption
from the curse caused by the Fall (Genesis
3:17–19). “For we know that the whole cre-
ation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now” (Romans 8:22). There will be abun-
dant productivity in the earth. Even the nature
of the animal kingdom will lose its predatory
spirit (Isaiah 11:6–9; 35:9; 65:25).
God will fulfill His covenants with Israel—the
Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian, and the New
Covenant. God’s covenants with the nation of
Israel were made unconditionally and without
a time limit. All of Israel’s hopes are based on
these four covenants.
“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it
is written, There shall come out of Sion
the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungod-
liness from Jacob: for this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take away their
sins” (Romans 11:26–27).
The Millennium will fulfill many Old Tes-
tament and New Testament promises in
Scripture. Daniel’s prophecy predicted the
Messiah would reign over all people (Daniel
7:14). The angel Gabriel announced to Mary:
“The Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David” (Luke 1:32). “The Lord
hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn
from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon
thy throne” (Psalm 132:11). Jesus was called
the Branch unto David (Jeremiah 23:5), Son
of David (fifteen times), Seed of David (John
7:42; Romans 1:3; II Timothy 2:8), Root of Da-
vid (Revelation 5:5), and Root and Offspring of
David (Revelation 22:16).
The Millennium will be one thousand years
in which Jesus Christ Himself will rule over the
whole earth from the throne of David. Finally,
the people of the earth will know the peace for
which they have longed throughout the cen-
turies. It will come by way of the kingdom of
Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
When Isaac Watts wrote “Joy to the World,”
he was thinking beyond Bethlehem and
Christ’s first coming to the time of the millenni-
al kingdom. Consider the words to the hymn:
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
85
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
A. Jesus Christ, the King of the Earth
Our King is not an elected ruler or a delegat-
ed authority. He is the Creator of all things. He
“is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of
kings, and Lord of lords” (I Timothy 6:15). The
first time He came to His creation, He came
as a servant to reveal God to us and to make
reconciliation for us through His atoning death
on the cross. He was rejected, hanged on a
cross, and crucified as the sacrificial lamb.
The next time He comes to the earth, howev-
er, He will come as the conquering Lord from
Glory—the fierce Lion of the tribe of Judah.
We can read about His second coming in Rev-
elation 19:11–15. Christ’s victory in the Battle
of Armageddon will clear a path in Jerusalem
for a new throne and a new temple to be built.
This will be the fourth temple to be built in Isra-
el. (The third temple will be for the Antichrist.)
Dr. H. L. Wilmington, in his Guide to the Bi-
ble, stated that the Battle of Armageddon will
be the forty-seventh time Jerusalem will have
been destroyed or overtaken (Zechariah 12:2;
14:2; Luke 21:20). Jesus will then be seated
on the throne of David in Jerusalem, and He
will govern the nations with a rod of iron (Luke
1:32; Isaiah 9:6; Malachi 1:11; Revelation
2:27; 12:5; 19:15).
B. Reigning with Jesus
Those who rule with Jesus are those who
have come with Him to the Battle of Arma-
geddon (Revelation 19:14). These rulers are
the resurrected, glorified ones. The righteous
believers from the Old Testament and the
blood-washed church from the New Testa-
ment join together, clothed in the fine white
linen of the saints.
In the Millennium, Christ will give positions
of responsibility as rewards to His resurrected
saints. The twelve apostles will rule over the
twelve tribes of Israel, sitting on twelve thrones
(Matthew 19:28). Those who were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus will be resurrected
and also will reign with Him for one thousand
years (Revelation 20:4). Paul called attention
to our future positions as believers when he
reminded the church at Corinth that the saints
shall judge the world and even judge angels
(I Corinthians 6:2–3).
C. Jerusalem, the Holy City
The city of David, Jerusalem, will be the po-
litical and religious center of the whole earth
because the world will be under the dominion
of the great King of Israel (Isaiah 2:2–4; Eze-
kiel 48; Zechariah 14).
Jerusalem will be cleansed of all that is
unclean and become a glorious city, bring-
ing honor to the Messiah. This city will not
again be conquered in war. It will not fear for
its safety. The newly rebuilt city will be greatly
expanded over its former area. It will be acces-
sible to everyone in that day so they may visit
the King of kings.
People will come to Jerusalem to worship
during this millennial age. A new temple will
be built for worship. The priesthood, sacri-
fices, and activities of the new temple are
thought to be literal, but only commemorative,
not redemptive. Like the Passover and the
Lord’s Supper, they will be a memorial. The
light of the city will be the Lamb of God. The
brilliance of God’s glory in the city will be so
great that there will be no night or any need for
additional lights (Zechariah 2:4–5).
D. Joy and Peace in All the Earth
Peace is a fruit of righteousness. Since the
Messiah will reign in righteousness over all the
earth, great peace will follow. This will be a ful-
fillment of the prophecy, “Mercy and truth are
met together; righteousness and peace have
kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10).
“In his days shall the righteous flourish;
and abundance of peace so long as the
moon endureth” (Psalm 72:7).
As Jesus Christ unifies the nations of the
world under His righteous rod of iron, inter-
national peace and prosperity will flourish.
The nations will no longer spend great sums
of their budgets on weapons of war and de-
fense. Economic prosperity will come to every
nation and person. Worldwide peace will of
necessity mean a cessation of war.
Nationalistic, racial, and ethnic conflicts will
cease. Weapons will be converted to tools
for domestic use. The armies of the world will
step down and be dismissed, no longer need-
ed by a world devoid of conflict. The armies,
navies, and air forces of the nations will help
to fuel a global economy of prosperity. “They
86
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).
Absent from a world at peace will be all
fear—fear of war, animals, and natural ca-
tastrophes as well as fear of loss, pain, and
suffering. Moreover, all other attendant sorrows
of war will be missing from Christ’s kingdom of
peace (Isaiah 32:17–18; 54:13–14).
“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in
that which I create: for, behold, I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a
joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and
joy in my people: and the voice of weep-
ing shall be no more heard in her, nor the
voice of crying” (Isaiah 65:18–19).
II. THE MILLENNIUM
The word millennium is a Latin term that
means “one thousand years.” Only in Rev-
elation 20 is the thousand-year period
mentioned. There it is used six times in the
first seven verses.
A. Satan Bound
Satan was cast out of the mountain of God
as lightning because of his rebellion. (See
Ezekiel 28:16; Luke 10:18.) As the god of this
world (II Corinthians 4:4), Satan is also “the
prince of the power of the air” and the “spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobe-
dience” (Ephesians 2:2). His unrestrained
reign during the Tribulation, however, will
come to an abrupt end after the Battle of
Armageddon.
“And I saw an angel come down from
heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit and a great chain in his hand. And
he laid hold on the dragon, that old ser-
pent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and
bound him a thousand years” (Revelation
20:1–2).
Angels are spirit beings created by God.
They are immaterial, invisible, and eternal.
Physical means of restraint are useless on
angels. What kind of chain must this great
unnamed angel have that he is able to tame
an unruly spirit being? What kind of place
must the bottomless pit be? What kind of
“manhole cover” will be used to seal this cell
of the centuries?
Jesus will have Satan bound for one thou-
sand years to protect humanity living during
the Millennium from his unclean, rebellious in-
fluence. This restraining order executed upon
evil will mark the end of the kingdom of dark-
ness. The framework of federated wickedness
will fall apart like a chair without glue. Sud-
denly the universal organizing force of fallen
spirits will be missing from the universe. The
catalyst uniting the fallen nature of humanity
with the rebellious spirit world will be conspic-
uously absent from the laboratory of God’s
world. The potency of the serpent’s far-reach-
ing poison will be stripped of its sting.
The fallen nature of humanity will still be a
problem, but only on a local level. All orga-
nized resistance to righteousness will have
been reduced to the secret corners of the
heart of mankind, waiting for one final flash at
the end of the Millennium.
B. The Earth Blessed
When war ceases and the earth’s resourc-
es and nature’s balances are not polluted
anymore, it will be a release from a curse of
the earth. Even more redeeming will be the
cleansing of the earth from all the toxic pol-
lution the human race has dumped upon it.
Finally the curse of Genesis 3:17–18 will be
lifted from the earth. Abundance will charac-
terize the productivity of the earth.
The desert and wilderness will blossom as
the rose (Isaiah 35:1–2, 7). The trees of the for-
est will grow quickly and abundantly. Fir trees
will replace the curse of thorns. Myrtle trees
will replace the curse of briers (Isaiah 55:12–
13). The wild uninhabitable places will be so
beautiful and desirable that the whole earth
will be inhabitable (Isaiah 32:16–18; 49:19;
52:9; 61:4–5; Ezekiel 36:8–36; Joel 2:18–27;
Amos 9:13–15).
One of the possible reasons for the in-
creased productivity of the earth is that light
will be increased to seven times the bright-
ness of the planets. The light of the moon will
be as bright as the sun (Isaiah 30:26).
C. Peace in the Animal Kingdom
The carnivores of the world will lose their
desire for meat. The lion will become a veg-
etarian (Isaiah 11:6–9). The leopard shall lie
87
down with the goats. Peace will so dominate
our world that nothing will hurt or destroy in
the whole earth.
D. Joy and Gladness
A repentant, restored earth will have put
away its robes of sackcloth and mourning. All
reasons for sorrow, grief, and regret will have
passed. Life’s minor chords of sighing and
disappointment will give way to songs of joy
and gladness (Isaiah 35:10). God’s judgment
as a dark thundercloud will end the Great Trib-
ulation. Just as the clouds bring rain, the sun
brings singing and rejoicing. “The Sun of righ-
teousness will arise with healing in his wings”
(Malachi 4:2). The earth will be filled with the
glory of the Lord and the knowledge of the
Lord (Isaiah 11:9).
III. LIVING IN THE MILLENNIUM
A. People in the Millennium
The redeemed of the Lord, the great blood-
washed multitude, the ransomed ones, both
Old and New Testament believers—all will
comprise those who rule and reign with Jesus
Christ for one thousand years.
What of the other nations and peoples
who are still alive after the Tribulation? Only
a remnant of Israel will prepare themselves to
receive the Messiah (Isaiah 10:21–22). Zech-
ariah’s prophecy stated that only one-third
of them will call on the name of the Lord to
prepare for the Messiah’s coming (Zechariah
13:8–9). In the darkest hour of the Tribulation,
the Redeemer will come to save them in re-
sponse to their desperate cries (Hosea 6:1–3).
“Oh that thou wouldest rend the heav-
ens, that thou wouldest come down, that the
mountains might flow down at thy presence,
as when the melting fire burneth, the fire
causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name
known to thine adversaries, that the nations
may tremble at thy presence!” (Isaiah 64:1–2).
(See also Zechariah’s record of God’s prom-
ise of an outpouring of the spirit of grace and
supplication in Zechariah 12:10–13:1.)
Christ’s coming kingdom at the close of
the Tribulation will begin with the judgment
of the living Gentile nations as a shepherd
separates the sheep and the goats. (See
Matthew 25:31–46; Joel 3:1–2; Zephaniah
3:20; Isaiah 11:12–13; Ezekiel 28:25–26.) All
those who pass this rigorous test will consti-
tute the nations over which the Messiah and
the saints shall rule. These people will enter
the Millennium in their natural bodies. They
will bear children, raise families, and live full,
natural lives—still subject to all the physical
constraints of this world, including death.
Christ will gather out of His millennial king-
dom all things that offend and all who do
evil. None will remain who deliberately op-
press, abuse, and injure mankind. Only those
who love good rather than evil, light rather
than darkness, truth rather than lies, justice
rather than oppression, mercy rather than cru-
elty, God rather than Satan, will constitute this
kingdom.
B. Peace in the Millennium
There will be no global peace in our world
until the Prince of Peace reigns as this world’s
sovereign. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He
will bring about peace in the world and rule so
as to enforce peace.
Our God is not the author of confusion and
chaos. He is, however, the only one who can
change confusion and its attendant woes
into an unimagined calm. The peoples of the
earth have longed and hoped for a just and
lasting peace. This world is waiting until “He
shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his
dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and
from the river even to the ends of the earth”
(Zechariah 9:10).
The Lord placed the Tabernacle in the mid-
dle of Israel in the wilderness. His desire was
to be in the midst of His people, to dwell with
them (Exodus 29:45). Jerusalem will finally
be a city of peace in the Millennium. It will be
the center of worship and government (Psalm
48:2). God will once again be in the midst of
His people. His throne will be in the temple
in the city of Jerusalem. There will be no end
to the increase of His government and peace
(Isaiah 9:7). To pray for the peace of Jerusa-
lem is to pray that the coming Prince of Peace
will rule this city and our world (Psalm 122:6).
C. Probationary Period
The Millennium, this perfect age of great
peace and prosperity, will only be a prefigur-
ing of what is to come in eternity. At the end
of one thousand years, an untested throng
of human beings will, for the first time, meet
88
the tempter. Satan will have been bound and
restrained to the bottomless pit for one thou-
sand years. His release will signal the end of
the Millennium.
The Millennium begins the rule of nations
committed to truth and righteousness under
the reign of Jesus Christ. These nations of
natural people and the generations born to
them will continue in faith and obedience to
the Messiah and His rulership. At the end of
the age, however, a growing infection of rebel-
lion in the human heart will once again prove
that no matter how perfect the circumstance,
mankind will choose to spoil it rather than pre-
serve it.
How could Adam choose to deliberately
disobey God and be in fellowship with Him
daily? How could Lucifer, the anointed cover-
ing cherub next to the throne of God, choose
to abandon his first estate and with one-third
of the angels plot the overthrow of God’s
throne in Heaven? The mystery of iniquity
and the deceitfulness of sin are beyond our
comprehension.
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know
it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
The missing ingredient for a united world-
wide revolt against the absolute rule of Jesus
Christ will be supplied at the end of the age.
Satan will be loosed for a short season to test
the depth of depravity lurking in the human
heart. He will go out to deceive the nations
(Revelation 20:7–10). Multitudes, who have
outwardly been compliant, will inwardly con-
tinue in resentment and rebellion against
divine authority. These rebellious ones will be
deceived and will join Satan in an unbeliev-
able attempt to overthrow Christ and His reign
of peace.
The opportunity for open, organized revolt
for which they had secretly waited will be wel-
comed by thousands who had looked for the
moment to stand against the Messiah. The
number of these rebels is counted in the Book
of Revelation “as the sand of the sea” (Reve-
lation 20:8).
The fire of God will consume them even
as they attempt to destroy Jerusalem, the
beloved city; instantly, this great army will be
burned up. No mention is made in Scripture
of a burial or of a feast for birds and beasts
as in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation
19:17–18). The fire of God will devour them all.
The final probationary period for human-
kind will have ended. The general failure of
humanity to choose righteousness in every
generation will give ample justification—as if
He needs any—for God’s final judgment of
sin. All things will be ready for the Great White
Throne Judgment, God’s final disposition of
sin, Satan, death, and the grave.
“And death and hell were cast into the
lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire”
(Revelation 20:14–15).
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
After the conquest of Canaan under Josh-
ua, the people of Israel possessed their
inheritance only in principle. In fact, they only
occupied a fraction of what God had prom-
ised to Abraham and his seed. Even under
David and Solomon’s reigns, they fell short
of full possession. God gave to the seed of
Abraham a promise that He will completely
fulfill during the Millennium. Abraham will rise
with all the faithful of Israel to possess the land
at the coming of Jesus Christ. When Israel is
regathered and God fully restores them to
their land, it will be a permanent rather than
a temporary restoration as the Lord has said
(Jeremiah 32:37–41; Zechariah 8:3–8).
The promised glory of Jerusalem awaits the
return of Jesus, its true King. He will return to
Zion to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and
to reign over Israel and all the nations of the
earth from the throne of David.
Until the end of the times of the Gentiles,
Jerusalem will know no peace and will be a
problem for the whole world (Zechariah 12:3).
Indeed, there will be no peace for the world
until there is peace in Jerusalem.
Christ’s coming age of peace will be sig-
naled by Satan being bound and held in the
bottomless pit for one thousand years. The
Prince of Peace will establish peace and bring
renewal to every part of the earth. The curse
will be lifted from the ground. The nature of
predatory beasts will be changed. The earth
will be filled with the glory of the Lord.
Human beings with natural bodies will give
birth to children that will be raised during the
Millennium. These children will grow to adult-
hood without ever having to choose between
Christ and Satan. Still, the unregenerate, sin-
ful nature of man will again prove the need for
a Savior.
The release of Satan will be the signal of
the end of the Millennium. He will go out to
deceive the nations once more. Satan will
succeed in marshaling a massive army that
will march against Jerusalem. This large army
will be as numerous as the sands of the sea,
but it will be totally destroyed instantly by fire
from Heaven. The vast destruction that will be
brought upon earth’s last rebellion will pave
an entrance for the second resurrection and
the final judgment of the world.
Let everyone take heed to the solemn warn-
ing of the fearful last judgment that he might
be counted worthy to be a part of the first res-
urrection (Revelation 20:6). 

REFLECTIONS
• Discuss the nature of Christ’s coming millennial kingdom.
• Who will return to the earth to rule with Christ on the earth? Discuss.
• Discuss the part Jerusalem will play in the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ.
• Why will Satan be bound for one thousand years? Discuss.
• Discuss why Satan will be loosed for a season following the Millennium.

89
 WEEK 13
HEAVEN 08.30.15

FOCUS VERSE
FOCUS
I Corinthians 2:9
THOUGHT
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei-
ther have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him. Beyond our greatest
LESSON TEXT expectations we
John 14:1–6 will move to a
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, be- place where tears
lieve also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not and sorrows are
so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come absent. In Heaven
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may be also.
we will find the joy
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. and peace we have
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither
thou goest; and how can we know the way? searched for on
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
earth.
Revelation 22:1–6
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne
of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which
bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and
his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the
Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy
prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

90
 CULTURE
CONNECTION
Behind the Veil
H
ow many more books of people tak-
ing a trip to Heaven will the Christian
bookstores shove at us? If one sees
all the millions of books sold on the topic of
what the afterworld looks like, one might get
the impression everyone wants to go to Heav-
en. However, if individuals observe the way
most people live, they would be convinced
otherwise.
Our world does not need another story
of what life is like in the great beyond. The
countless volumes on this topic have failed
to bring our generation to its knees. Still, the
world does need to see behind the veil. They
need to see the power and beauty of Heaven
OUTLINE
I. THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN
II. THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN
III. THE HEAVENLY CITY
CONTEMPLATING THE TOPIC
Individuals are born with the knowledge
that there must be life after death. The idea
that we cease to exist at death must be taught
and learned; it is not instinctively embedded
in the consciousness.
The assurance that there is life after death
is proven by the fact that some fear the ap-
proach of death, while others welcome it as
a friend. If death were perceived to be simply
the end, there would be nothing to fear. Nor
would there be anything to look forward to.
The indelible imprint of eternity upon the
human mind is seen even in the dying pro-
tests of those who have insistently professed
not to believe in God.
Thomas Paine, enemy of both
atheism and Christianity, wrote
91
by Daniel J. Koren
at work in our world. They need to see it in you
and in me as we live life on this planet.
Heaven is not just a place we go when we
die; it is a kingdom we participate in right now.
Eternal life begins with the new birth. Do peo-
ple in your world see streets of gold in your
eyes, or do they see the same greed for gold
in you that they see in everyone else? Do they
see the Lamb on the throne of your life? Or
are you driven by the same passions and pur-
suits they are?
If you wrote a memoir of a vision of Heaven,
you might make a million. Instead, live it and
invite others to the place prepared for them.
Together, we might win a million.
The Age of Reason in support of
Deism. His dying moments were de-
scribed by an elderly lady in whose
house he was staying, and by a priest
who visited him.
“His cries when left alone are heart-
rending. ‘O Lord, help me!’ he will
exclaim during his paroxysms of dis-
tress; ‘God, help me! Jesus Christ,
help me!’—repeating these expres-
sions in a tone of voice that would
alarm the house. Sometimes he will
say, ‘O God! What have I done to suf-
fer so much?’ Then shortly after, ‘But
there is no God’; and then again, ‘Yet,
if there should be, what would become
of me hereafter?’”
Now the priest:
“Upon making known the object of
our visit, Paine interrupted, ‘That’s
enough, sir, that’s enough. I see what
you would be about. I wish to hear no
more from you, sir! My mind is made
up on that subject. I look upon the
whole of the Christian scheme to be
a tissue of lies, and Jesus Christ to be
nothing more than a cunning knave
 and impostor. Away with you, and
your God too! Leave the room instant-
ly! All that you have uttered are lies,
filthy lies, and if I had a little more time
I would prove it, as I did about your
impostor, Jesus Christ.’”
Among the last utterances that fell
upon the ears of the attendants of this
dying infidel, and which have been re-
corded in history, were the words, “My
God, my God, why hast Thou forsak-
en me?” (John Meyers, Voices from
the Edge of Eternity, Northridge, CA:
Voice Publications, 1968, pp. 129–130.)
Contrast this scene with the record
of the death of the godly Stephen:
“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
looked up stedfastly into heaven,
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus
standing on the right hand of God. . . .
And he kneeled down, and cried with
a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to
their charge. And when he had said
this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:55, 60).
Both men were convinced of a life in
the hereafter. Regardless of their loud,
strident protests to the contrary, all
men are so convinced.
It is only reasonable to think that the
universal consciousness of life beyond
the grave has been implanted in us by our
Creator. And it would be unreasonable to
suppose that ungodly sinners and redeemed
Christians would share the same fate. Just as
there are two kinds of people in the world,
the sinners and the redeemed, so must there
be two destinies.
The eternal state of the redeemed defies
description by the human intellect. It can be
glimpsed only by those born again of the Spir-
it of God.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him. But
God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God” (I Corinthi-
ans 2:9–10).
92
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
I. THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN
The last book of the Bible records the res-
toration to redeemed individuals of that which
was lost in Genesis. The tree of life is there, as
is the throne of God. Included in the last few
verses inspired of God is the wonderful prom-
ise that we shall be privileged to enter into the
New Jerusalem and that we shall have a right
to the tree of life.
“Blessed are they that do his com-
mandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).
This access to the eternal city is obviously
reserved for those who have been resurrect-
ed and given a glorified body. By faith, Job
glimpsed the reality of a resurrected body
thousands of years before Revelation was
penned. He believed life existed beyond the
mortality of our earthly existence.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth: and though after my skin
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh
shall I see God” (Job 19:25–26).
Abraham, the father of the faithful, “looked
for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
Though he died without receiving the prom-
ise, Jesus said, “Many shall come from the
east and west, and shall sit down with Abra-
ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 8:11).
The spatial position of Heaven is essentially
that of being eternally in the presence of God.
“Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with
these words” (I Thessalonians 4:17–18).
We can be certain that, wherever the Lord
is, Heaven will be. This is amplified by Jesus’
words of comfort and promise to His disci-
ples. He told them (and us) that we would live
eternally with Him in the mansions in His Fa-
ther’s house.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye be-
lieve in God, believe also in me. In my
Father’s house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1–3).
Though many are curious for a vivid de-
scription of Heaven, Jesus did not offer to
leave us with the details. Instead, He rein-
forced the idea that Heaven is a real place
where we will dwell with Him.
Jesus’ words probably had significance
as to the spiritual position of believers in the
church, for we are made to sit in heavenly
places. (See John 14:23; Ephesians 1:20–23;
2:5–6.) But they also foreshadow the eternal
abode of the redeemed. That there is a liter-
al place of fellowship with Jesus after death
is seen in Jesus’ response to the repentant
malefactor: “And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I
say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise” (Luke 23:42–43).
The hope of Heaven
has always been a
powerful motive to
godly living and
endurance of earthly
trials.
While it may be said that paradise is a tem-
porary abode for the righteous dead, and not
Heaven itself, it may be observed that para-
dise is at least a foretaste of eternal fellowship
with the Lord. We need only to contrast the
life after death of the rich man and Lazarus to
distinguish the difference between the condi-
tions of paradise (Abraham’s bosom) and that
93
of Hell (hades). To be in paradise is to be in
the “third heaven” (II Corinthians 12:1–4).
“And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also
died, and was buried; and in hell he lift
up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bo-
som” (Luke 16:22–23).
While God may not have seen fit to give to
us the exact details of life in Heaven, He gave
us enough promises to assure us of such a
state of bliss. And He certainly gave sufficient
warning to encourage us to avoid the eternal
destiny of the wicked.
II. THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN
The hope of Heaven has always been a
powerful motive to godly living and endurance
of earthly trials. One thing we will note about
Heaven is that our bodies will be immortal,
incorruptible, and like that of the Lord Jesus.
“For our conversation is in heaven;
from whence also we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change
our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body, according to
the working whereby he is able even to
subdue all things unto himself” (Philippi-
ans 3:20–21).
This startling change in our bodies ev-
idently occurs at the moment we rise in the
resurrection and Rapture. Thus we long for
the moment when Jesus shall come, for then
our bodies will be redeemed from the corrupt-
ible to be fashioned like His glorious body.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall ap-
pear, we shall be like him; for we shall see
him as he is” (I John 3:2).
“For we know that if our earthly house
of this tabernacle were dissolved, we
have a building of God, an house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to
be clothed upon with our house which is
from heaven” (II Corinthians 5:1–2).
 Heaven, then, is a place prepared for those
with celestial bodies. It is not an earthly abode
for human beings.
Heaven will be a
blessed place, far
beyond the fondest
dreams of the human
mind.
Since our earthly bodies will be transformed
into heavenly ones, it might be expected that
all the limitations and unpleasantness associ-
ated with mortal bodies would also pass away.
Such is the case. Tears of sorrow, pain, and
death will be forever left behind us.
“And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for
the former things are passed away” (Rev-
elation 21:4).
The life for the Christian beyond the grave is
in contrast to the destiny of the ungodly. The
final abode of the wicked is described as the
lake of fire that burns forever.
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and
the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idol-
aters, and all liars, shall have their part
in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death”
(Revelation 21:8).
Jesus spoke of the severe punishment of
the lost in the parable of the sheep and goats.
Here He made it clear the post-judgment des-
tiny of individuals will be eternal, without end.
Those on the right hand will inherit eternal life;
those on the left hand will be consigned to ev-
erlasting fire.
“Then shall the King say unto them on
his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my
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Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world. .
. . Then shall he say also unto them on
the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the dev-
il and his angels. . . . And these shall go
away into everlasting punishment: but
the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew
25:34, 41, 46).
So Heaven offers the promise of a uniquely
different mode of existence. We will certainly
be individuals and retain our identity, but we
will exist in a form peculiar to eternity.
Everlasting punishment and eternal life are
alike in only one respect: both are unending.
But there the similarity ceases. The former is
deathly (Revelation 20:14). It is described as
“the second death.” The latter is lively. One of
the privileges of those who enjoy this state is
the “right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:14).
Our natural curiosity provokes us to want to
know the details of Heaven. What will life be
like there? Will we know one another as we
do on Earth? Will we eat? Will we be able to
remember the past?
There are many things, however, we can-
not know. We leave these questions in the
hands of God and trust Him to do what is
best. Although Paul had the unusual experi-
ence of being transported into paradise, he
was unable to describe it to anyone else. He
discovered that what God had prepared for
us could not lawfully be conveyed to those
on Earth. He had heard “unspeakable words”
(II Corinthians 12:1–4).
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen
years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot
tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot
tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught
up to the third heaven. And I knew such
a man, (whether in the body, or out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that
he was caught up into paradise, and heard
unspeakable words, which it is not lawful
for a man to utter” (II Corinthians 12:2–4).
However limited our knowledge of Heaven
may be, we do know there will be no tears or
sorrow there. There will be no funeral homes,
for there will be no death. There will be no
hospitals, for there will be no sickness or pain.
There will be no jails or prisons, for there will be
no crime. In our present finite mind, we cannot
comprehend the scope of the statement, “Be-
hold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Heaven will be a blessed place, far beyond
the fondest dreams of the human mind.
Heaven will be the
fulfillment of all the
promises of God.
III. THE HEAVENLY CITY
Those who love the Scriptures have long
marveled at the graphic description of the
New Jerusalem. We sing of the city where the
Lamb is the light and about walking on streets
of gold. Something within identifies with that
beautiful city, and we feel at one with it.
This is as it should be, for the Scripture it-
self closely identifies the city with the church,
describing the city as the “bride, the Lamb’s
wife” (Revelation 21:9).
“And there came unto me one of the
seven angels which had the seven vials
full of the seven last plagues, and talked
with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew
thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he
carried me away in the spirit to a great
and high mountain, and shewed me that
great city, the holy Jerusalem, descend-
ing out of heaven from God” (Revelation
21:9–10).
The writer of Hebrews referred to the church
as Mount Zion. “But ye are come unto mount
Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22).
The city and the bride are inseparable. The
only ones who have access to the city are
those who have done the commandments of
the Lord and are thus in the bride of Christ
(Revelation 22:14).
While many interpretations could doubtless
be placed on the significance of the various
characteristics of the city, we will consider a
few of the more significant ones.
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1. The city is a perfect cube. So was the
Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and the
Temple of Solomon. It was here that the high
priest fellowshiped with God. The room was
filled with the presence of God. But in the New
Jerusalem, all believers are priests and kings.
They enjoy fellowship with God continually.
2. The city has a great and high wall. A wall
speaks of protection, safety, and security. No
destructive power can enter into the city to
harm its inhabitants.
3. The wall has twelve foundations. It was
and is through the witness of the twelve apos-
tles that individuals believe and are brought to
salvation, and thus into this city.
4. The city has twelve gates. Open gates
speak of opportunities to enter. They are
open to all who will keep the Lord’s com-
mandments. On these gates are written the
names of the twelve tribes of Israel. This city
is the dwelling place of the people of God, the
church of the living God (Galatians 6:16).
There are three gates for each direction; the
church has been gathered out of the north,
east, south, and west—from every tribe and
nation. The gates never shut; there is open
opportunity for the obedient to enter. Every
gate is the door to a golden street, indicating
there is abundant opportunity for communi-
cation with the One on the throne. Access is
unlimited to the river of life and the tree of life.
There has been much debate over the po-
sition and endurance of the New Jerusalem.
Some see it as a millennial city, others as
an eternal one. But regardless of any unan-
swered questions, we know for certain that the
holy city represents all that is joyous and holy
in the future. The biblical picture of the heav-
enly city is a source of great comfort and hope
to the pilgrim Christian.
INTERNALIZING THE MESSAGE
The glowing promise of a blissful future
with the Savior has served to make the trials
of earthly existence fade into insignificance.
Our fondest expectations will certainly fail to
match the indescribable splendor of that eter-
nal state. It is certain that our state of existence
will be quite different from what we, in our fi-
nite minds, could have imagined. All negative
human emotions will be absent. Heaven will
be the fulfillment of all the promises of God.
 In her book Tramp for the Lord,
Corrie ten Boom tells of her
frustration when a young Korean
theological student confessed to her
that his studies had robbed him of his
former understanding of Heaven. She
told him of her experience of a day
before.
“There I saw the poorest shack I had
ever seen. It was a tiny lean-to, made
from materials collected from the gar-
bage heap—pieces of cardboard, tin
cans which had been smashed flat,
old boards. . . . As we drove past,
though, I heard the beautiful voice of
a woman singing. Seldom, even in the
concert halls of Europe, had I heard
such a sweet voice. We stopped the
car and listened, for it was like the
song of a skylark.
“I said to the missionary who was
traveling with me, ‘Do you know that
song?’
“‘Yes,’ she said, ‘it says, Where Je-
sus is, ’tis Heaven there.’
“Oh, how my heart leaped for joy
as I heard this beautiful song com-
ing from such a poor place. It is one
thing to hear such a song in a digni-
fied church, or pouring through the
speakers of an expensive stereo set.
But when one hears it coming from
the poorest shack in the midst of such
poverty, then it means something else.
“I looked at the young theological
student before me. Jesus said, ‘The
kingdom of God is within you’ (Luke
17:21). Bultmann is wrong and Jesus
is right. Heaven is not a myth or fairy
story: Heaven is a prepared place for
prepared people. . . . If you want to
find where Heaven is, get out of your
stuffy classroom and go back out into
the countryside. Listen to the simple
faith of those who read only the Bible
and trust only in God, not in material
things. What do they care if some theo-
logian says that Heaven is a fable?
They have found Jesus, and where Je-
sus is, ’tis Heaven there.’”

REFLECTIONS

• How will our existence in Heaven differ from that of our present lives? What will happen to
our bodies?
• What will be the most attractive feature of Heaven?
• What significance exists in the biblical description of the New Jerusalem? Discuss.
• Discuss any examples of the deaths of righteous or evil individuals that demonstrate the
truth of the teaching of Scripture on life after death.
• Discuss the biblical description of the New Jerusalem. Who will be privileged to live in
the city?

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