Our next study: Colossians? Weigh in!

I'm thinking Colossians would be a great book to do next. It deals with early heresies and we live in an age of countless heresies and challenges to orthodox faith.

What do you think?

Full Assurance of Faith

We learned that God does not want us to walk around in anxious doubt. Quite apart from the question, "Can I lose my salvation?" which I personally would answer in the negative, is the doctrine that God wants me to be assured in my faith. We explored many verses that showed this is God's desire and His design. Some are listed below:

Eph. 1:4-7; 1:13-14; 4:30
John 10:28-30
Heb. 10:21-23
I Jn. 2:1-2, 19
John 5:24

Our salvation is in God's hands and He is able to make us stand. Yet we are encouraged to persevere and continue in our faith. There is no contradiction here, but rather view of the truth from two perspectives, ours and God's.

Jesus is better than Moses

As much as the builder of the house is due more glory than the house! The law of Moses is surpassed by the New Covenant of grace. I was reading in Timothy this morning that the law is good if it's used lawfully. The law is meant for all sorts of law breakers to show them how wicked they are. The law is our tutor to Christ, it is not our modus operandi once we are Christians. That's what makes the New Covenant new and the Old Covenant superceded. We now live by a law of love, of the Spirit and not of the letter. Much better, huh?

Jesus is both Lord and Messiah

"But of the Son He says, 'Thy throne, O God is forever and ever, and Your righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." Hebrews 1:8

Hebrews 1 leaves no doubt that Jesus is the Eternal God and Creator of all things. There is nothing ambiguous here. I am curious to know what a Jehovah Witness might say in regard to these verses. They are so clear in placing Jesus above the angels and on the very throne of God.

The author of Hebrews draws from the Old Testament to show that Jesus is not just a man, a prophet, or a savior; though he is clearly all of these things as well.

Breaking the Law with Jesus

We had a nice turnout and a good discussion in Week 1 for Hebrews: "Breaking the Law with Jesus." The author, Origen says, is only known to God. Tradition said Paul, but the book seems to be just not his style. Hebrews is perhaps the best written book in the NT regarding style and argument.

Deep and Wide!

Here's the reference study list I've constructed for the Sunday Group. Subject to further revision. Dig deep. Get wide. Know it and spread it.

http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Study-Tools/lm/R1KX8YPI3TCJQE/ref=cm_srch_res_rpli_alt_3

"I'm probably 20 percent atheist and 80 percent agnostic," Pitt said. "I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, until then there's no point thinking about it."

--Brad Pitt settles the issue of God's existence once and for all.

Well, I guess there's not much point in continuing the blog.