3C's Bible Study: Recent Episodes
Josh A I & School of Prayer
Let's study the Bible together, verse by verse and chapter by chapter. Our three guiding principles are completeness, contextualization and comprehension.
This podcast contains the weekly summary of our time together, which is always engaging. To join us live, kindly reach out to us at 3cbiblestudy@gmail.com.
Timothy, a youthful pastor, had to direct and correct the young and the elderly, relate with younger women faithfully, and address crucial problems around caring for widows and keeping elders accountable.
In this chapter, Paul hands Timothy and us practical tools for dealing with the major obstacle to godliness - relationships.
In these verses, Paul reveals that there is profit to godly living, and shows us how to develop a godly life and uncover the value in godliness.
In these verses, Paul highlights the two main streams of error that the church and believers will contend with in the last days as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
We consider these the twin problems of license and legalism and the key that unlocks balanced and mature Christian living in the face of the temptation to be drawn to one or the other.
We also look at the issue of "departing from the faith", what the root causes are and how to avoid such an outcome in our lives and those who hear us.
Paul goes on in this chapter to outline the qualifications for Bishops, Elders, Pastors & Deacons in the church, and the heart of these qualifications is to live blamless life.
Such a life is founded on the principle of reverence and submission to God, and grows out into soberness and self-control towards ourselves, others and the world.
Blameless living is supposed to be part of the normal Christian life because of the living presence of the Holy Spirit in each of us.
Paul discusses the role of prayer and intercession in facilitating the ministry of the church to the world and the place of submission in ensuring the order that God desires in the home and the church, which eventually flows into society.
Paul's primary goal of writing to his son in the faith Timothy is to stir him up to "remain in Ephesus", which is an apt metaphor for his charge in this chapter to "fight the good warfare".
We explore the central themes of this letter in this episode and the practical meaning and strategies for waging the good warfare.
Paul concludes this letter by highlighting the central role of prayer in fulfilling the work of redemption, along with godliness and good works.
We explore these themes in some detail in this episode and connect them in the end to the God of peace, who is the author of the work of redemption, and is able to see us through it to the end.
In this chapter, Paul gets to the heart of his reason for writing this second letter by presenting and establishing the order and signs of the Lord's return and refuting the false claims and ideas that had proliferated the church.
Looking forward and ahead to the Lord's return is an essential ingredient to a wholesome Christian experience, and God wants us to be equipped with the hope that comes from knowing that He is in control of the most vulnerable moment of history.
At the start of this second letter, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of the meaning of their sufferings for Christ and how it leads to greater measure of glory. His exhortation in this chapter is a timely reminder for in the face life, to live with boldness as sons of God whose lives are earmarked for the glory of God.
Paul wraps up this first letter by providing practical guidelines to backup the earlier charge to live ready for the Lord's return. The normal Christian life is the sanctified life and we explore the practical outworking of this life in this episode.
In these verses, Paul turns to the ultimate hope of our salvation, particularly the hope of the resurrection. We dive into this theme to understand why hope is at the heart of knowing God and walking with Him, and to understand our part is realising the joy and expectation of our hope in Christ.
Writing to a church that has been established in the foundations of faith, hope and love, Paul urges them on to the next steps of maturity, which is to find and lay hold of the will of God.
At the heart of the will of God is the reason He saved us and paid for our redemption after we sinned, and it is that we may be separated unto Him for His purpose and good pleasure.
This episode concludes with a cry and a prayer that we will give God full room and His full rights in our lives and that our light will so shine in the midst of darkness that He will be glorified in us.
In these two chapters, Paul highlights for us at least six marks of authentic, enduring and fruitful ministry as he had in Thessaloniki. They are:
-
Faithful stewardship of the Gospel
-
Strength of character built by a life of devotion
-
The unmistakable presence of suffering or opposition
-
A continuous focus on eternity
-
Concern and care for the faith and love of God's elect
-
Praying exceedingly and always for God's elect
Putting together the main lessons from the first chapter of this letter, we rediscover the meaning and heart of the Gospel of God and how we can be powerful witnesses of Jesus in our daily spaces.
We also explore the practical outcomes that the Gospel had in the church in Thessaloniki and what it means to take up the same posture of turning from idols to serve the true and living God and waiting from His Son from heaven.
The outstanding mark of the Gospel that was preached to the Thessalonians that made their faith stable and secure was the power that came with it.
There are at least three main expressions of power in the Gospel:
- The power of godliness (human proof)
- The power of utterance (the bridge)
- The power of signs (divine proof)
These three work together to produce the assurance and conviction of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people.
But how do we walk in power? There are at least three channels found in the Scriptures:
- Receiving and walking in the will of God (Matthew 10:5-20)
- The experiential or revealed knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 1:17-22)
- The measure of the Spirit that we are filled with (Ephesians 3:20; 5:18-20)
It takes both authority (being born of the Spirit - John 1:12) and ability (being led by the Spirit - Romans 8:14) to walk in the power of God.
Paul spent just about three weeks in Thessaloniki with the church there before he was forced out by religious zealots from the local Synagogues.
Despite the relatively short time, the impact that this visit had on the church was a deep and enduring one that is attested to by the warmth and practicality in this letter.
In this first episode we consider the foundational elements of faith, hope and love that provide the basis and evidence of walking fruitfully with the true God.
A church that will reveal the glory of God to the world must be rich in both grace and truth. Emphasizing grace at the expense of truth ultimately sets us up against the truth as we set about to define love and acceptance in a way that God, who is love, does not. On the contrary, broken humanity is unable to comprehend truth without the grace that enables us to receive it.
Let's pray that our churches, homes and lives will be shining examples of grace and truth held in the same balance that Jesus did when he walked on Earth.
Inherent and explicit in our calling as Christians is the call to be an overcomer. In our efforts to live out a life of fellowship with the Father, we will face intense opposition from within (the flesh), around us (the world) and against us (the devil).
Victory is only possible on one basis, and that is our faith in the work of Christ in history, and in us today through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit bears witness to the truth in our hearts and it is as our eyes are opened to discover the truth and believe in the testimony of God that we see His victory in our lives.
Perfect love is the love that takes its reference from God, the who is the definition of love. The Christian life is an expression of the sublime meeting of grace and truth which is a reflection of the essence of God's love.
We learn in this episode the three distinct characteristics of the love of God, and end with a prayer that this love will be perfected in us and through us.
Building on the call to test every spirit, this episode focuses on how to test or discern things. We are called to discern things - whether they are natural or spiritual, true or false, right or wrong and to discern spirits - whether they are of God or not.
Discerning things means seeing beyond what is apparent into what is really there. Discerning spirits requires that we go into the origin of things, and that can only happen by the light of God, not by suspicion or deduction. The origin of a thing determines its capacity and influence in our lives.
Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, we have the capacity to discern all things, but this capacity can be limited by either dullness or defilement in our spirits. We can sharpen and purify our spirits by exposing ourselves constantly to the light of God and walking in obedience to the things that He shows us.
One of the outcomes of fellowshipping with the Father is that we are trained in discerning what is not of God or for us, giving us the much-needed discretion for life and godliness.
The call to test every spirit reveals that behind every prophetic activity on earth is a spirit, and that every believer has the spiritual equipment to tell the false from the true.
The test of spirit is so crucial in our walk with God because deception is one of the major strategies of the enemy to contaminate the spirit of God's people in the last days.
The enduring call of the Christian life is to walk in love, not only when we feel love, but as a decision we make to submit to and live out the life of God in us.
When we fail to walk in love, we will ultimately express a nature that is of the devil. Our lack of love will produce hatred, bitterness and eventually murder.
Choosing to love is the key to receiving the grace to love. It is how we maintain vitality in our fellowship with the Father and life of continually answered prayers.
John makes the case in the opening verses of this chapter that our call to righteous living is possible because we have the seed of God in us. Beyond education or psychology or legislation, it is the life of God imparted to men that can produce the virtues of a holy life.
In view of the life that we have received, and the nature we now have, John wants us to set our hope aright and to make a break from every conscious practice of sin in our lives.
John builds on the practicalities of maintaining fellowship with the Father by highlighting the potential entry points of the enemy, and the tools that we can use to shut those doors.
He covers the problem of the world and the lusts that are within every person and counsels us to not love the world. We explore the practical implications of this charge.
He closes off with a warning against the spirit of deception and presents the witness of the Holy Spirit as a potent antidote to deception, leaving us with the responsibility and ability to abide in God.
The main outcome of fellowship with the Father is that we get to know Him in an ever-increasing measure of intimacy. It is our knowledge of God that frees us from the shackles of sin and positions us to walk in practical love.
What does it then mean to "know" God as John described? How can we walk in this world as He walked? Let's find out together in this episode.
John begins this letter by pointing to the beginning as the only reference point for authentic Christianity. He explores the Word of Life which was from the beginning and the manifestations of that Life in human flesh and unveils fellowship or koinonia as the link between the two.
We dive into the meaning and practice of fellowship, weaving into the primary revelation that God is light. As light, God is the reference point for all measurements, the revealer of reality, and the energizer of our lives.
The study concludes with an open invitation to come into the light and experience the riches of fellowship with the Father.
John is the last apostle and his mission is to call the church back to the first and vital things. The heart of John's letter is an invitation to fellowship with the Father that makes for joy, righteousness, truth and assurance.
The call to fellowship is John's strategy for believers against the primary issue of the last days which is the drifting from truth caused by deception and falsehood.
We examine these broad themes in detail in this episode and conclude with John's call to lay down our idols so that we can come into the revelatory knowledge of God that is designed to complete us.
We consider some of the important principles of a secure faith as summarized by the apostle in this closing chapter. The primary principle is "to remember", which is the anchor of the letter.
Peter then highlights "the error of the wicked" which is the principle he wants his readers to avoid if they are to keep their steadfastness in the last days.
He also shows us what it means to hasten the coming of the Lord and invites us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God rather than letting our spiritual lives remain fallow and open to deception.
In this closing part of chapter 2, Peter follows up on the exploration of the psychology of deception by defining the missing piece in all of the deceptions of the enemy aimed at our self-nature.
We consider this missing element and unveil how to ensure it in our walk with God. We conclude by examining the law of bondage and how to break free from the slippery path.
What is the root cause of falsehood and radical departures from the faith? It’s a question worth answering as Peter warns the church of the subtle infiltration of false teachers.
We examine the anatomy of deception - its root cause and outworkings and reveal the antidotes presented in this letter. We hope that the Lord will open our eyes and rid our hearts of everything that keeps us vulnerable to deception and empower us to live continuously in the truth.
In the concluding part of this chapter, Peter makes the case that faith needs to be enhanced by moral excellence and wisdom for the believer to be fruitful in the knowledge of God. He reveals through this that faith is only an entry point into something much bigger - our calling.
Though our calling and election are secure from God's perspective, the apostle urges us to apply ourselves diligently to ensure it. What principle reconciles these two poles of grace? Peter hopes that his hearers will master the fundamentals of faith and thus fulfil all that God called us to.
Peter begins this second letter by revealing that his readers and we have received the same faith as he and the heroes of the Old and New Testament, which subdued kingdoms, birthed righteousness, stopped the mouth of lions and more.
The question that leads to our exploration of faith in this episode is if you have received the same seed of faith as the greats we read about, what is missing or hindering your faith?
Let's find out together as we trust God for fruitfulness in our knowledge of Him.
Peter concludes this letter by addressing people in the specifics of their position in the church and circumstances in life. There is priceless advice for elders and pastors as well as followers and those called to submit. He concludes this chapter by pointing us to the attitudes that guarantee a supply of grace and an entrance into the glory that is prepared for us.
In this second part, we summarize the fundamental principle of overcoming suffering and highlight the five commitments that ensure that we actualize the glory that God has in every circumstance.
The Christian life is a call to follow Jesus, in an intimate and personal relationship, that leads us where He goes, including the path of suffering. Suffering though not pleasant is only allowed by God because there's a glory that He wants to reveal through it.
To overcome suffering then is endeavour to see that the glory of God is revealed through it - and what we need to do first in order to reach that goal is to arm ourselves with the right mindset.
This study is all about building up the right mindsets around Christian suffering and to help us keep the love of God and His glory at the centre of it at all times.
The primary basis for sharing the Gospel is that our hearts are grounded in the hope and experience of the Gospel, and the next is to be ready or prepared to give an answer for that hope.
Reasoning about your faith requires the preparation of learning how to defend the faith. We consider in this study, how to start Gospel conversations and stay in the conversation.
Marriage provides the platform for revealing the glory of God like no other human relationship or engagement does because of the practical daily sacrifices that make us more Godlike. Each marriage will fulfil this divine aim of revealing the glory of God to the extent that both husband and wives live by the character of the life of God.
Peter also addresses the need for unity and compassion in the family-like relationship atmosphere of the church and touches again on the importance of righteous conduct and a conscience that is without blame before God. This all means that in the face of contradiction or opposition, Christians can put on display the same life that that Jesus did when He walked the earth.
The kingdom of God advances only on the backs of those who lay down every thing. In these verses, Peter charges those who will be part of God's building to abstain from lusts of the flesh, to practice submission and to embrace suffering. This episode unpacks each of these and uncovers the mindset that enables us to live out the supernatural life of God in the heat of life.
Peter unearths the powerful metaphor of "living stones" to describe the nature and purpose of God's work in Christ, which is now extended to us as His representatives on the earth.
The ultimate expression of the glory of God is in a house or a community of believers, each individually crafted by God for a unique function, and connected together by the foundation of Christ. It is here that prayers are answered and significant breakthroughs are unearthed.
The underlying principles of raising such an abode and becoming a functional part of what God is doing in your territory is in consistency. Through consistency, we get to really know God and to provide Him with something sure and precious that He can fill with His glory.
God's objective in our lives is to produce His glory, and the pathway into that glory is holiness. The two main channels through which our lives can produce the glory of God are our priesthood and the witness of our lives.
The privilege of priesthood and witness rests on the grace of God, and the effectiveness of them in our lives rests on the formation of the holy character of God in us. To be holy therefore is to be saturated with God - to be consumed by the influence of the life within us.
Our hope is that we'll find the beauty and joy for which we were saved and that our lives will be effective channels of revealing the glory of God to a world in darkness.
Peter's first letter is addressed to "the dispersion" in Christ, those who were fleeing persecution because of their convictions. We examine the source, meaning and goal of suffering in the Christian life with respect to the encouragement that the Apostle presents in this letter.
We also consider the three-fold cord of a salvation that will reach its end and what that end looks like. We have been called to a living hope, whose riches we can lay hold of today by faith, and whose endurance is tied to a love and affection for Jesus that places our relationship with Him above our need for self preservation.
In the end, our cry, and God's intent for us, is that our faith will be strengthened and become more pure, true and sure.
As Christians, we will live live most of our lives in the Chronos (the routine), and what we do in the routine of life is what will determine the outcome of our faith in the Kairos or opportune moments. It is in the Chronos that is most tested.
The closing chapter of this letter therefore offers secure grounds for faith in the everyday, of which the most secure ground is to stay in the love of God. There are equally admonitions to denying self and the flesh, hospitality, fidelity of faith, and dependence on the God of peace.
The God of peace is the one who equips every effective labourer in the kingdom of God with grace, hence, the letter closes by inviting us to the altar that supplies us continually with this grace and life.
Faith by its nature rewards believing and perseverance, allowing anyone to who believes to receive from God. It is possible, however, to receive from God but fall short on the main goal of faith, which is to please Him, because of the absence of discipline in our lives.
This episode traces the pattern of endurance and discipline that was at work in Jesus, explores the question of the contradictions of faith, and unveils the principle that enables us endure the discipline of God.
The goal of God's discipline is that we may partake of His holiness and in doing so reveal the glory of His nature to the world around us. He has fitted us for this calling with the great provisions of grace and a kingdom that cannot be moved.
The golden principle of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11:6 requires that anyone walking with God by faith will need to make an upfront investment of believing and further down, the investment of perseverance.
Believing is what led the heroes of faith in the chapter into their journeys of destiny and for many, perseverance added along the way. Yet, God has prepared something better for us so that our own feats of faith will complete theirs.
What faith project is God laying on your heart? Do you have a promise from God concerning what you are believing for? What steps will you take on account of the fidelity and ability of God? Let's find out together in this episode.
The path of faith begins with a calling. Our calling is what opens us to the privileges of access to God and sets us on a peculiar journey of faith (for pruning, training and equipping) making us the kind of people that can stand in our ordination. Anyone who can believe God for something is able to do so because they were called.
Faith transcends us to the generations after us, and as such, the spirit of the faith that pleases God is faithfulness. God inspires faithfulness in us by granting us a vision or revelation of his fidelity and ability, and we complete the cycle of faith by holding on to the character and power of God as the anchor for things promised.
From Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and to Joseph, the passage before us traces this pathway that all who will walk by faith are called to follow.
In view of the complete and perfect sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the world, the first few verses in the study consider the problem of continuing wilfully in sin and the legal dilemma it creates.
The Gospel prescribes a lifestyle for everyone who believes - the life of faith. Faith is the not only the antidote to drifting as it rightfully is, but is also the conversion link between heavenly riches and earthly experience.
We consider then the weapons of faith, the goal and reward of faith, and the practices that sustain a living and fruitful life of faith.
From thinking redemptively, we go on to examine the quality of life that satisfies the current work of God in redemption. Christ was the ultimate embodiment of this life, and the manner in which he lived is instructive to us to whom the ministry of reconciliation has now been committed.
The fidelity of the love of God for us is never in question as far as He is concerned. The questions that remain are, to what extent do we understand and apprehend the love of GOD? And what will be our response to that love?
Responding to the love of God involves accepting His invitation to fellowship with Him not just daily but moment by moment and allowing Him produce the wonders of His life through us for His glory.
The verses before us answer the pressing question of why the sacrificial system of the Old Testament was required or instituted even though it is not efficacious in dealing with sin. Answering this question is crucial to understanding the necessity of the suffering and death of Jesus, and what His ministry in heaven accomplishes for us today.
The principle that unlocks the meaning of covenant and sacrifice, and why they are at the heart life in God's design is "redemption". If we see the world through the lens of redemption, then everything about sacrifice, covenant, and life itself makes sense. If we do not see the world through this lens, then very little will make sense.
Thinking redemptively is what strengthens a life of devotion to the Lord and enables us participate in His word on redemption on this side of eternity.
The worship that God seeks is not one that is based on human performance or religious activity, but on the activity of the Spirit in the innermost being of a man, where the presence of God dwells.
True worship goes beyond the veil (the soul), reaches deep into the conscience of a man and produces transformation. It touches reality, not by busy activity (duty) but by concentrated waiting on God (devotion).
It is only through waiting that we find reality, and the measure of true worship is the degree to which we get to “in Spirit and truth”. As such, the Lord rejects as “dead works”, any religious service that does not get here.
Every priesthood exists to service and amplify the articles of a covenant. Without covenant, there can be no priesthood. In this episode, we discuss the meaning of covenant and priesthood and why both should be at the heart of human life according to God's vision.
The chapter goes on to expound on the New Covenant, highlighting the necessity for it, its dissimilarities with the Old Covenant, the foundations of it and the promise that makes it better and superior to the Old.
God invites all of us to begin to exercise and enjoy priesthood according to the provisions of the New Covenant to His glory and to our full satisfaction. "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
This chapter returns to the topic of the Priesthood of Christ and the order on which it is based. This new Priesthood is kingly, eternal, that is, based on the power of an endless life and is also heavenly, making it a solid ground upon which the hope of every heart and every nation can rest.
Because this priesthood is superior to the one that preceded it and was established by an oath from God, its scope is eternal, and the salvation that Christ offers us is to the uttermost, that is to the very end. Knowing the infinite capacity that our High Priest has to save, the only question left is what our response will be.
In Hebrews 6, the writer expands on what it takes to go on to maturity. He begins by examining the consequence remaining stuck spiritually and not pressing on in maturity, which is the possibility of turning away from God.
The writer then goes on to present hope as the antidote to lethargic faith, signalling that the longevity of our faith and its eventual effectiveness, will be determined by the quality of our hope - that is the character of the anchor of our hope.
In Christ, we have an enduring and steadfast hope that if we lay hold on, will produce reward in this life and in the one to come.
Having established rest as the essential principle on which all fruitful human living depends, the writer now goes on to examine the problem that is raised by our natural proclivity for weakness, anxiety, fear and all other miseries of sin.
The principle of rest itself, for sinful humanity, depends on the availability and qualification of a high priest or mediator who can transition us through every weakness in to the rest of God. That High Priest is Christ, and his incarnation, along with the weaknesses He contended with make fit to be our high priest.
Are you wondering if there is help for you in God or if your struggle can be turned around? Tune in and join us in examining the credentials of our great High Priest.
Hebrews chapter 4 surveys the meaning and layers of God's rest, highlighting its centrality in the gospel of God to creation. What is God's rest, why is it at the heart of the gospel and how do we enter into it? Join us as we uncover this great principle.
Is it possible for a Christian to be in unbelief? If so, what does unbelief in one's life look like? What are the consequences to continuing in such a state?
Hebrews chapter 3 challenges our view of what it means to believe, moving believing from creed to deed - from only confessing, to responding to what we hear. Jesus describes believing as a work (John 6:28-29) and thus invites us to lay hold of the word of God until it lays hold of us.
The antidote to drifting and unbelief is a humble disposition towards the word of God and our staying within the community of the people of God. If we let the word of God melt our hearts, challenge, comfort and correct us, then the Holy Spirit can produce the rest of God in us and the patient endurance that is necessary for true Christian belief.
We summarise the first two chapters of the letter, covering the nature of God's speaking to us, His final message to us personified in Christ, the necessity for the Son of God as the chief messenger and the reasons that Christ had to take on our physical human nature in His incarnation.
To address our tendency to drift away from the foundations of faith, Hebrews 2 offers us the mystery of the incarnation of Christ in human form.
Christ took on human nature, and not any other in salvation, so He could taste death (the justice of God) for everyone, redeem us back to our glorious calling in God, defeat the stronghold of death, and restore us in times of weakness and failure.
The sufficiency of Christ is the epicentre of this letter, and in this chapter, the writer showcases Him as our merciful and faithful High Priest.
God speaks prophetically both to creation and to us His children. Why does He speak this way and what are the implications?
The answers to that lead us on to why a message meant for humanity could not be adequately delivered by prophets or angels. What is this message and what impact does its content have on our standing with God and our longing for Him?
Let's find out together in this first chapter of Hebrews.
The writer of Hebrews writes to first-century Jewish Christians on the back of the gradual drift away from Christ that was instigated by the intense persecution of Christians in the Roman empire. The letter argues that nothing we return to is greater than God's final word to us, which is summed up in His Son.
Jesus is greater than the angels and the prophets, and he is the pioneer of a greater priesthood that assures us of eternal salvation. If Jesus is God’s best offer for mankind, the writer argues that there are eternal consequences of drifting away from Him.
The letter concludes by presenting the antidote to drifting - a steadfast faith that is anchored on the person and work of Christ both in history, and now in heaven. Faith is the way to justification before God and the way to access into the riches of His life. The way of faith is to continually look away and unto Jesus, allowing the truth of His being to shape our believing and living.
In this final part of the doctrine of Christ, we contemplate the deep waters of eternal judgement, covering the meaning and basis of judgement and the character of God's eternal judgement. We also address the common questions and objections raised against this principle and offer Biblical answer to universalism and annihilation.
The resurrection of Jesus is the lynchpin of Christian belief because it changed everything for Christ, for us and for the world. How are the dead raised? What hope do we look forward to in resurrection? Can we taste of its riches now? Let's find out in this episode.
There are two sides to each of the pillars of the doctrine of Christ - the origin or spiritual reality behind the principle and the outworking or physical expression of it. The reality is what is behind the outworking. The laying on of hands is the pillar that most depicts this dichotomy, because without the knowledge of the reality behind it, this practice would be nothing more than a culturally acceptable friendly gesture.
The two main outcomes that are behind this doctrine are impartation and identification. In the first, we supply of the measure of the Spirit that we have received to another and in the second we confer spiritual authority upon another.
Having previously laid the doctrinal foundations for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, we now focus on the organics of the gift of the Holy Spirit. We examine the promise of the Father, the two dimensions of this promise - the indwelling and outpouring of the Spirit, receiving the promise and life in the Spirit.
This short clip addresses the question that often arises and goes this way - does the requirement of baptism in water mean that a new believer who has not been baptised can't or won't be considered a proper believer or that their salvation is incomplete?
John the baptiser knew that though his ministry was effective, it was limited by definition. The baptism of water could cleanse people from their past sins but could not keep them clean or offer them a motivation against future sin. His baptism had to be supplemented with a power that would produce purity and unity, the power to be and to do.
As a result, John preached expectantly about the baptism in Holy Spirit, which will complete the first by supplying the power to rule over sin and to overcome the world.
The process of the new birth in Christ which begins with repentance from dead works and faith towards God, is completed and made certain by our submission to the principle of baptisms. In this episode, we cover the baptism of water, exploring its meaning and significance and highlighting the Scriptural imperatives that Jesus presents with it.
At the heart of enduring and productive faith is the animating principle of faithfulness. We expound on this principle in this episode, while clearing up the common misappropriation of confession as the central theme of faith.
New Testament faith is separated from nominal and secular faith by its object and origin, which is the living God. The quality and durability of our faith rests on the object of our confidence, which is the person, life and ministry of Christ.
Likewise, the effectiveness of our faith in moving mountains is bound to its origin. It is the faith that is "of" God, born in fellowship with Him, that overcomes the world. Everything else that is not "of" this faith will fail to satisfy the heart of Jesus.
We open our discussion on the principles of the doctrine of Christ by examining the foundational pillar of this doctrine, which is repentance. What does repentance mean, and what are dead works?
The gift of repentance is the first miracle of our salvation and our understanding of its origin and purpose is not only necessary for our entrance into the kingdom, but also for our continued spiritual growth and enjoyment of fellowship with Jesus.
In Jesus' words, His doctrine is what sets Him apart from every other person in history. That doctrine became the pillar of the first apostolic community in the New Testament and remains the foundation of a fruitful and enduring Christian experience.
What is His doctrine? How do we know it? What principle activates the fullness of this doctrine? We address this and more in this opening episode.
Jude concludes his letter by presenting the positive side of our defence against deception which is "building up yourselves". The basis of this building is the faith, which is centred on the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is about His life, which everyone who receives Him can live by.
We come into the experience and power of the doctrine of Christ, through prayer, because the doctrine is a life, not merely a message. Praying in the Spirit is praying with the language, burden and power of the Spirit. It is praying by the help of the Spirit, through the light and utterance that the Spirit supplies.
Jude wants us to be rest assured that God is more than capable of keeping us from falling and from hurt or harm. God does this by regulating temptations and trials, and by supplying the Spirit. His mercies are renewed every morning and we only have to plug into it.
Jude goes on to predict the judgment that awaits the false teachers that he contends with in this letter. We consider the doctrine of eternal judgment, the necessity of judgment in God's creation and the principle by which God judges.
Jude turns to the character of apostasy highlighting its core principles. The first is a downplaying of the justice system of God, displayed in moral degradation, and the second is despising of spiritual authority, displayed in rebellion. These two form the test for the genuineness of a believer or minister.
Spiritual authority is the most relevant principle in the universe because it is the principle on which the throne of God is established and by which it operates. It is how God brought order out of chaos in creation, and it is how he sustains the course of life. Everything in the universe depends on the functional authority, which demonstrates the seriousness the original sin - the rebellion of satan.
God's desire is that in operating under the right authority, we will witness and bear the beauty of His glory and blessings to the earth.
Jude invites us to contend for the faith and to do so earnestly. What is at stake is God's dream for the church which is that we all come in the unity of faith to a mature bride for His Son.
This contention involves an intense and often painful struggle for the truth. It is an inevitable part of our believing because enduring personal faith is founded on "the faith" and relies on true corporate convictions.
The faith is corrupted when we add or remove from the complete foundation that was "once and for all" laid by Christ and the apostles. Any Gospel that undermines or excludes any aspect of the makeup of man (spirit, soul, and body) from the provisions of the grace of God is corrupt and will produce either legalism or lewdness (license).
The true faith births liberty, which is freedom from sin, satan, self and the world, so that we can serve the Lord in holiness and love all the days of our lives.
Money, like everything material, has in it, the seed of death and decay. As a result, more possessions cannot bring lasting fulfilment or satisfaction. It is God’s will, therefore, that we have the mindset of stewardship towards money.
The essential skill required to come into the riches of the kingdom of God is the mindset of a farmer - the ability to endure a process, for the sake of the precious fruit that follows the process.
It is through prayer that we guard the perimeter of the essential skill of endurance, realise the hope of our believing, and bring practical help to those in direct need. Effective prayer is the enduring mark of the mature believer.
The believer can live from one of two sources - the wisdom of our human nature or the wisdom of the divine life within. The first operates by the principle of self-seeking and the latter by the principle of submission.
James makes the case that every unanswered prayer desire can be traced to the principle of abiding. God is always either pruning our faith through the delay or drawing us away from "self". The most significant promise and incentive attached to abiding in Christ is the promise of answered prayers (John 15:7).
Pride manifests itself subtly or covertly in our lack of desperation for the daily bread that comes down from heaven, our prejudice towards others, and our presumptuous praying and planning outside the will of God. The spiritual man can judge things, not people, and we must separate the two continuously.
There is a confidence that comes with knowing and doing the will of God. In a complex world with many mysteries, with a life that is uncertain, frail and brief, the safest place to be is at the centre of the will of God. It is the will of God that de-risks and demystifies life. The will of God is the plumb line for God's judgment; hence, it is not optional. Sooner or later, we will answer to God according to His will.
We can defeat pride by maintaining a thankful heart. We can maintain a thankful heart when we judge our lives and blessings without the lens of "the pride of life".
Everyone who would teach is first called to live out the truth in practical humility, obedience, and patience daily. The weight of this responsibility is made lighter as we gain mastery over our tongues.
The tongue is the conduit of heaven for the ministry of life that we have received in the new covenant. The fruit of a disciplined tongue is the sustained release of life to others, without the impurities of death.
The wisdom from heaven is the practical outworking of the kingdom of heaven in a man. At its heart is the submission of self to the government of Christ within, and its result is the fruit of peace in our relationships.
The most evident proof of our Christian maturity and the sternest test of the genuineness of our faith is revealed in how we treat and respond to people. Hence, the royal law or principle of faith is genuine love.
Counterfeit faith can be known for its inability to bear the fruit of genuine, kind-hearted, and long-suffering love. It may be intellectual and emotional, but it lacks the spiritual spark of life.
The Holy Spirit is the source of genuine faith and its essence. It is fellowship with the indwelling reality of His presence that produces the substance of faith in our hearts, and this substance enables us to act out our convictions.
Trials on the outside can indeed stir temptations within. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the source of all temptation (lust) and the antidote (the word) to defeat it.
James describes the word as “the perfect law of liberty”. Its ability to produce true freedom comes down to two factors - our hearing and our doing. A life of true worship consists of both held together in equal measure.
True religion is built on obedience, above and before rites and tradition, and it is an outward practice of professed love and worship. The tenets of spiritual ranking are a personal purity towards God, overflowing kindness towards others, and the righteous subversion of our worst desires.
Anyone who wants to grow up in Christ will face opposition in the form of trials. The watchword for every season of trial, therefore, is patience. Patience is the first proof of love, the refiner of faith, and the pathway to perfection or maturity. To make the most of our trials, we ought to reckon them with joy and ask for wisdom through them.
The kingdom context in which a believer is born on earth is one of intense battle. This warfare exists simply because of the value of the eternal life that you have received and its potential to disrupt the enemy's work on the earth. You fight because something is at stake.
The way to fight this in this war is to “stand” or put on Christ as your armour. This hints that the most effective strategy in spiritual warfare is alignment with God, for it enables Him to take up our battle. Alignment is a product of continuous inquiry and practical dependence on the Spirit.
The proof that you are prepared and well-dressed is that your spirit can always be praying, with all prayer, for all saints. Whatever robs us of our prayer times also robs us of our spiritual vision, energy and cutting edge. If our lives and words will count in the kingdom, it will be through prayer.
We are called to walk wisely and not as fools by understanding and submitting to the will of God for our lives. His will in this context is that we are continually saturated or filled with His life so that the life we can live out the light of His kingdom in a dark world.
Our union with God rests on the immutable principles of headship and submission, neither of which is enforced or coerced. They are the same principles that God has laid out for a joyful family life that serves as the foundation for the birthing of Christ-like love and submission in society.
The basis of our calling to imitate or follow God is His life in us. Without His life, we will struggle to produce His virtues. Because of His life, no change is impossible for the believer.
The pulses of the life of God are derived from the nature of His kingdom within. The kingdom within produces righteous and holy desires. Therefore, to truly achieve change, we must begin on the basis of life. It is as we receive the life that we are changed.
We must differentiate between being in darkness and walking in darkness and between being in the light and walking in the light. The state of being is ontological or inherent, but walking is a practice that we have to learn and maintain.
As Paul transitions from the practice of unity to building our character, he draws on the facts of our inclusion in one body, our access to a new life in Christ, and our calling in Him as the motivation for our walk of purity.
The way of Christ is a “learned” way. No one becomes perfect on day one, and no one is ruled out because of a single or recurring mistake. We are called to walk - to keep taking steps forward and to recover from setbacks along the way.
Speaking truthfully is the primary test of our walk with God and others. What we say and how we communicate can shape our thoughts and feelings, moving us further into the Spirit or away from Him.
“Therefore” at the start of this chapter indicates that godly living, to which Paul now turns, is founded on the right understanding of the riches that God has made available. If we will live right, we will have to first think right.
Secondly, though we are united in one body, we are different in the measure and texture of grace that we have received. Paul sees grace here as a supernatural ability to function within the body.
Thirdly, the north star of spiritual growth and the essence of renewal is Christlikeness, i.e. how much of Jesus’ authority is on your life? The signposts of progress on our journey of faith are spiritual stability, stature and supply.
Here are the top three takeaways from this study:
-
A dispensation or portion or economy of grace has been given to every believer. There is demand, supply, reward, and an opportunity cost for your portion.
-
The inner working of the Spirit of God within (your anointing) is the main supply for fulfilling your calling. Growing in our calling should make us more humble as our supply is on God.
-
No one of us can reach the full potential of our calling in isolation. The mystery that is the fellowship of other believers is God's design to complete us.
This chapter reveals the church's identity as God's building and household to host and spread His presence on the earth. Paul begins with the foundations to show us what lengths God went to acquire this building and His plans for us.
After establishing the vast riches that God has made available to everyone He calls, Paul expands on the hope that God has in calling us. He narrows down this vision to a body on earth that can successfully represent and express the will of God on earth.
To achieve His divine purpose, God has set aside "all spiritual blessings", the chief of which is His overflowing grace. In these early verses of the letter, we examine the meaning of these spiritual blessings and their primary source.
Ephesians is popularly referred to as the crown jewel of Paul's apostolic writings, and rightly so. In this well-constructed literature, Paul conveys God's eternal purpose, fulfilled through the mystery of the church. He then uncovers the spiritual riches that God has made available to ensure that His purpose succeeds. Everyone connected to this purpose can be assured that there is sufficient supply for this life and the one to come.
Paul concludes the letter in this chapter by imploring the Philippians to take full advantage of the surpassing blessings of knowing Christ. Because there is so much to gain, He does not want them, and us, to lose any of it through anxiety, disunity or ungodly living.
The standout theme of the chapter is the unique accounting and valuation system that Paul applies to discern the worth of everything. He weighed everything against the prize, which for Him, was to "win" Christ. We, too, must determine the prize of our race. Is it personal happiness, human recognition or the surpassing worth of knowing Christ? Having the proper aim sustains our motivation and provides an eternally secure foundation for our pursuits.
What does it take to deal with our sinful pride and that of others in a manner that propagates the faith of the Gospel and maintains the unity of that faith? Paul's answer is "the mind of Christ", pioneered by Jesus and eminently embodied in Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. This "mind" or attitude sets the pleasure of God as its one priority, thus empowering us to live with others in a way that glorifies God eternally.
Paul begins this letter with a note of joy. His joy overflows from the fellowship or partnership of the believers at Philippi in the Gospel. Through their fellowship in prayer and love, Paul enjoyed the supply of the Spirit that gave him the advantage amid difficult circumstances. The same supply is available to us today when we understand and activate the blessing of fellowship.
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding its authorship, the letter to the Philippians drips with joy throughout its pages. In this book, we learn how Paul puts to practice the truths of the gospel that he doctrinally expounds on in other letters. Fellowship emerges as the agency through which God transforms our minds and circumstances into channels for His glory.
The concluding part of this beautiful love song unveils the capacity of the love of God to administer a fullness and permanence that can neither be doused nor blotted out.
Song of Songs 3:6-8:4. From this point onwards, the attention switches from our satisfaction to our satisfying the heart of Christ. He invites us into a life of consecration because of our calling to operate from ascension and nurture a garden on earth. Our garden should continually gladden the king's heart and produce a fragrance that draws the world to Him.
Song of Songs 2:8-3:5. Though the love of Christ comes leaping over mountains and skipping over the hills, it stops short of breaking through our walls. Instead, the Lord reserves for himself a window and beckons on us to come out of our walls. Sanctification is not about feelings but about faith that the Lord's will is best.
Song of Songs 1:1-2:7. The first section of this love song reveals that we can relate to God in the manner of two lovers. This episode covers the qualities of God's intimate love and how it satisfies us more than any other love.
Paul expands on the revelation that "Christ is our life" by providing practical guidelines for Christ-centered relationships at all levels, beginning in the family. He concludes the letter with the charge to "redeem the time" through consistent prayer, graceful speech and faithful ministering.
Having established the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ over every philosophy, tradition and religion, Paul turns his attention to the practical outworking of this truth. If Christ is Lord indeed, our lives ought to demonstrate its verity as much as we proclaim it. This chapter contains foundational imperatives for transitioning from a legal understanding of salvation to a practical appropriation of its blessings.
Paul writes to the Colossians in this chapter to warn them of the possibility of being lured into false confidence in vain philosophy and empty religious legalism. This chapter examines what is wrong or missing in these spiritual ideas by comparing them with the nature of reality and offers Christ as the one who fulfils what is lacking in us.
The second half of Colossians follows up on the first to reveal the content, author and mystery of our hope in Christ. Paul presents Him as the centre of the visible and invisible creation and thus the one who gives everything its reference and meaning. And much more, Christ is also the firstborn from the dead, making Him the head of the church and the agency by which we have access to glory.
These early verses focus on the quality of our hope, which is the value that enables us to endure. When our hope is right, our faith and love can last on it. Paul also highlights here the way to materialize or realize the hope in our hearts, an outcome he prays every sincere believer in Christ will become acquainted with.
Colossians address the mingling of Christian beliefs with other spiritual ideologies and practices, prominent in first-century Colosse and our day. This letter, therefore, investigates the question, "is Christ enough?" particularly for redemption and fullness of life. Paul argues that these twin necessitates of the spiritual life can only be sufficiently fulfilled by Christ and none other by pointing to the efficacy of His blood.
Choosing to stand fast in the freedom of Christ opens up our resourcefulness to the kingdom of God in ways that Paul explains in this closing chapter. However, our fruitfulness is not without opposition or delay, and Paul aims to equip us with the right hope and mindset to persevere through to the due season.
Paul addresses in this chapter the central question of how we use our freedom in Christ. His conclusion comes right at the beginning, which is to "stand firm" and not be entangled again with the yoke of slavery. Standing firm is about taking our eyes off the superficial and fixing it on the reality.
Our acceptance into the kingdom of God should mark our deliverance from slavery to the elements of the Law. So Paul, in this chapter, unveils the pathway to sonship, drawing parallels with the alternative, which is slavery. His goal is that Christ would be formed in the hearts of his readers. What does it mean for Christ to be formed in our hearts? And how does this birth happen in our hearts? We find out in this episode.
The life of Abraham is the case study of this chapter, particularly his journey into the promise of God. Paul is keen for the Galatians not to misplace the basis of Abraham's faith and, in so doing, miss out on the blessing that follows it. What is this blessing? And on what basis is it inherited? We find out in this episode.
In Galatians 2, Pual's goal is to highlight the principle of substitution as the basis of our justification and to establish the same principle as the meaning of the Christian life.
The one element that hinders the gospel is the will of man; hence, God excludes it from His work of salvation in our hearts. Paul sees the same principle at work in his calling as an apostle. The end is that the gospel might bring glory to God alone by the fruits that it produces.
Galatians tackles the natural tendency we have to seek justification or rightness with God by our effort. Paul highlights the futility in this approach and offers the principle of faith as the universal and sufficient principle of relationship with the true God.
As Paul rounds off this magnificent piece, he points us to the source of his successful ministry to the Gentiles which is the working of Christ in Him. It is the same working of Christ in ours today that he trusts will make all the difference in faith, hope, and love.
Following on from the instructions on love, Paul now addresses the greatest challenge to walking in love, which is the problem of weaknesses or differences in both us and others. His goal is to present the example of Christ, who gave Himself a ransom for many, as the model to follow when significant differences that could cause division emerge.
Following the introduction to the weightier issues of the kingdom of God in the first eight verses of chapter twelve, Paul now turns his closing remarks in the letter to focus on the weightiest of them all, which is love. These verses showcase the manner of sacrificial love in dealing with fellow believers, governmental authorities and everyone else.
With the foundation of the universality of the gospel laid in the first 11 chapters, Paul now begins to wrap up the letter by highlighting the weighty matters of the Gospel that everyone saved by it should grow in.
Paul brings his examination of Israel's current rejection of the Gospel to its full-cycle as he concludes that "all Israel will be saved". In arriving at this conclusion, Paul in this chapter espouses the principle of God's immutable wisdom behind His work in Israel's history and in ours.
In Romans 10, Paul wants his readers to know the principles that make for an enduring faith, as he continues his discourse on the dilemma of Israel and the gospel. The faith that endures is one that is established on a precise knowledge of God, emphasises the sincere conviction of the heart, and is empowered to preach the gospel.
Romans 9 introduces us to the complexity and tension that is there in every life, with Israel's current blindness to the gospel the grand archetype of this dilemma. Why are some saved and others not? Paul's attempt to resolve this begins in this chapter.
Paul highlights in these concluding verses of Romans 8, the pathway to glory, showcasing the activity of every member of the trinity in bringing everyone who receives Christ to the consummation of salvation.
Going on from the message of "No Condemnation" in Christ, Paul details the two possibilities that about to every believer in Christ, based on where we set our minds, and two "if's" to salvation.
If the cure for sin is the abundance of Grace, what happens to the righteous demands of the law under Grace? Paul unveils the system under which God deals with our struggles in Christ.
In chapter 4, Paul laid out the science behind the new testament faith, which is modelled after the faith of Abraham. Paul applies the principles of faith practically to the universal problems of sin and death.
In Romans 1-3, Paul concluded that all humanity is subject to God's wrath, including the Jews. Now in chapter 4 he addresses the questions that this conclusion raises, narrowing down to the faith of Abraham as the model for new testament faith.
Paul lays out in the first three chapters of Romans the universal and often futile search for an answer to the righteousness of God, and presents the Gospel as God's answer.
The universality of the Gospel is the main theme of the book of Romans, which is a masterpiece on the sufficiency of the gospel.