For His Glory: Study 2

Study 2: Man's Depravity
Passage: Romans 3:23

• 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - this commonly memorized verse is actually just a small section of a larger sentence.

Passage: Romans 3:22b-24

• 3:22b "For There is no difference," 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," 3:24 "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," - we are all sinners and are justified, free of charge, by God's grace through the work of Jesus Christ

Passage: Mark 10:17-27

• 10:17 "...'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?' " - we inherit eternal life, not based on our good deeds ("what shall I do") but based on our status as sons of God
• 10:18 "...'Why do you call Me good?' " - 'good', like 'innocent', is a word we throw around without thinking about its true meaning and significance
• " 'No one is good but One, that is, God' " - what does it mean that only God is good...

Passage: Psalm 14

• 14:2 "...upon the children of men" - that is, all human beings, you and me
• "...any who understand, who seek God" - apart from Him none of us would ever come to an understanding of God, nor even desire such an understanding
• 14:3 "They have all turned aside," - (Isaiah 53:6) - we have all turned away from God to follow our own desires
• "They have together become corrupt" - not only are we sinful individually but our whole society is together sinful and corrupt
• "There is none who does good, no not one." - not only have we sinned, we never have/can please God (in of ourselves). we are so fallen that it is impossible for us to do anything but sin. fortunately...

Back to: Mark 10:17-27

• 10:19 "You know the commandments" - Jesus prompts the man to evaluate himself against the law
• 10:20 "...'Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth' " - the man had an ignorant view of his own righteousness. Though he may have externally upheld the law he did not love God and therefore did not uphold the law.
• 10:21 "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him" - Jesus loves those who are not yet saved and caringly calls us to reevaluate our lives according to His law.
• "...'One thing you lack' " - we cannot fool God, He knows our idols
• "...'follow Me' " - the call of Christ, which includes "tak[ing] up the cross"
• 10:22 "But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful" - we, in our flesh, do not like to be confronted by our sins.
• 10:23 "...'How hard it is' " - salvation is not based on money or material items because we do not suffer from a material affliction
• 10:25 " 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle' " - more than a casual saying, as evidenced by the next two verses, this verse is literally saying that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
• 10:26 "...'Who then can be saved?' " - the disciples understood the severity of what Christ said
• 10:27 "...'With men it is impossible' " - God gets all the glory for our salvation because He made us alive and saved us. Though our sinful condition makes it impossible for us to get to heaven, God does it through the work of His son on the cross, "for with God all things are possible"

Back to: Romans 3:22b-24

• 3:24 "being justified" - pardoned from the guilt and penalty of sin as well as receiving the righteousness of Christ
• "freely by His grace" - 'at no cost to us' we do not need to, nor can we contribute to our salvation, God imparts it on us by His grace
• "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" - by the work of Christ we are set free from the bondage of sin, and can finally do good (through Him)

For His Glory: Study 1

Study 1: Why study the Bible?
Passage: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

• 3:16 "All Scripture" - not just that which we agree with but ALL of it
• "is God breathed" - (2 Peter 1:20-21) the Word of God did not come from human minds but was created according to the will of God
• "and is useful" - God gave us His word for a purpose
• "for teaching" - (Romans 15:4) to instruct about God
• "rebuking" - (Luke 17:3) to call away from sin. We only rebuke in hope of repentance.
• "correcting" - to put back on the right path
• "and training in righteousness" - scripture doesn't just rebuke us in our sin but teaches us how to live rightly
• 3:17 "so that the man of God" - (Mark 4:10-12) scripture was written for believers (1 Corinthians 1:18) scripture is foolishness to those who are not made spiritually alive.
• "may be thoroughly equipped" - (Ephesians 6:13) know the Word of God that you may be able to stand firm in truth
• "for every good work" - (John 4:23-24) every good thing we do, we must do according to God's truth

For His Glory: Introduction

When I was in Portland this summer I led a small Bible study. I am deeply convinced that God blesses us to use us as a blessing for others. So the purpose of the study was for me to share the great teachings I have been blessed with. In this day and age there are few great teachers, who know and cling to the truth. So in being blessed with someone to teach me the Word of God, I sought to pass on that blessing through teaching.

We all have one teacher, the one good teacher, that is our Lord Jesus Christ. We all have one teaching, that is the Bible, the very Word of God. If I speak any words other than those that are already declared by Christ, or are spoken through me by Christ, then my voice is a resounding gong and my words are foolishness. May God be glorified in all I do.

-Jonathan

by way of introduction...

I am establishing this blog as a venue for sharing with my brothers and sisters in Christ what God is teaching me through His word. I pray that God will be glorified in all that I write.

-Jonathan