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Waiting for God

Mar 8, 05

Waiting for God

Background:

In my Mar 3, 05 diary- ��Waiting for God��s providence��, we see that a lack of faith is a sin and it yields evil consequences.  The fact that God has repeatedly promised us with daily amazing, beyond-our-expectations providences is known to virtually every Christian.  But hard time do are hard times.  What can we actually do during utter distress?  This is a v. practical, legitimate concern.  We do need a great comfort and an able-to-be-perceived reward in suffering.  I will use Acts 17:16-36 to elaborate the joy in suffering.  God bless J

What should/can we do in our suffering?  Let��s look at a godly Christian example- Paul and Silas.

Paul and Silas in Prison

   16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortunetelling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ��These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.�� 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, ��In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!�� At that moment the spirit left her.

   19When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, ��These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.��

   22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

   25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, ��Don't harm yourself! We are all here!��

   29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, ��Sirs, what must I do to be saved?��

   31They replied, ��Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved�Vyou and your household.�� 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God�Vhe and his whole family.

   35When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: ��Release those men.�� 36The jailer told Paul, ��The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.��

So, Paul and Silas were doing missionary.  They were beaten by people, thrown into a nasty prison (prison back then was way worse/gross than modern one), and then God intervened and a miracle occurred.  Our common response might be, ��They are godly and highly favoured by God and received miracles, how privileged!��  How does it related to our waiting for God?

First, it��s v. reasonable to believe that Paul and Silas were praying real hard in their heart ��God, save me!�� when they were being beaten by the crowd (v. 22).  Imagine it��s a crowd, not just a few people.  It could easily mean death.  Then, what happened to their prayer?  Nothing happened!  In our hard time, the exact same situation happens- God does not intervene right away.

It happens to us, when prayers do not get answered immediately, we start to doubt, ��I��m in huge distress and where are you God?��  We, then, started to lose morale and strength.  But, what did Paul and Silas do in prison?  Instead of complaining to God or being silent because of anger, they prayed and sang hymns!  How��d they do that?  Because they firmly believed ��O God, seriously I don��t understand what you are doing behind the scene, but I��m sure you are doing great wonders.  I seriously can��t understand at all, but I��ll trust in you.�� 

Finally, God��s providence arrived and his promise (of protecting us- his anointed ones) was fulfilled at the appropriate time- a miracle- an earthquake cracked the prison.  What a great help for Paul and Silas�� missionary work?  There were immediately new converts.  Wonderful!

In our distress, we tend to be v. short-sighted and v. narrow-minded and only focus on things that are seen in our immediate environment.  We easily convince ourselves ��the situation is helpless�� by our own judgment and forget about God, the omniscient, mighty commander up in heaven.

��For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,��

declares the Lord

��As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.��  

Isaiah 55:8-9

In everyday life, we encounter the exact same situation of Paul and Silas- prayers are not answered and suffering goes on brutally, and yet a different attitude can bring about entirely different results- miracle and rewards, and suffering without meaning.  The winning attitude is to believe even when we seriously don��t understand at all, plus to remain upright and holy even when we are in bad shape/mood.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.  John 20:29b

Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

O God, strengthen our faith!

The Problem of Evil

Mar 6, 05 Sunday

The Problem of Evil

Background:

The problem of evil has always been a famous, popular argument used by people to defend their atheism.  But, I interpret it in quite a new way- I would argue one should believe in God exactly because there exists this puzzling problem of evil.  This time, instead of writing a paper, I have posted my msn conversation regarding the problem of evil with my best friend Jane.  God bless J

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

I think I will read the problem of evil later^^

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

actually, I am thinking, the problem of evil should lead people to believe in God instead of disproving his existence

 Jane - >.<  says:

how so??

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

coz facing the problem of evil, if there is no God to support justify our living, we will have so much guilt and suicide

 Jane - >.<  says:

if god is all powerful, super kind, he would kill evil. But evil exists

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

e.g. if there's no God, I am not justified by living in a comfortable Canada, compared to people starving in Africa

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

in order to uphold my integrity, I need to suicide to prevent unfairness

 Jane - >.<  says:

um, but I guess a lof of people could take what they have for grated

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

that's immoral then

 Jane - >.<  says:

they justify their comfortable living maybe by donating some money to those people in poor country

 Jane - >.<  says:

then they think they did they part and that's it

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

yea, but they can't escape the guilt in their heart

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

so the best solution is to have faith in God that God is acting justly with wisdom that we can't comprehend

 Jane - >.<  says:

right

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

if a person believes in the problem of evil and dispprove God, he have so much guilt coz he's living a comfy life.  he has a couple options: 1. as there is nothing he can do, do as happy as he can.  However, his mind will always remind him that he's living happily while many people are suffering, his guilt will pursue him for all his life 2. give all he has to the poor.  However, he can never do e

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

he can never do enough and finally realize it's human who is himself evil (e.g. wars).

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

3. to preserve his integrity and guilt, he takes suicide so that his suffering is the same as those suffering, therefore suffer together- to be fair and blameless

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

anyway, a godless life is miserable and unjustifiable

 Jane - >.<  says:

I have never thought of it from this perspective ...

 Jane - >.<  says:

that;s indeed very true and interesting

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

people may suppress it by permissive living, but once they take a rest, their guilt will attack them

 Jane - >.<  says:

right

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

they can never escape from this pain

 Jane - >.<  says:

true

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

so the problem of evil should bring people to God, rather than away.  I suspect, those "wise" philosophers might be rationalizing

 Jane - >.<  says:

haha, they must be

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

God must have put a "standard" in everyone's heart, so they know what's moral and what's immoral

 Jane - >.<  says:

maybe they are so busy philophzing in their mind and comfort of the home  that they have never go out and seen the poor

 Jane - >.<  says:

right

 Jane - >.<  says:

that's a new perspective from looking at the tporblem of evil !

 Jane - >.<  says:

But i guess it could apply to the people who are suffering too

 Jane - >.<  says:

that god will intervene and help them

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

philosophy is complicated, but what I think is easy and simply, I know why

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

  because I'm a moralist

 Jane - >.<  says:

hahaha

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

I always promote a good morality

 Jane - >.<  says:

Awesome!!

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

no

 Jane - >.<  says:

wow, that's goood

 Jane - >.<  says:

haha, is that bad?

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

I mean, my line of thinking is a moralist line of thinking, so I assume good morality is good

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

so I solve a lot of unnecessary philosophical arguments when I present my argument

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

yeah^^

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

so, I don't need to argue a lot, but simply present my case of morality

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

like, many philosophers argue, but they do not have a stance (e.g. for me- morality is good), so they are like arguing in the mid-air

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

v. hard to argue

 Jane - >.<  says:

that's good ^^

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

^^  a good moral philosopher w/ a good conception of morality is vain in arguing

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

like they argue about the problem of evil, but they personally have no conviction to good morality (e.g. how to do good, how to help the poor)

 Jane - >.<  says:

they argue for the sake of arguing

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

yeah^^  so their argument is always off-track

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

that's why, Christian philosophers many times argue v. simply e.g. C.S. Lewis, because he used argue to support God- good morality, everyone will accept his argument

 Jane - >.<  says:

Right

 Jane - >.<  says:

that's true ^^ they have a clear directing and never contradict themselves n much more convicing

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

  that's good, in this way, we solve the problem of evil

 Jane - >.<  says:

THx GOD

 Jane - >.<  says:

He's the master of everything

joseph- Genesis 2:18 -http://ca.geocities.com/joooooooe1983 says:

thnx GOD

 Jane - >.<  says:

The Limit of Tolerance in a Multicultural Society

Mar 1, 05

The Limit of Tolerance in a Multicultural Society

Background:

This paper aims to rethink the basic function of a government- a social control agent instead of a morality agent.  I urge to clarify this concept and urge people to focus on what is essential- to protect their freedom of speech which is the basic foundation of morality discussion and, thus, the well-being of citizens. 

Introduction:

Canada, being a multicultural society, is composed of a huge diversity of ethnic groups- Irish, Greek, Italian, Polish, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, African, Native, etc, and religious groups- Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Amish, Mormons, etc.  Diversity can mean a rich variety of cuisines, fashions of clothing, arts, music, traditions, cultural wisdoms, etc, but also a conflict of beliefs, values and the ways of living.  Recently in our society, there are outcries in favour of the legalization of same-sex marriage alongside with outcries of opposition to same-sex marriage.  Both parties are earnestly pleading the authority to set up laws favouring their respective position and viewpoint.  In view of this, how can the authority define a solution- a limit of tolerance so that, in spite of a wide diversity in families, all different ethnic groups and religious groups can enjoy the diversity, or at least, live in harmony?  In this case, is it possible to have a win-win situation for both parties?  In this paper, I would argue-yes.  I would argue that a win-win situation is an almost complete tolerant society except in situations where physical harm and infringement of the basic individual freedoms and rights defined by the United Nations are involved, plus the limit is the same in all situations.  First, I will define the purpose and meaning of a limit of tolerance.  Next, I will explain my argument- how to draw a line of the limit.  Finally, I will apply my method to the recent same-sex marriage controversy.

What is a Limit of Tolerance?

Tolerance means the capacity to accept and not persecute those who may believe, behave or act in ways of which one may not approve or like.  The limit of tolerance is the bottom line one can deviate from the norm- a socially agreed-upon conception of ��right and wrong��, without being persecuted, unless physical harm and infringement of basic individual freedom and rights are involved.  Let us here clarify a few concepts about tolerance and the limit of tolerance.

Relativism:

Before going further, we should ask an interesting, and immensely important question ��What is an absolute standard of right and wrong and is there one?��  A significant amount of people will say ��No��.  In our contemporary society, a considerable number of people believe in relativism, which argues that all truth is relative and there is no absolute truth.  For example, a relativist person will argue there is no right or wrong about same-sex marriage and that everyone is right in living their own desired way of life.  However, if that is the case, a limit of tolerance would be meaningless and useless because we are all right and no one is to be condemned for doing wrong.  In fact, relativism has long been disproved by the academic philosophy circle as illogical. (Rachels, 1978)  It does exist an objective reality and a standard of right and wrong in morality.  Only some personal trivial preferences, which have no moral values- no right or wrong, can be relative in nature, for example I like to eat lamp chop while you like to eat pork chop.  When you go to the doctor and he tells you that you have cancer, it does not make any sense to reply, ��There is no right or wrong and if I believe I am okay, I will be okay.��  Almost everyone can grasp a basic conception of the standard of ��right and wrong��, for example, murder, lying, adultery, etc. are wrong, though some people understand morality better than the others.  This is essential because it means the population are capable to do basic morality, setting the prerequisite for the discussion of the limit of tolerance.

Tolerance as a Moral Guide:

The purpose of tolerance serves, not as a guide or example on how citizens should live, but as a bottom line safeguard in the worst situation.  Many people hold a misconception about tolerance- they misinterpret a tolerance of a certain behaviour as an approval of that behaviour as right.  For example, they think, the fact that the government legalizes same-sex marriage means the government is supporting same-sex marriage ideology and oppressing traditional marriage ideology.  This is not true.  Something tolerated in the society does not mean it is right or the government is approving it as right.  Tolerance should never be viewed as a moral indicator of right and wrong, because it never intends to serve such a purpose.  That is why in many cases tolerance does not seem to support our conception of right and wrong or even contradicts it.  Society is to tolerate both right and wrong, good and bad behaviours as long as no physical harm and infringement of basic individual freedom and rights are involved.  The purpose of the limit of tolerance serves as a bottom line safeguard, so that, even in the worst situation, the minority group can be guaranteed a basic living standard, without harm from the majority.  It can be easier to be understood if you put yourself into the minority��s shoes.  For example, imagine you are a Christian in the States, where the majority of citizens are Christians and most citizens engage in traditional marriage.  Suddenly the society changes abruptly and Christians become the minority and same-sex marriage becomes normative.  Now, you are pleading to the authority to legalize traditional marriage.  Tolerance in this case reserves a basic right for you- the right to marriage.

Different Areas of Tolerance:

Some theorists argue that the area of tolerance in the society differs on different issues, where a high conformity to a certain social norm results in a smaller area of tolerance and a lower limit of tolerance (Graph 2), while a low conformity results in a bigger area of tolerance and a higher limit of tolerance (Graph 1).  This is an inaccurate conception of tolerance.  It is true that in the case of a high conformity to a certain social behaviour, our ��emotional�� tolerance to those who deviate is relatively lower than in the case of a low conformity.  However, our ��emotional�� feelings (tolerance) have (or should have) no relationship with how the government should draw the limit of tolerance.  Or else, protection to the minority will be shaky and uncertain and dependent on the number of people in favour of them.  Remember what we just went through above, the limit of tolerance serves as a bottom line safeguard, so that, even in the worst situation, the minority group is protected.  The society is to tolerate any behaviour even when we are emotionally opposed to it, as long as no physical harm and infringement of basic individual freedom and rights are involved.  Therefore, Graph 2 should become Graph 3, which means the limit of tolerance in government policies should always remain the same in all situations in order to be fair and safe, unless all citizens agree to narrow it down.

Why an Almost   Complete Tolerant Society?

I argue for it because it is the only way to do it properly, or else the limit of tolerance should not exist and multiculturalism will be impossible.  Based on the above, let us analyze the usefulness of the limit of tolerance in the society.

Utility of a Limit of Tolerance:

The usefulness and the meaningfulness of a limit of tolerance have been hugely and falsely exaggerated.  In fact, it has (or should have) almost no effect on the well-being of citizens, for example the morality level, character development, etc.  Why?  For example, when you are kayaking, a PFD (personal flotation device) has no contribution to your enjoyment.  It is only useful for safety in emergency.  It is exactly the same for the limit- useful only as a bottom line safeguard in emergency and nothing more.  Drawing a line of the limit is, actually, surprisingly simple and straightforward- based on the values all citizens agree upon, as those in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for example, freedom of speech, freedom to marriage, freedom from harm, etc.  What makes it unnecessarily complicated and confusing is the people��s misinterpretation of its basic concepts and purpose, which is further perplexed when people falsely place too much hope and importance on it.  It is a faulty line of logic- thinking tolerance is linked to morality.  What tolerance concerns is basic human rights protection, not morality.  Therefore, legalization never means a victory for one group and a loss for the opposing group.  It is a win-win situation because both groups have equal opportunity to practise their beliefs.  Morality would not be undermined as long as there exists the freedom of discussion so that both groups can continue to promote their beliefs and values and convince people of what is right and what is wrong.  Now that we understand the nature of tolerance and how to draw an appropriate line of the limit, let us analyze how this limit can exert its designated effect.  I will use the recent same-sex marriage case for illustration.

Same-sex Marriage Example:

In this case, the government should legalize same-sex marriage if the homosexual citizens demand for it, unless all citizens agree to ban it.  We should bear in mind that it is legalized not because they are the minority or they are right, but because it is the government��s role to tolerate all behaviour, whether is it moral or immoral, as long as the basic human rights and freedoms of all citizens are unaffected.  Now, a significant amount of people worry that the legalization might undermine morality.  We have already seen that legalization (or tolerance) is unrelated to morality.  The worry of a decline in morality does is a legitimate concern.  What we need to focus on is to promote moral education.  Here, the government should never promote the traditional marriage ideology or the same-sex marriage ideology.  The government��s duty is to make sure that all citizens have the freedom to access every type of ideological cultivation and moral education and ideas.  The freedom of discussion must be upheld at all times for the sake of the well-being of all citizens.  Indeed, the truth- what is right and what is wrong, is more clearly revealed through an open, free discussion of different values and beliefs.  In this way, every citizen has the freedom and knowledge to choose his desired ��right�� way of life.  In fact, the freedom of discussion is exactly an element of tolerance in a society.  It is impossible to have a tolerant society without the freedom of discussion (or vice-versa).  The fact that the States has banned praying at school is an example of intolerance.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can see that the reason why the recent hot debate on same-sex marriage is falsely misrepresented as a debate on how to draw a line of the limit of tolerance is the misinterpretation of the basic concepts of tolerance and the government��s role in a multicultural society.  After all, it is highly appreciated that we citizens have such a strong obligation to stand up for what we think to be right and true.  Contrary to many people��s thoughts and despair, the sense of morality has not disappeared from our society.  The recent debate has just revealed how highly valued and active morality is in our society.  Now, what is of utmost importance and priority is to confirm and protect the freedom of discussion.  What is threatening morality would have to be the breakdown of the freedom of discussion- an ever-present tendency to silence the voice of opposing values.

Enoch Bible Study8- Romans 3:21-4:25

Romans

Romans Bible Study #6

Forgive Us Our Debt

Read Romans 3:21-4:25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Romans 3:21-4:25

Righteousness Through Faith

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4:17 �ȧB�Ԩu�ҫH���B�O���s���H�_���ϵL�ܬ������@���B�L�b�D���e�@�ڭ̥@�H�����D�p�g�W�ҰO�B�y�ڤw�g�ߧA�@�h�ꪺ���C�z

4:18 �L�b�L�i���檺�ɭԡB�]�H��������B�N�o�H�@�h�ꪺ���B���p���e�һ��B�y�A����DZN�n�p���C�z

4:19 �L�N��ʷ����ɭԡB���M�Q��ۤv������p�P�w���B���Ԫ��ͨ|�w�g�_���B�L���H���٬O���n�z�D

4:20 �åB����@�������\�B�`�S���]���H�B���ذ_�ôb�D�ϭ˦]�H�B���رo���T�B�N�aģ�k���@���C

4:21 �B���߬۫H�B�@�������\������@���D

4:22 �ҥH�o�N�⬰�L���q�C

4:23 �⬰�L�q���o�y�ܡB���O�欰�L�g���B

4:24 �]�O���ڭ̱N�ӱo�⬰�q���H�g���D�N�O�ڭ̳o�H�@���ϧڭ̪��D�C�q�q���ش_�����H�C

4:25 �C�q�Q�浹�H�B�O���ڭ̪��L�ǡB�_���B�O���s�ڭ̺ٸq�C�e�Χ@�C�q�O���ڭ̪��L�ǥ�I�F�O���ڭ̺ٸq�_���F�f

Righteousness Through Faith

   21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished�V 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

   27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

   1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about�Vbut not before God. 3What does the Scripture say? ��Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.��[a]

   4Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7"Blessed are they

      whose transgressions are forgiven,

      whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man

      whose sin the Lord will never count against him.��[b]

   9Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

   13It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

   16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring�Vnot only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: ��I have made you a father of many nations.��[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed�Vthe God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

   18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ��So shall your offspring be.��[d] 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead�Vsince he was about a hundred years old�Vand that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why ��it was credited to him as righteousness.�� 23The words ��it was credited to him�� were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness�Vfor us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Footnotes:

Romans 3:25 Or as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin

Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22

Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2

Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5

Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5

Intro:

Debts are heavy burdens.  Students graduate from college with debts higher than the cost of their parents�� homes.   Homes put their owners in debt for most of their working lives.  Nations owe each other enough money to end poverty on both sides of their borders.  But even debts this staggering can be paid off with hard work and cold cash.  Resolving our debt to God is harder- maybe even impossible.  Paul has spent three and a half chapters proving that we are all morally ruined, that we have no hope, regardless of our efforts, of earning God��s favour.

Open --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: Bring to mind the largest financial debt you have ever had.  Suppose you got a note from your creditor saying, ��Someone else has paid your bill in full.  You now owe nothing at all.��  What would you say and do?

Study --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read Romans 3:21-31.  All human beings, of every race and rank, of every creed and culture, Jews and Gentiles, the immoral and the moralizing, the religious and the irreligious, are without any exception sinful, guilty, inexcusable and speechless before God.  That was the terrible human predicament described in Romans 1:19-3:20.  There was no ray of light, no flicker of hope, no prospect of rescue.

Q:

1. Paul opens this new section of Romans with the words ��But now.��  What shift in emphasis do these words signal?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. vv. 21-26 are six tightly packed verses, which Leon Morris suggests may be ��possibly the most important single paragraph ever written�� (p.173).  There is a host of theological terms.  Give the best definition you can for each of these: righteousness, justified, grace, redemption, atonement, justice, faith.  (A Bible dictionary or theological dictionary may help.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. v. 22 says, ��There is no difference.��  Find as many ways as you can in vv. 21-31 that illustrate ��no difference�� between people.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. v. 27 says that we have no reason to boast.  Why?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. v. 24 says that we ��are justified freely by his grace.��  What day-to-day impact does this have on you?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Fundamental to the Gospel of salvation is the truth that the saving initiative from beginning to end belongs to God the Father.  No formulation of the Gospel is biblical that removes the initiative from God and attributes it either to us or even to Christ.  It is certain that we did not take the initiative, for we were sinful, guilty and condemned, helpless and hopeless.  The first move was God the Father��s, and our justification is ��freely by his grace,�� his absolutely free and utterly underserved favour.  Grace is God loving, God stooping, God coming to the rescue, God giving himself generously in and through Jesus Christ.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Read Romans 4.  What words and phrases in this chapter seem important to you?  Why?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Was Abraham justified by works or by faith?  Explain your answer using information throughout ch. 4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Romans 4:10 asks when Abraham was credited as righteous: after he was circumcised or before he was circumcised?  What is the answer to that question, and what difference does it make (vv. 9-12)?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. In what sense is Abraham ��father of us all�� (4:16)?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Jewish people were extremely conscious of their special covenant relationship with God, in which Gentiles did not share.  It was to the Jews that God had entrusted his special revelation (3:2).  Theirs too, as Paul will soon write, are ��the adoption as sons�K the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises,�� not to mention ��the patriarchs�� and ��the human ancestry of Christ�� (9:4).  What the Jews forgot, however, was that their privileges were not intended for the exclusion of the Gentiles, but for their ultimate inclusion when through Abraham��s posterity ��all peoples on earth�� would be blessed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Reread 4:7-8, which comes from Psalm 32:1-2.  What is your own sense of blessing as you read these words?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. God gives ��life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were�� (4:17).  What examples do you see of this in 4:18-25?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Woody Allen epitomizes for many an inability to cope with the prospect of death.  ��It��s not that I��m afraid to die,�� he quips; ��I just don��t want to be there when it happens�� (Graham McCann, Woody Allen, New Yorker [Polity Press, 1990], pp.43, 83).  But nothingness and death are no problem to God.  On the contrary, it is out of nothing that he created the universe, and out of death that he raised Jesus.  The creation and the resurrection were and remain the 2 major manifestation of the power of God.

Apply --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. Jesus is alive! (4:23-25).  How does this affect who you are or what you want to become?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Pick a favourite sentence from somewhere in Romans 3 or 4.  Meditate on it word by word.  Why is the sentence significant to you?

Pray ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Create a prayer based on the sentence you chose.  Write or speak it as your personal offering to God.

Enoch Bible Study7- Romans 3:9-20

Enoch Bible Study6- Romans 2:17-3:8

Romans

Romans Bible Study #4

Misplaced Confidence

Read Romans 2:1-16 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Romans 2

God's Righteous Judgment

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2:10 �o�N�aģ�B�L�Q�B���w�B�[���@���浽���H�B���O�S�ӤH�B��O�ƧQ���H�D

2:11 �]���@�������ݤH�C

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2:16 �N�b�@���ǭC�q����f�P�H�����ƪ���l�B�ӵۧڪ��֭��Ҩ��C

Romans 2

God's Righteous Judgment

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

   5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6God ��will give to each person according to what he has done.��[a] 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.

   12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Intro:

Judgment is a nasty word to many of us.  We visualize a tired judge in traffic court who in a few seconds allotted to our case show no sympathy for our 5 (or 25) miles over the limit.  Or our minds flash to an ugly scene with a parent where we were judged with unrelenting harshness with the result that we still sense a nagging guilt- as if we must have done something wrong, even it we can��t quite think what it was.  Sometimes we picture God, in spite of the ��tender shepherd images,�� as an al-seeing eye who knows far more about us than we wish.  And we long to crawl somewhere deep inside ourselves and hide.  But if we must have a judge, we would surely want him to be fair.

Open --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: If you could live your life without personal guilt or judgment, would you choose that?  Explain.

Study --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. Read Romans 2:1-11.  The underlying theme of this section is the judgment of God upon self-appointed judges.  The verses can be divided into 2 sections: 1-4 and 5-11.  What qualities of God��s judgment does each section illustrate?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. According to verses 1-4, why is it dangerous to judge someone else?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What is the difference between human judgment and God��s judgment (vv. 1-4)?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Look more carefully at verse 4.  How might God��s judgment be a kindness?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Focus on verses 5-11.  What does this passage reveal about the day of God��s wrath��?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Verse 11 says, ��God does not show favouritism.��  In view of the preceding verses in that paragraph, what does this statement mean?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. What impact does God��s refusal to show favouritism have on your personality? (Consider your current relationship with God as well as your relationships with other people.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Paul uncovers in these verses a strange human foible, namely our tendency to be critical of everybody except ourselves.  We even gain a vicarious satisfaction from condemning in others the very faults we excuse in ourselves.  Freud called this moral gymnastic ��projection��, but Paul described it centuries before Freud.  This device enables us simultaneously to retain our sins and our self-respect.  It is a convenient arrangement but also both slick and sick.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Read Romans 2:12-16.  What, according to these verses, is the relationship between God��s law and his judgment?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. What example do you see of God��s fairness when he judges Gentiles- who did not have his law as a part of their history?

(God will absolutely even-handed in judgment.  The way people have sinned (in knowledge or ignorance of the law) will be the way they will be judge, considering whether they have lived up to their knowledge.   This is a theoretical or hypothetic statement, of course, since no human being has ever fully obeyed the law (Romans 3:20). So there is no possibility of salvation by that road.  But Paul is writing about judgment, not about salvation.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Verse 15 speaks of the conscience.  Why is a conscience important in this setting?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. What can we do to cultivate a healthy conscience?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Until the law has done its work of exposing and condemning our sins, we are not ready to hear the gospel of justification.   True, it is often said that we should address ourselves to people��s conscious needs and not try to induce in them feelings of guilt that they do not have,  This is a misconception, however.  We should condemn their wrongdoing while support them to repent.  Human beings are moral beings by creation.  That is to say, not only do we experience an inner urge to do what we believe to be right, but we also have a sense of guilt and remorse when we have done that we know to be wrong.  There is of course such a thing as false guilt.  But guilt feelings which are aroused by wrongdoing are health.  They rebuked us for betraying our humanity, and they impel us to seek forgiveness in Christ.

Apply --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. Several times this passage speaks of the ��day of God��s wrath��.  How would you advise someone to prepare for that day?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. This passage also speaks of the values of a healthy conscience.  What influences have helped to shape your conscience?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What can you do now to point your conscience in a healthy direction?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. God (who is perfect) shows no favouritism in his judgments.  What are some ways that you can practise fairness in your own actions?

Pray ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank God that he is just and fair- showing no favouritism.  Identify yourself in his presence as either Jew or Gentile.  Thanks him that through Jesus Christ he invites you into his family- regardless of your origins.

Enoch Bible Study5- Romans 2:1-16

Romans

Romans Bible Study #3

God��s Fairness

Read Romans 2:1-16 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Romans 2

God's Righteous Judgment

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Romans 2

God's Righteous Judgment

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

   5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6God ��will give to each person according to what he has done.��[a] 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.

   12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Intro:

Judgment is a nasty word to many of us.  We visualize a tired judge in traffic court who in a few seconds allotted to our case show no sympathy for our 5 (or 25) miles over the limit.  Or our minds flash to an ugly scene with a parent where we were judged with unrelenting harshness with the result that we still sense a nagging guilt- as if we must have done something wrong, even it we can��t quite think what it was.  Sometimes we picture God, in spite of the ��tender shepherd images,�� as an al-seeing eye who knows far more about us than we wish.  And we long to crawl somewhere deep inside ourselves and hide.  But if we must have a judge, we would surely want him to be fair.

Open --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: If you could live your life without personal guilt or judgment, would you choose that?  Explain.

Study --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. Read Romans 2:1-11.  The underlying theme of this section is the judgment of God upon self-appointed judges.  The verses can be divided into 2 sections: 1-4 and 5-11.  What qualities of God��s judgment does each section illustrate?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. According to verses 1-4, why is it dangerous to judge someone else?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What is the difference between human judgment and God��s judgment (vv. 1-4)?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Look more carefully at verse 4.  How might God��s judgment be a kindness?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Focus on verses 5-11.  What does this passage reveal about the day of God��s wrath��?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Verse 11 says, ��God does not show favouritism.��  In view of the preceding verses in that paragraph, what does this statement mean?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. What impact does God��s refusal to show favouritism have on your personality? (Consider your current relationship with God as well as your relationships with other people.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Paul uncovers in these verses a strange human foible, namely our tendency to be critical of everybody except ourselves.  We even gain a vicarious satisfaction from condemning in others the very faults we excuse in ourselves.  Freud called this moral gymnastic ��projection��, but Paul described it centuries before Freud.  This device enables us simultaneously to retain our sins and our self-respect.  It is a convenient arrangement but also both slick and sick.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Read Romans 2:12-16.  What, according to these verses, is the relationship between God��s law and his judgment?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. What example do you see of God��s fairness when he judges Gentiles- who did not have his law as a part of their history?

(God will absolutely even-handed in judgment.  The way people have sinned (in knowledge or ignorance of the law) will be the way they will be judge, considering whether they have lived up to their knowledge.   This is a theoretical or hypothetic statement, of course, since no human being has ever fully obeyed the law (Romans 3:20). So there is no possibility of salvation by that road.  But Paul is writing about judgment, not about salvation.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Verse 15 speaks of the conscience.  Why is a conscience important in this setting?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. What can we do to cultivate a healthy conscience?

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Summary:

Until the law has done its work of exposing and condemning our sins, we are not ready to hear the gospel of justification.   True, it is often said that we should address ourselves to people��s conscious needs and not try to induce in them feelings of guilt that they do not have,  This is a misconception, however.  We should condemn their wrongdoing while support them to repent.  Human beings are moral beings by creation.  That is to say, not only do we experience an inner urge to do what we believe to be right, but we also have a sense of guilt and remorse when we have done that we know to be wrong.  There is of course such a thing as false guilt.  But guilt feelings which are aroused by wrongdoing are health.  They rebuked us for betraying our humanity, and they impel us to seek forgiveness in Christ.

Apply --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. Several times this passage speaks of the ��day of God��s wrath��.  How would you advise someone to prepare for that day?

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2. This passage also speaks of the values of a healthy conscience.  What influences have helped to shape your conscience?

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3. What can you do now to point your conscience in a healthy direction?

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4. God (who is perfect) shows no favouritism in his judgments.  What are some ways that you can practise fairness in your own actions?

Pray ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank God that he is just and fair- showing no favouritism.  Identify yourself in his presence as either Jew or Gentile.  Thanks him that through Jesus Christ he invites you into his family- regardless of your origins.

Why am I not a Christian?

Feb 24, 05 (Thursday)

Why am I not a Christian?

Background:

On Feb 17, while I was studying in the UBC library, an idea came into my mind- why do people not believe in God?  Many people are unwilling to involve in a conversation about God.  Others have made up arguments, ranging from simple non-sense reasons to highly complicated metaphysical arguments, to back up their belief that there should be no God.  In this writing, I would first speculate the real, underlying reasons why people not believe in God and then I would take an anti-God stance and try to argue against my own argument.

My methodology:

I have noticed that humans are very often irrational beings and they rationalize all sorts of justifying reasons to support what they are believing/doing and cover up their irrationality and the fear within themselves.  For example, a new-attendee in a church might rationalize, ��The people here are not welcoming, it is not a suitable church and I��m not coming anymore��.  But, after further investigation, the real, underlying reason might be that he has a low self-esteem and he fears of not being able to fit in the new community, though he might not be aware of the truth at all and firmly believe/insist that ��The people here are not welcoming, it is not a suitable church and I��m not coming anymore��.  In this case, I suspect that many metaphysical arguments, in the same manner, are just a cover up for some real, underlying reasons.  I have speculated 4 reasons.

First, it is pride that many humans always want to have originality.  Originality means a person wants to be the first person to do something or invent something or come up with a ground-breaking theory.  For example, in mountaineering, originality means you are the first person to climb this or that mountain, say Mt. Everest.  Christianity offers a theory of how-to-live-your-life.  However, due to pride of originality, not many people want to submit themselves to this theory- why not follow mine?

Next, it is peer pressure and, therefore, fear of rejection and losing ��face��.  In contemporary secular society, only the minority believe in God and believing in God is linked to the impression of irrationality and non-sense.  Besides, believing in God means one has to commit his life to God, changing his outlook of life, attitude and lifestyle.  It takes commitment and risks- what if my belief turns out to be false; it will be utterly disgrace and stupid!  Therefore, many people choose not to take this risk.

Third, it is pride that many humans want to be God and play God.  Believing in God means one has to acknowledge the authority of God, confess his sins and wrongdoings, submit his life to God��s rule and commit to live a godly life.  Nowadays, not many people are willing to do these- I want to live my life in my own way and in a ��glorious�� way!  They are not willing to admit that they have sins and that they are wicked within and desperately need help.

Finally, it��s a lack of wisdom.  Many people nowadays still believe in a Utopia of materialism.  They still believe materialism can satisfy their life and give them whatever they want or at least a happy-enough life.  They think $ can solve their life problems/difficulties.  They fail to see that materialism cannot give them full satisfaction (which they are always striving to accomplish), or maybe some already know it but have no faith that there exist a thing which can satisfy life to the full.  On the other hand, many people have no faith in God that God is able to provide any amazing things for them.

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Now, let me turn around and be an anti-God critic: 

So, why do you suspect that I am rationalizing?  Why do you assume that there is a God in your argument?  Now, let me give my attack: you are rationalizing that there is a God to cover up your fear that if there is not God, your life will be meaningless and utterly unsatisfying.

Pro-God critic:

Now, either you (there is no God) or I (there is a God) is true and right and there exist no absolute proof for each of us.  However, I would argue that my theist theory (in this case Christianity) is superior to your atheist theory.  First, believing there is a God is linked to existence of meaning of life, while believing there is no God is linked to non-existence of meaning of life.  A life with meaning is happier and more satisfying than a life without meaning (a meaningless life).  On the other hand, in this world, everyone admires a combination of a godly, upright character and virtues in a person and happiness. (i.e. no one likes an unhappy, godly life or a happy, wicked life)  The life of a person with these characteristic is superior/better than the life of those without.  Therefore, though I can��t prove my case in an absolute sense, I can imply it is true by the reason- a theist��s life is of a higher quality/performance than an atheist��s life, i.e. 1) a Christian life is more meaningful/happier/more fulfilling than an atheist life and 2) a Christian life has more virtues than an atheist life, where high performance implies the theory is true.  For example, I create a model car and its running program.  Under the original (true) running program, the car runs in its best way.  In the same way, if your life runs in its best way, it implies the theory is the original, true theory.  There do exist empirical examples of ��top quality life�� of Christians to support my case.

God bless J

A Prayer in My Distress

Feb 22, 05 (Tuesday)

A prayer in my distress

The hardest time in my life is

when I sin against God, my dear Father in heaven,

when I fall short of the glory of God, my dear Father in heaven,

when I repay God evil for good, the salvation from my dear God, my Redeemer,

when I shame God, myself, parents, relatives, best friends, all who support me,

when I forsake the privilege to be a dear human and become a beast. 

I��m covered with shame,

who can cleanse me from this sin and disgrace? 

Who can save me from this soul of death? 

My body is weak, my soul is ebbing away for I turned away from God, my stronghold and my strength. 

I can��t focus on my life and work.

My soul is corrupt by my sin; my sin is even ruling over me. 

Exams are coming like an army. 

I am in utter distress! 

Not because I will fail my exams. 

Not because I have for forsaken (lost) my salvation. 

But because I have sinned again and again against God, my dear Father and lost favour in God��s eyes!  God has now abandoned me and gone far from me! 

I am in huge distress and pain. 

My sins are holding me fast in chains and dragging me away. 

Yet I won��t hesitate; I will look toward my God and hold fast to his statutes!

 Though I have lost all things, my integrity, my reputation, my strength,

I will still look toward you God, my strength and my life! 

How I hate evil and the deceitfulness if men! 

You, blood of vipers, with God I will walk uprightly and condemn you!

God will punish you forever!

 Who am I that God still let me live? 

Who am I that God doesn��t kill me and throw me to hell? 

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness, wonders, miracles to me? 

I will acknowledge God as my Lord. 

I will call on his name, rejoice, leap and shout for joy and praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord!  Give thanks to God for he is fantastically amazing!  Amen.

On Relationships

Feb 16, 2005 Wednesday

On Relationships

Background:

In our life, every day and night we live; we live in relationships.  When we are alone, we live in relationships with God and ourselves, while at other times, we live in relationships with families, relatives, good friends, best friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, those we do not like, and even strangers that we come across on the street.  Relationships can give us the taste of heaven but, also the taste of hell; they can give us love, passion, energy and life, but, also hatred, depression and death.  The ability to manage relationships well is, well agreed, an elegant wisdom- a hugely in-demand treasure.  In fact, relationship is a wonderful gift of God for us to enjoy life to the full.  Seeing that many people, even friends of mine, suffered in relationships, let alone not being able to enjoy, I am deeply concerned and prompted to write a solution on the topic of relationships.  God bless J

In this writing, I will first define the basic element of all relationships.  Then, I will proceed to state how this basic element gives rise to a relationship failure/grave.  Finally, I will conclude in an encouraging manner on how this basic element, if handle properly (Biblically/according to the instruction by God), gives rise to a FULL HAPPINESS.

In all relationships- God & us, self, family, friendship, dating, marriage, strangers, etc., the same basic element exists- our attitude.  Our attitude defines/constructs our goal/ambition in a relationship, which in turn, defines our expectation of fulfilment.  Our attitude also shapes our strategy in working towards that goal.  Therefore, our attitude in a relationship is directly linked to the amount of happiness we will and can achieve under that mindset.  In other words, a good attitude leads to happiness/shout for joy and a bad attitude leads to grievance/depression.

Among the majority of failed relationships, we find 2 things- a lack of wisdom and a self-centered attitude. 

Let��s start with the problem of a lack of wisdom.  Some people hold tightly to what they think is right and useful and the ��truth��.  Their stubbornness and ��arrogance�� (though they usually are not aware) shut off wisdoms and advice of help. (Proverbs 11:2)  Their ignorance then failed their relationships.  A disturbing fact is, they also tend to rationalize ��it��s too late, the case is hopeless and no one can help��.  This self-denial and distortion of the truth will follow them on to their next relationship, torturing them again in the future unless they renew their mind.  Others do not have faith to accept wisdom.  They have no confidence to believe their suffering relationship could be helped in anyway.  You will often hear them saying ��my case is a v. special case, it��s hopeless and no one can help, poor me��.  This rationalization and distortion of the truth, of cause, will continue to torture them unless they renew their mind. 

However, the problem of a self-centered attitude is even more depressing.  I can��t recall how many families, friendships, datings, marriages, etc are corrupted and ruined by it.  In all ages (not just nowadays), we humans tend to live a self-centered life, with an ��exchange�� mindset of ��if you treat me good, I will treat you good��.  A self-centered individual can never be fully satisfied and fully happy in a relationship.  Because he has based his satisfaction on how others treat him, which is v. shaky and ever-changing.  He needs a lot of outward attention or support or approval to maintain his ego/self-esteem.  However, even if everyone does treat him good, he will still be unsatisfied.  Why?  He has yet to understand that full satisfaction never comes from the outside, but from within.  He is an ��inadequate��/��insecure�� person and doesn��t have a big storage of love.  Therefore, in normal happy time, the relationship is okay.  But, once hard time comes, he��s prone to backslide and leave the relationship.  A self-centered relationship is v. weak and shaky because it lacks love as a firm foundation.  An often heard rationalization is ��I have no fun in this relationship.  Relationship is supposed to be fun.  He/she must be the wrong person��, and, in this way, the person further distorts the truth (that his attitude is perverted) and avoid his own responsibility to do good and a need to change.

Now, I��d talk about why relationship does can be perfect and full of joy.  First, I have 2 questions: 1) What is a good attitude like? 2) How can we achieve it?

A good attitude in love in relationship is ��love without expecting a repay��.  It is to focus all your mind, all your heart, and all your strength to think continually about ��how I can serve him/her��.  It��s not a self-seeking love, but totally other-focused.  It is to be compassionate and humble and honour others above yourself.  Moreover, you love even when others mistreat you, even when you dislike that person, and even when you won��t get any reward.

How can we do this?  Inaccurate, rather we should ask, ��Where comes this great source of love within us first?��  For example, a river has great water flow only if it has a great source.  This love comes from God.

We love because God first loved us.  1 John 4:19

(Attention: if you only treat it as a philosophical/theological concept to meditate on, you can��t get its essence.  It��s a real experience that you need to experience it yourself.  For example, if you want to know if riding roller coaster is fun or not, you can��t just meditate/speculate about it; rather, you need to ride it yourself.  Therefore, for anyone who wants to experience God, he/she must first be open-minded and have a willing heart to try.  Anyone who has a hardened heart or unwilling heart can never experience it, let alone proving whether God is real or not.)

God loves us so much that he sent his one and only son Jesus to die for us.  I��d say this love makes Christianity superior than other religions and philosophies.  This love is so GREAT that it grants us POWER to love.  In addition, how can we be humble enough to serve others?

Very rarely will anyone dies for a righteous man,

though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.  Romans 5:7-8

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.  Romans 15:7

��For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.��  Mark 10:45

A person who has experienced God��s love and his forgiveness is deeply moved by the fact that ��God, who is holy and perfect, is willing to forgive me and accept me, a terrible sinner��.  He, then is motivated by this love to serve others humbly.  However, even if you have experienced this love, if you keep on going on your ��old�� self-centered way, you��re still not there.  You need to submit your life to God��s rule and to do God��s will.  Why?  God��s will is the best/happiest way of living, while our will stems from our conscience which is corrupted by the sinful nature, which is often worthless, harmful and even shameful to our life.  How can we let go of our own sinful nature and let God rule in us (guided by Holy Spirit)?  It takes faith.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

You have faith that God is faithful and will act according to his promise and that he will guide you to live the BEST life.  The build-up of faith takes experience (events in life) and time.  For example, after so many years in your life seeing the sun rises up from the east, you have faith that the sun will rise from the east again tomorrow.

Therefore, in short, to achieve a godly attitude in relationships needs:

1.      personally experience God��s love and forgiveness

2.      have faith in God��s promise

3.      submit own life and let God rule

In conclusion, if we walk according to the law of the Lord, (that is we love unconditionally with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength like Jesus) the result can be unbelievable and miraculously powerful.  All our relationships will be richly blessed.  God bless J

When a man��s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.  Proverbs 16:7

P.S. In order to deal well with people (relationships), one needs to learn how to deal well with himself first.  In order to deal well with oneself, one needs to welcome God into his heart, as one��s sinful nature can only bring death/shame/grief/dissatisfaction, while God��s Holy Spirit will bring us life/hope/glory/joy.

On Reconciliation

How to Fight Sins #2: How are Christians Different from Laymen?

Feb 10, 2005 Wednesday

How to Fight Sins #2: How are Christians Different from Laymen?

Last time, we concluded that the solution to the problem of sins is a renewal/transformation of mindset.   (Read Romans 12:2)  However, it�s incomplete: now that we had a nice theory, what about the approach/method to apply it?  Anyone knows we should change our mindset but we just can�t or lack moral strength to do so.  Without a concrete, practical working instruction, the theory will be hollow and useless (another dream).  Therefore, in this passage, I will 1) first point out a common Christian mis-approach and 2) then elaborate on the Biblical approach/method so that we can actually act it out.

First, how are Christians different from laymen in doing good?  In this world, there are uncountable Christians who want and are striving hard to be holy with good virtues and, just at the same time,  also uncountable secular people or people of other religions doing exactly the same thing.   Generally, people use the methods of 1) reasoning for reasons for doing good, and 2) training a consistent to-be-holy habit.  From a Biblical perspective, humans, by themselves, cannot do good without the help of God. (Read Romans 7:14-25)  These worldly methods, first of all, can�t provide success and, second, the person cannot do good heartily with joy.  The point I want to make here is: As a Christian, are you using the laymen�s (common people) method, which is doomed to fail, or are you using the Biblical method?  This might well account why many Christians are having a hard time in fighting sins though they do their best.

Now, what�s the Biblical method?  Let�s first make a comparison of the Biblical method and the worldly method:

1. Worldly- I am Joseph.  I do good.
2. Biblical- I am God�s servant Joseph.  I�m led/guided by God to do good.

Analogy: living in an apartment (as a owner vs. as a tenant)

?#060;SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">   Method 1 is a self-centered motivation to do good.  It is my life, I do what I want.  Here, I�m under the rule of my sinful nature.

?#060;SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">   Method 2 is a God-centered motivation to do good.  I acknowledge that it�s not my life, but God�s life.  I give up my ownership of my life, submit to God�s rule and follow his guidance (Holy Spirit) and do what God wants.   Here, I�m no longer under the rule of my sinful nature, but the Spirit.

In facing a moral decision, a Christian shall not say �I want to....?#060;SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Instead, he shall say ?#060;B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">I�m an unworthy servant of God.  (pray) O God, what do you (Holy Spirit) want to do in this case?? just like the famous W.W.J.D. (what would Jesus do) slogan.  Therefore the steps of the Biblical method are:

1.       acknowledge the ownership of your life (your role as a servant)

2.       pray (report) to God (your boss) before making a decision

3.       have faith in God (that his will is the best way of life)

4.       follow his instruction (Holy Spirit and the Bible)

Here are 2 related Biblical references:

Hebrews 11:24-26

By faith Moses,

when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt,

because he was looking ahead to his reward.

Psalm 112

Praise the LORD.

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD ,

who finds great delight in his commands.

2 His children will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in his house,

and his righteousness endures forever.

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. [c]

5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,

who conducts his affairs with justice.

6 Surely he will never be shaken;

a righteous man will be remembered forever.

7 He will have no fear of bad news;

his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD .

8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear;

in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,

his righteousness endures forever;

his horn [d] will be lifted high in honor.

10 The wicked man will see and be vexed,

he will gnash his teeth and waste away;

the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

In conclusion, the acknowledgement of your role as a servant of God is the essential, first step to the problem-solving so that you can rely completely on God�s power.  What does it take to do that?  A humble, repentant heart, which is submissive.  What does it take to have that?  You need a personal experience of the goodness of God.  Training the heart is the hardest thing on earth.  Pray continually to God and share your struggle with your friends and pray together.  Believe and God will help.

How to Fight Sins?

Feb 5 Saturday

How to fight sins?

But Jehoshaphat also said to the King of Israel,

 ï¿½ï¿½First seek the counsel of the Lord.��

2 Chronicles 19:4

The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sins hold him fast.

He will die for his lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Proverbs 5:22

Jesus replied, ��I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

John 8:34

I feel a desperate urge to meditate on the problem of sexual sin.  The problem of sin is MASSIVE.  It corrupts the soul, holds captive of an individual, and ruins all his social lives, namely his family, marriage, friendships, even his interactions with strangers.  Sin powerfully limits the life and happiness and value of a person without his knowing it, not to mention his self-denial of his ruined situation.

It��s apparent that if an individual wants to follow God, he must live by the Spirit and break away from his sinful desires.  A transformation is needed.  How?

Everyone knows the Bible does promise a full life, full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, humility, compassion, mightiness, never be shaken, no fear�K  (Psalm 1, 112, Proverbs 21:21, Galatians 5:22-23, John 10:10�Ktoo many)  However, the problem of many people is: I can��t experience all these good things and somehow I do love sins!  Among these people, there exist some (God-loving) individuals who work real hard, using their utmost will-power to fight sins.  They have an intellectual/logical/rational understanding that a godly life must be better.  But, this abstract understanding offers virtually no support and motivation for a complete transformation.  They end up facing the same old problem: somehow I do love sins!

Therefore, if we were to solve the problem successfully, we have to first solve the attitude problem: somehow I do love sins!  Why do I love sins?  It is inaccurate: I better paraphrase it into ��What have sins done to make me still love sins?��

First of all, every time I sin, my sin leads me to focus on some sinful things.  In other words, my sin had led me closer into a sinful situation or a sinful mindset.  Under this sinful mindset/attitude, sin is the king and it has taken an active role and set the limit and rules: there��s nothing godly to do but sin and sinning is the only enjoyment under this mindset.  Now, even if we have extreme will-power, we are still struggling under this sinful mindset (in other words the limit/reign of sin) and are bound to lose once we are tired or in weak morale.  In this sinful mindset (territory), sin is the king and we are passive and powerless.

Therefore, the only solution is: 1. take the active role, 2. escape from this mindset, and 3. experience the outside world (Spirit)!  4. Remember God is my Lord and I am his unworthy servant and 5. pray continually and first seek God��s counsel before doing anything.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

P.S.

Psalm 112 is definitely one of the best and touching and powerful Psalms I have ever read.  Praise the Lord!

Enoch Bible Study4- Romans 1:18-32 (Jan 29, 05)

Romans

Romans Bible Study #2

A Downward Spiral

Read Romans 1:18-32 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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God's Wrath Against Mankind

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities�Vhis eternal power and divine nature�Vhave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

   21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

   24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator�Vwho is forever praised. Amen.

   26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

   28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

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Intro:

The very mention of God��s wrath is calculated nowadays to cause people embarrassment and even amazement.  How can anger be attributed to the all-holy God?  Ye tin this section of Romans we thee connection between the previous topic of the Gospel of God and the wrath of God.  Let me try to clarify the stages of the argument by engaging Paul in Dialogue.

           Paul: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of God (v.16).

     Q: Why not, Paul?

           Paul: Because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (v.16).

             Q: How so, Paul?

           Paul: For in the Gospel, a righteous from God is revealed, that is, God��s way of justifying sinners    

          (v.17)

             Q: But why is it necessary Paul?

Paul: Because the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and

     wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

  Q: But how have people suppress the truth, Paul?

Paul: Because what may be known about God is plain to them�K  For since the creation of the  

     world God��s invisible qualities�K  have been clearly seen (vv.19-20).

Open --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: What comes to your mind when you think of ��the wrath of God��?

Study --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read Romans 1:18-23. Human anger, although there is such a thing as righteous indignation, is mostly very unrighteous.  It is an irrational and uncontrollable emotion, containing much vanity, animosity, malice the desire for revenge.  It should go without saying that God��s anger is absolutely free of all such poisonous ingredients.  The wrath of God is almost totally different from human anger.  It does not mean that God loses his temper, flies into a rage, or is ever malicious, spiteful or vindictive.  The alternative to wrath is not love but neutrality in the moral conflict.  And God is not neutral.  On the contrary, his wrath is his holy hostility to evil, his refusal to condone it or come to terms with it, his just judgment upon it.

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Q:

1. Verse 18 begins ��the wrath of God is being revealed.��  Why? (according to verses18-23)

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2. Verse 20 says that these people are ��without excuse��.  Why? (according to verses 18-20)

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3. Mentally review some of your own experiences with God��s creation.  What do these reveal to you about God?

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4. Verse 21 says that the people described here ��knew God.��  What is dangerous about knowing God but not acting on that knowledge (vv. 21-23)?

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5. What do you think would happen to a person whose heart is ��darkened�� as verse 21 describes?

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Summary:

There are degrees to the knowledge of God, and these phrases cannot possibly refer to the full knowledge of him enjoyed by those who have been reconciled to him through Christ.  For what Paul says here is that through general revelation people can know God��s power, deity and glory (not his saving grace through Christ), and that this knowledge is enough not to save them but rather to condemn them, because they do not live up to it.  Instead, they suppress the truth by their wickedness (v. 18), so that they are without excuse (v. 20).  It is against this wilful human rebellion that God��s wrath is revealed.

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6. Read Romans 1:24-32.  3 times in this passage Paul repeat the phrase ��God gave them over.��  What did God give them over to?

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7. What is your mental picture of each of these downward spirals?

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8. Verses 29-30 included sins like envy and murder, arrogance and God-hating, faithfulness and ruthlessness.  What does the variety in this list suggest about the nature of sin?

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9. What makes you uneasy about verses 18-32?

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When we hear of God�� wrath, we usually think of ��thunderbolts from heaven, and earthly cataclysms and flaming majesty,�� yet here we learn that his anger goes ��quiet and invisibly�� to work in handing sinners over to themselves (Stephen C. Neill, The Wrath and Peace of God [CLS, 1943]), p. 12f.).  God abandons stubborn sinners to their wilful self-centeredness, and the resulting process of moral and spiritual degeneration is to be understood as a judicial act of God.  This is the revelation of God��s wrath from heaven (v. 18).

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10. In verses 24, 26 and 8 God gave the people what they wanted.  Why are these kinds of temptations dangerous?

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11. Verse 32 says that these people deserve spiritual death. Why?

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Summary:

We have come to the end of Paul��s portrayal of depraved Gentile society.  Its essence lies in the antithesis between what people know and what they do.  God�� wrath is specifically directed against those who deliberately suppress truth for the sake of evil.  ��Dark as the picture here is drawn,�� wrote Charles Hodge, ��it is not so dark as that presented by the most distinguished Greek and Latin authors, of their own countrymen�� (A Commentary on Romans [1835; Banner of Truth Trust, 1972], p. 43).  Paul was not exaggerating.

Apply --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q:

1. What sins in this downward spiral do you personally need to work on resisting?

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2. What do you know about God that would help keep you out of this downward spiral?

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Pray ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13, ��No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.��  Talk to God about what tempts you to sin- and you own lapses toward thee downward spiral of Romans 1.  Ask God��s forgiveness.  Invite his strength to help you overcome future temptation in the same area ��so that you can stand up under it.��

Enoch Bible Study3- Romans 1:1-17 (Jan 21, 05)

Romans

Introduction J

Romans is a kind of Christian manifesto of freedom through Jesus Christ. 

�P   Freedom from the holy wrath of God upon all unrighteousness. 

�P   Freedom from alienation into reconciliation. 

�P   Freedom from ethnic conflict. 

�P   Freedom to give ourselves to the loving service of God and others.

           Paul was probably writing the Romans from the Corinth during the 3 months he spent in Greece (Acts 20:2) just before sailing east.  Paul was evidently apprehensive about his forthcoming visit to Jerusalem where he was taking money which the Greek churches had contributed for the poverty-stricken Christians in Judea.  For Paul this was a symbol of Jewish-Gentile solidarity in the body of Christ.  He was urging the Roman Christians to join him in praying for his personal safety and that the Jewish Christians would accept his gift.  Paul was also writing to let the Romans know that he was planning a visit to them after visiting Jerusalem.

Getting to know the Romans J

           A church had already come into being in Rome, perhaps through Jewish Christians who had returned home from Jerusalem after the Pentecost (Acts 2:10).  It was a mixed community consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, with Gentiles in the majority, and there was considerable conflict between these groups.  This conflict was primarily not over ethnic issues, but theology.  The Jewish Christians were proud of their favoured status before God, and the Gentile Christians of their freedom from the law.

A message for us J

           In his ministry of reconciliation between the Jews and the Gentiles, Paul develops 2 themes and interweaves them beautifully. 

�P   The first is the justification of guilty sinners by God��s grace alone in Christ, irrespective of status or works.  This is the most humbling and equalling of all Christian truths. 

�P   The second is that the people of God are no loner defined by descent, circumcision or culture, but according to faith in Jesus.  So ��there��s no difference�� now between Jews and Gentiles (Romans 3:22).

           The call to unity I just as relevant to us today as we continue to face tensions in the body of Christ over ethnicity and theology.  May we hear and respond to God��s call to us in Romans

Romans Bible Study #1

Gospel Power

Read Romans 1:1-17

What would it be like to live as a Christian in 1^st century Rome?  You would be in the capital city of the world empire.  The greatest sports, art and politics are centered in your city.  You can hear a dozen languages in your streets, and religions of all sorts blend in the stew.  You have heard of Christianity from a Jew who was present at an incredible even some 1300 miles away in Jerusalem when a room shook, fire appeared, people spoke in tongues, and everyone talked about a martyr named Jesus who had dies as a criminal then came back to life.  This Jewish convert who had become a Christian didn��t last long in Jerusalem, though.  Not looking forward to martyrdom himself, he shipped off to the relative safety of Rome- and told his storey: the story of Jesus.  You believed.  But what had you committed to?  What is the new faith?  A letter from the apostle Paul offers some answers.

Q: When and how did you first come in contact with the power of Gospel?

Study:

Q:

1. What information about the Gospel do you find in these verses?

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2. Paul says in verse 6 that through the Gospel we are ��called to belong��.  How have you experienced that sense of belonging (in church, fellowship or other Christians)?

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Summary:

��God is the most important word in this epistle,��  Leon Morris has written.  ��Romans is a book about God.  No topic is treated with anything like the frequency of God.  Everything Paul touches in this letter he related to God�K  There is nothing like it elsewhere.��  So the Christian good news is the Gospel of God.  The apostles did not invent it; it was revealed and entrusted to them by God.

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4. Review verse 1-7.  What do you learn about Paul?  About Romans?

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5. Read Romans 1:8-17.  In what different ways does Paul express his affection for he ROMANS (VV. 8-15)?

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6. What do these verses reveal about Paul��s relationship with God?

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7. Paul knows about the reciprocal blessings of Christian fellowship, and although he is an apostle, he is not too proud to acknowledge his need for it.  In verse 12 Paul says that he hopes that he and the Romans will be ��mutually encouraged by each other��s faith.��  Why is mutual encouragement valuable to Christians?

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8. Focus on Paul��s declaration in verses 16-17.  What do these verses reveal about the power of the Gospel?

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9. This passage uses important words like Gospel, Salvation, Righteousness and Faith.  How are these terms related to each other?

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10.    This section of Paul��s letter ends with the famous phrase ��The righteous will live by faith.��  In practical terms, what does this mean?

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Summary:

Apply:

2. Paul says in verse 15-16, ��I am so eager to preach�K  I am not ashamed of the Gospel.��  What can you do that expresses a similar enthusiasm for Christ?

Pray:

Enoch Bible Study2- Christian Character (Jan15, 05)

Bible Study #2

Christian Character

Background:

Christian living is meant to be different from a non-believer��s living, as Jesus refers it to the light compared to the darkness.  This week, we will explore some Christian characters in the bible.  As it��s a rather long one, you can do one part at a time.  God bless you J

Part A.

Recite bible verses:

Matthew 5:14-16

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Matthew 5:14-16

14��You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Ephesians 4:1-2

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Ephesians 4:1-2

1As a prisoner of the Lord, then I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 

2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Part B

Record your change:

Here, can you compare your life before you believe in God and after you believe in God, and list 7 differences.  It can be anything e.g. work, family, friends, dating, study�K  In this week, ask at least 1 person ��What change do I have?��

(After you complete it, you can cut it out and it will become your own testimonyJ)

Part C- Bible Study

1.

This week��s reading#1: Christian Character 1- Think Positive and Be Thankful.

Luke 18:11-19

Ten Healed of Leprosy

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Luke 18:11-19

Ten Healed of Leprosy

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[met him. They stood at a distance

13and called out in a loud voice, ��Jesus, Master, have pity on us!��

14When he saw them, he said, ��Go, show yourselves to the priests.�� And as they went, they were cleansed.

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him�Vand he was a Samaritan.

17Jesus asked, ��Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?�� 19Then he said to him, ��Rise and go; your faith has made you well.��

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16Be joyful always;

17pray continually;

18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God��s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Meditate:

1. What are the miracles God has done on you (or people around you) and prayers God has answered you?  Please list 10.  (In this week, ask at least 1 person about itJ)

2. What are the differences between the attitude of the Samaritan and the attitude of the other 9 men towards Jesus (God)?  What is your attitude towards God?

3. It is said:

You sow a thought, you reap an attitude.

You sow an attitude, you reap a behavior.

You sow a behavior, you reap a character.

You sow a character, you reap your life.

What is the consequence of the Samaritan, who is truly thankful and accepts Jesus as his Lord, compared to the other 9 men, who treat Jesus as en emergency kit in difficult times?

(Hint: who will have more blessings in the future?  And why?) 

4. Use 1 minute to pray, e.g. God, thanks God for your miracles, I am truly blessed, may I give thanks to you almighty, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen?

(For further reference on #3, read Luke 8:13-15 and John 6:35, read online at http://bible.gospelcom.net/versions/index.php?action=getVersionInfo&vid=31#books&version=31; )

2.

This week��s reading#2: Christian Character 2- Be Humble and Non-critical.

Matthew 7

Judging Others

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Matthew 7

Judging Others

1��Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3��Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

4How can you say to your brother, ��Let me take the speck out of your eye,�� when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

John 15:12

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