Faith

God’s Original Divine Design for Marriage and Family

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 

So, God created man in His own image,
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.”

1. God designed and defined gender.

2. God’s designed gender has a complementary function.

Genesis 2:18 (ESV)
“…I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Genesis 2:21-23 (ESV)
“So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man. 

Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

Genesis 2:24 (ESV)

“Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

3. God’s designed gender defines sexuality.

Genesis 1:28(ESV)
“…God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…”

Begin Again

Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Psalms 33:6 (NIV)

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of His mouth.”

Genesis 2:4 (NIV)
“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”

Genesis 5:1 (NASB)
“…On the day when God created man…”

The Events

1. Creation

2. Fall of Humanity

3. Fall and rebellion of angelic beings

4. The Flood 

Genesis 9:1-3 (ESV)
"God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything”

5. The Tower of Babel

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (ESV)

"When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
    when He divided mankind,
He fixed the borders of the peoples
    according to the number of the sons of God.

But the Lord's portion is His people,
    Jacob his allotted heritage. 

The People

1. Abraham

2. Isaac

3. Jacob

4. Joseph

Law or Liberty?

Galatians is the first letter written by Paul

Jesus +

Paul asks, Is Christianity really “Solus Christus” Christ Alone?

Legalism / License / Liberty 

Legalism (3-4)

“In the beginning, God created man in His image and humanity has been attempting to return the favor ever since." - Voltaire 

Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

“Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.” 

License (5-6)

Romans 6:15-23 (ESV)

 “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Liberty (1-2)

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

613 Laws 

Galatians 3:19 (ESV)

"Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.”

Acts 15:10-11 (ESV)

“Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’”

Galatians 2:21 (ESV)

 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Galatians 3:10 (ESV)

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’”

Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

“Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.”

Romans 6:15 (ESV)

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!”

Romans 9:30-33 (ESV)

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame’”

Romans 10:1-4 (ESV)

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Romans 14:23 (ESV)

“…whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Galatians 3:19 (ESV)

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made…”

Galatians 4:4-9 (ESV)

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?”

Romans 3:30-31 (ESV)

“Since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

Romans 3:24 (ESV)

“…and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

John 8:31-36 (ESV)

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” 

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

The Father’s Love

“The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men...With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.” ― A.W. Tozer, “The Knowledge of the Holy”

1 John 4:8 (ESV)
“…God is love” 

1 John 1:5 (ESV)
“…God is light,”

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (NIV)
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession."

Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)
"the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

John 3:14-16 (ESV)
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 3:9-18 (ESV)
“Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Romans 5:8 (ESV)
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Keeping God’s Main Thing Our Main Thing

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)
“And He (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.”

Luke 24:13-32 (ESV)
“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find His body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.” And He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. So, they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if He were going farther, but they urged Him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So, He went in to stay with them. When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?”

Keeping God’s main thing our main thing.

1. The entirety of the Bible is pointing to Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:25,27 (ESV)
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” ... “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

John 5:39 (ESV)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me.”

1 Corinthians 1:23 (ESV)
“we preach Christ…”

1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV)
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Luke 24:26-27 (ESV)
“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

Luke 24:31-32 (ESV) 
"And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?"

The Key that Unlocks God’s Biblical Potential in Your Life

1 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)
“Train yourself for godliness;”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
“Exercise yourself toward godliness.”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
“Train yourself to be godly.”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)
“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;”

1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV)
“For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)
“He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Humility: The key that unlocks God’s biblical potential in your life. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV)
“Knowledge puffs up”

Mark 10:35-45 (NIV)
“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want Me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Jesus is letting them know you will suffer, you will endure incredible pain and you will die because of me) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 

Not so with you. 

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 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.”

1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV)

“Be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Psalm 138:6 (NLT)

“Though the Lord is great, He cares for the humble, but He keeps His distance from the proud.”

Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)

“I live in the high and holy place

    with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.”

Philippians 2:5-9 (NLT)

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor…” 

1. God is waiting for you.

James 4:8 (ESV)
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

Jeremiah 29:12-13 (ESV)
“Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Proverbs 8:17 (ESV)
“I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently find Me.”

2. God is waiting to reveal His glory to you.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”2 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV)
(We are) “not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.”

2 Corinthians 3:14 (ESV)
“For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.” – Charles Spurgeon

Why can you have confidence in the Bible?

1.      It is unique to all other books.

2.      Proofs of early manuscripts.

3.      The mathematical probability of messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus.

Luke 24:27 (NIV)
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.”

John 5:46 (NIV)
“If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me."

4.     The archaeological proofs. 

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” 

How to Experience the Blessing of God Through the Bible

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV)

(Timothy) “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; (cutting deep) it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 

How do you approach the scriptures to receive the blessing of God?

1.      Stand in awe of His word.

John 5:39 (NIV)

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.”

2.       Kneel in submission to His word.

John 14:23 (NIV)

“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

3.     Walk in the illumination of His word. 

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

“Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my Path”

Proverbs 4:20-27 (ESV)

“My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.

Let them not escape from your sight;
    keep them within your heart.

 For they are life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their flesh.

Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you crooked speech,
    and put devious talk far from you.

Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.

 Ponder the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.”

John 15:5 (NIV)

 “apart from Me you can do nothing.”

John 15:1:11 (ESV)
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NIV)

“If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

John 14:1-3 (NIV)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

John 14:18-19 (NKJV)
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.”

John 14:27 (NKJV)
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 16:8-11 (NIV)
“When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in Me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

John 16:20 (NIV)
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”