False analogy (continued)

Romans 7:2-3 – Marriage, divorce, and remarriage

“Take two people and bind them with a rope. If you cut the rope, how many people are free? Both. So, if one is free, the other is free. Any divorced person can remarry.”

The rope is a false analogy. It does not accurately reflect the way God’s law works.

Luke 15:18 – The parable of the prodigal son, or the older son.

“If my grown child falls away, I should not seek him out, appeal to him, study with him, etc. It’s his job to get up and come to me.”

The parable is about the response of the older son when his brother returned, not about how to reach out to a sinner.

Compare Galatians 6:1; Matthew 15:18; James 5:19. We should try to restore lost brethren.

Circular reasoning (begging the question)

What is it?

Spiritual importance

Circular reasoning does not prove anything. We should be careful not to resort to this in spiritual studies and discussions.

Mark 2:1-12 – Jesus did not use circular reasoning to prove that He had authority to forgive sins. Instead, He offered actual proof by healing a paralytic man.

“That doctrine can’t be true because that’s what _______ teach.” (Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Calvinists, etc.)

“The Bible cannot be true because it contains miracles, and miracles violate the laws of nature!”

“The Bible cannot be true because it teaches that the earth is only thousands of years old; whereas, we know the earth is billions of years old.”

“Creation cannot be true because you would have to ignore all that scientific evidence.”

Acts 16:35-40; Philippians 1:1-2

Acts 16:37 – Paul may have wanted their release to be as public as their punishment to establish their innocence publicly and prevent undue bad publicity for the church in Philippi.

Philippians 1:1 – The church in Philippi was composed of saints, including elders and deacons. Notice that saints were people who were alive at the time.

Nowhere in the Bible is a person referred to using “Saint” as a title. The term was only used as a collective noun to refer to God’s holy people as a group.

A saint is one who has obeyed God and is in Christ, which implies they have been baptized.

Philippians 1:2 – We should have this same kind of spiritual peace that Paul had and desired for the Philippians.

Isaiah 33:15-17

A righteous walk (Isaiah 33:16)

Speaks with sincerity

James 1:1-8 – The tongue is very difficult to control.

James 3:2

James 1:26 – An uncontrolled tongue makes your religion vain.

Rejects unjust gain

Romans 12:17

II Corinthians 8:21

Hands hold no bribe

Matthew 26:15

I Samuel 8:3

Stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed

II Timothy 4:3

Psalms 15:3

Shuts his eyes from looking upon evil

II Samuel 12

I Corinthians 11:1

II Peter 2:14

Luke 1:6 – Keep God’s commandments to walk with God.

An exalted walk (Isaiah 33:16 a)

Ephesians 4:1

Romans 3:23

Acts 17:30

Colossians 1:3

A safe walk (Isaiah 33:16 b)

I Corinthians 10:4

Matthew 7:21, 24

Psalms 18:2

A well-supplied walk (Isaiah 33:16 c)

I John 1:7

This walk brings peace (Philippians 4:7) and joy (I Peter 1:8).

Walking with God provides all spiritual blessings.

A walk of faith and hope (Isaiah 33:17)

Hebrews 2:9

I John 3:2

Those who so walk have the best in this life and a peaceful death before living with God in eternity.

Introduction

What does it mean to follow and obey God’s will?

John 8:42, 44, 47

What does God require of us?

How can we be faithful to God in everyday life?

Values taught in the Bible are often opposite of worldly values.

Christian values

Ephesians 4:25-32

II Timothy 2:22-26

Ten values or principles for living a Christian life

Worship only God – Mark 12:29-30; Matthew 6:24

Anything that takes us away from our devotion to God becomes an idol or false god.

Colossians 3:5

Respect all people – Mark 12:31; Luke 6:27-28, 31-33; Matthew 7:12

Be humble – I Corinthians 10:23-24; Philippians 2:2-4, 5-8

Be honest – Proverbs 12:22; 24:28; 20:10

Live a moral life – Mark 7:20-22; I Corinthians 6:9-10

Be generous – Proverbs 28:27; Matthew 25:41-46; Acts 20:35; I John 3:17; James 2:14-17; II Corinthians 9:7; I Timothy 6:17-19

Don’t be a hypocrite – Matthew 23:27-28; 15:8; 7:1-5; Romans 2:21-24

Don’t be self-righteous – Romans 3:23; I John 1:8; Proverbs 26:12; Matthew 7:1-5; Galatians 6:1-3

Don’t hold a grudge – Proverbs 15:11; 19:11; Romans 12:17-21; Ephesians 4:31-32

Forgive others – Matthew 6:14-15; Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 18:21-22; Colossians 3:12-14

Psalm 22

Hebrews 6:18 – Lying is contrary to God’s nature, thus He cannot lie.

Forsaking someone who is doing His will is also against God’s nature.

Psalm 9:10; John 8:29; 16:32

Psalm 22 is metaphorical and hyperbolic. Much of it does not make sense if you take it literally. The Jews knew this psalm and understood it. Jesus called it to their attention on the cross. He was not telling the Jews that He had been forsaken. He quoted Psalms 22:1 to show that He had not been forsaken by God just like David had not been forsaken.

God had not forsaken him.

Compare the prophecy and the fulfillment:

Psalm 22:7; Matthew 27:39

Psalm 22:8; Matthew 27:43

Psalm 22:11; John 16:32

Psalm 22:15; Job 19:28

Psalm 22:17; Luke 23:35

Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35

Psalm 22:16; John 19:37