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ScriptureStream

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ScriptureStream episodes

  • Foundational Bible Studies, Part 1
    • Introduction
      • II Timothy 2:15
      • I Peter 3:15
      • Bible Study Starter
        • God’s laws through the ages
          • The Bible gives us a spiritual history of the world.
          • Laws for patriarchs
            • In the very beginning, God dealt with people on a family basis, giving instructions to the fathers.
            • Law of Moses for Israel (Old Covenant)
              • Exodus 19:5 – God communicated His law for the nation of Israel. The best-known parts of the law are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17).
              • Deuteronomy 5:1-3
              • Luke 24:44 – This law was called the “Law of Moses.”
              • Jeremiah 31:31-34 – The Law of Moses would be temporary.
              • Matthew 5:17-18 – The Israelites (Jews) were under this law from Exodus 20 until Pentecost in Acts 2. Even Jesus lived under the Law of Moses.
              • Laws for Gentiles
                • The Old Testament focuses on the Israelites, but God also gave laws to the Gentiles during that period of time. For example, Isaiah 13-21 records messages to several nations.
                • Gentiles were under these laws until Acts 10.
                • Law of Christ for all (New Covenant)
                  • Jesus came bringing the New Covenant. Matthew 4:23; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 1:17
                  • The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant. Hebrews 8:6-13; 10:9-10. Jews were invited to take part in the New Covenant in Acts 2, Gentiles in Acts 10.
                  • No one is under the Old Covenant today. John 12:48; Galatians 3:24-29; Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:11-22
                  • We now serve God through the Law of Christ taught in the New Testament.
                  • God’s authority
                    • Romans 14:11-12 – God is our creator and master, so He has all authority. He gets to decide how we ought to live our lives and worship Him.
                    • This has always been true, even with Adam and Eve who were given a rule to follow in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:3). The story of Cain and Abel illustrates the strictness with which God exercises His authority (Genesis 4:1-8; Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17).
                    • God’s authority continues today. Matthew 7:13-14, 21; II John 1:9
                    • God’s love
                      • All of us have become guilty of sin by breaking God’s law (I John 3:4; Romans 3:23).
                      • Sin separates us from God, severing our fellowship with Him (Isaiah 59:1-2). Furthermore, there is nothing we can do on our own to restore that fellowship. We are helpless!
                      • Thankfully, God took action on our behalf, sending His Son Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins on the cross (Romans 5:6-9; Ephesians 2:4-10).
                      • Through the Bible, God informs us of the conditions we must meet in order to receive His gift:
                        • Believe and confess Jesus as Christ and Lord (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:36)
                        • Repent (Acts 17:30; II Corinthians 7:10)
                        • Be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:27)
                        • Continue a new life of service to God until death (Romans 6:3-4; Matthew 22:35-40)
                          • 30 min
                        • People of the Bible, Part 10
                          • Paul
                            • I can make a huge turnaround in my life.
                              • Acts 7:58-8:3 – Paul approved of the stoning of Stephen.
                              • Acts 9:1-22 – Saul’s conversion
                              • Philippians 3:4-7 – Paul sacrificed all to gain Christ.
                              • Galatians 1:23 – Paul is an example of just how much a person can change.
                              • Sin will humble me, but not stop me.
                                • Paul was inspired to tell his story repeatedly. Acts 22, 26; Galatians 1:13; Ephesians 3:8; I Corinthians 15:9; I Timothy 1:13-15
                                • Paul regretted his sinful past but didn’t hide it. He used it to help others relate and make their own change.
                                • I should be bold.
                                  • Ephesians 6:19-20 – Paul was bold in his defense of the gospel.
                                  • Paul spent a lot of time defending his apostleship and fending off attacked designed to discredit his teaching (II Corinthians 11; Galatians 1)
                                    • He had a history of sin.
                                    • He was late to the game. I Corinthians 15:8
                                    • He was just out for the money. I Corinthians 9:3-4
                                    • He wasn’t much to listen to, either! II Corinthians 10:10; 11:6
                                    • Paul even stood up to Peter. Galatians 2:11
                                    • The best, boldest Christians are not flawless people, but forgiven I shouldn’t let my problems keep me from being the bold Christian I need to be today!
                                      • 30 min
                                    • Benchley: Keeping Fervent in Our Love for One Another
                                      • I Peter 4:8
                                      • Find the common ground: Christ
                                        • I Peter 3:8; Romans 12:18; Matthew 5:44
                                        • II Peter 1:1
                                        • Acts 11:19-26
                                        • Matthew 13:53-58 vs. Acts 2:9-11, 46-47
                                        • Romans 12:10, 16
                                        • Actively look for ways to help each other
                                          • Ephesians 4:9-12 (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20)
                                          • Ephesians 4:1-3
                                          • Philippians 1:27; 2:2-4; 3:17; 4:2-3
                                          • I Peter 4:8-11
                                          • Hebrews 10:24 – Homework!
                                          • II Timothy 3:10-11
                                            • 30 min
                                          • Where God is Silent
                                            • Introduction
                                              • Hebrews 7:11-14; 8:4 – The priesthood: Melchizedek and Jesus
                                              • I Corinthians 4:6; II John 1:9; II Peter 1:3; II Timothy 3:16-17 – Don’t go beyond what is written!
                                              • Our authority is in what God said – not what He did not say.
                                              • John 17:15
                                              • Cases where men went beyond God’s law
                                                • Genesis 4:3-5 – Cain gave a sacrifice that God did not accept.
                                                  • Hebrews 11:4 – Abel offered by faith, which must have come from God’s word (Romans 10:17)
                                                  • Numbers 16 – Korah’s rebellion
                                                  • Matthew 15:3-9 – God said nothing about the tradition of washing.
                                                  • Cases from modern times
                                                    • Sprinkling babies as “baptism”
                                                      • God said nothing about this.
                                                      • Using mechanical instruments of music in worship to God
                                                        • God said nothing about this!
                                                        • Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
                                                        • Man-made societies and organizations to do the work of the church
                                                          • God said nothing about this!
                                                          • Elders are to oversee their own flock – not other local churches!
                                                          • Local church-sponsored entertainment
                                                            • God said nothing about church-sponsored sports teams, fellowship halls, kitchens, etc.
                                                              • 30 min
                                                            • Marriage, Part 3
                                                              • Marriage-divorce theories, continued:
                                                                • Theory 2: God does not recognize the marriage of aliens for they are not amenable to His specific laws. Therefore, the alien may divorce and remarry as many times as he likes and not be guilty of adultery.
                                                                  • If the alien sinner is not subject to God’s specific laws, why try to convert him?
                                                                  • If the alien sinner is not subject to God’s specific laws, he is no idolater, though he practices idolatry; nor drunkard, though he practices drunkenness; nor thief, though he steals.
                                                                  • The alien sinner is subject to God’s specific law of marriage (I Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9).
                                                                    • The practice that makes a brother a fornicator also makes an alien sinner a fornicator.
                                                                    • Some of the Corinthians were fornicators while being alien sinners.
                                                                    • Some laws are to the saved and the alien cannot obey these until he obeys the gospel.
                                                                      • The command to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:29)
                                                                      • The command to preach the gospel (II Timothy 3:16-17)
                                                                      • The command to restore an erring brother (Galatians 6:1)
                                                                      • But we must not take laws given to mankind and apply them only to the Christian; to illustrate: the law against murder, lying, or fornication (I Timothy 1:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21).
                                                                      • Theory 3: The alien sinner is amenable to God’s marriage law, but those living in adultery are forgiven at baptism, and thus the relationship is no longer adultery.
                                                                        • Sins are forgiven at baptism, but unholy relationships are not made holy.
                                                                          • Idolatry is forgiven at baptism, but this does not make idolatry holy.
                                                                          • The thief is forgiven at baptism, but that does not make stealing holy.
                                                                          • The adulterer is forgiven at baptism, but that does not make adultery holy.
                                                                          • Prayer for the Christian has the same effect as regards remission of sins as does baptism for the alien sinner; thus if baptism fixes it so that alien sinner can continue in an adulterous relationship, prayer fixes it so the Christian can continue in an adulterous relationship!
                                                                          • Baptism for the alien sinner and prayer for the Christian would just be a license to continue in the sinful relationship if this theory was correct. (See Romans 6:1-2).
                                                                          • Theory 4: When one is loosed, both are loosed; thus, the one who is put away for fornication also has the right to remarry.
                                                                            • In reference to marriage, “bound” is “by law;” thus, one being loosed does not loose the other.
                                                                            • God joins and He has not stated He will loose the guilty party.
                                                                            • Theory 5: The husband puts away his wife where no fornication is involved and where the wife does not want the divorce. Later, he remarries. Now the wife can put him away with the right to remarry.
                                                                              • According to Matthew 19:9, fornication must have been the cause for the divorce.
                                                                              • Fornication committed after the divorce cannot possibly have been the cause for the divorce!
                                                                              • When one has been put away, there is nothing that the other can control that can be put away; the marriage has been sundered, and one cannot sunder that which has already been sundered!
                                                                              • The simple truth is that the Bible knows nothing of a second, mental putting away.
                                                                              • The word translated, “divorce,” “put away,” or “dismiss” is “apuluo” and always speaks of severing a relationship. When a relationship has been severed, it cannot be severed again when the one who did the putting away remarries.
                                                                              • Consider the way “apoluo” is used in the New Testament.
                                                                                • “Send away” – Matthew 14:15, 22, 23; 15:23, 32, 39; Mark 6:36, 45; 8:3, 9; Luke 8:38; 9:12; Acts 13:3
                                                                                • “Let go” – Luke 14:4; 22:68; 23:22; John 19:12; Acts 3:13; 4:21, 23; 5:40; 15:33; 16:35; 17:9; 28:18
                                                                                • “Release” – Matthew 27:15, 17, 21, 26; Mark 15:6, 9, 11, 15; Luke 23:16, 17, 18, 20, 25; John 18:39; 19:10, 12
                                                                                • “Depart” – Acts 23:22; 28:25; Luke 2:29
                                                                                • “Liberty” – Acts 26:32; Hebrews 13:23
                                                                                • “Dismissed” – Acts 15:30; 19:41
                                                                                • “Loosed” – Matthew 18:27; Luke 13:12
                                                                                • “Forgive” – Luke 6:37
                                                                                • “Divorced” – Matthew 5:32
                                                                                • “Put away” – Matthew 1:19; 5:31-32; 19:3, 8, 9
                                                                                • Conclusion: The Bible still says that for one to have a right of remarriage, the sundering of the relationship must have been for the cause of fornication (Matthew 19:9).
                                                                                  • 30 min
                                                                                • People of the Bible, Part 9
                                                                                  • Barnabas
                                                                                    • We know several things about Barnabas:
                                                                                      • He had spiritual gifts (Acts 15:12)
                                                                                      • He worked with Paul extensively (Acts 11:30; 13-14)
                                                                                      • He was called an “apostle” in Acts 14:14. Apostle means “one sent.” The Holy Spirit specifically called him by name and sent him on this journey (Acts 13:2-4), so the title fits.
                                                                                      • He made personal sacrifices (Acts 4:37)
                                                                                      • Barnabas was human, and he sinned (Galatians 2:13)
                                                                                      • I need to encourage others.
                                                                                        • Joseph was nicknamed “Barnabas” which was an Aramaic term meaning “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36)
                                                                                        • Acts 15:35 – Barnabas spent his time preaching and teaching.
                                                                                        • Acts 11:19-26 – How to encourage!
                                                                                        • How can we encourage others? Hebrews 3:13; 10:23-25; I Thessalonians 5:11-14
                                                                                        • I need to fight for truth.
                                                                                          • Acts 15:1-2
                                                                                          • Notice how much conflict Paul and Barnabas ran into on that first preaching trip (Acts 13:45-46, 50-51; 14:2-7, 14, 18-22).
                                                                                          • Barnabas was a positive encourager, but he also engaged in conflict when necessary in order to stand for God’s truth.
                                                                                          • Jesus said he brought a “sword” (Matthew 10:34) and Paul spoke of warfare (II Corinthians 10:4). God’s word is not only for teaching, but also for “reproof” and “correction” (II Timothy 3:16). Consider Ephesians 4:15; II Corinthians 6:11; 7:8-10; Galatians 4:16.
                                                                                          • I need to give people a chance.
                                                                                            • Barnabas vouched for the recently converted Paul (Acts 9:26-28). He also tried to give John Mark a second chance (Acts 15:36-41).
                                                                                            • Can we love others without being gullible and naïve?
                                                                                            • How should we view a person who is recovering from sin? II Corinthians 2:6-7; Luke 15
                                                                                              • 30 min
                                                                                            • Immoral Worldliness
                                                                                              • Worldliness: Of or relating to the concerns of this life as opposed to the life to come.
                                                                                              • Dressing modestly
                                                                                                • Genesis 2:23-24 – Creation of man and woman.
                                                                                                • Genesis 3:6-7 – The fall of man.
                                                                                                • Genesis 3:21 – In making these clothes, God set a standard for clothing in public.
                                                                                                • Luke 8:35 – To not be clothed according to God’s standards is to not be in your right mind.
                                                                                                • I Timothy 2:9-10
                                                                                                • Most of the modesty instruction in the Bible is directed towards women, but the principal applies to men also. God has no double standards.
                                                                                                  • 30 min
                                                                                                • Wise & Understanding
                                                                                                  • James 3:13
                                                                                                  • Introduction
                                                                                                    • James is a very practical book.
                                                                                                    • James 1:26; 2:24; 3:10; 4:17; 5:19-20
                                                                                                    • James 3:13-18
                                                                                                    • Speech
                                                                                                      • Ephesians 4:29; 5:4; James 3:5-13
                                                                                                      • How to fix this: Sin begins in the heart (Matthew 15:19), so I need to cleanse my heart.
                                                                                                      • Pleasures
                                                                                                        • I Corinthians 13:6; Luke 18:22-23
                                                                                                        • There is a difference between someone who just sits in a pew and a true believer.
                                                                                                        • How to fix this: I need to invest in spiritual things (Luke 12:31-34; III John 1:3-4).
                                                                                                        • What is it that really makes us happy? If we invest in spiritual things, spiritual things will make us happy.
                                                                                                        • Treatment of others
                                                                                                          • II Timothy 2:24-26
                                                                                                          • How to fix this:
                                                                                                            • Humility (Philippians 2:3-5)
                                                                                                            • Togetherness (Galatians 6:1-2)
                                                                                                              • 30 min
                                                                                                            • Marriage, Part 2
                                                                                                              • The marriage relationship, continued:
                                                                                                                • The relationship of marriage
                                                                                                                  • Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:1-2; Matthew 19:9; 5:32; I Corinthians 7:10; Galatians 5:19 – Summary of God’s marriage law
                                                                                                                  • Husband
                                                                                                                    • Head of wife (Ephesians 5:23)
                                                                                                                    • Love wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25)
                                                                                                                    • Love wife as own body (Ephesians 5:28)
                                                                                                                    • Honor wife (I Peter 3:7)
                                                                                                                    • Provide for household (I Timothy 4:8)
                                                                                                                    • Wife
                                                                                                                      • Love husband (Titus 2:4)
                                                                                                                      • Be subject to husband (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18)
                                                                                                                      • Reverence husband (Ephesians 5:31)
                                                                                                                      • Be keeper at home (Titus 2:5)
                                                                                                                      • Guide the household (I Timothy 5:14)
                                                                                                                      • Marriage-divorce theories
                                                                                                                        • Theory 1: I Corinthians 7:15 gives the Christian the right to remarry if the mate departs:
                                                                                                                          • The word “bondage” in this verse is “douloo”; it is defined: “to enslave, serve” – Arndt / Gingrich
                                                                                                                            • Other passages where this word is found: Acts 7:6; Romans 6:18, 22; I Corinthians 9:19; Galatians 4:3; Titus 2:3; II Peter 2:19
                                                                                                                            • The word “bound” in Romans 7:2 and I Corinthians 7:39 is from “deo”; it is defined: “actual binding” as with a prisoner or chains – Arndt / Gingrich
                                                                                                                              • Other passage where this word is found: Acts 9:14, 21; 21:11, 13; 22:29; Colossians 4:3
                                                                                                                              • Thus, we see the verse is telling the Christian she is not under servitude to the unbelieving husband if he departs; she is not obliged to fulfill a wife’s duty to him. This verse does not give another reason for remarriage.
                                                                                                                                • 30 min
                                                                                                                              • People of the Bible, Part 8
                                                                                                                                • Judas
                                                                                                                                  • I can be part of the gospel effort for years and still choose to sin.
                                                                                                                                    • Mark 3:13-15, 19 – Judas’ downfall was not due to lack of involvement in the work. Jesus hand-picked him!
                                                                                                                                    • Mark 6:7, 12-13, 30
                                                                                                                                    • Luke 22:1-6
                                                                                                                                    • James 4:7; 1:13-15; I Corinthians 10:13 – We always have our free will. Judas chose to sin.
                                                                                                                                    • A small (?) vice can become my big downfall.
                                                                                                                                      • John 12:3-6 – Judas liked to steal money when he could.
                                                                                                                                      • Matthew 26:14-16 – Judas sold his loyalty.
                                                                                                                                      • James 1:14-15
                                                                                                                                      • I Timothy 6:10
                                                                                                                                      • I shouldn’t give up on myself.
                                                                                                                                        • Matthew 27:1-5 – It’s tragically ironic that an apostle of the Savior did not seek to be saved.
                                                                                                                                        • I Timothy 1:13-17 – Why was Paul a great and influential apostle, whereas Judas was a man of disgrace? Because Paul repented and found forgiveness; Judas did not.
                                                                                                                                          • 30 min

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                                                                                                                                        Just the gospel, plainly spoken. ScriptureStream compiles lessons presented at the Benchley church of Christ, located just north of Bryan, TX. Visit ScriptureStream.com for full notes on each lesson…