Sin

Tried and Triumphant — Part Four

 There is a second truth we should learn from this section as well. It comes in this magnificent verse 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 tem

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The Litigious Church – Part One

 The word litigious is relatively new in common speech. It means “prone to litigation” or “prone to go to court.” The reason this is somewhat of a new word is that a proneness to go to court is something relatively new, at least in American life.

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The Litigious Church – Part Two

 Let us look further at this third problem in the church that Paul discusses in chapter 6. Apparently, Christians in Corinth were taking each other to court. We have to be careful not to get the idea that somehow the courts are utterly illegitimate, because they are not. All you have to do is read the Bible to discover the contrary.

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The Litigious Church – Part Three

 Now concerning this matter of being cheated, we must understand that there is a difference between what you will endure as an individual in terms of personal conflict, and what you should endure on behalf of someone else.

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The Litigious Church – Part Four

 I want to say something about the role of the state because although Paul does not develop it here in 1 Corinthians 6, considering another context will give us a more complete picture of this issue. What is the role of the state? Does the state have legitimate authority over the lives of Christians?

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The Litigious Church – Part Five

At the very end of this section, Paul begins to talk about how Christians must then live. He uses strong words. We have such a temptation to water them down because we believe in the doctrine of justification by faith.

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Tried and Triumphant — Part Two

 Yesterday we started to look at what it means when Paul says that the Israelites were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. This matter of baptism in verse 2 has confused a lot of people. There are those who say, “You see! They were all baptized in the sea. That’s talking about immersion.”

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The Book of Romans

The Heart of the Bible, Part 1

Theme: Three Views of the Human Condition
 
From this week’s lessons we learn that Romans 3 can be considered the heart of the Bible because of the clear and comprehensive way it shows us the depth of our sin, and what the Lord Jesus Christ has done to save us from it. 
 
Scripture: Romans 3
 
Somewhere in my library I have a pamphlet by Donald Grey Barnhouse entitled How to Mark Your Bible.

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The Book of Romans

The Heart of the Bible, Part 2

Theme: Man’s Ruin in Sin: The Moral Dimension
 
From this week’s lessons we learn that Romans 3 can be considered the heart of the Bible because of the clear and comprehensive way it shows us the depth of our sin, and what the Lord Jesus Christ has done to save us from it. 
 
Scripture: Romans 3
 
Verses 10 and 11 capsulize Paul’s whole theology on this subject when he writes, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no

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The Book of Romans

The Heart of the Bible, Part 3

Theme: Man’s Ruin in Sin: The Intellectual and Volitional Dimensions
 
From this week’s lessons we learn that Romans 3 can be considered the heart of the Bible because of the clear and comprehensive way it shows us the depth of our sin, and what the Lord Jesus Christ has done to save us from it. 
 
Scripture: Romans 3
 
The intellectual dimension involves understanding, and the same principles apply.

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The Book of Matthew

The Beatitudes, Day 1

Theme: Understanding the Beatitudes
 
This week’s lessons on the Beatitudes teach us that true happiness comes by living in a way that is contrary to the world and even to our natural way of thinking.
 
Scripture: Matthew 5
 
No portion of our Lord’s teaching is better known and probably no portion of the Word of God is more difficult to read than the Beatitudes given in Matthew 5.

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The Book of Matthew

The Beatitudes, Day 2

Theme: The Poor in Spirit and Those Who Mourn
 
This week’s lessons on the Beatitudes teach us that true happiness comes by living in a way that is contrary to the world and even to our natural way of thinking.
 
Scripture: Matthew 5
 
When we read the phrase, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” we think of somebody in material poverty and we assume that the Lord is saying that it is better to be poor than to be rich.

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The Book of Psalms

A Great Man’s Great Testimony, Part 1

Theme: A Great Beatitude
In this week’s lessons we see what the proper approach to our own sin needs to be, and what God does for us in response.
Scripture: Psalm 32:1-11
Psalm 32 is the second of the so-called penitential psalms. The others are Psalms 6, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143. But the psalm might better be called “a psalm of instruction” from the title word maskil, which means “the giving of instruction.”1 It is the first of twelve psalms that bear this title.2

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The Book of Psalms

A Great Man’s Great Testimony, Part 3

Theme: A Great Testimony
In this week’s lessons we see what the proper approach to our own sin needs to be, and what God does for us in response.
Scripture: Psalm 32:1-11
Yesterday we concluded by looking at the first word that describes God’s action toward our sin when we confess it, which is that he forgives it.

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The Book of Psalms

A Great Man’s Great Testimony, Part 4

Theme: A Striking Verse
In this week’s lessons we see what the proper approach to our own sin needs to be, and what God does for us in response.
Scripture: Psalm 32:1-11
What is really striking about this second stanza is verse 5, in which David explains how God forgave his sin once he had confessed it. God forgave it completely and immediately. It is not brought up again.

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The Book of Psalms

Tuesday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 1

Theme: The Psalmist’s Cry for Help
In this week’s lessons we see from the life of David the biblical way to deal with our sin, and learn what God’s response is toward us when we do.
 Scripture: Psalm 51:1-9

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The Book of Psalms

Wednesday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 1

Theme: A Profound Awareness of Sin
In this week’s lessons we see from the life of David the biblical way to deal with our sin, and learn what God’s response is toward us when we do.
Scripture: Psalm 51:1-9
The second striking thing in these opening verses, which comes together with the first, is David’s profound awareness of his sin and its true nature. In verse one he used three words to describe God’s compassion. In verse two he uses three corresponding words to describe his sin.

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The Book of Psalms

Friday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 1

Theme: Cleanse Me with Hyssop
In this week’s lessons we see from the life of David the biblical way to deal with our sin, and learn what God’s response is toward us when we do.
Scripture: Psalm 51:1-9

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The Book of Psalms

Monday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 2

Theme: Pardon and Purity
In this week’s lessons we learn that confession of our sin also involves the desire for our inward renewal, as well as the fact that what we do affects other people, for good or ill.
Scripture: Psalm 51:10-19

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The Book of Psalms

Tuesday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 2

Theme: A New Creation
In this week’s lessons we learn that confession of our sin also involves the desire for our inward renewal, as well as the fact that what we do affects other people, for good or ill.
Scripture: Psalm 51:10-19

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The Book of Psalms

Wednesday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 2

Theme: Sustained by God
In this week’s lessons we learn that confession of our sin also involves the desire for our inward renewal, as well as the fact that what we do affects other people, for good or ill.
Scripture: Psalm 51:10-19
As we consider what David meant when he prayed that God would not take the Holy Spirit from him, it is helpful to consider what other people have said about it.

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The Book of Psalms

Thursday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 2

Theme: Sinners Then Shall Learn from Me
In this week’s lessons we learn that confession of our sin also involves the desire for our inward renewal, as well as the fact that what we do affects other people, for good or ill.
Scripture: Psalm 51:10-19

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The Book of Psalms

Friday: Cleansed by the Blood: Part 2

Theme: Blessing for Zion
In this week’s lessons we learn that confession of our sin also involves the desire for our inward renewal, as well as the fact that what we do affects other people, for good or ill.
Scripture: Psalm 51:10-19
Teaching is not the only thing David wants to do however. He also wants to praise God rightly. He wants to praise God out of a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

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The Book of Psalms

Monday: Low Deeds in High Places

Theme: A Prophetic Description
In this week’s lessons, Psalm 58 teaches us that although evildoers continue to do great harm, God will eventually intervene both in judgment against sinners and the vindication of the righteous.
Scripture: Psalm 58:1-11

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The Book of Psalms

Tuesday: Low Deeds in High Places

Theme: An Imprecatory Psalm
In this week’s lessons, Psalm 58 teaches us that although evildoers continue to do great harm, God will eventually intervene both in judgment against sinners and the vindication of the righteous.
Scripture: Psalm 58:1-11

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The Book of Psalms

Wednesday: Low Deeds in High Places

Theme: Two Damaging Accusations
In this week’s lessons, Psalm 58 teaches us that although evildoers continue to do great harm, God will eventually intervene both in judgment against sinners and the vindication of the righteous.
Scripture: Psalm 58:1-11

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The Book of Psalms

Thursday: Low Deeds in High Places

Theme: A Description of the Wicked
In this week’s lessons, Psalm 58 teaches us that although evildoers continue to do great harm, God will eventually intervene both in judgment against sinners and the vindication of the righteous.
Scripture: Psalm 58:1-11

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The Book of Psalms

Friday: Low Deeds in High Places

Theme: When the Righteous Will Be Rewarded
In this week’s lessons, Psalm 58 teaches us that although evildoers continue to do great harm, God will eventually intervene both in judgment against sinners and the vindication of the righteous.
Scripture: Psalm 58:1-11

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The Book of Matthew

Tuesday: Caring for Others

Sermon: Life on Wings
Scripture: Matthew 5:4
In this week’s lessons, we learn what it means to mourn for our sin, and the comfort that Jesus promises.
Theme: Caring for Others
Now, it is evident that in this, as in the other Beatitudes, Jesus is dealing with a spiritual principle, a spiritual mourning, and not merely with things as seen from a purely human standpoint.

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The Book of Matthew

Wednesday: Mourning for Sin

Sermon: Life on Wings
Scripture: Matthew 5:4
In this week’s lessons, we learn what it means to mourn for our sin, and the comfort that Jesus promises.
Theme: Mourning for Sin

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The Book of Matthew

Thursday: Christ’s Comfort

Sermon: Life on Wings
Scripture: Matthew 5:4
In this week’s lessons, we learn what it means to mourn for our sin, and the comfort that Jesus promises.
Theme: Christ’s Comfort

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The Book of Matthew

Friday: Deliverance in the End

Sermon: Life on Wings
Scripture: Matthew 5:4
In this week’s lessons, we learn what it means to mourn for our sin, and the comfort that Jesus promises.
Theme: Deliverance in the End
Then, too, the deliverance of Jesus Christ also means a deliverance from present sin and from its power. If you are a Christian, Christ lives in you through his Holy Spirit. You are united to Christ, and you are united to him in order to make a victorious, triumphant life possible.

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