Category Archives: Bible Study

PARTNERS WITH THE WORD

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Philippians 2:14-16 NIV
[14] “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

Just as true partnership with one another in the body of Christ in all its facets is a partnership with God, so partnership with His Word is the foundation of our lives in Christ.

Paul paints a word picture of our lives as God’s people. First, cut out arguing and complaining. Arguing is a sign of self-will, the urge to be right. Why do people argue? They want their opinion…knowledge…experience to be more important than those of others. Arguing creates barriers and interferes with unity. Better to be humble than to be right.

Why do people complain? We complain because we are dissatisfied. Although we complain about other people or about our circumstances, complaining is really about dissatisfaction with God. When we complain about our lot, we call God’s goodness into question because the Word teaches us that He is in charge of everything about us and everything that happens to us. If we don’t believe this, then we become the victims of chance.

How can we avoid complaining? Paul has the answer. If anyone has reason to complain, Paul did. His life was topsy turvey every day but…

Philippians 4:11-13 NIV
[11] “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Contentment…the hallmark of the person who trusts God implicitly in every circumstance and situation.

When we choose to live humbly and contentedly every day, trusting in the Father’s goodness no matter what, Paul said that our lives stand out in the darkness of the sin and unbelief around us like stars shining in the night sky.

How can we be so steadfast in our faith? By partnering with God’s Word! The ancient rabbis said that God’s Word is a manifestation of Himself in another form. How true this is even if they didn’t know that Jesus is God’s Word who came to us in human form.

John 1:14 NIV
[14] “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The way to be like stars shining in the universe is to hold fast to God’s Word, Jesus, and what He taught us about the Father, Himself, and the Holy Spirit, and the way we must live in union with Him.

Notice that Paul didn’t say we must read the Word. He said we must hold fast to the Word. Only when we embrace God’s Word as the pattern and guiding light of our lives will we stand out as different from the world.

To change the metaphor, when Jesus returns, He will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the weeds. Those who embraced His Word and faithfully applied to it in their lives, will show the world who God’s children really
Even the universe itself is eagerly awaiting the day when God’s true children are revealed.

Romans 8:19 NLT
[19] “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.”

The only way to tell the difference between spiritual “orphans” and God’s true sons and daughters is by their behaviour. God’s children and the Word of God are inseparable.

1 John 3:7-10 NLT
[7] “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. [8] But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. [9] Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life (seed) is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. [10] So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.”

So, you see, belief and behaviour go together. If we are living in partnership with God’s Word, our behaviour will show it. If not, no matter how hard we try to be righteous, it will be like hanging plastic fruit on a tree.

John, again, shows us the reason for the difference…

1 John 3:7-8 NIV
[7] “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. [8] The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

How can we be sure that we won’t keep falling into sin?

1 John 3:9 NIV
[9]”No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

Did you get that!?

First, we were born again through God’s Word…

1 Peter 1:23 NIV
[23] “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

…and, second, God’s Word is in us.

Jeremiah 31:33 NIV
[33] “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Wow! What a promise! What a guarantee! So powerful is God’s Word in us that, when we partner with Him through His Word, He guarantees that we belong to Him and we are safe for all eternity.

PARTNERSHIP’S PARTNER

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Philippians 2:12-13 NLT
[12] “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. [13] For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

The greatest partner we can ever have in this life is God Himself. All the other partnerships we share are only effective when we partner with God. It’s His promise of doing the work in us that provides the hope and the desire to endure.

Can you see how this partnership works? We do the willing through the desire He awakens in us, God provides the power to do, and together, we accomplish His purpose.

Unfortunately, there is a terrible deception in the minds of many people. They faithfully attend church and all its functions, they read the Bible, they contribute to the finances of the church, they do all the stuff but…they are still dead. They have never been born from above.

To Nicodemus’ enquiry, Jesus insisted,

John 3:3, 5-7 NLT
[3] “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”…
[5] Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. [6] Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. [7] So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ “

Just as the Christian life is a partnership with God, so entry in His kingdom requires the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the dead back to life.

Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 NLT
[1] “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins…
[4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) [6] For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

Dead people cannot raise themselves. It’s takes the mighty power of God to awaken a dead spirit and restore spiritual life.

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT
[19]”I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power [20] that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

This act of spiritual resurrection is, first, according to God’s will and then effected by God’s power. No human can make that choice. In a way we find difficult to understand, God chooses His own and sets in motion His work of salvation.

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
[4] “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. [5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

It is not for us to contest what the Bible says if it challenges our logic and our sense of fairness. We must believe because God is good, wise, and sovereign and He said it.

From God’s perspective, all humans are condemned because we were all born rebels. God saves some through His mercy. He is not answerable to our opinion.

Romans 11:32 NLT
[32] “For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.”

His mercy is available to all but many refuse to believe Him. The reason is simple…

John 3:19-20 NIV
[19] “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. [20] Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

To those who respond to God’s mercy in answer to His choosing, He works the miracle of spiritual resurrection. The change is immediate and unmistakable. The soul that has been born again is transferred from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of God. The heart is changed! A new disposition to love and obey God has been implanted in the heart.

How do we know that this partnership with God has begun, transforming us and transferring us into His kingdom. The evidence is clear.

  1. We have peace with God.

Romans 5:1 NLT
[1] “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

  1. We love others.

1 John 3:14 NLT
[14] If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.

  1. We don’t practise sin.

1 John 3:9 NLT
[9] “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.”

  1. We live righteously.

1 John 3:7 NLT
[7] “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.”

So, to experience the miracle of new birth and all the changes that God’s work accomplishes in us, we must partner and co-operate with the Father by faith as He works out His gracious purposes in and through us. As we began by believing in Jesus through the Father’s calling, so we continue to hear, listen anf follow His leading through the Spirit in us.

His purpose is the transform us into the image of His Son but He can only accomplish His purpose as we work with Him by loving, trusting, submitting to, and obeying Him, one step at a time.

A PARTNER’S REWARD

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Philippians 2:9-11 NLT
[9] “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God does not call us to sacrifice without sacrifice’s reward. Sacrifice itself is not giving up but exchanging one state for another and reaping the reward of the sacrifice. Jesus exchanged heaven for earth and life for death for our salvation. He reaped the reward of an eternal family just like Himself and a crown to rule the universe because He was worthy.

Hebrews 2:10-11 NIV
[10] “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. [11] Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”

Even Isaiah, many centuries before Jesus came, saw Messiah’s reward in his prophetic vision.

Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT
[10]”But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. [12] I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

Only through His harmony of purpose with the Father, even to an ignominious death on a Roman execution stake, could Jesus accomplish the greatest event in human history. However much people ignore, deny, or repudiate Jesus’s death on the cross, He died and…resurrection happened.. and cannot be disproved. He lives today in glory, exalted to the Father’s right hand, the place of honour and power even greater that He enjoyed before His coming to earth, to rule the nations as Lord, Supreme Authority.

Psalms 2:6-8 NLT
[6] “For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” [7] The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. [8] Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.”

Hebrews 1:3 NLT
[3] “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”

No sacrifice is without its reward. When we, even as frail humans, partner with the Father in His call to ministry, whatever suffering or deprivation is included, we can be sure that there is a reward to follow.

1 Peter 5:10 NLT
[10]”In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”

This is the hope that takes the sting out of our suffering. Paul knew and testified to this hope that kept him steadfast through all his trials. He pinned his hope on God’s promise of a reward far greater than the sum of all he had suffered. He even gloried in his pain, not as some kind of fatalist but because it was the guarantee of an inheritance he would share with Jesus.

Romans 8:17 NLT
[17] “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

Our attitude to the temporary suffering we endure now will determine its effect in us. Paul said, “Keep going. It won’t last forever. There’s an unimaginable reward ahead.” Our moaning and complaining will dull the anticipation of glory ahead. Instead, if we glory in our suffering now because suffering with joy heralds God’s pleasure, it will produce the rewards of character now, and guarantee a great reception at the end of our journey.

It’s not the actual suffering with Jesus that is the issue. It’s the attitude we have towards our suffering that God is testing. If we suffer in any way with unshakeable confidence in God’s love, no matter what happens, then we share the heart of Jesus towards the Father.

Peter and James learned the same lesson.

1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
[6] “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. [7] These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

James 1:2-4 NLT
[2] “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. [3] For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

A PARTNER’S PATTERN

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Philippians 2:6-8 NLT
[6] “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] 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, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

How humbling to read the story of Jesus in Paul’s summary! How insightful of Paul to present the life of Jesus from heaven to earth as a ladder down which He stepped through the process of humbling Himself to the greatest humiliation at the hands of his tormentors… down from His glorious position… down from heaven’s privileges…down from His place of honour and power, down, down, down, far lower than any other human had ever stepped. The lower He stepped, the greater His humiliation…down to becoming human…a slave…nothing! A criminal, a prisoner, a corpse!

This, said Paul, is the template we must use as the measure that shapes our attitudes in this life. No matter how much we humble ourselves, no matter how much we are humiliated for His sake, we will never reach the depths to which Jesus sank for us.

What was it that led Jesus to choose this descent from heaven’s glory to death on a Roman torture stake? What motivated Him to accept this path above His place in glory?

How often we hear, read, that it was Jesus’ love for us, lost humans, that caused Him to leave heaven and come down to die for us! Perhaps it was but, far greater, if we dare compare, was His love for the Father that kept Him steadfast and on track, from the throne to the cross.

This love for the Father, and His determined purpose to preserve the unity between them, dominates His story in John’s gospel. John, above any other gospel writer, records in Scripture something of the intensity of Jesus’ love for God. Partnership, unity, submission, obedience, delight and pleasure, nurtured, fostered, and bolstered by hours in prayer when others slept, are all entwined in His love for the Father. Not one shred of His own will or personal desires interfered with His absolute commitment to the Father’s will, down to the shedding of His last drop of blood. Even the agony He anticipated as He faced the horror of the cross could not deter Him from His obedience to God.

How can anyone match this template of love and oneness with the Father, yet Paul calls Jesus’ followers to imitate Him. Although it may never be possible for anyone to come close to such a commitment, Paul holds this example before us as the ideal. The writer to the Hebrews urges us to do the same.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT
[1] “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. [2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

If Jesus did this for us for love of the Father, we too are called to serve one another for love of Jesus. Peter had to face this test…

John 21:15 NLT
[15]”After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.”

We may never be called to suffer as Jesus did but, even in the routine of our lives, He calls us to do everything for love of Him. He has sheep to feed and lambs to tend and we are His hands and hearts that do it for Him.

If we hold His template before us and carry out our duties for His sake, we will also hear His commendation at the end of time…

Matthew 25:34-40 NLT
[34]“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. [35] For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. [36] I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ [37] “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? [39] When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “

The secret is simple…we must fasten our inner eyes in Him and trust in the promise of God’s grace to do what, in our own strength, we cannot do. This is the partnership that drives all partnerships, being so joined to Him that we live and move as one.

We must not dread or avoid suffering of whatever kind we are called to endure and treat it as our enemy. We must embrace it as a friend and partner with it as our ally because it’s through suffering that we are refined, purified, and made holy for our eternity with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in their eternal realm. Together with the Holy Spirit’s ministry in us through the Word, we learn to win the war against the flesh, our greatest, most powerful enemy, through our tests and trials, and…our love for Jesus provides our passion to overcome.

PARTNERS WITH ATTITUDE

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Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
[3] “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

Three ways in which our attitudes matter… to avoid selfish attitudes which alienate us from one another and to cultivate the godly attitudes that foster the love and unity that keep us on track towards maturity in the church.

Paul fleshes out the attitude of the believer compared with the attitude of people in the world. How important that we take notice of these contrasts lest we allow the world’s attitudes to creep into the church.

Selfishness underpins worldly attitudes. Whatever ungodly people think, say, or do, their first consideration is to promote or protect themselves. Self-defence, for example, is one way of hiding the truth. Pride hates to be exposed. People blame, excuse, or lie to defend their reputation, alienating themselves from others instead of coming clean.

Selfish ambition causes people to climb on others to achieve their goals. The desire to Impress others often makes people dishonest, pretending to be more than they are. The more these attitudes creep into the church, the more artificial we become and the farther we drift from each other and from unity.

We can try to impress others through dishonesty or covering up our faults and failures but, eventually, the truth will come out. How much better to be transparent even when we are in the wrong. If holiness is so important to God, we must allow no taint of self to mar the fellowship of God’s people.

Paul encouraged humility, the attitude that is willing to be who we are because, first, we are all guilty of failure, so ptetandingvto be faultless is lying and, second, because honesty and confession keep us open to one another.

Our objective in the fellowship of the church family is to preserve unity and promote love. Selfish ambition, dishonesty, pride of one form or another, will muddy the love and unity we must promote as children of God.

Another way in which selfishness rears its ugly head is in the subtle attitude that we are better than others. It’s called “comparison.” When we compare ourselves with others in the fellowship, pride creeps in. If we consider ourselves better or worse , pride is at work. The underlying attitude is “Look at me!”

How often I catch myself thinking…,”Im not like that” …or, “I wouldn’t do that!” That’s pride. What about, “I’m not as good as…” or “I can’t do that.” Pride in reverse! Both attitudes alienate us from others.

It seems so easy for Paul to say, “Don’t do this…” or “Don’t be like that…” but what can I do to alter my disposition? My old nature, with its deeply entrenched selfishness, is still at work in me. All my efforts to think or act differently don’t work. There is only one solution… GRACE.

We can even change our attitudes through God’s grace. Hope is kindled in my heart, even if I don’t want to change, when I remember that outside of my union with Jesus, I can do nothing. If He wants me to change my attitude towards others, He will do the changing as I yield to Him because of our partnership. This is grace.

All the fruits that grow from our union with Jesus can only happen by God’s grace, His attitude of mercy and goodness to us.

Grace is available in abundant measure but we can only experience God’s grace when we reach the end of ourselves. God will never help us until we stop trying to do it ourselves and start trusting Him.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT
[8] “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. [9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Did you notice Paul’s words, “Three times…”? This is the way God works. He often tests our determination before He acts for us. So, patience is another attitude we can add to our list of attitudes towards each other that we must cultivate. As difficult as applying these attitudes may seem, we trust the Lord that He is working to reproduce the image of His Son in us. And He will because He always partners with us to fulfill His purpose.