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Knowing God Study -
Lesson 23
Ý Chapter 19: Sons of God - Part 1Today’s theme: A Christian is... the mystery of adoption Part 1. Scriptural background: John 1:12-13 "But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Quotes for the week “Now, there is a sense in which all men are the sons of God, for it is to God that all men owe their life. And there is, further, as the New Testament has taught us, another and deeper sense in which men who are not may "become" the sons of God, through faith in Christ.” Jackson, George (1864-1945), The Teaching of Jesus, H &S 1903. “The first is, that the Son of God became man. The second is, why he became man. That men might become the sons of God through him. Therefore St. Paul says, You are the sons of God. Not - you may be, if you are very good: but you are, in order that you may become very good”. Charles Kingsley, The Good News of God, Macmillan and Co. 1887. Concern: That we will define our Christianity by other than biblical standards.Jesus said in Mark 12:29-30 that “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” 1 The mystery of the Trinity casts a whole new light on our interaction with and relationship to God as compared to the Jew of the Old Testament. How is our relationship the same and how is it different?
Paul said the Athenians in Acts 17:27-28 “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” 2 How is this view of God any different from the traditional Jewish view? (e.g. Think of the Holy Spirit)
Interacting with the textGoal: First to understand the centrality of the Fatherhood of God to our being Christian and then respond to how that requires us to act biblically. 1 What is unique about the Christian orthodox view of God as Father? How does this affect your relationship to Him?
2 How do the Old Testament names for God fit into and interact with God as our Father?
3 How does the concept of 'perfect ideal' confront the notion of "I can't deal with God as Father because my father was so dysfunctional/destructive/abusive/etc.?” What is the conceptual failure inherent in this argument for the inability of trusting God as Father?
4 Why is adoption so significant to the Christian? (See John 15:15, Galatians 4:7)
5 Why is the concept of sonship normative for the Christian? Examine the Sermon on the Mount in the light of this question?
6 What three words does Packer use to focus the New Testament message? Does his idea appear radical to you? Why or Why not?
7 How does YOUR adoption show you the greatness of God's grace? Who sustains this adoption? How?
8 Why does YOUR adoption demonstrate the hope at the center of the Christian faith? What is that hope?
What To Do NextReread Chapter Nineteen: Sons of God. This chapter will take one more session to complete as we continue our investigation into the very nature of what it means to be Christian. Think about the discussion we had during today’s lesson and let those insights inform you thinking as you address the next set of questions. Goal: To understand what it really means to be a ChristianBegin to explore this week what it means to have God Father, as well as Savior (Jesus the Son), and Comforter (Holy Spirit). The Lord’s prayer focuses on the Father. Think about why when the disciples asked Jesus how to pray he pointed them to the Father. [top] |