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A Warning Against Anti-Christs

Believers Life Style Bible Study
Warning Against Anti-Christs
1 John 2:18-27
Presented by Mike Webb

Open It

  1. Who are the enemies of the Church today?
  2. What do you think is the best defense against cults and other false spiritual teaching?
  3. *What effect do you think warning labels on cigarettes and alcohol have?

Explore It

  1. What time did John say it is? (2:18)
  2. *Who was coming and who had come at the time John wrote this? (2:18)
  3. What did John say about those who had left? (2:19)
  4. What did the readers of 1 John have? (2:20)
  5. What did the readers of 1 John know? (2:21)
  6. How is the antichrist identified? (2:22)
  7. *In what way is denying (or acknowledging) the Son related to having the Father? (2:23)
  8. *What did John encourage his readers to do? (2:24)
  9. What did the Father promise? (2:25)
  10. Why did the author write these things? (2:26)
  11. What was the relationship between the anointing these believers received and their need to be taught? (2:27)

Get It

  1. What makes you think that we are living in the last hour today?
  2. What antichrists are among us today?
  3. What truths do we know about Christ?
  4. What have we been taught by the anointing of the Holy Spirit?
  5. How can we remain in or have fellowship with Jesus Christ?
  6. *What groups of people are trying to lead believers astray today?
  7. *How can we protect ourselves against false teachers and antichrists?

Apply It

  1. What will you do this week to deepen your fellowship with Jesus Christ?
  2. *What steps do you need to take to better prepare yourself against antichrists and their false doctrines?
  3. Who is someone you can encourage in their relationship with Christ this week?

 

Deceptions of the Last Hour

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the[a] Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you[b] know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to [c]deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you [d]will abide in Him.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Believers Life Style Bible Study
May 3, 2014
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Matthew 22:1-14
Delivered by Michael Webb

 Open It

  1. What do you like or dislike about weddings?
  2. What tips might you give to someone planning a big wedding?
  3. What is your funniest wedding story?
  4. How do you tend to react when long-awaited plans fail to materialize?

Explore It

  1. What preparations were being made in this parable? (22:2)
  2. What did the king send his servants to do? (22:3)
  3. How did people respond to the king’s invitation? (22:3)
  4. Upon hearing that no one would come to the wedding, what did the king do? (22:4)
  5. How did the invited guests react to the king’s second appeal? (22:5)
  6. To what shocking acts did some of the people who were invited resort? (22:6)
  7. How did the king deal with the lawbreakers? (22:7)
  8. The king went to a “Plan B” that included what changes? (22:8-9)
  9. How did the king’s alternative plan work out? (22:10)
  10. What did the king say when he spotted an improperly dressed wedding guest? (22:11)
  11. What did the king order his servants to do with the man who was improperly dressed? (22:11-13)
  12. Why did the king throw out the unwelcome wedding guest? (22:13-14)

Get It

  1. What keeps people from accepting Jesus’ offer of eternal life?
  2. The wedding clothes in the parable that were needed for admittance to the banquet are meant to symbolize what quality that is necessary for entry into the kingdom of heaven?
  3. What events led to your acceptance of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and heaven?
  4. For what reason are there impostors in the church?
  5. Why would a non-Christian want to be around Christians?
  6. How does God demonstrate His patience to unbelievers?
  7. What will happen to those who either reject Christ or try to enter His kingdom on their own terms?
  8. In what area(s) of your life have you been putting off a response to what God has asked you to do?

Apply It

  1. What response should you give to God this week?
  2. To what individuals this week can you extend Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and eternal life?

 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them [a]spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, [b]take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

How should we as Christians deal with homosexuality and the issues taking over the media?

Apparently, there is a great concern and division among Christians today regarding our attitude while interacting with sinners in general, and homosexuals in particular. While in the past the issue was mostly a moral one, more recently, politicians are trying to exploit the division and merge the legal with moral issue for their political gain. In the OT the capital punishment is prescribed for a variety of offenses; from breaking the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14), disrespecting parents (Deuteronomy 21:18-21), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16) or gathering firewood on Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36). Although many Christians are happy to cite Leviticus 20:13 in condemnation of homosexuality, are less enthusiastic to point to other offenses worthy of OT stoning. The lack of consistency is puzzling for many, especially for non-Christians. Another text often cited in condemnation of homosexuality is 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Here Paul lists a number of sins that would undoubtedly separate us from God and eternal life. Sins like fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, greed, alcoholism, etc. Interestingly enough, we rarely hear Christians being outraged about any of the above listed sins other than homosexuality. And in Luke 16:18, Jesus tells “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” In USA the divorced rate is about 50%, while among Christians is slightly lower, 42%. Many of these divorced Christians remarry. Taking Jesus’ words to its face value would mean that lots of adulterous people are sitting in our churches today. Apparently this is not as concerning to many of us as the sin of homosexuality. Recently a few businesspersons expressed concern about being placed in a hypothetical position of being forced to perform services for gay weddings. Baking a wedding cake, or making a flower arrangement for a gay wedding seem to be a big worry for some Christians. Knowing what Jesus said in Luke 16:18 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, I wonder if there is any concern of providing services for a divorced couple that is remarrying? I never heard of any refusal of participating on a adulterous weeding and that makes some wonder why the double standard. Opening the door to discriminatory business practices is a dangerous path that some are willing to take. Knowing that worldwide Islam is the fasting growing religion and in the USA atheism is fast growing, I fear that one day Christians might find themselves at the receiving end of religious discrimination if we are so eager to create a legal precedent. In Luke 7:36-39 we read that Jesus was not bothered by an interaction with a prostitute, a woman that the religious leaders of that time despised and marginalized. Also in Matthew 9:10-11 Jesus is having dinner with sinners, practice that bothered greatly the Pharisees. Paul, right after he cites the sins that would lead to death, he makes the following statement rarely mentioned in our churches: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). My humble suggestion is that rather than trying to divide, point fingers, castigate and marginalize anyone that might be the biggest sinner among us, how about trying to show them the love of Christ and tell them that they too can be washed and sanctified by the blood of Christ, just like some of the Christians in Corinth Church.

What does the Bible say about remarriage if divorce occurred before salvation?

What does the Bible say about remarriage if a divorce occurred before salvation?

This is a very difficult, interesting, and challenging question. Some would say that since believers in Christ are “new creations” with “all things made new” (2 Corinthians 5:17), the sin and consequences of divorce are washed away, allowing a person who was divorced before becoming a believer to be remarried. Others would say that while the sin of the divorce was atoned for by Christ, the consequences of the sin are not, and therefore a person who was divorced before becoming a believer cannot remarry.

When the Bible talks about marriage, it does not speak only to Christians/believers getting married. The biblical principles on marriage are universal. If an unsaved man and woman get married, they are just as married in God’s eyes as a Christian man and woman who get married. They are still one flesh (Genesis 2:24). God still hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). God has still joined them together, and He does not want them to be separated (Matthew 19). So salvation does not wipe away all the consequences of the sins we committed before we came to faith in Christ. If the divorce was for unbiblical reasons, there are no grounds for remarriage.

However, we believe in the exception clause. If a divorce occurred as a result of unrepentant, continual adultery, we believe the innocent party can remarry. This is equally true if the innocent party was a believer or unbeliever when the divorce occurred. So, the answer to this question would depend on the circumstances of the divorce. It is our contention that whether the divorce occurred before or after salvation is not the ultimate deciding factor. Whatever viewpoint a person takes on this particular issue, it is important to understand that salvation does not free us or excuse us from all the foolish and sinful decisions we made before coming to faith in Christ.

What does it mean to be Free from Sin?

Proverbs 20:9 asks the question “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin’?” (NLT). We can all identify with that. If we are honest with ourselves, we know we still sin. So why does Romans 6:18 say, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness”? Is this a contradiction?

Sin can be defined as “any thought, action, or attitude that falls short of God’s holiness” (Romans 3:23). Sin has many layers. There are specific actions or thoughts which are sinful. Murder, adultery, and theft are sins (Exodus 20:1-17). Even the desire to commit murder, adultery, and theft are sins (Matthew 5:21, 28). But sin goes deeper than that. We commit sins because we are sinners. Since Adam first sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17; 3:17-19), every person born has inherited a sin nature from him (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23; 5:12). We cannot help but sin because it is our nature to do so. A bird does not have to be taught how to build a nest and keep her eggs warm. It is her nature to do so. A baby does not have to be taught to be selfish and demanding. That comes naturally.

However, we were not created to be sinful. We were designed by God in His own image (Genesis 1:27). Humanity is His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 8:4-6). We were designed to live in fellowship with our Creator. But because of sin, we cannot enter His presence (Habakkuk 1:13). When Jesus died on the cross, He took upon Himself all the sin of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 2:2). By taking the punishment for our sin, He cancelled the debt that each of us owes God (Colossians 2:14). He also reversed the curse of our old natures, which keeps us enslaved to sinful passions and desires (Galatians 3:10, 13). Before a person meets Christ, he or she is enslaved by that sin nature (Romans 7:25; 2 Peter 2:19). At the moment of conversion, we are given a new nature that has been freed from sin (Romans 6:18; 8:2). The entire chapter of Romans 6 explains this in detail. Verse 14 says, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

To be free from sin means that those who have made Jesus the Lord of their lives are no longer enslaved by sin. We have the power, through the Holy Spirit, to live victoriously over sin (1 Corinthians 15:56-67; Romans 8:37). Just like we once followed fleshly desires, those who are “in Christ Jesus” now follow the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:24). Because we live in a fallen world and are still fleshly creatures, we will still occasionally sin (1 John 1:9; 2:1; Romans 7:21-22). But those who follow Christ do not make sin a lifestyle choice (1 John 2:1-6; 3:6-10; Romans 6:2).

Those who have been born again (John 3:3) have received a new nature. Whereas the old nature drew us toward self-pleasure, the new nature tugs us toward holiness (2 Corinthians 5:17). To be free from sin means it no longer wields the power it once did. The stranglehold of selfishness, greed, and lust has been broken. Freedom from sin allows us to offer ourselves as willing slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ, who continues to work in us to make us more like Him (Romans 6:18; 8:29; Philippians 2:13).

 

What is the importance of Christian Fellowship?

In order to understand the importance of Christian fellowship, we must first understand what Christian fellowship is and what it isn’t. The Greek words translated “fellowship” in the New Testament mean essentially a partnership to the mutual benefit of those involved. Christian fellowship, then, is the mutually beneficial relationship between Christians, who can’t have the identical relationship with those outside the faith.

The mystery and privilege that is Christian fellowship is that it exists because God has enabled it by His grace. Those who believe the gospel are united in the Spirit through Christ to the Father, and that unity is the basis of fellowship. This relationship is described by Jesus in His high-priestly prayer for His followers: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23). The “complete unity” He refers to is the oneness that Christians experience in true fellowship, oneness with one another, with Christ and with the Father. Just as the Father is in Jesus, so is Jesus in us, and we have unity with one another because of the uniqueness of that relationship (1 John 1:3).

This relationship must be the basis of Christian fellowship. We can have friendships and relationships with unbelievers, but true Christian fellowship can only occur within the body of Christ. We are united to one another by common beliefs, purposes and goals. Our hearts and minds are “other-worldly” because we follow Jesus Christ, who said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). We know that we are strangers in this world, and we long for the time when we will be in our true home, heaven.

The importance of true Christian fellowship is that it reinforces these things in our mind and helps us to focus on Christ and His desires and goals for us. As iron sharpens iron, in true Christian fellowship Christians sharpen one another’s faith and stir one another to exercise that faith in love and good works, all to God’s glory.

 

What does it mean Love never fails?

The statement “love never fails” comes from best-known chapter in the Bible on love, 1 Corinthians 13. Among its many quoted phrases is a portion of verse 8, “Love never fails.”

Love never fails, and the English Standard Version adds to our understanding of these words, translating them as “Love never ends.” The next sentence contrasts love with other spiritual gifts: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are all temporary. Not so love. Because love is a basic attribute of God (1 John 4:8) and because God is eternal, love will also be eternal. Love will never fail.

Scripture reveals God’s eternal love for us, a love that never fails. God chose us (John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4-5), died for us (Romans 5:8), and will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, nothing at all can separate us from God’s eternal love: “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

The Greek word translated “fails” in the NIV is related to a verb meaning “to fall.” By saying, “Love never fails,” the Bible means that God’s type of love will not fall or falter. It is constant forever. As God says in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

The truth that love never fails is emphasized in some classical literature, too. During the famous balcony scene of the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo begins to pledge his love for Juliet with these words: “Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear / That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops.” However, Juliet cuts him off: “O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, / That monthly changes in her circled orb, / Lest that thy love prove likewise variable” (II:ii). Juliet had it right. Love should not wax and wane; it should be steady and constant, a perpetual light in a dark world.

There is nothing mercurial about love. It is not based on whims, feelings, or passing fancies. Love is rock-solid, intent on benefitting the one loved, regardless of the cost. God’s love never fails, and it never ends.

 

What does the Bible say about Prosperity Gospel

In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite”God uses the believer. Word of Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God’s will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.

Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11. These men of “corrupt mind” supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought about them “into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.

Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than who we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts.

A favorite term in the Word of Faith movement is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, Word of Faith teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God’s ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive.

Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

 

What does the Bible say about Transsexualism/Transgenderism? Is gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria the result of sin

Transsexualism, also known as transgenderism, Gender Identity Disorder (GID), or gender dysphoria, is a desire to change one’s sex or to fulfill the role of the opposite gender. Transsexuals / transgenders usually describe themselves as “trapped” in a body that does not match their gender. They will probably practice transvestism / transvestitism and may also seek hormone therapy and/or surgery to bring their bodies into conformity with their perceived gender.

The Bible has plenty to say about human sexuality. Most basic to our understanding of sex is that God created two (and only two) genders: “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). All the modern-day speculation about numerous genders-or even a gender “continuum” with unlimited genders-is unbiblical.

In Psalm 139; we learn that God fashions each one of us. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. . . . My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. . . . your eyes saw my unformed body” (verses 13-16). God’s creation of each individual must surely include His designation of gender/sex. His wonderful work leaves no room for mistakes; no one is born with the “wrong body.”

After the fall of man, it did not take long for gender issues to become confused. In Abraham’s day, homosexuality was widespread in some cities (Genesis 19:1-7; Jude 7). The Bible is unmistakably clear that homosexuality is a sinful perversion of God’s gift of sexuality (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

In the Law, transvestism / transvestitism was specifically forbidden: “A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this” (Deuteronomy 22:5).

Another possible reference to transsexualism is 1 Corinthians 6:9, where “male prostitutes” is listed as a separate category from “homosexual offenders.” The King James Version uses the word “effeminate” here; that is to say, the “male prostitutes” might be transsexual men who act as women.

No matter if the gender distortion has a genetic, hormonal, physiological, or psychological cause, the Bible clearly and consistently labels any sexual activity outside of marriage or not between a man and a woman as sin, rebellion against God’s plan. But following this realization is good news: sin can be forgiven and lives can be changed through faith in Christ. The Corinthian believers are an example of such a change: “And [homosexuals] is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). There is hope for any sinner, transsexuals, transgenders, those with gender identity disorder, and transvestites included, because of God’s forgiveness available in Jesus Christ.

What does the Bible say about Violence?

Violence is defined as “physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing,” and sadly, violence is a part of everyday life. It’s in our movies and television shows, and we live in a world where power is often established through violence. But for Christians, the way of the world is always trumped by the truth of the Word. So what does the Bible say about violence?

First of all, violence in the mind is just as hurtful as violence by the hands. Leviticus 19:17 says, “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” When we know someone is in sin, is it more loving to keep it quiet and build up hate and resentment towards them? God says that we should speak frankly, and Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:21-22 that murderous anger can lead the angry man to judgment from God as quickly as a physical blow. The violence he exhibits toward someone else can be brought back upon himself by God.

What about violence in war? Exodus 20:13 had been incorrectly translated as “do not kill,” but it literally means “do not murder.” God has allowed for just wars throughout the history of His people. From Abraham to Deborah to David, God’s people have fought as instruments of judgment from a righteous and holy God. Romans 13:1-4 tells us to submit ourselves to government authorities and that nations have the right to bear the sword against evildoers, both foreign and domestic.

Violence occurs, but we must recognize the difference between holy judgment on sin and our own personal vendettas against those we dislike, which is the inevitable outcome of pride (Psalm 73:6). While men are more prone to accept violence (especially as cultures depict real men as those who never cry, always have a plan, and carry a gun), the wisest man of all time wrote, “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways” (Proverbs 3:31). Prayer and patience beats violence and anger on any day.