Today we started our new Sunday morning bible class entitled, Scheme of Redemption by Ed Wharton. Joe is facilitating the class, as we look deeper into God marvelous plan of salvation. Our mid-week study will be walking through the book of Hebrews, which should complement both what we just finished (Leviticus) and what we are embarking on now. What a tremendous opportunity we have to create a deeper understanding of what God has done through Christ. We need to learn! Why? Because as we will learn, the church is central to God’s purpose in history.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received…
1st Corinthians 15:3
As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you do not have.” When it comes to our Christian walks, this idea is so true. An empty glass cannot quench the thirst of those who are thirsty. Peters encourages us to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is IN YOU…” (1st Peter 3:15). To offer hope, one must be persuaded so as to have hope first. It is this very idea which I seek to consider again. I say again, because this is something I have spoken about on numerous occasions; but, it is worthy of repeating.
What are some things God wants us to know? Here are just a few. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Paul would go on in this same chapter proclaiming that those who are in Christ “are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). We have “victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1st Corinthians 15:57)! This victory is ours “because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1st John 4:4)!
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that
you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
1st John 5:13
You may be saying, “You’re preaching to the choir. I know all this.” It is not the intent of this article to teach you anything new; but rather, to challenge us to consider whether we are convinced about what we know. John, as he was guided by the Holy Spirit, said that the things he wrote down had the purpose of helping believers “that you may know” they have eternal life. How about us? What are you being convinced of this day? What do you know? As we will see in our study on Sunday mornings, how we answer these questions is more important than you think.
Dennis
