By David Watson

Benchley, January 4, 2012

[Sorry, no audio for this lesson.  Sadly, the microphone died in the middle of class.]

• Galatians
• From the apostle Paul (Galatians 1:1)
• To the churches in Galatia (Galatians 1:2)
• They were deserting God and going to a different gospel (Galatians 1:6-9)!
• Galatians 5:1-13 – In what sense are Christians free?
• In this context, Christians are free from the law of Moses.
• Galatians 5:16-17 – Contrast between the flesh and the spirit.
• Galatians 5 – Is “spirit” here talking about man’s spiritual nature or the Holy Spirit?
• People disagree on this.
• If this is talking about a man’s spirit, is the passage teaching that a human’s spirit is allowed to follow its own path (cf. Jeremiah 10:23; Acts 26:9)? No!
• If this is talking about the Holy Spirit, is the passage teaching that a human’s spirit is not involved in serving God (cf. Romans 1:9; John 4:24)? No!
• Does a spiritually-minded person follow the Holy Spirit-inspired scripture? Yes!
• The Holy Spirit often uses the word “fruit” figuratively to mean the effect that God’s word has in one’s life. It might be a quality that is developed or an action that is taken.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, July 31, 2011

• II Timothy 1:14 – This is one of the very few passages that talk about the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Christian.
• Ephesians 3:17 – Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. This is the same way God the Father and the Holy Spirit dwell in us.
• Colossians 3:16 – The word of Christ is to be that which motivates and directs our lives.
• The Holy Spirit dwells in one when one allows the word delivered by the Holy Spirit to direct his life. (See John 14:26.)
• II Timothy 1:18 – We all hope to find mercy in judgment. We can’t hope to have gotten everything so right in our lives that we have no need of mercy.
• II Timothy 2:2 – We all have the responsibility to teach others.
• II Timothy 2:3 – See Hebrews 13:23. At some point, Timothy was imprisoned for teaching the truth.
• II Timothy 2:4-5 – We must show discipline in obeying God. We must obey the rules set out for us. See I Corinthians 9:25-27.
• II Timothy 2:6 – See I Timothy 5:18.

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By David Watson

Benchley, April 24, 2011

• Paul was very upset with the Galatians for leaving the faith that the had taught them.
• Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit:  Acts 10:44-48; 11:1-14,15-18
• Law of Moses vs. faith in Christ (Hebrews 9:8-14):
  • Faith in Christ vs works of the law:
    • Galatians 2:3 – No circumcision required vs. circumcision
    • Galatians 2:4 – Liberty vs. bondage
    • Galatians 2:16 – Justification vs. no justification
    • Galatians 3:6 – Faith is righteousness vs perfect lawkeeping
• Galatians 3:13:  Christ bore the curse of the law by being crucified for us.  I Peter 2:21-24; Hebrews 9:27-28; 10:1-22

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, December 12, 2010

• The context of miraculous spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 13; Acts 8; Ephesians 4)
  • Spiritual gifts would cease (I Corinthians 13:8)
  • Spiritual gifts were provided as a temporary solution to confirm God’s Word until revelation was completed.  Once revelation was complete, these spiritual gifts would be unnecessary, so they would cease with the death of the apostles and those they had transferred gifts to.
    • Spiritual gifts could be transferred only by the apostles when they laid their hands on them (Acts 8:17-18).  Others besides the apostles could not transfer gifts.

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, December 5, 2010

• Miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit
  • These gifts were prophesied about in Joel 2:28-29.
  • Miracles are acts that break or are outside the laws of nature, which shows divine intervention by God.  Spiritual gifts are therefore miracles.
  • Different gifts:
    • Wisdom (I Corinthians 1:18-31)
    • Knowledge
    • Faith
    • Healing
    • Working of miracles
    • Prophecy
    • Discerning of spirits
    • Speaking in unknown tongues (Acts 2:8-11; I Corinthians 14:4,28)
    • Interpretation of tongues
  • Speaking in tongues was not an uncontrollable ecstatic utterance.  It was a language that could be interpreted and understood.
  • The gifts of the Holy Spirit were unified in source and purpose.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, November 28, 2010

• Some think the Spirit is given by measures.
• Some think “filled with the Spirit” is speaking of miracles.  (Ephesians 5:18)
• When used figuratively, “filled with the Spirit” speaks of motivation (cause and effect).
  • Luke 4:28-29; 6:11; Psalms 38:7; 126:2; Luke 1:67; Acts 4:8; 5:17-18; 13:45; 5:3; Ephesians 5:18-20; Acts 19:29; 9:17-18

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, November 21, 2010

• The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
  • Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19; II Corinthians 1:22; II Timothy 1:14; I Thessalonians 4:8
  • The question is not if the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian.  The question is how this happens.
  • There are two main views on this:
    • A literal, physical dwelling of the Holy Spirit within man.
    • The Holy Spirit dwells within man through the Word of God.
      • Many scriptures demonstrate that this is the way the Holy Spirit operates today.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, November 14, 2010

• What was Holy Spirit baptism?
  • It was not an invitation to salvation.
  • Was it power from God?
    • Yes.  It is what gave them power to reveal and confirm divine truth on earth.
• What was the purpose of Holy Spirit baptism?
  • Not to save anyone.
  • Not to show that a group of people was acceptable to God.
  • To give the apostles power to reveal and confirm truth.
• What were the results of Holy Spirit baptism?
  • Revelation and confirmation of truth.
• Who received Holy Spirit baptism?
  • Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5
  • It was promised to the apostles and they received it.
• Was Paul baptized in the Holy Spirit?
  • II Corinthians 12:12 – Paul claimed he had the power of an apostle.
• The case of Cornelius
  • Acts 10-11
  • He did receive a spiritual gift.  This is not the same as Holy Spirit baptism.
• The only baptism in force today is baptism in water for remission of sins through Jesus Christ.
• John 14:26

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, November 14, 2010

• The baptism of the Holy Spirit
  • Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:33; Acts 1:4-8 – Baptism of the Holy Spirit foretold.
  • Acts 2:3-4 – Apostles are given the ability to speak in tongues.
  • Did Cornelius and his household receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?  Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-18

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, November 7, 2010

• The mission of the Holy Spirit, continued:
  • The promises in John 14-16 were specifically for the apostles.  We cannot expect miraculous revelation today.
• The promise and gift of the Holy Spirit
  • Galatians 3:14 – The promise is salvation to all men, as promised to Abraham in Genesis 22:18.
  • Acts 2:39 – The promise is to both Jews and Gentiles, as well as all mankind.  The promise itself is the same as what is in Acts 2:21 – salvation to whoever calls on the name of the Lord.
  • Acts 2:38 – Grammatically speaking, the “gift of the Holy Spirit” could mean either the Holy Spirit is the gift or that He gives the gift.  From the context, we can see that the gift is salvation, which the Holy Spirit had helped make possible.
  • Acts 2:33 – The “gift of the Holy Spirit” here is not the same as in Acts 2:39.  It is referring to the exaltation of Jesus to the right hand of God, as described in Acts 2:34-35.