Proverbs 13:20

• “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
• Proverbs 1:10-16
• I Corinthians 5:6-8; 15:33
• Be aware of the danger of bad influences!

I Timothy 4:12

• “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather … show yourself an example.”
• Acts 14:13, 19
• Timothy showed that young people can do well.
• Daniel 1:8 – “Daniel made up his mind …” Daniel was a young man, taken captive in a foreign land, but he decided to obey God.
• Daniel 2:17, 47 – Daniel influenced them, not the other way around.
• Daniel 4:8-9
• Daniel 5:18; 6:5, 10, 25 – Daniel had a reputation as a man of God and was called upon by several kings.

Conclusion

• I John 2:1

What does “church” mean, continued:

The Bible’s use of ekklesia:

Universal spiritual group

• Hebrews 12:18-24
  • See Colossians 1:15, 18 regarding use of the word “firstborn.”
  • “Firstborn” in this passage in Hebrews is plural. This passage is talking about the group of people who are in a saved relationship with God.
• Matthew 16:13-20 – Jesus built His church on what Peter confessed – Jesus’ identity as the Christ. Compare Acts 2:44-47.
• The Bible uses the word ekklesia (church) to mean a group of saved people.
• The term “universal church”
  • The word “catholic” just means “universal.”
• One single savior one single group of saved people (church)

Local spiritual group

• I Corinthians 1:2
• I Thessalonians 1:1

Local church assembly

• I Corinthians 14:4, 5, 12, 19, 23, 28, 33, 34, 35

Regional spiritual group

• Acts 9:31 – The textus receptus has ekklesia as plural. Some other manuscripts have the singular form here.

The Bible’s use of ekklesia compared to ours!

• Various examples of phrases we use to talk about the church.

Introduction

• The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, and Documented by Steele, Thomas, and Quinn
• Calvinists argue that the saved cannot fall away. Those that do fall away were never really saved.

Colossians 1

• This letter was clearly written to the saved (Colossians 1:1-2, 13, 21-23).
• “… if you continue in the faith” (Colossians 1:23)
• Colossians 2:5 – Paul was not doubting their commitment to God, but he shows it was possible for them to fall away.
• I Timothy 1:19; 4:1 – Examples of those who did fall away.

Hebrews 3-4

• Hebrews 3:1
• Hebrews 3:7-11 – The Israelites were unfaithful and were not allowed to enter the promised land.
• Hebrews 3:12-14 – Learn from the Israelites and don’t fall away!
• Hebrews 3:15-19 – Don’t repeat the mistakes of the Israelites.
• Hebrews 4:1-11 – There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
• Is sin a matter of salvation? See Hebrews 3:6; 4:14. Yes!

Once a child, always a child?

• I John 3:1-2
• Terry Watkins, Dial-the-Truth Ministries argues for this view
• John 10:14; Matthew 5:13 – A good shepherd raises sheep to be sheered and slaughtered. Is that what this figure means? Salt kills slugs. Does that mean that we should be the salt of the earth and kill slugs?
• John 1:11-13 – Those who received Jesus were given the right to become children of God.
• Hebrews 12:5-8
• I John 3:7-10 – Those who do not practice righteousness are not of God.
• If you start as a child of the devil (as per Calvinism), then by this reasoning you would always be a child of the devil.

Conclusion

• Hebrews 4:11

Moses

Life of Moses

• Moses spent 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in Midian, and 40 years in the wilderness
• Deuteronomy 34:5-8 – Buried by God, no one knows where. Moses died at 120, but was still in good health.

What are some things that stick out about Moses?

• Committed – Exodus 2:11; Hebrews 11:27
• Humble – Exodus 18:13-26; Numbers 12:3
• Spoke face to face with God – Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10-12

“The Lord/God spoke to/unto Moses”

• This exact wording is recorded 106 times from Exodus to Deuteronomy.
• The same phrasing applied to other people occurs only 26 times in the Bible.

Why did God choose Moses?

• Committed murder
• Did not consider himself a leader
• Not an eloquent speaker
• Lost his temper
• Got provoked with the people and disobeyed God

Matthew 9:12-13 – “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”

• Exodus 32:32 – The golden calf
• Numbers 11:2 – Complaining people
• Numbers 12:13 – Miriam and Aaron
• Numbers 14:19 – Refusal to enter Canaan
• Numbers 16:22 – Korah’s rebellion

Psalm 90

• A psalm written by Moses.

Introduction

• II Kings 6:8-23

We should open our eyes to the joy in Heaven!

• Luke 15:3-10 – There is great joy in Heaven when a sinner repents.
• II Peter 3:9

We should open our eyes to Jesus watching us.

• John 1:43-51 – Jesus saw Nathaniel when he thought he was all alone.
• Hebrews 4:13

We should open our eyes to people who are in the afterlife.

• Luke 9:28-31
• Luke 20:37-38
• Luke 16:22-31

We should open our eyes to the glory of the Lord.

• Acts 7:55-60 – God is on His throne now just as He was in the days of Steven.

We should open our eyes to the future.

• Hebrews 11:3, 7-10, 13, 20, 27
• Can we see this scene in faith?