[Due to technical issues, there is some noise in this recording. I have tried to clean it up some, but could not remove it all. Sorry about that! -MRW]

• Unrighteousness – separation from God

  • Romans 3:23

  • Ephesians 2:1-10

  • Titus 3:3-4

• Receive God’s wrath

  • Romans 2:4-10

  • Matthew 16:24-27; 25:31-46

  • II Corinthians 5:10

  • Galatians 6:7-8

• God’s desire and choice

  • Ephesians 1:4-5, 9-11

  • Colossians 1:19

  • I John 4:9-10

  • Titus 3:3-4

• Reconciliation to God: salvation

• Redemption

  • Colossians 1:13-14

    • John 8:34

    • Ephesians 5:5-8

    • Romans 6:12-14, 16

  • Ephesians 1:7-8

• God’s grace

  • Good will, lovingkindness, favor

  • Romans 3:21-31; 5:6-8; 6:23

  • Ephesians 1:6; 2:1-10

  • Titus 2:11

• God’s mercy

  • Ephesians 2:4

  • Titus 3:4-9

• Propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ

  • Romans 4:25; 3:21-26

  • Ephesians 1:7-8

• Justification to righteousness

  • Romans 4:25

• Faith

  • Romans 3:21-27; 4:1-25

  • Ephesians 2:8

• What is faith in God?

  • Hebrews 11:1, 13-16, 6, 10, 35-38

  • James 2:14-26; 1:21-27

• Faith → Righteousness

  • Romans 1:16-17; 9:30-10:13

  • Philippians 3:1-16

  • Hebrews 10:38-39; 11:6

• Propitiation and faith → reconciliation

  • Romans 5:9, 11

  • Ephesians 3:11-12

  • Colossians 1:20

  • Titus 2:14

• How do I access salvation?

  • Have faith! (Hebrews 11; James 1-2)

  • Matthew 7:21-23

  • Romans 10:9-13

  • Matthew 28:19

  • Mark 16:16

  • Acts 2:38

    • II Peter 3:18-22

• Many examples in Acts of people becoming disciples of Christ and having their sins forgiven

  • Acts 8:7-16, 26-30; 10:25-48; 16:14-15, 23-34; 17:30-31; 18:7-8; 19:1-5

• Ongoing role of faith

  • Romans 6:1; Hebrews 10:26-31; Ephesians 2:10; 6:16; Titus 2:12-13; Revelation 2:10

• James 1:21-27 – What is the law of liberty?

• First, think about the word “law.”

  • I Corinthians 9:20-21 – the law of Christ

  • Galatians 6:2 – the law of Christ

  • Law cannot be contradictory to Christ because both are mentioned together.

• Second, think about the word “liberty.”

  • Galatians 2:3-5 – liberty from the law of Moses

  • Galatians 5:1

  • II Peter 2:18-19

  • John 8:31-33 – freedom from sin

  • Romans 6:20

• So, what does “law of liberty” mean in James?

  • James 1:21-25

  • The law of liberty is the New Testament.

  • “Liberty” is in regard to sin. Through Jesus, we gain freedom from sin.

  • James 2:8-13 – The royal law is the law of King Jesus.

• What does all of this mean for us?

  • James 1:25

• Parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)

  • In a study, many people from the United States failed to notice the famine in Luke 15:14. People from Russia who read the same story noticed the famine much more readily. The Russians had more recent history with famines, so that detail stuck out to them more.

  • What might we be missing when we read the Bible?

• Try an unfamiliar translation (and do some double-takes)

  • Nehemiah 8:1-8

  • Numbers 28:7 – NASB says “strong drink.” CSB reads “beer” here and other places.

  • II Timothy 3:16 – “inspired by God” (NASB) vs “God-breathed” (NIV)

  • The KJV, NKJV, ASV, NASB, and ESV are recommended.

  • Parallel Bibles can help when comparing translations, as can Bible study software.

• Read the Bible in a different order (switch reading plans)

  • II Peter 3:1

  • Chronological plans help you see the overall story.

  • Slower plans allow for more thinking.

  • Reading whole books gets us closer to the original.

    • Beyond the Verse by Wes McAdams

    • In 1560 A.D., the Geneva Bible was the first English Bible printed with chapter and verse markings.

  • Mixed plans add variety.

  • An audio Bible may provide a whole new twist.

    • Luke 4:16

    • DwellApp.io

    • The Word of Promise

• Remember that you are a new you.

  • Psalms 71:5-6, 15, 9, 18

  • II Kings 22:11

  • II Timothy 3:15

  • Psalms 119:105

• Acts 9:10, 36; 11:26; 16:1; 21:16

• Matthew 28:16-20

• Learn from the teacher

  • Mark 2:18

  • John 9:28

  • Matthew 28:20

  • Mark 12:43 – Jesus used this as a teaching opportunity.

  • Luke 6:17-20; 11:1-2 – The disciples wanted to learn!

  • Acts 6:1-7; 14:21

  • No one’s ever been more qualified to teach us than Jesus!

• Imitate the teacher

  • Luke 6:39-40

  • John 13:5-14, 34-35; 15:8 – Our love for each other shows people we are disciples of Jesus.

  • John 8:31 (John 8:37-39, 42-44; Luke 6:46) – We are truly Jesus’ disciples if we abide in His word. We must obey Jesus!

• Give yourself to the teacher

  • Matthew 16:24-25; 10:24-25

  • Acts 14:22 – Our devotion to Christ should far exceed everything else.

  • Luke 14:26, 27, 33 – We must be prepared to sacrifice even our own lives for Jesus.

[Sorry, due to technical difficulties, no audio or video recording of this lesson is available. -MRW]

• Sin tends to continue (and get worse).

  • Judges 21:25

  • Unrighteousness is much easier, but it’s not good for the next generation. What one generation permits, the next embraces.

• Therefore, we need to take action.

  • Judges 2:8-10

  • If we love our kids and grandkids, we have to take action to stop the slide into sin!

  • Israel fell away in only one generation!

  • Eli was a priest and judge for 40 years, yet his sons were worthless! I Samuel 8:3 This is part of the reason Israel wanted a king.

  • We can’t deny the power of generational influence.

• What should we be teaching our kids and grandkids?

  • The importance of family.
    • Titus 2:3-5
  • The ugliness of sin.
    • Hebrews 10:26-29
  • Physical purity.
    • Romans 13:12-14; II Peter 2:7