I’m saved! Now what?

• Exodus 3:12; 4:22-23 – God wanted Israel to serve Him.
• Ephesians 2:10 – We are created for good works.
• Titus 2:14
• I Peter 2:9
• Romans 11:22-24

Ephesians 4: “lay aside the old self … put on the new self”

• Ephesians 4:22-32 – instructions for the new self
• I Peter 1:15-16

Romans 6: “walk in newness of life … our old self was crucified with Him”

• Romans 6:4-7, 11-13 – We should be instruments of righteousness.

Colossians 3: “laid aside the old self … put on the new self”

• Colossians 3:1-11 – God is showing us how to think about this. We are a new person!
• Galatians 2:20 – Our old self should be dead.
• Galatians 3:26-28 – Paul went from being a Hebrew of the Hebrews to saying there is neither Jew nor Greek. This is the new Paul.

Change your identity.

• Ephesians 5:8-10; 4:23
• Romans 6:2, 11 – Think of yourself as dead to sin.
• Colossians 3:2

Beware of who/ what is influencing you.

• Ephesians 4:17
• Proverbs 13:20
• II Chronicles 24:1-2, 17-18 – Jehoiada was a good influence on Joash while he was alive.

Introduction

• Proverbs 1:1-7 – Proverbs is to help us receive and understand wisdom from God. Part of that is humility.

There are various types of proverbs.

Contrast

• Proverbs 13:1, 20, 3

Comparison

• Proverbs 26:1, 11

Straight-forward advice

• Proverbs 18:13 – Compare John 7:51.

Extended

• Proverbs 24:30-34

Why aren’t these wise sayings ALWAYS true?

These are general truths with exceptions.

• Ecclesiastes 9:11
• Proverbs 10:4 – Compare James 5:4.
• Proverbs 19:9

Some passages may pertain to promises unique to Old Covenant Israel.

• Deuteronomy 28:1-4, 15
• Proverbs 30:1; 31:1 – Some proverbs were written by other men (not Solomon).
• Proverbs 12:21 – See II Timothy 3:12; 4:8

Different circumstances call for different applications of wisdom.

• Proverbs 26:4-5 – There are times when you may or may not want to answer a fool.
• Proverbs 18:22; 21:9 – Is marriage good or not? Generally it is a great blessing, but there are cases where it is a bad relationship.

Dave’s faves

• Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath”
• Proverbs 31:30 – “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain”
• Proverbs 16:32 – “He who is slow to anger is better than the might”
• Proverbs 18:17 – “The first to plead his case seems right …”

[Due to technical difficulties, we were unable to make a recording of this lesson. Sorry about that! -MRW]

Matthew 25

• Matthew 25:1-13 – Parable of the ten virgins
  • Be ready because you do not know when the bridegroom (possibly the destruction of Jerusalem based on the context from Matthew 24) will come.
  • Being ready means doing the master’s will, so that you will be in the right position when the time comes.
• Matthew 25:14-30 – Parable of the talents
  • Matthew 25:15 – The master was wise and gave to each according to what he knew their abilities were. Even the man with the least ability was given something. See James 4:14-17. They did not know when the master would return.
  • Matthew 25:16-17 – Two men immediately started using the money to make a profit.
  • Matthew 25:25-26 – The man who did nothing was called worthless and lazy. The man said he was afraid and did not act.
• Matthew 25:31-46 – Judgment
  • See II Corinthians 5:10. They were going to be judged based on their deeds. Don’t overlook opportunities to help people.

Daily disciples

• Acts 16:5
• Acts 17:11
• I Corinthians 15:31
• II Corinthians 11:28
• James 2:15-16
• Ephesians 2:10; 4:1; 5:1, 15 – “Walk”
• Ephesians 6:24

Jesus is always there for us.

• Colossians 1:16-17 – Jesus is holding everything together.
• Hebrews 1:3
• Philippians 2:5-8
• Hebrews 9:22
• Romans 5:6
• Romans 6:3-6
• Hebrews 7:23-25
• Jesus cares care of both our spiritual and physical parts.

Are we always there for Him?

• He wants EVERYTHING (Matthew 5:46-48)
• He wants priority in our relationships (Matthew 10:34-37)
• He wants our speech (Matthew 12:33-37)
• He wants our actions (Matthew 12:46-50)
• He wants our hearts (Matthew 15:16-20)
• He wants our very lives (Matthew 16:24-27)

Be baptized, continued

• Galatians 3:27
• Colossians 2:9-12 – The parallels between circumcision and baptism. Be careful not to stretch these parallels too far!
• I Peter 3:21
• What is the proper method for baptism?
  • Strong: “to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet).”
  • Zodhiates: “Immerse, submerge for a religious purpose, to overwhelm, saturate”
  • Mounce: “The verb baptize literally means ‘to put or go under water.’”
  • Vine describes the word’s use outside of the Bible: It “was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another.”
  • John 3:23
  • Mark 1:9-10
  • Acts 8:38
• Since we don’t read about pouring or sprinkling in the New Testament, how did they get started?
  • 251 – First recorded case of pouring was on Novation. He was too sick to be immersed, so they put pillows around him on a couch and drenched him in water. This was called “clinic baptism.” It was decided that if the sick person got healthier they should be immersed.
  • 257 – Baptism by sprinkling for adults was first used as an exception for those on sick beds, but it caused great dispute.
  • 753 – Sprinkling for those on sick beds officially accepted.
  • 1311 – Baptism by sprinkling accepted as the universal standard instead of immersion for all, not just the sick. (Council of Ravenna)
  • Source: https://www.bible.ca/cath-new-doctrines.htm
• Is the water special or holy?
  • No. The act of baptism saves us, not because of any power found in the water itself, but because God said to be baptized. It is an act of obedience.
• Isn’t baptism an outward sign of an inward grace (an outward show of the fact that one’s sins have already been forgiven)?
  • No.
    • That is nowhere taught, exemplified, or implied in the Bible.
    • It contradicts the passages about baptism.
    • It does not fit the Greek.
• Why did Paul say, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (I Corinthians 1:17)?
  • Keep this in its context.
  • Harmonize this with other clear passages.
  • Recognize their “not … but” method of emphasis.
    • I John 3:18
    • John 6:27
    • I Peter 3:3-4