• Legally, yes.
• Personally, yes.
• According to Jesus, yes.
  • Matthew 11:27-28
  • Revelation 22:17
• If he is going to be saved, no.
  • John 14:6
  • Matthew 15:8-9
  • John 8:31-32
  • I Peter 1:22
  • I Peter 4:11
  • Matthew 7:24-27
• Consider Saul of Tarsus. He did not have the right to his own belief if he was going to serve God acceptably.
  • Acts 13:1; 26:9
  • Proverbs 14:12
• Conscience is not a guide. It is a judge.
  • Romans 2:15
  • I John 3:20-21
  • Romans 14:23
• For salvation, one does not have the right to his/her own belief:
  • About what to do to be saved.
  • About what makes a church right.
    • II Peter 1:3
    • II Timothy 3:17
    • Jude 1:3
    • Acts 2:36
    • Philippians 2:14-15
    • Acts 20:28
    • I Corinthians 5:4-5
  • About how to live for Jesus.
    • I Timothy 5:22
    • I Corinthians 5:4-5
  • Jesus IS the Christian’s belief.
    • Luke 6:46

• Acts 17:10
• We should only engage in authorized worship.
  • John 4:24
  • II John 1:9
  • Genesis 4:3-5
    • Hebrews 11:4
    • Romans 10:17
  • Golden calf – Exodus 32:5
  • Leviticus 10:1-2
  • I Kings 12:28, 32
• Christmas is not authorized as a religious observance in the Bible.
  • It wasn’t until the 4th century that the birth of Jesus became associated with December 25.
• We may engage in cultural practices that do not involve unauthorized worship.
  • Circumcision
    • Galatians 5:1-6; 2:3-5
    • Acts 16:3; 15:1-2
    • Okay, but not as a religious practice.
  • If there is some practice rooted in religion, and which some people still practice religiously, I can observe it secularly.
  • Two people may observe the same basic practice, but one is right and one is not because of their intent.
  • Eating of meats
    • I Corinthians 8:1-8
    • I Corinthians 10:14-27
    • Okay, but not when connected to idols.
• Some of us will disagree on how we should engage with customs of the world.
  • Can we say “Christmas” (Christ Mass)?
    • Baal could mean husband. Proverbs 31:11
    • “Twin Brothers” (Acts 28:11)
    • Hanukkah (John 10:22-23)
  • Can I rest on Saturday without observing the Sabbath as a religious practice as Seventh Day Adventists do?
  • Can I eat fish on Fridays without it being a religious practice?
• Don’t do anything that would violate your conscience.
  • Romans 14:14, 22-23
• Don’t put a stumbling block in front of others.
  • Romans 14:1-6, 13-15, 21
  • I Corinthians 8:9-13
  • I Corinthians 10:27-31
• Specific questions:
  • Star on tree
  • Gifts
  • Songs/carols about Christ

• Train children to love God (continued):
  • We must instill the proper motivation (continued):
    • Genesis 39:9
    • What’s wrong with just raising our kids to know that if they misbehave, they’ll be punished?
  • Love God yourself!
    • Parents should set the example. Proverbs 20:7; Matthew 7:5; II Timothy 1:5
    • Let us be as noble in our parenting as Jesus was in his leadership. Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:21
    • Deuteronomy 6:5-7 – This is directed to parents!
  • (Grand)parenting applications: training children to love God.

Specific Goal

Passage(s) to discuss & guide

Ways (grand)parents can exemplify and teach

Temptations and hindrances

Behaviors to correct

Care deeply about pleasing God (conscience)

Genesis 39:9; II Corinthians 1:12; Acts 9:9

Worship 7 days a week; plan careers, recreation, schedules around God

Family discussions and priorities rarely center on God; God is a Sunday topic

“It’s okay – I won’t get caught.”

Pray without ceasing

Romans 12:12; I Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:13-18; Matthew 6:5-7

Pray sincerely; more than at meals (like when something happens); pray topically.

Praying only when in trouble. Meaningless repetition.

Praying in vain, not meaning what you say or useless repetition. Never praying; making prayer a joke.

Repent when wrong

Acts 26:20; Matthew 12:41; Jonah 3:8-10

Openly repent when you have wronged others (especially kids).

Holding out for someone else to initiate. No self-evaluation & self-awareness.

Not really apologizing or not admitting guilt in the first place. Insincerity.

Joyfully worship and praise God

John 4:23-24; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 100; 122; Philippians 4:4; Acts 16:25

Be happy to go to worship. Encourage the same in children. Worship outside the assembly.

Worshiping out of necessity. Daydreaming; too many toys; trained not to participate.

Not being joyful. Not focusing in worship. Indifferent; complaining.

• I Corinthians 13:8-14:11
• I Corinthians 13:8-10 – Spiritual gifts were temporary. They would be done away with once the “perfect” or completed revelation had been revealed.
  • Isaiah 28:9-13 – Revelation would not come in a lump sum, but “here a little, there a little.”
  • John 16:12-13
• I Corinthians 13:11-12 – Once we know more truth, we will be able to see ourselves more clearly in the way that God sees us. Paul was looking forward to the time that revelation would be complete.
• I Corinthians 13:13 – Time is just a short stretch between two eternities. Love existed before time and will continue after time.
• I Corinthians 14:1 – Pursue love!
• I Corinthians 14:1-3 – It is implied here that the Corinthians believed that speaking in tongues was the most desirable spiritual gift. Speaking in a language that one had not studied or learned was no doubt a flashy and impressive gift, but prophecy was more beneficial in terms of edifying the whole church.

• James 4:1-4
• What makes one truly beautiful/handsome?
  • II Samuel 14:25-30 – Absalom
  • Proverbs 21:9; 16:31; 31:30
  • http://goo.gl/dPdqyV
  • http://goo.gl/A8vTjY
  • I Timothy 4:8
  • I Samuel 9:2; 15:10-11; 16:6-12 – Saul was physically handsome, but God rejected him.
  • I Peter 3:3-4
• What makes one truly wise?
  • James 3:13-18
  • Knowing how to help one who is hurting
  • Knowing how to settle down
  • Practicing what you preach
• What makes one truly spiritual?
  • YouTube: “Why I hate religion, but love Jesus.”
  • SBNR: Spiritual But Not Religious
  • James 1:26-27
  • I timothy 1:8-11
  • II Timothy 3:1-15
  • Galatians 1:4