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  • Romans 12:2-3 - Do not be conformed to this world. Do not think more of yourself than you should.
  • Philippians 2:1-11
  • I must regard others as more important than myself (Philippians 2:3-4
    • We have to be careful of the rampant self-promotion that exists in our culture.
    • Job 38:1-7 - We must remember how small we really are.
    • Proverbs 27:5-6 - Sometimes we need to hear criticism.
    • Self esteem is not the problem - self-control is.
    • Luke 17:3 - We need to be told what we are lacking.
  • I must work hard as a servant (Philippians 2:5-8
    • II Thessalonians 3:7-10 - We can not go along thinking we are just entitled to things.
    • Philippians 2:12-15
  • I must let God exalt me instead of exalting myself.
    • Luke 14:7-11 - Don’t exalt yourself.
    • Luke 18:9-14 - The tax collector showed humility in prayer.
    • I Corinthians 4:5 - We should wait and let God exalt us.

For further study, see also:

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  • True faith takes action.
    • Mark 2:3-5
    • James 2:14-17 - Faith without works is dead.
    • I John 3:18 - Let us love in deed and truth.
    • Is my faith shown by action?
  • Physical wonders attest to Jesus’ spiritual authority.
    • Mark 2:9-12 - Jesus used the physical miracle to prove that He had power to forgive sins.
    • Isaiah 45:12 - The earth is God’s creation.
    • II Peter 3:10-11 - If the Bible is right about creation, what does that tell us about its spiritual claims?
  • A paralytic can serve God, and so can I!
    • Mark 2:5
    • Luke 9:57-62 - Jesus cut right through the excuses people tried to use.

For further study, see also:

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  • Prophecies
    • Tyre (Ezekiel 26:1-14
      • Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the mainland city.
      • Many nations will be brought against the city.
      • The debris of Ture would be scraped off into the ocean.
      • Tyre would be a place for fishermen to spread their nets.
      • Tyre would be built no more.
    • Edom (Ezekiel 25:12-14
      • Vengeance by the hands of God’s people (Ezekial 25:14)
      • Cut off man from Teman to Dedan (Ezekiel 25:13
    • Memphis vs. Thebes (Ezekiel 30
      • Memphis’ (Noph’s) idols would be destroyed (Ezekiel 30:13
      • Thebes would be split open (breached and broken) (Ezekiel 30:14
  • The Apocryphal books
    • The Hasmonean Dynasty
    • The Herodian Dynasty
    • The doctrine of purgatory comes from 2 Maccabees. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox followers accept the Apocrypha and the doctrine of purgatory.

For further study, see also:

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  • Elders don’t have authority (except for delegated authority) - they have authorization from God to do some things that others don’t. Deacons, janitors, etc. have authorization to do certain things as well.
  • God created man; thus God alone has the right to direct man’s life. He has the right to choose how to direct and He has the right to choose the directions (Jeremiah 10:23. He is to be the director in every phase of life: domestic, civil, economical, social, and spiritual.
  • Domestic
    • Genesis 2:18-24 - Marriage is to be one man and one woman for life.
    • Matthew 15:4-6 - Honor father and mother.
    • Ephesians 5:22-33 - Wives submit to husbands. Husbands love wives.
    • Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children are to obey parents.
    • Colossians 3:18-21 - Commands for husbands, wives, and children.
    • Hebrews 12:9-11
    • I Timothy 5:8
    • I Timothy 5:14
  • Civil
    • Romans 13:1-7
    • I Timothy 2:1-3
    • I Peter 2:17

For further study, see also:

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  • I Timothy 3:1 - Men are not to aspire to the office of elder so that they can be in charge of things.
  • Set proper example. I Peter 5:3
  • Hold fast the Word, exhort and convince gainsayers - Titus 1:9
  • Feed, tend, shepherd the flock - I Peter 5:2
    • Feed the flock to edify - Acts 20:28
    • Watch for souls - Hebrews 13:17
    • Restore the fallen - Titus 1:9-11
    • Correct gainsayers - Titus 1:9
  • Oversee the flock
  • Show hospitality
  • It is not the work of elders:
    • To be a centralized board to receive money from many congregations to do a big work.
    • To build, maintain, or support human institutions for any cause.
    • To oversee any brotherhood function.
      • Brotherhood preacher training program
      • Brotherhood becture
    • When we think about elders, let us be sure we think about the local church, not the brotherhood.

For further study, see also:

Questions or comments? Join our Discord server for further study.


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