Jesus was always the plan.

• Genesis 3:15
• What Jesus did was a deathblow to Satan’s plans.
• Hebrews 2:14
• I John 3:8
• This was in God’s mind even before Creation.
  • I Corinthians 2:6-9
  • Ephesians 1:4
  • II Timothy 1:9-10
• I Peter 1:18-21

Jesus came to save us.

• Mark 1:14-17, 21-28 – Jesus was teaching people to turn to God.
• Mark 2:15-17 – Are you spiritually sick? Come to the great physician.
• All of this was just so that we that are not good enough can come and be saved.
• Luke 19:10
• Jesus doesn’t care if other people have bad attitudes about you. He came to save us.
• Titus 3:5
• Matthew 11:28-30

He demands absolute submission.

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Matthew 19:16-26 – Nothing can be left undone with Jesus.
• If Jesus went right to our sore spot, what would He say?
• The grace of God allows us to overcome all our weaknesses.

Deuteronomy 18

• Deuteronomy 18:1-8 – Levite portion
  • The Levites would be supported by a portion of the offerings. This worked great as long as the people did what they were commanded.
• Deuteronomy 18:9-19 – Who should Israel listen to?
  • They were to stay far away from witchcraft and sorcery.
  • Israel was to listen to the prophets to come.
  • See John 1:21. This is a reference to the Prophet in Deuteronomy 18:15.
  • John 7:40-43
  • Acts 3:19-26 – All the prophets looked forward to the coming of Jesus.
  • Moses’ words have now come true in Jesus.
  • Acts 7:35-53 – Stephen compares the Jews rejection of Moses to their rejection of Jesus.
  • Hebrews 1:1; 2:1-4
• Deuteronomy 18:20-22 – The test of a prophet.

Deuteronomy 19

• Deuteronomy 19:1-13 – Cities of refuge
  • God clearly considers motive. There is a difference between murder and manslaughter.
  • Numbers 9:10-13.
  • Note that these are matters of the heart. The Law of Moses was not merely a physical law. The heart mattered.
• Deuteronomy 19:14-21 – Miscellaneous laws relating to honesty.
  • Quotes from America’s founding fathers:
    • “Public virtue cannot exist in a Nation without private Virtue.” – John Adams
    • “Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government” and “Human rights can only be assured among a virtuous people.” – George Washington
    • “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” – Benjamin Franklin
    • “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea.” – James Madison
    • “No government can continue good but under the control of the people; and … their minds are to be informed by education what is right and what wrong; to be encouraged in habits of virtue and to be deterred from those of vice …” – Thomas Jefferson
    • “Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.” – Samuel Adams
    • “A vitiated [impure] state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom.” – Patrick Henry

Deuteronomy 20

• “When you go out to battle …”
• Deuteronomy 20:5-9 – Reasons for men to be excused from battle.
• Deuteronomy 20:18 – They were going to battle to prevent the spread of idolatry.

Introduction

• Job 1:12; 2:6-10
• Job 17:1 – Job was broken by what he’d gone through.
• How do we keep from getting overwhelmed when things pile up in our lives?
• Job 7:20
• Job 14:1 – Job had lost perspective.

This is temporary. God is going to fix all this.

• God does not owe us an explanation for anything. He has told us what we need to know.
• James 4:5
• James 5:10
• Hebrews 11:10

God is in control, even when I don’t understand everything.

• Job was ignorant of what was going on behind the scenes.
• Job 13:3, 15, 20 – Job wanted to argue his case before God.
• Job 23:3
• Job 1:20-22
• Job 42:3
• It is okay if I don’t understand everything.

I should blame Satan, not myself or God.

• Job 1:1
• Luke 13:1-3 – Sometimes bad things just happen.
• Be careful about assigning things to God.
• Job 1:22 – Job never blamed God.

Nothing on earth is worse than Hell, or better than Heaven.

• Matthew 25:34, 41

I need to spend time with mature Christians.

• Job 22:33; 8:6; 11:14 – Job’s friends had terrible advice.
• We need to spend time with people who will give good advice.
• Acts 2:46; 12:12 – Early Christians came together.
• Seek out mature Christians who can help.

Introduction

• “If I Were the Devil” by Paul Harvey, 1965

Questions

1. What is the difference between gender and sex as it refers to the attributes or characteristics of a person?
   1. Jennifer Sey and XX-XY Athletics
2. How does Genesis 2 and Matthew 19 differentiate between gender and sex?
   1. Genesis 2:7, 22-24; Matthew 19:4-6
   2. It does not differentiate. There is no difference between sex and gender.
3. What are some of the differences between man and woman from Genesis 4, 3, 21 and I Samuel 1?
   1. Genesis 4:1-2, 17, 25; 3:16, 20; 21:7
   2. I Samuel 1:23
   3. Only women can bear children. It takes a man to start the process.
4. From the previous verses do gender and sex correspond?
   1. They are the same!
5. How can these verses be used in the discussion of gender and sex? (Psalms 139:14-15; Genesis 1:26-28, 31; Isaiah 44:2, 24)
6. What can the previous verses strengthen?
7. How was the “gender” determined from Genesis 17:12-14 and Leviticus 12:2, 3, 5?
   1. By specific physical characteristics.
8. Is it difficult to understand God’s position on the differences between male and female from I Corinthians 111:14-15 and Deuteronomy 22:5?
9. From I Corinthians 6:19-20 what is a major issue that’s missing in the discussion of gender and sex?
   1. We are not our own. We belong to God!
10. What is the difference between the terms gender and sex as it refers to the attributes or characteristics of a person?

1.  There is no difference.

Questions about marriage, divorce, and remarriage

What should happen in an unlawful marriage?

• Luke 16:18
• I Corinthians 6:9
• They must divorce and repent of their adultery.
• “But marriage itself is holy. No one should be told to divorce.”
  • Ezra 9-10 – Unlawful marriages were broken up.
  • Mark 6:17-18

Are divorced people still “married in God’s eyes”?

• I know of no passage that uses or implies that wording or concept. Sometimes we might say that because we’re trying to communicate the fact that God doesn’t approve.
• Luke 16:18
• Romans 7:2-3 – This is clearer language: “bound by law,” “joined.”
• Mark 10:11-12
• Matthew 19:9

What about marriages and divorces before one was ever a Christian?

• God’s laws are for everyone, Christians and non-Christians.
• I Corinthians 6:9-11 – Adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
  • “such were some of you” – some of the Corinthians had evidently gotten out of adulterous situations
• If God’s laws do not apply to non-Christians, why are people told to repent before they are baptized (Acts 2:38)?
• And why would you even get baptized and become a Christian, if prior to that you have no sin and therefore no need of salvation?

Does forgiveness change the situation?

• Acts 2:38; 8:22; 26:20
• If I steal a car …
  • Then I pray for forgiveness …
  • Can I keep the car?
  • No – it is still a sin for me to have it.
• If I take an unlawful wife …
  • Then I pray for forgiveness …
  • Can I keep the wife?
  • No – it is still a sin for me to have her.

Does I Corinthians 7:15 give another exception to God’s marriage law?

• “bondage”: “enslaved” (ESV, LSB) or “servitude” (YLT)
• There is no permission for remarriage here.

Does I Corinthians 7:27-28 give another exception?

• I Corinthians 7:25-28 – Paul was saying that because of the current situation, it was not a good time to get married.
• What does “released” mean? It can’t mean, “divorced for any reason” because that would contradict I Corinthians 7:10-11 and many other verses.
• “Released” may be better translated “free.”

Can the innocent party divorce years after the divorce?

• A man divorces his wife (not for fornication).
• Years later, he remarriages.
• Can the first wife now divorce him for fornication and remarry with God’s approval (Matthew 19:9)?
• No. You can’t divorce someone you’re not married to.

Conclusion

• Nothing is GREATER than fellowship with God; nothing lasts LONGER than Heaven.