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The Power Of God’s Word Part 3

Welcome to The Power of God's Word, Part 3 lesson

Questions on Ephesians 4:20-24

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Whom had the faithful in Christ Jesus learned?
How had they been taught the truth?
What were they to put off?
How were they to be renewed?
What were they to put on ?
What contrast is drawn between the old man and the new man?

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.

Questions on Colossians 3:8-11

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

What evil habits are to be discarded?
What reason is given for this exhortation?
What description is given of the new man?
Is any distinction of race or condition recognized after this change?
Who is all and in all?

Questions on Psalm 51:6-10

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Where does God desire truth?
Under what figures does David ask for cleansing?
From whom does he seek comfort?
What request does he make concerning his sins and his iniquities?
How can he have a clean heart, a right spirit?

Overview

Humankind was originally created in God's image:

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27.

Our first parents were perfect in their being and in harmony with God.

Nevertheless their nature became changed through transgression.

Therefore the whole purpose of the plan of salvation is to restore the image of God in humans. Moreover, creatures again to be in harmony with their Creator.

Though sin has brought enmity:

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:7.

God's purpose is peace through Christ:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11.

For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Jews and Gentiles in context); Ephesians 2:14.

The heart is the source of evil

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders;

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23.

Our own hearts separate us from God:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear. Isaiah 59:2.

Furthermore, we cannot of ourselves change them:

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Job 14:4.

We are bound in chains of:

darkness - deceptions about the true character of God and His holy Law
sin - pride, selfishness and self-sufficiency
despair - pain from guilt and fear, without hope and happiness.

Therefore, there must be a:

death of the body of sin - Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Romans 6:6
burial - Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death:

that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. Romans 6:4

new life unto God - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:11.

A complete change is wrought:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17;

which is nothing less than creation:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galassians 6:15.

Then good (unselfish) works can be done:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.

It is through His power working in us:

Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily. Colossians 1:29

which is God in Christ:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.

Moreover, it is the same power that gives life to the dead:

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,

Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:19, 20.

New creation in Redemption

The Gospel is the same creative power manifested in humans salvation:

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; Romans 1:16.

But we have learned that this creative power is in God's Word (lesson 2).

Moreover, it is equally true whether applied to the creation of a world or a new heart.

Thus through faith in God’s promises our natures may be changed by the power of His Word.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4.

Our ground of hope is that our Creator is our Redeemer (read Isaiah 43, 44).

Moreover, He is our Strength - Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; Isaiah 26:4;

and our Salvation - Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; Isaiah 12:2.

Justification by faith

When God speaks righteousness in place of sin:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood,

to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:23-25;

and declaring righteous the ungodly:

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:5;

we are to believe in the power of His Word supplying the fact.

God makes humans righteous by counting them so.

Keep on learning:

Lessons On The Word Of God

References: