Book Studies

In the history of Christian thought, two opposite tendencies have plagued the church with respect to human obedience in salvation. From Jewish circles especially, the early decades of the Christian era saw strong influences to conceive of human action as producing relationship to God after the fashion of obedience under the Mosaic Law. The apostle Paul strenuously opposed that effort, especially in his letters to Rome and Galatia.

Perhaps our prayer life most accurately indicates the level of our spiritual development. It is no surprise, then, to find James including encouragements about prayer in his letter to Christians beset by self-centeredness (1:5-8, 16-18; 4:2-3, 13-15; 5:13-18). They needed to convert their complaining, self-determination, and self-interest into prayer, dependence on God, and concern for one another. In this connection we have selected for special consideration the effectiveness of prayer, the importance of divine guidance, and the prayer ministry of elders.

COLOSSIANS 1

Jump Starters 2

Thanks for the Colossians 1:3, 12

Fruits of the Christian walk  1:10

How we get the fruits.

What’s to be done so we don’t lose it?  1:23

COLOSSIANS 1

Jump-Starters

1:4-5 a familiar triad

1:6  a sign of Christ’s return?

1:9-10 a mechanism for growth

1:15  “firstborn of all creation”

COLOSSIANS 1

Jump-Starters 3

Jesus is the “fullness,” and that makes all the difference  1:19

Jesus is the image of God.  1:15

Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. 1:15

COLOSSIANS 2

Jump Starters 1

Christ is the mystery (2:2)?

Two sets of problems at Colossae

“Shortcuts” for “walking” (2:7)

Relationship of covenants (2:14)

Marriage, parenting, and business are all interpersonal processes.

            These relationships are specialized IP processes that have additional features.

            Additional features must be added in such a way that they do not vitiate their                                 underlying interpersonal character.

Theory of Christian leadership

Companion passages:  Colossians 3:18-4:1; Ephesians 5:22-6:9

What subjects are involved here?

What is headship/submission (correlative terms)?

Theory of Christian leadership

Three primary means of impacting other people’s actions:

The Book of Jonah is anything but “everyday.” It features extraordinary events we would seldom, if ever, see. God talks to Jonah like a next-door neighbor. He tells the prophet to travel to the capital of the Assyrian empire that controls the prophet’s nation. His mission is to warn those enemies that God is going to destroy them in forty days.

Religion is not good for some people; it just makes them worse by putting God on their side. Because they know the truth, they look down on other people’s ignorance with greater boldness. The tendency to consider themselves better than their neighbors is reinforced by the status they have as one of God’s people. That phenomenon is curious since sin is always some kind of self-centeredness. If “getting religion” only reinforces such attitudes, what good is it?

Good triumphs over evil.

            Good and evil are not equal opposites in power or legitimacy.

            Good and evil are not equally eternal. Evil has a beginning and an end.