QUESTIONS
1.What did Jesus tell His disciples when they questioned Him about the Parable of the Sower?
He said to them, ‘Do you not know [understand] this parable? and how then will you know [understand] all parables?’” (Mark 4:13). In other words, the Parable of the Sower is the key to unlocking the mysteries of all the other parables. If any message comes from the parable, it is the fact that when the gospel is preached, there are true and false conversions. This parable speaks of the thorny ground, the stony ground, and the good-soil hearers—the false and the genuine converts.
Once that premise has been established, the light of perception begins to dawn on Jesus’ other parables about the kingdom of God. If one grasps the principle of the true and false being alongside each other, then the other parabolic teachings make sense.
2.Name some of the parables Jesus told that speak of true and false conversions.
the Wheat and Tares (true and false), the Good Fish and Bad Fish (true and false), the Wise Virgins and the Foolish (true and false), and the Sheep and Goats (true and false).
3.When will false converts be exposed?
Notice that the good fish and the bad fish were in the net together. The world is not caught in the dragnet of the kingdom of heaven; they remain in the world. The “fish” that are caught are those who respond to the gospel—the evangelistic “catch.” They remain together until the Day of Judgment.
4.What damage can be done by a Christian who doesn’t understand that there is such a thing as a false conversion?
In their zeal without knowledge, those who prefer the ease of modern evangelism to biblical evangelism betray the cause of the gospel with a kiss. What may look like love for the sinner’s welfare is in truth eternally detrimental to him.
Like Peter (Luke 22:51), our zeal without knowledge is actually cutting off the ears of sinners. Those we erroneously call “backsliders” won’t listen to our reasonings. As far as they are concerned, they have tried it once, and it didn’t work. What a victory for the prince of darkness, and what an unspeakable tragedy for the church!
5.How can we make sure we are not responsible for bringing false converts into the church?
False converts lack genuine contrition for sin. They make a profession of faith but are deficient in biblical repentance—“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). A true convert, however, has a knowledge of sin and has godly sorrow, truly repents, and produces the “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9). This is evident by the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of righteousness, etc.
*They must see themselves as God does (via the Law) to drive them to true repentence and faith in Christ.
Memory Verse
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
MATTHEW 10:32,33
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Lesson 18: The Sinner's Prayer
QUESTIONS
1. How can we “guide the head” in a spiritual birth?
As long as there are no complications when a child is born, all the doctor needs to do is guide the head. The same applies spiritually. When someone is “born of God,” all we need to do is guide the head—make sure that the person understands what he is doing.
2. Why is this understanding important?
Philip the evangelist did this with the Ethiopian eunuch when he asked, “Do you understand what you read?” (Acts 8:30).
In the Parable of the Sower, the true convert (the “good soil” hearer) is the one who hears “and understands.”
3. Where does this understanding come from?
This understanding comes by the Law (Romans 7:7) in the hand of the Spirit, who will “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). If a sinner is ready for the Savior, it is because he has been drawn by the Holy Spirit (John 6:44). This is why we must be careful to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work and not rush in where angels fear to tread. Praying a sinner’s prayer with someone who isn’t genuinely repentant may leave you with a stillborn on your hands. Therefore, rather than lead him in a prayer of repentance, it is wise to encourage him to pray himself.
4. Why are the sinner’s words not important?
When Nathan confronted David about his sin, he didn’t lead the king in a prayer of repentance. If a man committed adultery, and his wife is willing to take him back, should you have to write out an apology for him to read to her? No; sorrow for his betrayal of her trust should spill from his lips. She doesn’t want eloquent words, but simply sorrow of heart. The essence of his apology should be something like this: “Please forgive me. I have betrayed your trust. I am so sorry.” The same applies to a prayer of repentance. If a person is genuinely repentant (he has sorrow of heart and his mouth is stopped from self-justification), he should pray himself; his words aren’t as important as the presence of “godly sorrow.”
5. Does your church invite sinners to the altar, or to the Savior?
If you study the ministry of Charles Spurgeon, you will find that he invited men and women to come to Christ, not to an altar. Listen to him invite sinners to come to the Savior:
Before you leave this place, breathe an earnest prayer to God, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, I need to be saved. Save me. I call upon Thy name...Lord, I am guilty, I deserve Thy wrath. Lord, I cannot save myself. Lord, I would have a new heart and a right spirit, but what can I do? Lord, I can do nothing, come and work in me to do of Thy good pleasure.
Thou alone hast power, I know To save a wretch like me; To whom, or whither should I go If I should run from Thee?
But I now do from my very soul call upon Thy name. Trembling, yet believing, I cast myself wholly upon Thee, O Lord. I trust the blood and righteousness of Thy dear Son...Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus’ sake.”
Memory Verse
“No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
JOHN 6:44
1. How can we “guide the head” in a spiritual birth?
As long as there are no complications when a child is born, all the doctor needs to do is guide the head. The same applies spiritually. When someone is “born of God,” all we need to do is guide the head—make sure that the person understands what he is doing.
2. Why is this understanding important?
Philip the evangelist did this with the Ethiopian eunuch when he asked, “Do you understand what you read?” (Acts 8:30).
In the Parable of the Sower, the true convert (the “good soil” hearer) is the one who hears “and understands.”
3. Where does this understanding come from?
This understanding comes by the Law (Romans 7:7) in the hand of the Spirit, who will “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). If a sinner is ready for the Savior, it is because he has been drawn by the Holy Spirit (John 6:44). This is why we must be careful to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work and not rush in where angels fear to tread. Praying a sinner’s prayer with someone who isn’t genuinely repentant may leave you with a stillborn on your hands. Therefore, rather than lead him in a prayer of repentance, it is wise to encourage him to pray himself.
4. Why are the sinner’s words not important?
When Nathan confronted David about his sin, he didn’t lead the king in a prayer of repentance. If a man committed adultery, and his wife is willing to take him back, should you have to write out an apology for him to read to her? No; sorrow for his betrayal of her trust should spill from his lips. She doesn’t want eloquent words, but simply sorrow of heart. The essence of his apology should be something like this: “Please forgive me. I have betrayed your trust. I am so sorry.” The same applies to a prayer of repentance. If a person is genuinely repentant (he has sorrow of heart and his mouth is stopped from self-justification), he should pray himself; his words aren’t as important as the presence of “godly sorrow.”
5. Does your church invite sinners to the altar, or to the Savior?
If you study the ministry of Charles Spurgeon, you will find that he invited men and women to come to Christ, not to an altar. Listen to him invite sinners to come to the Savior:
Before you leave this place, breathe an earnest prayer to God, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, I need to be saved. Save me. I call upon Thy name...Lord, I am guilty, I deserve Thy wrath. Lord, I cannot save myself. Lord, I would have a new heart and a right spirit, but what can I do? Lord, I can do nothing, come and work in me to do of Thy good pleasure.
Thou alone hast power, I know To save a wretch like me; To whom, or whither should I go If I should run from Thee?
But I now do from my very soul call upon Thy name. Trembling, yet believing, I cast myself wholly upon Thee, O Lord. I trust the blood and righteousness of Thy dear Son...Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus’ sake.”
Memory Verse
“No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
JOHN 6:44
Lesson 17: Personal Witnessing - How Jesus Did It
QUESTIONS
1. What are the four principles of evangelism that Jesus demonstrated with the woman at the well?
Relate, Create, Convict, Reveal
2. List some different ways to relate in the natural realm to sinners.
Most of us can strike up a conversation with a stranger in the natural realm. It may be a friendly “How are you doing?” or a sincere “Good morning!” If the person responds with a sense of warmth, we may then ask, “Do you live around here?” and from there develop a conversation.
3. Why can you ask if someone has kept the Ten Commandments without it seeming confrontational?
“Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?” Most people think they have, so quickly follow with, “Have you ever told a lie?” This is confrontational, but if it’s asked in a spirit of love and gentleness, there won’t be any offense. This is because the “work of the Law [is] written in their hearts” and their conscience will also bear “witness” (Romans 2:15).
4. Why doesn’t our unbelief negate reality?
“I don’t believe in hell.” Gently respond, “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face God on Judgment Day whether you believe in it or not. If I step onto the freeway when a massive truck is heading for me and I say, ‘I don’t believe in trucks,’ my lack of belief isn’t going to change reality.” Then tenderly tell him he has already admitted to you that he has lied, stolen, and committed adultery in his heart, and that God gave him a conscience so he would know right from wrong. His conscience and the conviction of the Holy Spirit will do the rest. That’s why it is essential to draw out an admission of guilt before you mention Judgment Day or the existence of hell.
5. Why can the sinner not rely on God’s “goodness” to save him?
He thinks that God is “good,” and that He will, therefore, overlook sin in his case. Point out that if a judge in a criminal case has a guilty murderer standing before him, the judge, if he is a good man, can’t just let him go. He must ensure that the guilty man is punished. If God is good, He must (by nature) punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and those who have lived in rebellion to the inner light that God has given to every man.
6. At what point in the evangelism process should you talk about the Savior? Why?
Once the Law has humbled the person, he is ready for grace. The Bible says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The gospel is for the humble. Only the sick need a physician, and only those who will admit that they have the disease of sin will truly embrace the cure of the gospel. Learn how to present the work of the cross—that God sent His Son to suffer and die in our place, and that Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. Take the person back to civil law and say, “It’s as simple as this: We broke God’s Law, and Jesus paid our fine. If you will repent and trust in the Savior, God will forgive your sins and dismiss your case.”
Memory Verse
“Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
JOHN 4:13,14
1. What are the four principles of evangelism that Jesus demonstrated with the woman at the well?
Relate, Create, Convict, Reveal
2. List some different ways to relate in the natural realm to sinners.
Most of us can strike up a conversation with a stranger in the natural realm. It may be a friendly “How are you doing?” or a sincere “Good morning!” If the person responds with a sense of warmth, we may then ask, “Do you live around here?” and from there develop a conversation.
3. Why can you ask if someone has kept the Ten Commandments without it seeming confrontational?
“Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?” Most people think they have, so quickly follow with, “Have you ever told a lie?” This is confrontational, but if it’s asked in a spirit of love and gentleness, there won’t be any offense. This is because the “work of the Law [is] written in their hearts” and their conscience will also bear “witness” (Romans 2:15).
4. Why doesn’t our unbelief negate reality?
“I don’t believe in hell.” Gently respond, “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face God on Judgment Day whether you believe in it or not. If I step onto the freeway when a massive truck is heading for me and I say, ‘I don’t believe in trucks,’ my lack of belief isn’t going to change reality.” Then tenderly tell him he has already admitted to you that he has lied, stolen, and committed adultery in his heart, and that God gave him a conscience so he would know right from wrong. His conscience and the conviction of the Holy Spirit will do the rest. That’s why it is essential to draw out an admission of guilt before you mention Judgment Day or the existence of hell.
5. Why can the sinner not rely on God’s “goodness” to save him?
He thinks that God is “good,” and that He will, therefore, overlook sin in his case. Point out that if a judge in a criminal case has a guilty murderer standing before him, the judge, if he is a good man, can’t just let him go. He must ensure that the guilty man is punished. If God is good, He must (by nature) punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and those who have lived in rebellion to the inner light that God has given to every man.
6. At what point in the evangelism process should you talk about the Savior? Why?
Once the Law has humbled the person, he is ready for grace. The Bible says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The gospel is for the humble. Only the sick need a physician, and only those who will admit that they have the disease of sin will truly embrace the cure of the gospel. Learn how to present the work of the cross—that God sent His Son to suffer and die in our place, and that Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. Take the person back to civil law and say, “It’s as simple as this: We broke God’s Law, and Jesus paid our fine. If you will repent and trust in the Savior, God will forgive your sins and dismiss your case.”
Memory Verse
“Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
JOHN 4:13,14
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Lesson 16: The Necessity of Repentance
QUESTIONS
1.Why do you think it would be easier to tell sinners to “believe” than to tell them they need to repent?
To simply "believe" allows a sinner to hold Jesus in one hand while choosing to continue to hold their sinful ways in the other. Telling someone they need to repent means they need to acknowledge they are doing wrong (not easy) before they will be motivated to truly turn around (repent).
2.How did the old soldier sum up repentance?
An old soldier once summed up repentance this way: “God said, ‘Attention! About turn! Quick march!’”
3.Explain why salvation entails more than merely “believing in Jesus.”
It is true that numerous Bible verses speak of the promise of salvation with no mention of repentance. These verses merely tell us to “believe” on Jesus Christ and we shall be saved (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). However, the Bible makes it clear that God is holy and man is sinful, and that sin makes a separation between the two (Isaiah 59:1,2). Without repentance from sin, wicked men cannot have fellowship with a holy God. We are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and until we forsake them through repentance, we cannot be made alive in Christ. The Scriptures speak of “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). We must turn from sin to the Savior. This is why Paul preached “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
Jesus said that He came to call “sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). The first public word He preached was “repent” (Matthew 4:17). John the Baptist began his ministry the same way (Matthew 3:2). Jesus told His hearers twice that without repentance, they would perish (Luke 13:3,5).
If belief is all that is necessary for salvation, then the logical conclusion is that one need never repent. However, the Bible tells us that a false convert “believes” and yet is not saved (Luke 8:13); he remains a “worker of iniquity.”
In his book One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven, Mark Cahill notes that, when witnessing to the lost, “if there is no desire to walk away from sin, the person is not really making a true heart commitment to the Savior. In John 6:44 Jesus says, ‘No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.’ If God is drawing someone to Him, He would also be drawing the person away from his sin.”
Look at the warning of Scripture: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). The Scriptures also say, “He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesses and forsakes them [repents] shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Jesus said that there was joy in heaven over one sinner who “repents” (Luke 15:10). If there is no repentance, there is no joy because there is no salvation.
4. Who does God command to repent? (See Acts 17:30.)
As Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, he commanded his hearers to repent “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Without repentance, there is no remission of sins; we are still under God’s wrath. Peter further said, “Repent... and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). We cannot be converted, or have our sins blotted out, unless we repent. God Himself “commands all men everywhere [leaving no exceptions] to repent” (Acts 17:30). Peter said a similar thing at Pentecost: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you” (Acts 2:38). Scripture says that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Clearly, those who do not repent will perish.
5. According to Scripture, what should we be preaching?
If repentance wasn’t necessary for salvation, why then did Jesus command that repentance be preached to all nations (Luke 24:47)? When He sent out His disciples two by two, they “preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12).
Memory Verse
“Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
ACTS 3:19
1.Why do you think it would be easier to tell sinners to “believe” than to tell them they need to repent?
To simply "believe" allows a sinner to hold Jesus in one hand while choosing to continue to hold their sinful ways in the other. Telling someone they need to repent means they need to acknowledge they are doing wrong (not easy) before they will be motivated to truly turn around (repent).
2.How did the old soldier sum up repentance?
An old soldier once summed up repentance this way: “God said, ‘Attention! About turn! Quick march!’”
3.Explain why salvation entails more than merely “believing in Jesus.”
It is true that numerous Bible verses speak of the promise of salvation with no mention of repentance. These verses merely tell us to “believe” on Jesus Christ and we shall be saved (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). However, the Bible makes it clear that God is holy and man is sinful, and that sin makes a separation between the two (Isaiah 59:1,2). Without repentance from sin, wicked men cannot have fellowship with a holy God. We are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and until we forsake them through repentance, we cannot be made alive in Christ. The Scriptures speak of “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). We must turn from sin to the Savior. This is why Paul preached “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
Jesus said that He came to call “sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). The first public word He preached was “repent” (Matthew 4:17). John the Baptist began his ministry the same way (Matthew 3:2). Jesus told His hearers twice that without repentance, they would perish (Luke 13:3,5).
If belief is all that is necessary for salvation, then the logical conclusion is that one need never repent. However, the Bible tells us that a false convert “believes” and yet is not saved (Luke 8:13); he remains a “worker of iniquity.”
In his book One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven, Mark Cahill notes that, when witnessing to the lost, “if there is no desire to walk away from sin, the person is not really making a true heart commitment to the Savior. In John 6:44 Jesus says, ‘No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.’ If God is drawing someone to Him, He would also be drawing the person away from his sin.”
Look at the warning of Scripture: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). The Scriptures also say, “He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesses and forsakes them [repents] shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Jesus said that there was joy in heaven over one sinner who “repents” (Luke 15:10). If there is no repentance, there is no joy because there is no salvation.
4. Who does God command to repent? (See Acts 17:30.)
As Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, he commanded his hearers to repent “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Without repentance, there is no remission of sins; we are still under God’s wrath. Peter further said, “Repent... and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). We cannot be converted, or have our sins blotted out, unless we repent. God Himself “commands all men everywhere [leaving no exceptions] to repent” (Acts 17:30). Peter said a similar thing at Pentecost: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you” (Acts 2:38). Scripture says that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Clearly, those who do not repent will perish.
5. According to Scripture, what should we be preaching?
If repentance wasn’t necessary for salvation, why then did Jesus command that repentance be preached to all nations (Luke 24:47)? When He sent out His disciples two by two, they “preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12).
Memory Verse
“Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
ACTS 3:19
Friday, December 30, 2011
Lesson 15: Our Ally, The Conscience
QUESTIONS
1. What does the word “conscience” mean?
The dictionary defines the conscience as “the human faculty that enables one to decide between right and wrong acts or behavior, especially in regard to one’s own conduct.” This is what the Bible is speaking of when it says that God has given “light” to every man. The word “conscience” (con + science) means “with knowledge.” Whenever we sin, we do so “with knowledge” that what we’re doing is wrong.
2. What is the function of the conscience?
Charles Spurgeon said, “The conscience of a man, when he is really quickened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth. It rings the great alarm bell. And if he turns over in his bed, that great alarm bell rings out again and again, ‘The wrath to come! The wrath to come! The wrath to come.’”
3. How do sinners dull the voice of their conscience?
The problem is that sin is so enticing to the lost that they prefer to live in darkness rather than remain in the light of the conscience. To the lost, the conscience is a “party pooper.” Many people snuff out the light and abandon themselves to the dark world of sin, not realizing the terrible consequences of their actions. As A. W. Tozer wrote, idolatry (making a god to suit ourselves) leads to a dulled conscience:
God’s justice stands forever against the sinner in utter severity. The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions. It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws every day nearer and the command to repent goes unregarded. As responsible moral beings, we dare not so trifle with our eternal future. (The Knowledge of the Holy)
4. How can you (with God’s help) awaken a conscience?
Thank God that He has given us something to do the job—it is the rousing sound of the ten cannons of His Law that stirs the sleeping conscience. Charles Spurgeon said, “The conscience of a man, when he is really quickened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth. It rings the great alarm bell. And if he turns over in his bed, that great alarm bell rings out again and again, ‘The wrath to come! The wrath to come! The wrath to come.’”
Walter Chantry wrote, “The absence of God’s holy Law from modern preaching is perhaps as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches and missions. Only by the light of the Law can the vermin of sin in the heart be exposed. Satan has effectively used a very clever device to silence the Law, which is needed as an instrument to bring perishing men to Christ. It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual Law of God; for, until we learn how to wound consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with gospel bandages” (Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?).
It’s been said that the conscience is the headline warning of sin, while the Law is the fine print. The spiritual nature of the Law gives the details to what the conscience already knows. When the Law is preached, the conscience affirms its truth. You can see this verified when using the Law, as the sinner’s head nods in affirmation of each Commandment.
Unfortunately, in modern evangelism, few believers address the sin-ner’s conscience as we should. Spurgeon said, “In many ministries, there is not enough of probing the heart and arousing the conscience by the revelation of man’s alienation from God, and by the declaration of the selfishness and the wickedness of such a state.”
It was the use of God’s Law, when applied to the conscience, that was the key to great revivals of the past. Martyn Lloyd-Jones noted this fact:
The trouble with people who are not seeking for a Savior, and for salvation, is that they do not understand the nature of sin. It is the peculiar function of the Law to bring such an understanding to a man’s mind and conscience. That is why great evangelical preachers 300 years ago in the time of the Puritans, and 200 years ago in the time of Whitefield and others, always engaged in what they called a preliminary “Law work.”
5. According to John Wesley, what is “the ordinary method of the Spirit”?
He said,
It is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God to convict sinners by the Law. It is this which, being set home on the conscience, generally breaks the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of the Word of God which is quick and powerful, full of life and energy and sharper than any two-edged sword.
6. What are some phrases you can use in addressing the conscience?
Ask if they have kept 3 or 4 of the Ten Commandments. Its from God, for us.
Memory Verse
“Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.”
ROMANS 2:15
1. What does the word “conscience” mean?
The dictionary defines the conscience as “the human faculty that enables one to decide between right and wrong acts or behavior, especially in regard to one’s own conduct.” This is what the Bible is speaking of when it says that God has given “light” to every man. The word “conscience” (con + science) means “with knowledge.” Whenever we sin, we do so “with knowledge” that what we’re doing is wrong.
2. What is the function of the conscience?
Charles Spurgeon said, “The conscience of a man, when he is really quickened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth. It rings the great alarm bell. And if he turns over in his bed, that great alarm bell rings out again and again, ‘The wrath to come! The wrath to come! The wrath to come.’”
3. How do sinners dull the voice of their conscience?
The problem is that sin is so enticing to the lost that they prefer to live in darkness rather than remain in the light of the conscience. To the lost, the conscience is a “party pooper.” Many people snuff out the light and abandon themselves to the dark world of sin, not realizing the terrible consequences of their actions. As A. W. Tozer wrote, idolatry (making a god to suit ourselves) leads to a dulled conscience:
God’s justice stands forever against the sinner in utter severity. The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions. It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws every day nearer and the command to repent goes unregarded. As responsible moral beings, we dare not so trifle with our eternal future. (The Knowledge of the Holy)
4. How can you (with God’s help) awaken a conscience?
Thank God that He has given us something to do the job—it is the rousing sound of the ten cannons of His Law that stirs the sleeping conscience. Charles Spurgeon said, “The conscience of a man, when he is really quickened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth. It rings the great alarm bell. And if he turns over in his bed, that great alarm bell rings out again and again, ‘The wrath to come! The wrath to come! The wrath to come.’”
Walter Chantry wrote, “The absence of God’s holy Law from modern preaching is perhaps as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches and missions. Only by the light of the Law can the vermin of sin in the heart be exposed. Satan has effectively used a very clever device to silence the Law, which is needed as an instrument to bring perishing men to Christ. It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual Law of God; for, until we learn how to wound consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with gospel bandages” (Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?).
It’s been said that the conscience is the headline warning of sin, while the Law is the fine print. The spiritual nature of the Law gives the details to what the conscience already knows. When the Law is preached, the conscience affirms its truth. You can see this verified when using the Law, as the sinner’s head nods in affirmation of each Commandment.
Unfortunately, in modern evangelism, few believers address the sin-ner’s conscience as we should. Spurgeon said, “In many ministries, there is not enough of probing the heart and arousing the conscience by the revelation of man’s alienation from God, and by the declaration of the selfishness and the wickedness of such a state.”
It was the use of God’s Law, when applied to the conscience, that was the key to great revivals of the past. Martyn Lloyd-Jones noted this fact:
The trouble with people who are not seeking for a Savior, and for salvation, is that they do not understand the nature of sin. It is the peculiar function of the Law to bring such an understanding to a man’s mind and conscience. That is why great evangelical preachers 300 years ago in the time of the Puritans, and 200 years ago in the time of Whitefield and others, always engaged in what they called a preliminary “Law work.”
5. According to John Wesley, what is “the ordinary method of the Spirit”?
He said,
It is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God to convict sinners by the Law. It is this which, being set home on the conscience, generally breaks the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of the Word of God which is quick and powerful, full of life and energy and sharper than any two-edged sword.
6. What are some phrases you can use in addressing the conscience?
Ask if they have kept 3 or 4 of the Ten Commandments. Its from God, for us.
Memory Verse
“Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.”
ROMANS 2:15
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Lesson 14: The Ten Commandments, Part 10
the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet ...anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17)
QUESTIONS
1. What does it mean to covet?
Covetousness is perhaps the most subtle of sins. It seems minor compared to adultery, theft, or rape. However, before a man steals, he covets. Before he rapes or commits adultery, he covets. Covetousness is the spark that sets off the fuse of sin. It is a sin that lies close to the surface of every human being. Few children are content with ten pieces of candy when the child next to him gets eleven.
2. Why is the quiet sin of covetousness so harmful?
Covetousness is the bedfellow of jealousy, greed, and lust.
It was this quiet sin that found a place in the heart of King David, rich and blessed though he was. His covetous eye roamed toward another man’s wife, and opened the door to a multitude of sins.
3. What is the opposite of covetousness? (See Hebrews 13:5.)
Scripture admonishes us to “be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have” (Hebrews 13:5).
4. What can we learn from Psalm 23 about this sin?
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul...
5. Are there some areas in which you are guilty of this sin?
Yes. Money, travel...
6. Why do you think covetousness is so prevalent?
Its inward, a matter of the mind, hidden thoughts from others (but not God).
Matthew Henry said, “The Tenth Commandment strikes at the root; Thou shalt not covet. The others forbid all desire of doing what will be an injury to our neighbour; this forbids all wrong desire of having what will gratify ourselves.”
Memory Verse
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
1 JOHN 2:15
QUESTIONS
1. What does it mean to covet?
Covetousness is perhaps the most subtle of sins. It seems minor compared to adultery, theft, or rape. However, before a man steals, he covets. Before he rapes or commits adultery, he covets. Covetousness is the spark that sets off the fuse of sin. It is a sin that lies close to the surface of every human being. Few children are content with ten pieces of candy when the child next to him gets eleven.
2. Why is the quiet sin of covetousness so harmful?
Covetousness is the bedfellow of jealousy, greed, and lust.
It was this quiet sin that found a place in the heart of King David, rich and blessed though he was. His covetous eye roamed toward another man’s wife, and opened the door to a multitude of sins.
3. What is the opposite of covetousness? (See Hebrews 13:5.)
Scripture admonishes us to “be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have” (Hebrews 13:5).
4. What can we learn from Psalm 23 about this sin?
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul...
5. Are there some areas in which you are guilty of this sin?
Yes. Money, travel...
6. Why do you think covetousness is so prevalent?
Its inward, a matter of the mind, hidden thoughts from others (but not God).
Matthew Henry said, “The Tenth Commandment strikes at the root; Thou shalt not covet. The others forbid all desire of doing what will be an injury to our neighbour; this forbids all wrong desire of having what will gratify ourselves.”
Memory Verse
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
1 JOHN 2:15
Monday, December 26, 2011
Lesson 13: The Ten Commandments, Part 9
the Ninth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16)
1.What is the dictionary definition of a lie?
The dictionary defines a lie as a false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood; something intended to deceive or give a wrong impression.
2.What is the difference between a lie and discretion?
There is a big difference between discretion (wise self-restraint in speech) and lying (a false statement intended to deceive), and that God knows the difference.
3.Do you think it is ever okay for a Christian to tell a lie in order to protect someone? Why or why not?
It depends on the circumstances. Perhaps the answer is that it is the motive that matters. However, the issue depends on the conscience of each individual. We should pray for solutions that would arise outside of these unique circumstances.
4.What is the difference between a white lie, a half-truth, a fib, and an exaggeration?
There is no difference between a white lie, a half-truth, a fib, or an exaggeration. All are lies in the sight of God.
5.How many lies must one tell to be a liar?
How many murders does one have to commit to be a murderer? Just one. In the same way, if they have told even one lie, no matter what color or size, that makes them a liar.
6.What will happen to all liars?
The path of lies is often the easy path, but it leads to hell. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). What a fearful thought! People may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does. It should break our hearts to even think of the fate of the ungodly.
Memory Verse
“A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape.”
PROVERBS 19:5
1.What is the dictionary definition of a lie?
The dictionary defines a lie as a false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood; something intended to deceive or give a wrong impression.
2.What is the difference between a lie and discretion?
There is a big difference between discretion (wise self-restraint in speech) and lying (a false statement intended to deceive), and that God knows the difference.
3.Do you think it is ever okay for a Christian to tell a lie in order to protect someone? Why or why not?
It depends on the circumstances. Perhaps the answer is that it is the motive that matters. However, the issue depends on the conscience of each individual. We should pray for solutions that would arise outside of these unique circumstances.
4.What is the difference between a white lie, a half-truth, a fib, and an exaggeration?
There is no difference between a white lie, a half-truth, a fib, or an exaggeration. All are lies in the sight of God.
5.How many lies must one tell to be a liar?
How many murders does one have to commit to be a murderer? Just one. In the same way, if they have told even one lie, no matter what color or size, that makes them a liar.
6.What will happen to all liars?
The path of lies is often the easy path, but it leads to hell. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). What a fearful thought! People may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does. It should break our hearts to even think of the fate of the ungodly.
Memory Verse
“A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape.”
PROVERBS 19:5
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