Tag: Holy Spirit

Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Letter on Christian Living—Paul to Ephesians

Living in the Image of God M05S19

Paul’s letter to Ephesians regarding Christian living provides a three-part message. The first part is a call to Christian living, where he calls every person to depart from sin and turn to Living in the Image of God. Christian living is based on the understanding that God creates every person to represent him in human interactions with others: to interact with others as God would interact with them if he lived in human form among them. The second part of the message declares that the Holy Spirit is our partner for Christian living and enables a person to receive and follow God’s guidance to fulfill his purpose for you in every situation. Paul provides advice on being filled with the Holy Spirit, to understand God’s purpose for you in interactions with others. The third segment of the message provides examples to illustrate the individual responsibilities in human interactions for Christian living; specifically, regarding compassion, peace, mercy, and motivation for and practice of righteousness.

Letter on Christian Living—Paul to Ephesians 22:23

In this bible study, we discuss a section of Paul’s letter to Ephesians, where he provides a three-part message regarding Christian living. The first part of the message is a call to Christian living. Paul calls every person to depart from sin and turn to Living in the Image of God: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” [Ephesians 4: 22–24].

The second part of the message explains that God provides the Holy Spirit as partner in Christian living [Ephesians 5:17–19]: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.”

In the third part of the message, Paul provides examples to describe the individual responsibilities in human interactions for Christian living. The examples include compassion, peace, mercy, motivation for righteousness, and several examples regarding practice of righteousness [Ephesians 5:4–5]: “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

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Living in the Image of God

Receiving God Guidance and Directive

Living in the Image of God M05S05

The bible provides understanding that God can communicate with an individual using several methods and chooses the method that is effective for a person and circumstance. In one example, he sent an angel to Philip to deliver a directive regarding interaction with an Ethiopian and, later, provided a second instruction directly to Philip through the Holy Spirit. In a second example regarding the Peter-Cornelius meeting; God sent an angel to Cornelius in a vision to deliver a directive that he should invite Peter to his home; interacted with Peter in a vision to convey a message that Gentiles are entitled to receive the Gospel; and later informed Peter through the Holy Spirit to accept an invitation from three men that had arrived to see him. In the interactions, God used two different methods to communicate two messages of different complexity to the same person. The study includes Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: that every person can receive the Holy Spirit; who connects directly to the Spirit of God, receives instructions from God, and interprets the instructions to provide God guidance and directives.

Receiving God Guidance and Directive 27:01

In this bible study, we discuss several examples to understand that God communicates with individuals using several methods. He chooses the method of communication that is effective for a person and circumstance.

We discuss an example regarding interactions between the apostle Philip and the Ethiopian Minister of the Treasury, when Philip received God guidance and directive to meet and interact with the minister, for the purpose of delivering the Gospel to him. God provided the instructions to Philip using two methods of communication, for the same person in different circumstances. First, he sent an angel to Philip to deliver the initial directive. Second, he delivered an instruction to Philip directly through the Holy Spirit.

In a second example, we discuss interactions regarding a meeting between Peter and Cornelius, when God sent Peter to deliver the Gospel to Cornelius. To prepare Cornelius for the meeting, God sent an angel to him in a vision to deliver a directive that he should invite Peter to his home. Thereafter, God used two encounters to prepare Peter. First, he interacted with Peter in a vision to convey a philosophical message that Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews) are entitled to receive the Gospel. Second, he informed Peter through the Holy Spirit that three men had arrived to deliver an invitation to him, the invitation was of God, and he should accept. In the interactions with Peter, God used two different methods to communicate two messages of different complexity to the same person.

The study concludes with information from Paul’s letter to Corinthians, regarding communication with God through the Holy Spirit. He informed the Corinthians, and us today, that every person can receive the Holy Spirit. Further, the Holy Spirit connects directly to the Spirit of God, receives instructions from God, and interprets the instructions to provide God guidance and directives to the person. Thus, every person can receive and follow God guidance and directives. Please watch the video discussion for more information regarding communicating with God through the Holy Spirit.

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Basis for Living in the Image of God, Living in the Image of God

Resources for Living in the Image of God

Living in the Image of God Module 01 Session 03

The Beatitudes describe the responsibility of every person to represent God in interactions with others and resources to empower a person to perform the responsibility. The first three Beatitudes explain how to access the resources: commit to God’s purpose of representing him in human interactions; recognize and accept total dependence on him; seek him in recognition of total dependence; and humble yourself before him that he may provide, guide, and direct your human capabilities to accomplish tasks that he assigns to you. The Holy Spirit will lead you to receive and follow God’s guidance and direction every time in every situation.

Living in the Image of God Module 01 Session 03 (5m 28s)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ explains every person’s responsibility to represent God in interactions with others. The first part of the sermon, referred to as the Beatitudes, describes the responsibility, God’s promise of blessing for those that perform the responsibility, and resources that he provides to empower every person to perform the responsibility. The first three Beatitudes describe how to access the resources (more detail under Following God Schedule by Living in His Image 2of2). The last six (i.e., Beatitudes 3–8) describe the responsibility in terms of God’s purpose for human interactions and relationships. This bible study focusses on accessing the resources.

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The Apostles

God Does Not Show Favoritism: Peter Visits Cornelius

Salvation for All: Jews and Non-Jews Alike

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This bible study focuses on the interaction between Peter and Cornelius, based on Acts 10 and 11. Their meeting marked the first time of taking the gospel to non-Jews (i.e., Gentiles). God prepared Cornelius for the meeting by sending an angel in human form through a vision to advise him to send for Peter. He prepared Peter also.

First, he told Peter through a vision that he should not reject any person that God has accepted. Second, the Holy Spirit told Peter to accept Cornelius’s invitation. During the meeting, witnessed by several friends and relatives of Cornelius and a few Jewish believers that accompanied Peter, the Holy Spirit came on all that heard Peter’s message, just like on the apostles at Pentecost.

Peter later returned to Jerusalem and faced criticism for interacting with uncircumcised men. He justified his actions in detail and explained that Jewish believers could not reject non-Jews that God accepted, because God had shown through his meeting with Cornelius that salvation through Christ is for all people—Jews and non-Jews alike. His explanations were satisfactory as the believers praised God for granting salvation to non-Jews.

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The Apostles

The Beginning of Fellowship of the Believers

God Understands Every Dialect of Every Language

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Bible Study Series on The Apostles

We begin a bible study series on The Apostles, focused on searching the activities of the apostles for principles and clues to enrich our understanding of the Christian basis for human interactions and relationships. Our study will be based on Acts but will call on any part of the bible that helps explain the apostles’ activities.

Fellowship of Believers

This bible study examines the beginnings of the early church, based in Jerusalem and referred to as Fellowship of the Believers. After the eleven apostles saw Christ ascend to heaven, they returned to Jerusalem and were joined by several others, bringing their total number to 120. They met daily at the temple courts, where the apostles taught the word of God and performed miracles and the people prayed and shared food and fellowship. We learn two principles based on their experience.

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