Genesis 6:5–6 The LORD saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil. The LORD was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken. Isaiah 59:1–2 The LORD is not too weak to save or his ear too deaf to hear. But your wrongs have separated you from your God, and your sins have made him hide his face so that he doesn’t hear you. The very animals whose smell is most offensive to us have no idea that they are offensive, and are not offensive to one another. And man, fallen man, I believe, can have no just idea what a vile thing sin is in the sight of that God whose handiwork is absolutely perfect.
HOW DO YOU THINK GOD FEEL AS HE WATCHES YOU? DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT CAUSES GOD TO WISH HE NEVER MADE YOU.
OUR GOD IS GOOD TO US Romans 2:4 Do you have contempt for God, who is very kind to you, puts up with you, and deals patiently with you? Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act? Psalm 31:19 Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam’s descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you. Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to anyone who seeks help from him. Acts 14:17 Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.” Psalm 86:5 You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.
RELATIONSHIP THE POWER TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD John 1:12 is a powerful verse that speaks to the heart of Christian faith. It states: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This verse emphasizes that those who accept Jesus and believe in Him are granted the privilege of becoming children of God. It highlights the personal relationship believers can have with God—not just as followers, but as members of His family. The phrase “believed in his name” signifies trust in Jesus’ identity, authority, and mission. In biblical times, a name represented a person’s character and essence, so believing in Jesus’ name means placing faith in who He is and what He stands for. The verse also underscores the idea that this relationship is not earned through good deeds but is a gift received through faith. It offers hope and inclusion, assuring that anyone who accepts Christ can experience the love, guidance, and protection of being part of God’s family. Biblical adoption is a profound metaphor expressing how God welcomes believers into His family, not through human effort but by His gracious initiative. This concept means that once a person accepts Jesus and embraces faith, they are no longer outsiders but are granted full rights as children of God—complete with the privileges, protection, and love that come with this new identity. In the Old Testament, the idea of being God’s child was expressed mainly through declarations of special status. For instance, God referred to Israel as His firstborn, emphasizing a unique, chosen relationship with His people. Although legal adoption in the contemporary sense isn’t explicitly detailed in Jewish law, the imagery of God as a caring father laying claim to His children provided a firm foundation for understanding the intimate bond between God and His people. The New Testament, however, puts this idea into a cultural context familiar to its readers. In a Roman world with very defined legal procedures for adoption, the Apostle Paul uses the term derived from the Greek word huiothesia—meaning “to place as a son”—to describe how believers are received into God’s family. This adoption isn’t earned through deeds or merit; rather, it’s a gift emanating from God’s eternal plan and grace. Verses such as John 1:12 highlight that faith in Christ transforms individuals into God’s children, setting them free from slavery to sin and inaugurating a new status as heirs of divine blessing . This adoption carries not just legal and social implications but a deeply personal transformation. It represents a shift in identity—from alienation and separation from God to a relationship characterized by love, acceptance, and belonging. Believers gain the rights of sonship, which includes not only a spiritual inheritance that is everlasting but also a profound assurance of God’s presence and guidance throughout their lives. Biblical adoption, therefore, encapsulates both a present reality and a future promise. Presently, believers experience a renewed identity and relationship with God as His children. Looking forward, it speaks of a future inheritance and eternal fellowship—a hope that motivates many in their walk of faith.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS DEEP STUDY. DO YOU FEEL THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE THESE DEEP STUDIES.
LIFE AND DEATH Only in the Bible can any satisfying light be found on the mysterious and baffling subjects of life and death, Deut. 30:19. In the beginning God breathed life into the nostrils of the man He had created, Gen. 2:7. That breath was the spirit of man. “The body without the spirit is dead,” Jas. 2:26. The normal life span is 70 years, Psa. 90:10. Those who keep God’s precepts ordinarily live longer than those who do not, Prov. 3:1, 2. Life is likened to a shadow, Psa. 144:4, and a vapor, Jas. 4:14. “A sound heart is the life of the flesh,” Prov. 14:30. “The life of the flesh is in the blood,” Lev. 17:11. By one man came death through disobedience, Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12. Under the permissive will of God, Satan has the power of death, Job 2:6. The fear of it brings men into bondage, Heb. 2:14, 15. Death is an enemy which will finally be destroyed, 1 Cor 15:26. Christ has the keys to it, Rev. 1:18. It will be banished from God’s new order, Rev. 21:4. For believers, “to die is gain,” Phil. 1:21. For all others, after death there is judgment, Heb. 9:27. Like Enoch and Elijah, believers who are living at the time of the translation of the church will never die, 1 Cor. 15:51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:14–18. All unbelievers will ultimately experience the second death, Rev. 20:14, 15. THERE IS A LOT OF FOOD IN THIS QUICK REFRESHER. I HOPE YOU ENJOY AND RECEIVE FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Philippians 2:1-5 1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:1-5 is a powerful passage that emphasizes unity, humility, and selflessness among believers. Here’s a breakdown of its meaning: – Verse 1: Paul begins by reminding the Philippians of the encouragement, love, and fellowship they have in Christ. He appeals to their shared experience of God’s grace as a foundation for unity. – Verse 2: He urges them to be “like-minded,” having the same love and being united in spirit and purpose. This highlights the importance of harmony and working together in faith. – Verse 3: Paul warns against selfish ambition and pride, encouraging humility by valuing others above oneself. – Verse 4: He calls believers to look beyond their own interests and consider the needs of others, fostering a spirit of service and compassion. – Verse 5: Paul presents Jesus as the ultimate example of humility, urging believers to adopt His mindset—one of selfless love and sacrifice. This passage teaches that true unity comes from humility and putting others first, following Christ’s example.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY COULDN’T CARE LESS ABOUT THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. DO YOU STRIVE TO OBEY THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE? DO YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOURSELF? ALLOW THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart. Spanking will remove it far from him. Proverbs 29:15 A spanking and a warning produce wisdom, but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother. Remember children are born with a decided bias toward evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong. The mother cannot tell what her tender infant may grow up to be—tall or short, weak or strong, wise or foolish: he may be any of these things or not—it is all uncertain. But one thing the mother can say with certainty: he will have a corrupt and sinful heart. It is natural to us to do wrong.… Our hearts are like the earth on which we tread; let it alone, and it is sure to bear weeds. Proverbs 29:17–18 Correct your son, and he will give you peace of mind. He will bring delight to your soul. Without prophetic vision people run wild, but blessed are those who follow ⸤God’s⸥ teachings. Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not turn away from it.
ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. TEACH YOUR CHILD THE WORD OF GOD, AND DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD.
Matthew 17:20 GW [20] He told them, “Because you have so little faith. I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Mark 9:23 GW [23] Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes. James 1:6-7 GW [6] When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. [7] A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord.
WE MUST HAVE FAITH IN GOD. OBEY, TRUST, BELEIVE, AND RECEIVE.
Psalm 103:8–14 The LORD is compassionate, merciful, patient, and always ready to forgive. He will not always accuse us of wrong or be angry ⸤with us⸥ forever. He has not treated us as we deserve for our sins or paid us back for our wrongs. As high as the heavens are above the earth— that is how vast his mercy is toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west— that is how far he has removed our rebellious acts from himself. As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him. He certainly knows what we are made of. He bears in mind that we are dust.
We are to walk: As children of light. Ephesians 5:8 Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light. As Christ walked. 1 John 2:6 Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived. Cautiously. Ephesians 5:15 So then, be very careful how you live. Don’t live like foolish people but like wise people. By faith, not sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight. In the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 Let me explain further. Live your life as your spiritual nature directs you. Then you will never follow through on what your corrupt nature wants.
IF WE ARE A CHRISTIAN, OUR LIFE SHOULD REFLECT CHRIST. HOW ARE YOU LIVING, CHECK YOURSELF.
Ephesians 2:8–9 God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it. Every religion, except one, puts you upon doing something in order to recommend yourself to God.… It is only the religion of Christ, which runs counter to all the rest, by affirming that we are saved and called with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the Father’s own purpose and grace, which was [not sold out to us on certain conditions to be fulfilled by ourselves, but was] given us, in Christ, before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9 God saved us and called us to be holy, not because of what we had done, but because of his own plan and kindness. Before the world began, God planned that Christ Jesus would show us God’s kindness.
OUR GOD LOVES US. OUR GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE. WE NEED OUR GOD. WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT GOD? HOW WOULD OUR LIFE BE WITHOUT GOD? THINK ABOUT IT.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves. You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
LET US RECOGNIZE WHO WE ARE AND WHOSE WE ARE. LET US LIVE OUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD
Believers are “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,” Rom. 8:17. Not only do they receive forgiveness of sins, but an inheritance as well, Acts 26:18. This is in contrast with the inheritance of Israel, which the OT identifies some scores of times as the land of Palestine, Ex. 32:13; Isa. 60:21. The Christian’s inheritance is said to be in Christ, Eph. 1:11, and “in light,” Col. 1:12. We are made fit for it by God the Father, Col. 1:12. The earnest or guarantee that we shall receive it is the Holy Spirit who, in the moment we are saved, seals us unto the day of redemption, Eph. 1:14. Believers are given their inheritance by reason of the fact that they have been born again into the family of God. It is described in brief but astonishing terms in 1 Pet. 1:3, 4. It is incorruptible, or beyond the reach of decay and ruin. It is undefiled, or beyond the reach of sin. It does not fade away, which puts it beyond the reach of time and change. It is reserved for us in heaven, so that it is beyond the reach of loss. Not only is our inheritance kept safely for us, but Scripture reveals that we who are to receive it are kept by the power of God until it becomes ours in the last time, 1 Pet. 1:5.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK STUDY.
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