All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
S.O.A.P. 6
Greetings all,
I will continue to try something on TheNET. I would like to see if we can engage in a Bible study using the forums. I hope to simulate a small group setting, but realize that there will be lag time. Here are the parameters that we will work with ... and this is open to everyone.
1) We are attempting to work our way through the gospel of John.
2) We will not tolerate negative comments made about a person or persons.
3) We are using the S.O.A.P. approach which = Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer.
... 3a) Scripture text from the Gospel of John using KJV (no copyright attached)
... 3b)Observations about the particular text. What is being said, what is going on, who is involved and what might be the points being made?
... 3c) Application of the text/teaching to our lives today.
... 3d) Prayer pertaining to that which we have sought to discern.
4) It is appropriate to ask questions along the way.
5) I operating as the facilitator and teacher of this online group/class, but want the open participation of others.
6) At the end of each week (Friday's) I will close the current one and start a new one.
This weeks discussion:
Joh 3:10-21 KJV Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? (11) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. (12) If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? (13) And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Views: 1199
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on
-
Greetings Bible students,
I believe that John 3:16 is the most important verse in the whole Bible. The entire Word of God supports the facts of this great verse.
And, I've always pictured verse 19 as walking into a dark room and switching on the light......and seeing all the roaches and critters scattering because of being exposed to the light.......Just like when Jesus started His ministry, the no-goodninks hated Him and tried to avoid Him.....just like they do today.
LT, you have to know - the Book of John is my favorite book of the Bible.
Grace and Peace.
-
Permalink Reply by Amanda on
-
In this passage, what jumps out at me is the importance of faith. I think I counted seven times the word believe in the form of believe or believeth.
Here, Jesus is still talking about being born again.
I think it really does matter what we believe about Jesus.
I think it really does matter if people see Jesus as having done all the work of saving them and that they aren't saved by any works, neither by their own, nor by works that they think God requires. This would mean doctrine matters a great deal, since what we believe matters. In fact, what I think Matthew 7:31-37 is teaching is about doctrine and not really about works themselves but about trusting in self (v. 22) instead of having a relationship dependent upon Christ (v. 23). They learn too late that salvation wasn't based on their performance, and that, in fact, any works done apart from Christ or not in Christ, aren't works of righteousness at all, but are just counted as lawlessness by God, since all of our own righteousness is as filthy rags in God's sight. In verse 19 of this passage it says the deeds of men are evil and they reject light because the light reproves evil deeds. Only when we are in Him can we be in truth and in light and do truth, and then our deeds are "wrought in God."
If I'm on the wrong track here or making wrong suppositions, or assumptions, please correct me. This is just what comes to my mind after reading the passage. I know I'm rambling. Sorry.
-
Permalink Reply by ribbon on
-
I cant grasp the "believing" part. Is believing , just "knowing" He is who He says He is? I mostly think I believe. .but, then again.. surely if I did believe... wouldn't I have no doubt that His promises are meant for everyone? How do you believe on Him? This kind of believing... doesn't it only come from the Holy Ghost drawing? I guess what I am trying to say... is .. I think I believe but yet my thought is condemnation . Isnt that hypocritical? Wanting to believe<-------
-
Permalink Reply by Seek on
-
Doubt is there for everyone at times. The father of the demon possessed boy said "I believe, help my unbelief". He doubted. Abraham BELIEVED. And yet when God told him that he and Sarah would bear a child and they waited and waited, he went along with Sarah's idea of having a child with Hagar and look where that got us.
I think belief hinges on whether one is doing evil and not trying to follow Christ's teachings, whether they have doubts or not. If they stay in the Word, those doubts will become less and less.
-
Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
-
There is a book by Josh McDowell entitled "Beyond Belief to Conviction." It is when our beliefs become convictions that they truly begin to affect and direct our lives.
In Scripture the Bible describes faith at several levels ... no faith, little faith, great faith, etc .... Therefore there is a growth in faith, a progression that takes place in our lives over time and is usually accompanied by many trials.
-
-
I think many hinge on "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." But if they truly read further: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already....and this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light.
People think that as long as they believe in Christ they shall not perish but we're told that he that believeth is NOT condemned. And those that do evil ARE condemned. They say they believe but do they really if they keep doing evil? God will heal them from this IF they let Him and they will start to believe more and more. But I think BELIEVING is more than just a word, it is something down in the heart that keeps one from wanting to do evil or loving darkness rather than light.
I have relatives who speak of God all the time as if they believe. They post messages of God on Facebook. And yet they curse, have sex outside of marriage, drink, smoke, commit adultery, never read the Bible and never attend church. They have heard the Gospel and say they believe, but their hearts are far from Him. And I pray they learn to really believe before it is too late.
-
-
The parable of the sower seems to indicate that there's a point where mere belief becomes true faith.
-
-
The parable of the sower seems to indicate that there's a point where mere belief becomes true faith
that's good to know..
-
-
Like the book mentioned by LT says, a person's attitudes and actions are rooted in what the person believes. If what is believed isn't really biblical truth, then no matter how much it is believed or how firmly it is held, then it's still wrong. I believe faith increases. For us all it is sown as a seed that must take root and grow. First are sprouts, as mentioned in the parable of the sower, where some endure only for awhile and die. Some of the sprouts are birthed into new life and then there is a harvest. Even in this new life, faith matures. That's what I mean by true faith -- the faith found in Ephesians 2:8-10, where good works follow. I see that, too, in the parable of the sower, where grain, or fruit, is produced. But I also think that wrong beliefs will lead to wrong convictions.
Mark 4
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Welcome to
All About GOD
The Good News
Meet Face-to-Face & Collaborate
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com.
Powered by
