Category Archives: Bible Study

Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt. 2: You Can't Build on Natural Knowledge

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Class #2:  Armed with only the truths taught by natural knowledge, man will know neither the essence nor the will of God. Natural knowledge does not create faith in the person and work of the Son, and thus it is impossible to know the Father(Mt 11:27). Ignorant of the promises of salvation in Jesus Christ, a person cannot have the required faith to please Him (Heb 11:6), which is a gift of God through the Word. Therefore, natural knowledge does not provide a foundation on which to build, but teaches us what we do not know: Who He is and what His will is toward us. For those things God has provided the reveal knowledge of His Word (1 Cor 2:7)

The Triune God has given natural knowledge for the sake of discipline(Rom 2:14-15), that we “seek the Lord” whom we don’t know by nature(Acts 14:15-17, 17:23-28) and that “men might be without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20).

Handout: God wills to be known and worshiped

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt. 1: Natural Knowledge

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Class #1:  God wills to be known and to be worshiped(faith, prayer, proclamation). By the work of creation God teaches that He exists. By the conscience grafted into the hearts of all men, He teaches the difference between those things which are honorable and shameful. Due to our sinful nature, this natural knowledge of God is not able to quiet the terrors of the conscience, and thus leaves man unsettled and with horrible unending doubts about who God is and what He requires.

Only through the revealed knowledge of God’s Word is there confidence that we are received into salvation with the Triune God through faith in the atoning work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Handout: God wills to be known and worshiped

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 61: Summary C

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Class #61, Part C:  In this study, we bring to a close our study of the book of Galatians.  We saw how the Book of Concord uses Galatians 5:1-4, 5:17-24, and 6:6-7 as proof texts for various doctrines.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 61
References: Galatians Ch 5 and 6
Outline: Galatians Outline
Galatians Test: Galarians Test
Galatians Test Answers: Galatians Test Answers

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 60: Summary-B

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Class #60, Part B:  In this study, we examine chapters 3 and 4 of the Galatians outline.  We saw how the Book of Concord uses Galatians 3:22, 3:24, and 3:27 as proof texts for various doctrines.

Overhead: Overhead for Class 59 – 60
References: Galatians Law as Custodian
Outline: Galatians Outline

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 59: Summary-A

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Class #59:  Now that we have finished a verse-by-verse look at the book of Galatians, we are getting the big picture by outlining the book.  We are also making note of the most quoted passages and the doctrines which these passages support.

References:  Galatians Outline

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 58: Galatians in the Book of Concord

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Class #58:  The book of Galatians is quoted or referenced about 64 times in the Book of Concord.   The Formula of Concord, included in the Book of Concord, gives a glowing evaluation of Dr. Martin Luther’s Commentary on the Book of Galatians.  The Christian Questions with Their Answers for Those Who Intend To Go To The Sacrament, an appendix to the Small Catechism,  makes two references to the book of Galatians.  The importance of this book in supporting the Reformation’s teaching of justification by grace through faith cannot be overstated.

This study is a special pre-summary of our Galatians class.  There will be one more class summarizing the whole book of Galatians.

References: 64 times in book of Concord

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 57: To The Contentious

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Class #57: St. Paul concludes his letter by stating that those false teachers who are not convinced by his letter and who wish to continue to argue about justification by faith alone are to be considered quarrelsome and contentious.  They may not remain in the congregation.  This teaching about faith in Christ, in which neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters at all, is the teaching of St. Paul, the Twelve Apostles, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

We also went through a list of passages in which St. Paul often concludes his letters with an admonition to persistent false teachers.  Some of the passages are used in the Scriptural practice of closed communion and some are used to determine church fellowship.

There will be one more class summarizing the whole book of Galatians.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 57
References: Palm Sunday Bulletin 2018 and State of Confession 2005
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 56: The Original Canon

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Class #56: As St. Paul summarizes his letter, he emphasizes the essence of those who are to be considered Christian.  It is not outward actions nor the presence or absence of the mark of circumcision–the very things in which the Judaizers boasted.  True Christians walk according to the “rule”(6:16, the Greek work is from canon).

The canon is not a rulebook for outward actions.  The canon is being a “new creation” (6:15).  It is “to be created like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24).  We are righteous through faith in Christ.  We show forth holiness as faith “expressing itself through love” (5:6).  St. Paul pronounces a benediction  of “peace and mercy” upon those who have this renewal of the mind worked by the Holy Spirit.

The believer has peace in his conscience with God, as well as God’s mercy to help in the midst of afflictions.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 56
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

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Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 55: A New Creation

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Class #55: In the work of Christ’s suffering and death on the cross, St. Paul will boast!  The cross of Christ is the instrument by which the believer is saved.  Through faith in Christ, I died with Christ(Col 2:20), and Christ lives in me(Gal 2:19-20).  In my conversion to Christ, the world’s sinful desires are killed off in me.

My new life in Christ is not characterized by circumcision or uncircumcision; those outward human activities profit me nothing.  The Christian is a new creation!  We are changed from within.  God gives us His Spirit(Gal 3:2), creates in us a new pure hearts (Ps 51:10), and we are made new in the attitude of our minds(Eph 4:23-24).

Overhead: Overheads for Class 55
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

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Galatians Bible Class #54: They Reject the Cross and Avoid Persecution

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Class #54: As St. Paul summarizes his letter, he wants the Galatians to know three things about the Judaizers, who were teaching falsely.  First, they were doing it out of pride that they might “make a good showing” before others and boast of their ability to win disciples after themselves.  Second, they were requiring the law so “that they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.”  Third, these false teachers require circumcision, but they don’t keep the whole law.  Gal. 5:3, “…every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.”

It is the second point which is most important.  In Galatians 5:11, St. Paul said, “And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.”  Any time you add a law requirement to the Gospel, the gospel ceases to be Gospel.   Gal 5:2, “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.”  The Judaizers were able to avoid persecution by saying salvation is by Jesus AND the keeping the law of circumcision.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 54
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

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