Simple Geometry 26 Feb 17

What does it take to please God and to be “saved”? How good do we have to be? Is it even possible to be good enough? In short, no. It’s not possible. Join us as we look at what it takes to please God and to be saved.

Image: Graph #1
Image: Graph #2
Image: Graph #3

Two important statements about faith:

  1. Salvation has always come by faith alone.
  2. Faith perseveres.

Two mistakes we make concerning faith:

  1. We try to use faith as a way to manipulate God.
  2. We abandon faith and make the New Testament a book of the law.
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  1. When you were growing up, what chores were you expected to do around the house? Did your parents pay you? How does that mentality work against our understanding of salvation by faith?
  2. Discuss Abraham’s life. See Genesis 15 for reference.
  3. Read Romans 4:1-3. On the surface, what “qualifications” would seem to make Abraham an example of righteousness? According to Paul, what really made Abraham righteous?
  4. Read Romans 4:4-12. What is the difference between a wage and a gift? What makes a gift special?
  5. Discuss circumcision in the life of a Jew. How does it compare to baptism for us? What point is Paul making in this passage about outward signs/works in regard to faith?
  6. Read Romans 4:13-17. What does salvation by faith mean for those trusting in salvation by  pedigree? In other words, for the person who says I’m saved because I’m a Jew, or I’m an American, or I grew up in a Christian home, etc… How do these verses affect their theology?
  7. Read Romans 4:18-25. There were times when Abraham thought he needed to “help” God, oftentimes struggling with the promise of God. How did his faith persevere?
  8. What does it mean for us to have persevering faith?

Speaker

Troy Knight

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