unit2_session5_personalstudyguide

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FALL 2012: Personal Study GuideEd StetzerGeneral EditorTrevin WaxManaging Editor


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A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L

Tese Christian leaders were part of a team who consulted on the creation of Te Gospel Project.

James MacDonald

Senior Pastor at Harvest BibleChapel, Chicago, IL

Daniel Akin

President of Southeastern BaptistTeological Seminary, WakeForest, NC

J.D. Greear

Pastor at Te Summit Church,Raleigh, NC

Eric Mason

Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship,Philadelphia, PA

Kimberly Thornbury

Dean of Students at UnionUniversity, Jackson, N

Jay Noh

Director of Missional Leadershipand Mobilization, ChicagoBaptist Association

Joe Thorn

Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship,St. Charles, IL

Juan Sanchez

Pastor of High Pointe BaptistChurch, Austin, X

Collin Hansen

Editorial director, Te GospelCoalition / editor-at-large,Christianity oday

THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE, FALL 2012

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1

PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM

EDITORIAL PROJECT LEADER: Chad Jordan

CONTENT EDITOR: Chad Jordan

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST: Edward A Craword

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Charles Long

CONTRACT GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Susan Maywald

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Scott Latta

STUDENT MINISTRY SPECIALIST: Paul Turner

Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, The Gospel

Project for Students, One LieWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-

0174; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com

MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jef Pratt

DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY: Ben Trueblood

DIRECTOR, SUNDAY SCHOOL: David Francis

Printed in the United States of America

The Gospel Project for Students (ISSN 1939-0742; Item 005508013) is

published quarterly by Li feWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza,

Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President.

2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.

For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay

Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville,

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We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for i ts end;

and truth, without any mix ture of error, for its matter and that all

Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWays doctrinal

guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline .

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the

Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003,

2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quota -

tions marked (NIV) are f rom the Holy Bible, New International Version,copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New

Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permi ssion of Tyndale House

Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reser ved.


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44 TGP Personal Study Guide

SESSION 5

GODS LAW FOR LIFE

I you were surrounded by a mineeld, would you want to

know where the sae areas were? I some areas had been

cleared o the bombs, wouldnt you want to know? There is

great reedom in knowing the diference between saety and

destruction. I someone placed a ence around the sae zone

so you could reely play, wouldnt you be appreciative? Why then

do we eel so restricted by Gods laws? They were written out o

love, designed to protect us and highlight our need or a Savior.Some people view Gods law as limiting rather than

liberating, but within the Bibles story line, we can see the law

as a description o a lie o joyous reedom under the God who

has made us. The law clearly explains Gods standard or our

relationship to Him and to others, spotlighting Gods holiness

while exposing our ailures and aults. The law reveals our need

or salvation but is powerless to save us. The gospel message is

that even as God legislates, He points us to Jesus, who has kept

the law in our place, thereby making our obedience possible.


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READY YOUR HEART

4FALL 2012

Ex. 20:1-2 Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you outof the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

HAVE YOU EVER STAYED UP LATE working on a paper because it was due the next

day? You nish typing as the sun comes up and struggle with the printer, because theynever work right when you are late or something You rush everything else to makesure you are in class on time to turn in your masterpiece You havent slept or what

eels like days, you need a shower, but you made it You turned your paper in on timeAs class starts, you proudly hand in your paper Most o the class is prepared, but a

couple o students arent Rather than docking their grade, the teacher simply says notto worry about the paper How do you eel now? Has your attitude toward the teacher

changed? Does it seem right that some students were allowed to not turn it in? Youlearn something about the character o the teacher by how he handles that situation

When it comes to God, the behaviors, attitudes, and expectations He has or us,

which are set orth in His Law, serve as a refection o His own character I God wereto be unconcerned about our wicked ways, what would that indicate about His own

character? It would not refect the act that He is holy, righteous, and just in all His waysBut when God is appalled at our idolatry, lying, stealing, murdering, and coveting, we

begin to grasp something o His own nature and characterThroughout Scripture we see and learn about the character attributes o God He is

described as the highest measure o all wisdom, love, righteousness, justice, jealousy,wrath, mercy, and other attributes But the only attribute that is used three successive

times to describe Gods character is holy In Isaiah 6:3 the prophet gets a peek o thethrone room o God and hears the angels declaring to one another, Holy, holy, holy isthe Lord o Hosts When describing what their eyes beheld, the angels only described

one attribute o God: holy Because our Triune God is holy holy holy, He must set orth amoral standard which refects that holiness When we read the Law and see what God

expects o us in our character, we learn about His own character He is the One TrueGod, holy in all His ways, and He calls us to be holy as He is holy (Lev 20:26)

HIS PEOPLE, HIS STANDARDS

PAUSE AND REFLECT Would you rather God not require holiness? Why or why

not? We are His peoplewhy do we think we should

determine the standard? Since you have no capability to be holy, what do you do? How can you achieve His standard?


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READY YOUR HEART

Do not have other gods besides Me.

Do not make an idol for yourself.

Do not misuse the name of the Lordyour God.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Honor your father and your mother.

Do not murder.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal.

Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Do not covet.

For an exact reading o the 10 Commandments, see Ex. 20:3-17

THERE ARE FEW THINGS WORSE than being ignorant o the expectations Can you

imagine starting a class and not knowing your teachers expectations? Imagine comingin and being clueless about what your teacher wants you to accomplish Envision the

end o the year approaching and your teacher walks up one day to inorm you that youhave ailed the class Yes, you did well on the exams, but you ailed to meet additionalrequirements and will be orced to repeat the class I suspect you would be a little

rustrated that you were never told what was expected o youIn lie, we will nd ourselves in situations and circumstances where non-

communicated expectations exist It happens in relationships with riends, parents,

teachers, and employers In those situations, where we are being held accountable tonon-communicated expectations, we have a right to voice our concerns However, whenit comes to Gods standard o expectations, we are not clueless God has not let us

without instruction on how we are to relate to Him or othersGods law teaches us about how we are to walk with Him through lie We do not

have to wonder what He expects o uswe can turn to His Word, look at His Law, and see

His expectations Not only are we inormed about how to walk with Him, but also how totreat others We know what is orbidden and what is encouraged May we be people who

look to Gods perect Law to guide us in how we are to relate to God and others

PAUSE AND REFLECT Do you nd reedom and love in God setting His

expectations or do you nd slavery? How can a list o restrictions be loving? Protective? Have your parents ever prohibited you rom doing

something or going somewhere and later you werethankul they did?

GODS LAW TEACHES US HOW TO

RELATE TO GOD AND OTHERS


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READY YOUR HEART

4FALL 2012

MANY ASSUME that because God has orgiven the sins o those who have repentedand placed aith in Jesus, that He must have somehow lowered the standard This is

not true The standard o God is perection Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, Be perect,thereore, as your heavenly Father is perect Jesus is not speaking metaphorically

when he tells us that the standard is perection He is showing the standard He livedthe standard and the exact same standard is expected o us

Complete perection is the expectation by which God judges, and will judge, every

human being That means you, just in case you were wondering With that in mind, thinkback over your last 24 hours How many times did you all short o perection? Please

note it only takes one mistake to erase perection Just like in sports, one loss meansyou arent undeeated One loss isnt bad, but it isnt perect This whole ordeal brings to

light our desperate situation We are not perect Many believe that God judges basedon the measuring scale o our good deeds versus our bad ones I the good outweighsthe bad, we are good But James 2:10 reminds us that, For whoever keeps the entire law,

yet ails in one point, is guilty o breaking it all This means that even one breaking o thelaw has burdened us with the responsibility and guilt o all o it

This is why we need grace Grace is unmerited avor God shows us unmerited avorby choosing to treat us as Christ deserved to be treated: as a son And he treated Christ

as we deserve to be treated: as law-breaking sinners God never lowers the standard operection or salvation; instead he imputes to us the perection o His Son and imputes

to His Son our unrighteousness This is grace and yes, it is quite amazing!

GOD ASKS FOR COMPLETE

OBEDIENCE, WHICH IS WHY WE

DESPERATELY NEED HIS GRACE

PAUSE AND REFLECT As you think about the standard God requires and the

punishment or alling short, do you appreciate whatJesus did or you a little more?

He didnt sufer guratively, He sufered physically oryou. How does this change your afection toward Him?

How can you demonstrate your afection or Christ?


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Gods moral standard...Like Israel, we have been rescued from thetyranny of Satan and our slavery to sin. Godhas shown us amazing grace in adopting usinto His family. Today, as we look back tothe law given to Israel, we will grow in our

understanding of who God is and see Hisloving purpose in giving the law.

Refects His Character

Guides AllRelationships.I we are going to understand Gods purpose in givithe Ten Commandments, then we need to see howthey are structured. The frst our ocus verticallyon our relationship to God. The last six ocushorizontally on our relationship to others. Togethethey guide every relationship we could have.

When it comes to Godpeople, God does not

just leave the issue oright and wrong orus to decide. He hasa righteous standardthat fows out o whoHe is. I we are to be irelationship with Gowe must come to Himon His terms and notour own.

God did not just deliver Israelrom the bondage o Egypt, He delivered them into Hisown presence! They were saved rom slavery or God.Gods love is signifed not only in His delivering us romthe bondage o sin but also in His expectations o fdelityrom us.

In what ways does understanding Gods intentionbehind the law help us in our desire to be obedient?

How does this keep us from reducing the law to justrules and regulations?

In Exodus 20, we see God communicating

clearly (through Moses) to all of Israel about Hisexpectations of them.

Why do many people have a deep aversionto the idea that God would command us todo or not do certain things?

How can we demonstrate that Gods moralstandard is rooted in love?

I we are Gods people,shouldnt we ollowHis directions or lie?

Does our identityshape our behavioror does our behaviorshape our identity?

How do identity andbehavior relate toeach other?


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When properly understood,Gods law provides freedom within itsconstraints and boundaries. Turn thesecommandments around and you see thefreedom that comes from keeping them.You are free to love and commune with the

only God who is really God! You are free tolove others above yourself!

What reedoms are given through theTen Commandments?

In what ways do rules in your houseactually provide reedom or your amilymembers?

Just as the commandmentshave both a vertical andhorizontal orientation, violationo the Ten Commandments hasboth vertical and horizontalconsequences. Break onecommandment and its like a

house o cards: they all cometumbling down!

Reveals Our Need

forGrace.The apostle Paul notes in Romans 3:23 thatall of humanity has fallen short of Godsstandard set forth in the law. Even partialobedience equals complete disobedience.

ConclusionOnce upon a time, you were living as an orphan, destitute andimpoverished with regard to Gods righteous standard. But God came toyou. He adopted you and gave you a new identity. As He welcomed you intHis family, He gave you guidelines to live by.

Consider the reasons or Gods git o the law. What does obeyingGod have to do with our mission as Christs ollowers?

How can we emphasize obedience in a way that makes clear the neeor heartelt, inside-out transormation and not merely legalism?

What areas o your lie need to be brought in line with Christsperect lie?

In what ways do youstated belies andyour actual practicecontradict oneanother?

Even though webelieve certain actioto be wrong, we stildo them. What doesthis tell us about ouneed or the gospel

Gods purposefor the law was alwaysto lead us to Christ.Our proper response isto believe it and thenlean upon Him for ourgrowth in obedienceand to trust Him for thepower to accomplish themission He has given us.

What are some examples wsee in society o how breakione commandment leads tobreaking another?

How has disobedience in

one area o your lie led todisobedience in other areas


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ENCORE

1. REFLECTS HIS CHARACTER (EX. 20:1-2).

In Exus 20, we see G cmmunicating clealy (thugh Mses) t all Isael abut Hisexpectatins them. Tese ae nt meely the ieas Mses, these ae the ws G, an assuch, they cay the authity an imptance thei tue Auth.

D. A. Casn ntes that (G) is still being pesente as a talking G, nt nly with the kin speech that calls the univese int existence (Genesis 12) an with the kin speech that inteacts

with his image-beaes (Genesis 3)but with the kin speech that cmmans them.5Eveyne lives by sme mal stana. In u wn pstmen ea, many peple escibe tuth

as elative unknwable. But even they ae making a tuth claim that shapes the way they make

mal ecisins. Tugh the Bible is me than just a bk ules, it es inee make claims thatshul shape the lives thse wh call themselves Chistian.

GODS RULES REFLECT HIS CHARACTER AS A LOVING FATHER

Cnsie the st ws Mses ece when G spke the en Cmmanments: I am theLord yu G. Tis is cvenant language that caies with it nt nly a statement act but pmise. G has eveale Himsel t Mses an nw t all Isael as YHWH, I AM.He is the etenal an unchanging G. Watch what cmes next. See hw Gs name becmessynnymus with what He has ne Isael: I am the Lord yu G, wh bught yu ut the lan Egypt, ut the place slavey. Tugh He is the G all natins, He establishea unique elatinship with Isael. He became he Reeeme an Rescue s that she wul be Hiswn pssessin, a kingm piests an hly peple. It is pecisely because He has escue he aneste elatinship with he that He emans mal elity m he. Isaels new ientity is nwtie t Gs ientity!

G i nt just elive Isael m the bnage Egypt, He elivee them int His wnpesence! Tey wee savefrom slaveyforG. Gs lve is signie nt nly in His eliveingus m the bnage sin but als in His expectatins elity m us. Failue t have thseexpectatins wul cnvey apathy an lack afectin, that we nt eally belng t Him.

2. GUIDES ALL RELATIONSHIPS (EX. 20:3-17).

I we ae ging t unestan Gs pupse in giving the en Cmmanments, then we nee tsee hw they ae stuctue. Te st u cus vetically n u elatinship t G. Te last sixcus hizntally n u elatinship t thes.

Jesus may have allue t this stuctue when He answee the questin in Matthew 22:36-40egaing which cmman is mst imptant. Jesus qute Deutenmy 6:5, Lve the Lordyu G with all yu heat, with all yu sul, an with all yu stength. Tis summaizes thevetical natue cmmanments 1-4. Ten Jesus went n t emphasize Leviticus 19:18: Lve yuneighb as yusel. Tis summaizes the hizntal natue cmmanments 5-10. It seems Jesus

was saying that the tw ientatins, G-wa an man-wa, ae tie tgethe.

GODS LAW FOR LIFE

Gods moral standard...


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5FALL 2012

Just as the cmmanments have bth a vetical an hizntal ientatin, vilatin the enCmmanments has bth vetical an hizntal cnsequences. Weve seen that the law G gaveHis peple eveale His chaacte an His gace. It als eveale His peples inability t live up tHis stana ighteusness. It is pecisely because the law eveals Gsgoodnessthat it als eveals

u badness.An as we see u sinulness, we begin t eel u nee gace.

3. REVEALS OUR NEED FOR GRACE.

Te apstle Paul ntes in Rmans 3:23 that all humanity has allen sht Gs stana setth in the law. Even patial beience equals cmplete isbeience. James 2:10 says, F whevekeeps the entie law, yet ails in ne pint, is guilty beaking it all. When we hnestly examineu lives, it esnt take lng t ecgnize that we ail t measue up t Gs stana as givenin the law. All t ten, hweve, we aess this ailue by tying hae t change u actualpactice, which esults in legalism. I we ae t avi legalism, it is cucial that we view the lawthugh the lens the gspel. Gs pupse the law was always t lea us t Chist.

Te Gospel Provides the Power for Mission.Gs law is te in His wn chaacte. G is hly, an thus, His law is hly. An G

emans hliness thughfaith that produces obedience, nt the the way aun. Te gspel view the law is that G pvie in Chist all that He emans m us.

Ou ppe espnse is t believe it an then lean upn Him u gwth in beience an ttust Him the pwe t accmplish the missin He has given us.E Stetze an Philip Natin wite: Te eath Chist upn the Css makes it pssible missinal believes t live lives lve. Pehaps we cul even say, i we aent n Chists missin lve, we ae lking wn at the wk the Css, nt ully unestaning it. We ae igning its

implicatins. Te engame us ught t be a lie within us that is ifeent because the pesence the Savi wh ie an se us.15

CONCLUSION

Once upn a time, yu wee living as an phan, estitute an impveishe with ega t Gsighteus stana. But G came t yu. He apte yu an gave yu a new ientity. As He

welcme yu int His amily, He gave yu guielines t live by. Te pupse these laws is nt tcnstain yu but athe t set yu ee t be eveything He has ceate yu t be. He equies ttalbeience, an He has gante all that He equies in Chist.

Sme peple view Gs law as limiting athe than libeating, but within the Bibles sty line,we can see the law as a esciptin a lie jyus eem une the G wh has mae us. Telaw clealy explains Gs stana u elatinship t Him an t thes, sptlighting Gshliness while expsing u ailues an aults. Te law eveals u nee salvatin but is pwelesst save us. Te gspel message is that even as G legislates, He pints us t Jesus, wh has kept thelaw in u place, theeby making u beience pssible.

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