The New Testament Story

‘Helping you find your way from Matthew to Revelation’

Regular Baptist Press

Unit 3  ‘Christ’s Church: Her Doctrine

Session 10  The Church’s Doctrine ‘Sanctification’ pt.2

Overview 

   This session is a survey of the General Epistles: James; 1,2 Peter; 1,2,3 John.

 Theme

  The general Epistles have many great truths that give guidance for godly living.

Aims

  By the end of this class, you will be able to:

  1. Explain the term ‘General Epistles’ and why it is applied to James; 1,2 Peter;  1,2,3 John

  2. Summarize the major teachings of each Epistle

  3. Relate the message of each book to your life

Introduction

Question: What are some popular ways you have heard about to become a good Christian?

·  Regular church attendance, Bible reading, service, giving, baptism, spiritual disciplines, going on short term mission trips…

Key Verse

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Question: What does this key verse tell us about Christian living?

·  The believer must live his/her life expecting difficulties to come. It is often through these hard times that our faith deepens and spiritual growth occurs.

I. An Introduction to the General Epistles

Question: The General Epistles are also called the ‘Catholic’ Epistles, does anyone know why?

·  Catholic, in its original definition meant universal. That’s why the Apostles Creed says the Holy Catholic Church. This is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church but to the universal church of Jesus Christ.

·  They are General or Catholic because they are not addressed to any  specific church or person (with the exception of 3^rd John)

II. The Epistle of James

  A. The Writer

Question: What do you know about James?

·  James the brother of the apostle John did not write this book because he was killed before the book was written.

·  This James was the Half-brother of Jesus.

·  This was one of the first books to be written in the NT.

·  James came to faith in Jesus after his resurrection. (1 Cor. 15:7)

·  This James was the leader of the Jerusalem church.

  B. The Teaching of the Book of James

  James wrote that trials were part of Christian life and that rather than being avoided they   should be looked upon as a source for developing patience and spiritual growth.

  We should never look at trials as God’s way of tempting us to sin. That is not his way.   Temptation comes from Satan not from God. (James 1:14)

Question: Why is the development of patience for the Christian so important?

  James wrote that we can receive wisdom by asking God.  But that we must ask in faith.  

Question: What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

·  Knowledge is facts that we have learned.

·  Wisdom is the ability to use those facts wisely.

  James was concerned that Christians show their faith by their godly living. A lack of   good works MAY show a lack of genuine faith (James 2:14-20). Or it MAY show a   rebellious, selfish Christian. Please avoid judging between the two.

Question: According to Scripture, where do our good works come from? Are they something we think up and try to impress God with or are they something he gives us to do?

Read: Eph. 2:10

  James also warns Christians about the use of their tongue. He tells us that the tongue is    one of the hardest parts of our bodies to control.

Question: Have you found this to be true?

  Christians should refrain from telling lies, arguing and gossiping.

Question: Just how easy is this to do…really?

  James warns us about being friends with the world. It is often our tongues that are the   first to befriend worldly behavior.

Question: How is this true?

  In chapter 5 James wrote about prayer. A positive use of the tongue.

  When we are in fellowship with God, prayer avails much.

Question: What does that mean?

III. The Epistles of Peter

Question: What do you know about Peter?

·  Peter was a fisherman

·  He had two names: Cephas (Aramaic for stone) and Peter (Greek for stone)

·  His brother Andrew brought him to Jesus

·  He was married (Matt. 8:14)

·  He was often impulsive and spoke before he thought things out.

·  He was a prominent leader in the early church

·  He was crucified upside down so as not to die the same way Jesus did.

  A. 1^st Peter

   Peter wrote to Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

   Peter begins his first letter encouraging the Christians by reminding them that were   chosen by God and sustained by him.

   Many Jewish Christians were being persecuted for their faith and experiencing  great suffering. Peter tells them to endure the suffering with joy.

Question: Why joy?

·  They were to view their suffering as part of God’s will (vs 6)

·  They were to view their suffering as following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord.

   Suffering tests our faith in God to see if it is genuine.

   Peter calls Christians to walk in holiness...because we serve a holy God. And he   encourages their holy living by telling them of the privileges they have as     Christians.

Question: According to 1^st Peter 2:9-10, what are the privileges of being a Christian?

   Like Paul, Peter calls wives to submit to their husbands.

Question: What reason does Peter give in 1^st Peter 3:1-2 for submission?   

Question: According to 1^st Peter 3:7 how does Peter tell husbands to treat their wives?

Question: According to 1^st Peter 4:7-11, what is expected of those who are living for Jesus Christ?

  In 1^st Peter 5 Peter writes to the leadership in the church, particularly the pastors. He tells   them they are to serve because they are called by God and not for selfish gain. He states   that leaders are to be examples to others in the church. That is a responsibility we all must  recognize and accept.

  A great word of encouragement is found in 5:7 ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he   cares for you.’

Question: When you hear those words, what comes to mind…how do they make you feel?

  B. 2^nd Peter

  The theme of 2^nd Peter is heresy in the last days.

Question: What is ‘heresy’?

·  Later Christian usage (from late second century a.d.) understood ‘heresy’ to indicate deviation from the accepted teaching or practice of the dominant Christian community.

Question: Why is heresy important to identify in the church?

  2^nd Peter was written in  Peter later years.

  Peter starts off this letter expressing a deep confidence in God. He talks about the great   spiritual endowment God has given to Christians…divine power, knowledge of God,   divine promises, a new nature and an ability to live a holy life.  

  Peter also talks about Scripture and the confidence we should place in it.

Question: According to 2 Peter 1:16, 19-21, why should we place our faith in Scripture?

  Peter warns us against false teachers who deny Jesus as their redeemer. Peter predicted   that many will follow false teachers and will oppose the truth. But he says their doom in inevitable.

    ‘In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up’

  (1 Peter 2:3)

   I see this happening over and over again with many of the health, wealth and    prosperity gospel and the signs and wonders preachers on TV. If you listen close to   what they say, you will see a subtle perversion of the gospel and the Word of God.

   Peter has a lot to say about what happens to those who pervert the Gospel and     God’s Word for their own selfish gains.

  Peter also warns about scoffers who tell us that Jesus isn’t coming back. (3:1-7) While   unbelievers may scoff, the Christian is assured of Christ’s return.

Question: According to 2^nd Peter 3:5-16 what assurances do we have God Jesus’ return?

IV. The Epistle of Jude

  A. The Writer

Question: What do you know about Jude?

·  He was a half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55)

·  He was a full brother of James who wrote the Letter of James.

·  Jude is short for Judas…can you see why he perhaps shortened his name?

  B. The Teaching of the Epistle of Jude

   Jude writes to those who are sanctified, preserved and called. These descriptions     speak of eternal security.

   Jude prayed for mercy, peace and love to his readers but then he challenged them     to fight for their faith. (Jude 3) The faith needed to be defended because there were   apostates in the church.

Question: What is an apostate?

·  One who has abandoned one's religious

   Here is how Jude describes an apostate

   V. 16. Here Jude described the apostates in a fourfold way. These descriptions    justify Enoch’s calling them “ungodly.”

   (a) They were grumblers and faultfinders who faulted others but saw no  flaws in themselves;

   (b) they lustfully followed their own evil desires (8, 10, 18-19);

   (c) they bragged about themselves and

   (d) they flattered others, currying favor only when it was to their own evil    advantage to do so.

   Vocally discontented, sinfully self-centered, extravagantly egotistical, and    deceptively flattering—such are apostates, then and today.

  Again, this unfortunately describes many TV health, wealth & prosperity preachers, as   well as those who say signs and wonders are needed to assist the Gospel for salvation.

   Perhaps the most encouraging and often most missed part of Jude are verses 20-23.

Question: What does Jude encourage us to do especially in light of false teachers?

V. The Epistles of John

  A. 1^st John

   The subject of 1^st John is fellowship in the family of God.

Question: With this much written about it, is fellowship in God’s family important?

  How much importance do you give to fellowship in the family of God?

  Do you visit or spend time with members of your CBC family outside this building  on days other than Sunday?

  If fellowship with God’s family is so important, can we perhaps devote more time to   actually enjoying it?

   There are many key words in 1^st John.

   Love: 46 times

   Know: 35 times   

   1^st John was also written to give assurance of salvation to those  who have placed     their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

   He shows us the importance of walking in fellowship with God and with one   another and how the two are interrelated.

   Sin breaks fellowship with God (not relationship) and confession of sin beings     forgiveness and restored fellowship with God. (1 Jn. 1:9)

   John wrote against the teaching of the Gnostics. The Gnostic’s denied the reality of  Jesus’ humanity. They believed that only the spirit is important and so you can do    whatever you want with the body. A sub-group of Gnostics, the Docetists believed  that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body.

   In chapter 2 John addresses the family, where love is to be the defining mark. Love   is so strong a defining character that those who do not display love are not truly a     Christian.

Question: Is that true? If it is, do we have anything to work on?

   In Chapters 3 and 4 John develops the command to love one another.

Question: According to 3:11-24 and 4:7-21 what are some of the things John tells us about the importance of love and how to display it in our lives?

   In Chapter 5 John adds that obedience is a test of love for God. When we love God  we will obey his commands, If we fail to obey his commands we don’t love God.

Question: According to 5:1-5, is this true? Are obedience and love connected and interdependent?

  How then do we explain a Christians disobedience?

   John ends by giving us one of the greatest assurances of our salvation in

   1 John 5:13

Read: 1 John 5:13

  B. 2^nd John

   2^nd John is one of the shortest books in the bible.

  It’s written to ‘the chosen lady and her children’. We have no idea who they are. It  is significant that a NT book is addressed to a woman and children…so much for    male supremacy and females not being important in God’s Word.

  The theme of 2^nd John is the exclusiveness of Christian truth. The word ‘truth’ is  found 5 times in this very short book. John writes of this to deal with compromises  made and taught by false teachers.

  C. 3^rd John

   3^rd John is concerned with three specific men.

   1. 3^rd John is written to the man Gaius who was in poor health and needed  encouragement. John praised Gaius for his hospitality to Christians who traveled   through his city and he cared for their needs…a positive example to follow.

   2. Diotrephes, a domineering man who is an example of a man who made himself     ‘boss’ in the church. He refused to acknowledge John’s apostolic authority and  even refused to have some of John’s messengers come to the church…a negative  example not to follow.

   3. Demetrius who had a good reputation among the Christians…a good example to   follow.