How to Alphabetically Apply the Book of Proverbs to your Life - E,F,G,H

Proverbs 1:1-7 "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Introduction:

One of the valuable reasons for studying the Book of Proverbs is to gain the skill needed to relate to others and to God for His glory. Such a reason is how we can so define wisdom itself - which is the whole point of the book. Oftentimes I find myself in situations where people may ask for advice, or where I need advice on life's pressing issues. Since Proverbs is primarily arranged in a topical form, it is fruitful to comb through the entire book and arrange the verses under topical headings. We looked yesterday at topics that fell alphabetically from letters A-D. Topics such as anger, blessing, compromise and dealing with pride were among the subjects listed with appropriate verses from Proverbs. Today's post continues on our study, noting topics beginning with the letters E,F,G and H. May the reader find these studies helpful in either ministering to others or finding God's wisdom for their own lives.  All the verse references below derive from Proverbs.

E.
1. Edification. 15:31; 16:24

2. Envy. 14:30; 16:32

3. Existence and attributes of God. 16:11,25,33; 20:12; 21:30,31; 22:2,13; 25:2; 29:13,26; 30:3-6

F.
1. Fear of God. 1:7; 3:7-8; 8:13; 10:10,27; 14:26,27; 15:16,33; 16:6-7; 19:23; 22:4; 24:21; 28:14

2. Fighting. 17:14, 19; 18:18; 20:3; 22:10

3. Following after righteousness
4:18,24,25,27

G.
1. Gluttony. 23:1-3

2. Giving advice. 27:9

3. God the Son's pre-existence. 8:22-31

4. God's comforts. 8:14

5. God's discipline. 3:12; 12:1; 13:17,18

6. God hates lying. 6:17; 12:22; 20:25; 21:7,16; 26:24,27,28

7. God hates wickedness. 7:7; 8:13; 10:25,28,29,11:4,5,6,7,10-11,16,17,20-21,23,29; 12:3

8. God knows man. 5:21; 15:3; 16:1-2,3-5; 17:3; 20:24; 21:1-2

9. Godliness includes humility
9:7-8; 10:8; 11:2; 18:12

10. God our protector. 2:7,8; 3:24-26; 10:29

11. God is the authority. 8:15-16

12. God loves righteous people. 10:3,6,19,25; 14:9

13. God's love. 8:17

14. God speaks truth. 7:8,9

15. Gossip. 10:19; 11:13; 13:3-4; 14:3-4,25; 15:4,23; 18:8; 19:5,9,28; 20:19; 21:19,23,28; 26:20,22-23

16. Greediness. 22:22-23

17. Guidance from others. 20:18

18. Guidance to others. 12:26; 15:2

H.
1. Happiness. 17:22

2. Having zeal. 19:2

3. Honor God. 3:9,10

4. How sin entices. 7:9-13,15-18,19,20

5. Hunger. 27:7

More tomorrow.........

How to Alphabetically apply the Book of Proverbs to Your Life - A,B,C,D

Proverbs 1:1-7 "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Introduction:

One of the valuable reasons for studying the Book of Proverbs is to gain the skill needed to relate to others and to God for His glory. Such a reason is how we can so define wisdom itself - which is the whole point of the book. Oftentimes I find myself in situations where people may ask for advice, or where I need advice on life's pressing issues. Since Proverbs is primarily arranged in a topical form, it is fruitful to comb through the entire book and arrange the verses under topical headings. Today's post aims to offer readers an alphabetical list of topics that can be used in advisory or counseling situations. All the verse references below derive from Proverbs 

A

1. Accusing others. 18:17

2. Adultery. 7:19-20; 30:20

3. A faithful man of God is blessed. 28:20

4. Alcohol. 23:29-35

5. Allow love and faithfulness in your life. 3:3-4

6. Amazing things. 30:18,19

7. Anger 15:18-19; 19:19; 27:25; 29:22

B. 

1. Being honest. 22:11; 24:26

2. Be yourself. 12:9

3. Blessing. 10:22; 20:21

4. Boasting. 25:14; 27:1

C.

1. Compromise. 20:10

2. Confessing Sin. 28:13

3. Considering the poor. 21:13

4. Crimes such as stealing. 6:12-15, 30-31; 20:17; 22:8; 28:17-18; 29:24

D.

1. Dealing with pride. 9:9; 21:24

2. Discipline. 15:10-12,32; 16:20; 19:16,20,27; 29:1

3. Do not glory over enemies' troubles

24:17-20

4. Dishonesty

11:1,15,16; 12:18; 13:11; 14:30-31; 15:7; 20:25

5. Disregard sin and temptation

1:10,15,17; 3:31-32; 4:14,23,24; 5:16-18; 6:18,27-28; 14:7; 17:13; 18:5; 20:1; 21:27; 22:5; 23:9,17,20,21

6. Do good to your enemies

25:22-23

7. Do not accuse others falsely

3:29,30; 6:19; 10:18; 24:24,25,28

8. Do not scheme

6:18; 14:22; 16:31; 24:8-9

9. Do not give into people who put on a false front. 23:6-8

10. Do not seek revenge. 24:28,29

11. Do not make a fool out of yourself. 25:6-8; 26:1,3,4,5,6,7-11,12; 27:3,22; 28:26

12. Do not reject wisdom. 1:20-23; 2:6,20; 3:1-2,11; 4:2; 5:1,7; 6:21-23; 7:4-5; 8:4-5,10-11,33,34; 9:4-5; 10:23,24; 13:13,21

13. Do not talk to fools. 23:9; 29:9,11

More tomorrow........

P3 Finding Answers to Life's Toughest Questions in Sunday School - Do the atrocities in today’s world negate a personal God?

1 Peter 3:15 “But Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who as you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect.”

Introduction:
Today we continue on in a series we are entitling: “Life’s toughest questions answered in Sunday School.” As I mentioned in previous posts, our church recently had a combined Sunday School hour. Each teacher had been assigned a question the previous week and was instructed to research the answers and then lead whoever would be at their table in a “round-table” discussion. At the end of the prescribed time, each table would pick a spokes-person to give a three-minute summary of the group’s answers to the group at large. The exercise was extremely interesting to watch and be a part of, with the answers given even more rewarding. We noted two questions addressed in yesterday’s post:

1. Define the impact of Christian Liberty on a believer’s life?

2. Can I witness to a friend in a questionable location?

Today we deal with the problem of evil and suffering and how we can reconcile the abundance of evil in our world with the existence of an all-powerful, all good God. Such a question is a subject of much wrestling among believers and non-believers alike. In the Sunday School-hour the question of evil and suffering and God was posed in the following way:

3. Do the atrocities in today’s world negate a personal God?
The Sunday School teacher who summarized his group’s discussion began by offering a second related question: How can we say there is a personal God amidst life’s atrocities? The approach taken by the group entailed appealing to several key Christian doctrines. By the time the teacher had finished his summary, I counted six key doctrines brought out by the group. God had certainly illuminated their thinking that morning in regards to answering this very difficult question. The teacher began with two major truths revealed in scripture: reality of sin or evil itself and Christ’s incarnation.

A. Sin. The first great truth is the reality of sin and evil itself. In citing John 16:33, we as Christians expect evil and suffering in this world due to the fall of man.

B. Incarnation. The second truth relayed by the class had to do with the incarnation of the Son of God as Jesus Christ. Christ came in His incarnation to die on the cross and raise from the dead in order to do something about this issue. These two doctrines of the reality of evil and the incarnation uniquely equips Christianity to best address this tough issue.

As a side note, the problem of evil and suffering is more approachable when break it down into further parts. Theologians will refer to what is called the logical problem of evil (i.e how can we logical reconcile evil’s reality and God’s existence?).

The second way in which we discuss this issue is termed the so-called emotional problem of evil (i.e how can we emotional handle the brute harshness of it in our personal lives and still love God?) The emotional part of the problem of evil and suffering is usually the more difficult to deal with the logical version. The Sunday School teacher’s strategy of dealing with the emotional elements of this problem proved effective, since it paved the way for dealing with the logical version of this subject.

In so far as we deal with the emotional problem of evil on a daily basis, what about the other side of this thorny issue: namely the logical problem of evil and suffering. Now the class by this point had introduced the key doctrines of sin and Christ’s incarnation to demonstrate that God did indeed do something about evil. This dovetailed into what would be the remainder of their presentation.

The class enumerated two more key doctrines to address the logical problem of reconciling the existence of God with the evil in our world:

C. Creation. The teacher noted from Genesis 1:31 that God didn’t create evil but rather created a world that had been originally good. This point underscores the goodness of God.

D. Free will. God chose to create a world that included people who could exercise the freedom to choose and also to love. He created a world that includes free will desire for people to love. The results stemming from the creation of such a world included the real possibility of people rejecting God. This is where passages such as Romans 8:22 was brought in by the group, reminding everyone that evil came about the decisions of creatures (Satan and then human beings).

With these four key doctrines (sin, Christ’s incarnation, creation and free will) on the table, I could see how the class was putting together a Christian response to this difficult issue. As the teacher went on, he would end up bring out two final truths: God’s Sovereignty and God’s Glory.

E. God’s Sovereignty. In citing Romans 8:28, the group noted how God works out all things to achieve His will – including the use of the good and bad decisions of His creatures. When we think of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, we see this point underscored: “what you meant for evil, God meant for good.” God’s Sovereignty never excludes the secondary efforts of men’s free-choices, historic events nor natural laws. God’s Sovereignty and human decision-making are compatible truths in the scriptures.

F. God’s Glory. The sixth and final major doctrine the group seemed to bring forth in answer the difficult problem of evil was that of God’s glory. In citing Romans 8:18, the class concluded that the overflow of God’s glory gives perspective in dealing with evil.

This final thought on God’s glory reminds one of Paul’s remarks in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 with regards to how the pain of this world is momentary and comparatively light in comparison to the weight of God’s glory being worked out in the Christian. The teacher ended his time by referring to tough issues like human disabilities in John 9:1-3. In that passage, Jesus reminds his audience that the blind man that he healed was permitted by God to be born blind so that through his healing by Jesus – people could behold the invisible power of God through Christ’s Person and ministry.

Closing thoughts:
Now it must be recalled, the Sunday School class only had about 30 minutes to deal with this subject of human atrocities and God’s existence. I was moved by how well the teacher communicated each point. Framing the problem of evil in suffering in the six great truths of the Gospel (sin, incarnation, creation, free-will, God’s sovereignty and God’s glory) is a great strategy for demonstrating the uniqueness of Christianity in dealing with this subject. Overall I was pleased with how this Sunday School class was able to present a compelling and thought provoking summary and response to this overall question: “Do the atrocities in our world negate a personal God?” 

From where I was sitting, they convincingly demonstrated that the reality of God’s existence is in no way negated by the painful reality of evil and suffering. This exercise underscores again how important it is to get plugged into a Sunday School and to get involved. The answers I heard people giving to these tough questions equipped me to better articulate the Gospel in our 21st century world.

P2 FInding Answers to Life's Toughest Questions in Sunday School

1 Peter 3:15 “But Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who as you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect.”

Introduction:
What a blessing it is to pastor a church where one can find answers to some of life’s toughest questions in Sunday School! I begin today’s post with this affirmation because of the value that is found when Sunday School is operating as it ought in the local church. 

In our church we recently had a combined Sunday School hour. In the largest room of the church, there were several round tables set up for the purpose of hosting 6 discussion groups handling several very difficult questions. Each teacher had been assigned the question the previous week and was instructed to research the answers and then lead whoever would be at their table in a “round-table” discussion. At the end of the prescribed time, each table would pick a representative to give a three-minute summary of the group’s answers to the group at large. The exercise was extremely interesting to watch. The answers given even more rewarding.

Sunday school is the local church’s most effective way to mature and mobilize Christians to share Jesus' love with others. Today’s post and the next couple of blogs will summarize the answers given at the combined Sunday School event described in the opening paragraph. We are calling these series of posts: "Answers to life's difficult questions found in Sunday School." Today's post deals with a question about the appropriateness of sharing the Gospel in questionable locations.

Can I witness to a friend in a questionable location?
This discussion question raised in the Sunday School hour followed on the heels of the first one (which we looked at yesterday on the subject of Christian Liberty). I chose to include this in today’s post, since it is closely related to that broader issue. At stake is the approach one takes in sharing the Gospel with unbelievers. How restricted are Christians in regards to venue? Can the Christian legitimately share Jesus with someone in what could-very-well be a questionable location? 

Luke 5:27-29 records an episode in Jesus’ ministry whereby he chose to eat a meal with the social outcasts of Jewish culture – namely tax-collectors and sinners. The company Jesus kept was the issue with the Pharisees. Whatever Jesus did, He never did anything to compromise His peerless character. Nevertheless, His desire to reach sinners entailed Him rubbing shoulders and meeting them at their point of life.

As the Sunday School teacher further expounded on this issue, he cited Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10. These particular chapters give principles for deciding how to handle such issues like going into questionable locations. So, if we find ourselves being led to talk to someone about the Gospel, and the location ends up counter-acting our efforts, then we ought to take that as a red-flag and choose another venue. 

I have found Romans 14 to always be helpful and was glad to hear the Sunday School class referencing it. Discernment must always be exercised when making these difficult choices. As the Sunday School teacher brought his summary to a close, he ended with this very insightful and helpful remark: “The question is not: what’s wrong; rather, what is right about it.”

Closing thoughts:
Well that closes out our post for today. We have explored what I have called “Life’s toughest questions answered in Sunday School”. We considered questions regarding Christian Liberty and when and where we ought to go in our attempts to talk to unbelievers about the Gospel. The reader is invited to return tomorrow where I will share further about the answers I heard to life’s toughest questions in Sunday School.

P1 Answers to life's most difficult questions found in Sunday School - Questions on Christian Liberty

1 Peter 3:15 “But Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who as you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect.”

Introduction:
What a blessing it is to pastor a church where one can find answers to some of life’s toughest questions in Sunday School! I begin today’s post with this affirmation because of the value that is found when Sunday School is operating as it ought in the local church. 

In our church we recently had a combined Sunday School hour. In the largest room of the church, there were several round tables set up for the purpose of hosting 6 discussion groups handling several very difficult questions. Each teacher had been assigned the question the previous week and was instructed to research the answers and then lead whoever would be at their table in a “round-table” discussion. At the end of the prescribed time, each table would pick a representative to give a three-minute summary of the group’s answers to the group at large. The exercise was extremely interesting to watch. The answers given even more rewarding.

Sunday school is the local church’s most effective way to mature and mobilize Christians to share Jesus' love with others. Today’s post and the next couple of blogs will summarize the answers given at the combined Sunday School event described in the opening paragraph. We are calling these series of posts: "Answers to life's difficult questions found in Sunday School."

May the reader use 1 Peter 3:15 as a launching point in approaching these next few posts. We as Christians ought to be prepared and equipped to give an answer to those who ask us about why we believe what we believe and why we do what we do. I hope readers find these posts to be encouraging, informative and motivated to, if for nothing else, get further involved in their Sunday School ministry in their local church.

Defining the impact of Christian Liberty on believer’s life

This first question is one with which all Christians grapple. The Sunday School teacher who handled this issue did a great job in summarizing the answers. 

How do we define Christian liberty? In short, when the stability of our Christian brother is at stake, we need to determine when to restrain versus when to practice. The principle for decision making in such circumstances in 1 Corinthians 10:23 was included in the discussion: “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” So with Christian liberty, the issue at hand has to do with areas of conscience and how what we do or don’t do in the realm of everyday practices that some Christians would deem sinful and which others deem as permissible.

How we influence fellow believers in their Christian walk ought to have precedent over what may very well be otherwise legitimate freedom or right to practice a given behavior. The particular discussion group handling this question cited Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” 

The reminder from these verses was that on the one hand, standing in God’s grace gives me liberty and power to live the godly life and to desire what is lawful and God-honoring apart from man-made legalistic restrictions. The other-side or guardrail to avoid are the excesses in liberty. Christian liberty is lived out in relationship with other Christians, and thus as we grow, we learn with one another what constitutes preferences versus what involves uncompromising convictions.

Tomorrow we will consider another answer to life's most difficult questions that was found in Sunday School.

Getting to know Jesus in the Proverbs

Luke 24:44 “Now He said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled”.

Introduction:
At my boyhood home there is a creek that runs through the middle of the property. Many summers were spent playing by that creek and watching little minnows and frogs jumping and swimming through the rocky creek bed flowing with crystal clear water. As a boy, I would often take rocks or stones and toss them in the water to watch minnows come out of their hiding spots and swim in their little schools. They remained hidden until I tossed in a pebble or a big stone. Whenever we consider the Old Testament scriptures, we can liken each book to the surface of that creek.

The Holy Spirit laid down a creek bed of redemption and filled it with the clear water of history and His revelatory words. Many clues and clusters of insights laid hidden in the bottom depths of the Old Testament. To look at its surface would result in concluding a sense of incompleteness and perhaps unresolved tensions. However, the very God that designed the creek bed and created history itself to flow within it chose to, in the Person of the Son, to plunge Himself into it. 

The Son’s arrival as Jesus of Nazareth sent major ripples that revealed insights into Old Testament books. The Son of God’s entry into our world fulfilled and tied together unresolved strands of Old Testament truth. The Book of Proverbs is an example of how we see Jesus Christ’s Christ arrival anticipated and foreshadowed. Today’s post wants to briefly explore how we can know Jesus through the Proverbs.

New Testament clues pointing to finding Jesus in the Proverbs.
Luke 11:49 records Jesus speaking to his audience concerning their response to Him and to prophets of old. As He speak, Jesus refers to Himself as “Wisdom” in the text of Luke 11:49. We know from Proverbs 8 that wisdom is personified in a poetic way as a woman making her appeal for people to abandon folly and to embrace God’s way of wisdom. 

The reason for the feminine depiction is because of the Hebrew word for wisdom (chachma) itself being grammatically feminine. Nonetheless, Proverbs already broaches the category of viewing “wisdom” not merely as a concept, but also on a very personal level. Luke 24:44, quoted above, alludes to the book of Proverbs. Even though Jesus states the word “Psalms”, in the Hebrew Bible, the book of Psalms heads the third major collection of the Hebrew Bible books called “the writings” or by the Jews “Kituviim”, of which Proverbs is a part.

As one journeys into the New Testament, the linkage between Jesus and wisdom becomes even clearer. The Apostle Paul writes about Jesus coming as God’s wisdom, power, holiness and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:24,30). Moreover, we are reminded in Colossians 2:3 that Jesus Christ is the source of all wisdom and true riches of knowledge. 

Other places, such as James 3:13-14, speak of God’s “wisdom from above” as certainly God’s illumination from the Holy Spirit but also pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ. In so far as the New Testament connects Jesus to the Old Testament concept of wisdom, and in several cases portrays Him as the embodiment of Divine wisdom, we can infer the validity of knowing Him through the Proverbs.

Key events and truths of Jesus’ life and ministry foreshadowed in the Proverbs 
So, with Proverbs and the life of the Lord Jesus Christ linked together by the New Testament’s exposition of Him, what do we see in Proverbs itself that lends us to know Jesus Christ in a better way?

Proverbs previews Jesus in His….
Pre-existence. Proverbs 8:22 speaks of wisdom pre-existing with Yahweh from before the beginning of creation. The verb translated in some English translations includes the rendering “possessed” (NASB, KJV). The NIV handles this otherwise difficult to translate verb in the best way, namely “brought me forth”. In Proverbs 30:4 we are introduced to the idea of God having a Son. Both passages presuppose some type of pre-existence of the Son, personified as Wisdom.

Cross & Resurrection. As we already mentioned earlier, the Apostle Paul refers to Jesus Christ as our “wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:24,30). Such a revelation could only be realized in what Jesus achieved in the cross and His resurrection from the dead.

2nd Coming. Proverbs 24:12 Matthew 16:27 point to actions that only God can perform – namely final, absolute judgment. The Proverbs passage reveals God as the final Arbiter of all people, judging and rendering to each one their due. In Matthew 16:27, we see such activity attributed to the Son. One of the ways we tie together similar statements and themes in both testaments is by way of the life and mission of Jesus Christ. 

Such a reading of Jesus back into the Old Testament is not importing Jesus, but rather bring to light what He came to reveal. Proverbs urges us to consider the fact that God is a just judge. Jesus Himself states all power to judge was commended into His hands (John 5:24-25). Henceforth it follows that in knowing the Just One, we are knowing Jesus.

Closing thoughts
As we close out this post today, let me commend readers to journey through Proverbs. In doing so, one can get to know Jesus Christ better, since He is referred to as the Personification of Wisdom. As 2 Peter 3:18 urges: “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

The need to experience the life of the Son of God in your own life

1 John 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."

Introduction:

Over the last couple of posts we have looked at the title "Son of God" and how Jesus Christ is revealed by it. In our explorations thus far, we have looked at the four Gospels of the New Testament, noting that with regard to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, three general conclusions can be drawn about this title:

1. The title "Son of God" reveals His Heavenly Majesty

2. The title "Son of God" revealed His earthly mission

3. The title "Son of God" reveals how we need to experience His life in our own.

The last two posts have focused more so on the first two points as they relate to Jesus Christ portrayed as "The Son of God" in the four Gospels. Today I want us to consider some life applications of this title "Son of God" by observing some key passages from the remainder of the New Testament. The key thought will be in showing how we need to experience the Son of God's life in our own lives. 

A quick note on how the major sections of our New Testaments relate to one another and to Jesus the Son of God

It has been well noted that in the Gospels, Jesus Christ is portrayed; in Acts, Jesus Christ is preached; in the Epistles, Jesus Christ is explained and in Revelation, He is prominent. So much has been illuminated to us already from the four Gospels concerning the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. What the remaining three sections of the New Testament do is to expound on the life-practical and supernatural realities of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Chiefly, the interest of the remainder of this post will deal with why you and I need to experience His life in our own.

Experiencing the Son of God in our conversion - thoughts from the book of of Acts

Acts 9:19-21 expounds on what took place following the conversion of Saul of Tarsus: "Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”  Notice one of the first things Saul of Tarsus (who would later be renamed Paul) began to proclaim: "He is the Son of God". This testimony indicates that the very life of the Eternal Son of God had not only been brought into contact with Saul in His conversion, but that the reality of it came to reside within His heart by means of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. 

Truly if we are to ever appreciate the Heavenly Majesty and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ as the Son of God in all He is and achieved, there must be a dramatic experiencing of His life in our own (consider Romans 1:1-4). The wonderful theologian Lorraine Boettner writes in his book "Studies in Theology", page 153, notes concerning the Son of God's impact on people at salvation: "Christ is the Son of God by nature; we become the sons of God by grace. He is the Son of God in His own right; we become the sons of God by adoption. He has existed thus from eternity; we become sons of God in time as we are regenerated to a new life and have His righteousness imparted to us." Later on Boettner notes: "But it does mean that we have restored to us and perfected (i.e developed) in us that moral and spiritual likeness of God with which we were created but which became lost through sin."

Experiencing the Son of God as our confidence for daily living - some thoughts from the Epistles

When we think of the life of the Son of God pulsating in our own, there is the needed confidence for daily Christian living. As we noted earlier, the New Testament epistles or letters explain Jesus' life and ministry. 2 Corinthians 1:18-20 expounds on how personal experience of the Son of God grants confidence in Him: "But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. 19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. 20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us." Notice how Paul expounds on the confidence that Jesus as the Son of God delivers to the Christian in their prayer life. For sure, He is ascended and glorified - seated at the right hand of the Father. As man He represents us in Heaven (see 1 John 2:1-2). However, as sharing equally in full Deity with the Holy Spirit, His life is transmitted completely to us and in us - henceforth providing confidence for daily Christian living. 

The Apostle Paul speaks elsewhere concerning how the life of the Son of God grants confidence in the personal Christian life. Galatians 2:20 for instance reads - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Not only does experiencing the life of the Son of God increase confidence for the individual believer, but for the corporate life of the local church. Notice what we read about the church's experience of the Son of God (or at least as such experience ought to be a normal reality) in Ephesians 4:13 "until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

So experiencing the life of the Son of God in our own lives is transformative in our conversion and gives confidence for daily Christian living. Now lets notice one final outcome of experiencing the life of the Son of God in our own life...

Experiencing the Son of God clarifies powerful worship - some thoughts from the Epistles and Revelation

The Epistle to the Hebrews urges Christians to consider the Son of God as the focal point of devotion and worship. Hebrews 1:8 speaks of the exaltation of the Son by the Father - "until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." Hebrews 7:3 details the Son of God as the believer's High Priest, representing them in Heaven - "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually." The final mention of the title "Son of God" occurs in a context where Jesus Himself is addressing one of the seven churches in Revelation 2:18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this". The description given by John in the text corresponds to the full-length view of the exalted Jesus found in Revelation 1. Indeed, experiencing the life of the Son of God in our own begins in our conversion, gives confidence in the Christian living and clarifies in a powerful way our worship to Him.