Paul
-Paul
sounds weird! Why was he so enthusiastic to be partaker of Emmanuel's sufferings?
-Paul had such faith that
he would be kept whole right up to the time he would be in the kingdom
of God, yet he was beheaded by Nero:.2Timothy
4:17,18.
-What
did Paul say about the Mosaic Law?
Peace
-And
what was the sword He brought?
-And
why did He have to take away sin anyway?
-Are
we to sacrifice today as in the Old Testament?
-Has
the world always had a less than peaceful lifestyle for its inhabitants
here and there? Is it now getting worse?
-How
else could love be received once you show it? How else would compassion
toward others be needed? And how else would gifts be appreciated? Without
need, where is the impetus for action?
-If
God gave you peace in your life so that you were completely and constantly
content, what need would you have to seek and pursue God once He opened
your mind to Him?
-Need
much more peace in your life?
-Now
did He just take away sins that came before Him?
-So
how should we view all this?
-What
did Emmanuel do that was cause for the Father loving Him?
-What
did Emmanuel mean when He said that about peace and bringing a sword?
-What
good is a battery with only one polarity?
-What
is a way that could be used, if for example, you have to be around a person
who hates you, or perhaps, a particularly obnoxious person who may be bothering
you, causing you to fret, a person you have a hard time liking, an obstreperous
coworker, etc.?
-Why
did He have to die for sin?
-Who
else is going to treat them that way?
-Would
you forsake all as described above if Emmanuel was right there talking
to you?
Perfect
-But
we are to have works as the next verse shows. Why?
-How
can we know this for sure Christ is in him?
-If
Emmanuel was already perfect, why does it say that God had to make Him
perfect through sufferings?
-If
we are perfect, why does Paul call himself imperfect?
-Why
does God call us perfect, when we know (and so do our friends and family,
right!) that we're far from being perfect most of the time?
-What
does it mean to be "perfect"? What does it mean to be imperfect?