The purpose of this lesson: To illustrate that restoration is a difficult challenge demanding devout thought devoted to difficult concepts.
This is a continuing lesson based on last weeks thoughts and discussions. You are asked to remember that restoration (a) is not a simple commitment and (b) is not simply accomplished. The challenging concepts we face that are presented in this lesson are NOT presented as all the difficult concepts. There are additional thoughts that are a legitimate part of the discussion.
Since this is part B of last weeks lesson, the understandings produced by last weeks study need to be involved in the focus of this lesson. Last weeks study and discussion produced the foundation thoughts. This week presents four of the difficult concepts.
1. Hard concept one: Gods thinking and actions are not like our thinking and actions.
Begin by reading Isaiah 55:8, 9; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Ephesians 3:8-10; and Colossians 2:8-15. The focus of these statements is that people do not think like God thinks and do not act like God acts. He does things that exceed our imagination.
God neither thinks nor acts like humans. To confine Gods thoughts and actions to human behavior is a serious spiritual mistake. God is not limited by our imagination or reasoning.
Consider. God through Jesus Christ is patient and understanding in ways that surpass our patience and understanding. He accepts repentance that we would question. His joy is not in holding the transgressor accountable for his choices and deeds, but in forgiving the sinner for his mistakes. He shows mercy to people we would harshly condemn. He gives grace to those who do not deserve (???) grace. He does not save us to judge, but to serve and to light the way. Have you read Romans 2:1-16 lately? Do not be like the first-century Jews who thought relationship with God was a matter of what one knew rather than a matter of what one did!
Few things illustrate the difference between divine thought and values when compared to human thought and values as do repentance, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Consider (as illustrations) Jesus reaction to the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 and to the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50. Would we have either reaction?
2. Hard concept two: He is thoroughly capable of being the God of diversity.
Begin by reading 1 Corinthians 8; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33; Romans 14:1-12; and 1 Timothy 4:1-5. God could take Christians who came to opposite conclusions about eating meat sacrificed to idols, about holy days, etc. because of faith in Jesus Christ and accept each of them as He spiritually sustained each of them.
Radical disagreement that produces opposite conclusions equals division to us. In fact, to most of us the words diversity and unity do not and cannot belong together. Yet, with God, radical disagreement that produces opposite conclusions does not destroy the unity of Christians if (a) both actions are produced by faith in Jesus Christ, (b) both are held in devotion to Jesus Christ, and (c) both are respectful of each other.
The foundation issue in being Christians was not agreement. The foundation issues were (a) to be as merciful to the Christian with whom you disagree as YOU wish to receive mercy from God, and (b) to know that you will explain your reasons for your conclusions TO GOD. Have you read Jesus words in Matthew 6:1-18 lately?
We have been betrayed by the thinking that agreement is the primary evidence of Christian unity. Conformity does not produce unity.
3. Hard concept three: We do not have it all figured out.
Begin by reading 1 Corinthians 8:1-3; 3:18-23; 13:8-13;1 Timothy 6:3-5; and 2 Timothy 2:14-19. It is extremely easy to revert to human reasoning and human perspectives. Once we do that, it is simple to substitute human perspectives for Gods values.
As long as we are seeking Christians, we respectfully will consider differing thoughts. When we become convinced we have all the correct ideas, then we also become hostile defenders who feel no obligation to be respectful. More division is caused by preferences than by scripture taken in context.
From a human perspective, we can conclude we have God figured out. Consider Ephesians 2:11-22 as a sobering example.
The Jewish Christians versus the gentile Christians was a major, continuing problem in the church (among the Christians) of the first century. Jewish Christians did not see how idol worshipping gentiles could become Christians without becoming Jewish proselytes first. Gentile Christians could not understand why things in the church must follow Jewish ways and traditions. The welding of conflicting cultures into a people of one body in Jesus Christ often presented challenges that exceeded human tolerance.
The failure to understand this first-century controversy among Christians has deprived us of understanding Gods concept of unity. Many of our struggles as a church could have been avoided by understanding this controversy.
Ephesians 2:11-22 is a good example. Neither gentle Christian nor Jewish Christian understood that God already had destroyed the dividing wall that separated the groups through all God achieved through Jesus death and resurrection. Both groups acted as if the wall existed and was in place. Their misunderstanding determined their behavior. They acted as if the dividing wall existed because they did not comprehend the significance of Jesus being Christians peace. A failure to understand what God already had done in Jesus Christ resulted in Christian opposition to divine reconciliation! Their failure to understand what God did in Jesus death and resurrection resulted in Christians opposing Gods accomplishment! God made them one building, temple, even if they as Christians did not grasp what God did! The foundation of their failure was the failure to understand what God did in Jesus Christ!
Jewish Christians simply did not think gentile Christians who came from a background in and involvement with idolatry understood enough to be Christians. Gentile Christians had wrong concepts of God, worshipped the wrong things, engaged in too much physical indulgence, and had little or no knowledge of godly rules and regulations. Gentiles often had reduced or no respect for Jews. It took more than a common faith in Jesus as the Christ to lead to respect for each other. Their differences were enormous! Their separation was enormous! Their problems were so big that neither understood what God did in Jesus Christ.
4. Hard concept four: Toleration of Christian disagreement is godly.
Begin by reading 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2:1-5; 8; 10:23-33; Romans 12:3-16, and Romans 14:1-15:7.
Things to consider and note: (a) New Testament encouragements to avoid divisions were addressed to divisions within congregations. (b) The responsibility of the strong Christian was to be respectful of the weak Christian (weak Christians are not expected to remain weak indefinitely or to use claims of weakness to exercise control over other Christians). (c) All Christians exist to give glory to God in all circumstances.
Preserving unity was an internal problem, not an external problem. Christians preserved unity; they did not create unity. Unity was a gift of God through Jesus Christ, not a human achievement. With that understanding, the spiritually strong can respectfully, patiently help the weak. Unity is not reduced to a control issue. The objective is not to be in control of direction, but to glorify God.
God takes no joy in the failure of any Christian. God takes joy in the salvation of each Christian. Read Hebrews 10:32-36 in consideration of the context of the book.
God will encourage the struggling when we seek to cut our losses. God does not give up--we do. The Christians to whom Hebrews was written were seriously considering abandoning Jesus Christ as a means of eliminating opposition and exclusion. Many of us would say, We are better off without them! The writer of Hebrews urged them to think about what they were doing and to realize all they needed was steadfastness.
For Thought and Discussion
1. What two things are you asked to remember about restoration?
(a) Restoration is not a simple commitment.
(b) Restoration is not simply accomplished.
2. Hard concept one is what?
Gods thinking and actions are not like our thinking and actions.
3. On what is the focus of the readings?
People do not think like God thinks and do not act like God acts.
4. Illustrate that Gods thinking and acts are not like ours.
Repentance, mercy, grace, and judging are used as illustrations.
5. What is hard concept two?
God is thoroughly capable of being the God of diversity.
6. How can God take Christians who reach conflicting conclusions and make them one?
God can do so on the basis of faith in what God did in making Jesus the Christ (Jesus death and resurrection).
7. The foundation Christian issue is not what? Instead, two foundation issues are what?
The foundation Christian issue is not agreement, but (a) extending mercy to others and (b) realizing we each will explain our conclusions to God.
8. What is hard concept three?
We do not have it all figured out.
9. What is extremely easy to do? If that occurs, what is simple?
It is extremely easy to revert to human reasoning and perspectives. If that occurs, it is simple to substitute human perspectives for Gods values.
10. What was a major, continuing problem in the church of the first century?
That was the conflict between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians. (Jews were one, specific nation; gentiles were every nation that was not Jewish.)
11. Discuss Ephesians 2:22.
The discussion should include (a) the fact of the Jewish/gentile conflict; (b) the failure of both Christian orientations to understand Gods purposes in Jesus death and resurrection; (c) the failure to understand that Christian unity is a gift from God to be preserved, not a human achievement; and (d) a failure to understand the peace God produced in Jesus Christ, which resulted in their opposing Gods reconciliation.
12. What is hard concept four?
Toleration of Christian disagreement is godly.
13. What three things are you asked to consider and note?
(a) New Testament encouragements to avoid division were given primarily about divisions within congregations among Christians.
(b) The responsibility of strong Christians was to be respectful of weak Christians.
(c) All Christians exist to give glory to God in all circumstances.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 10