To place the class in my personal focus this week:

1. Read Matthew 6:1 at least once a day.
2. Find moments in the day when you can think about that verse.
3. Think of specific instances when a person can do right things for wrong motives.
4. Think of specific instances when a person can do right things for right motives.

Questions:

1. What are some specific ways in which we can practice righteousness for the reason of "being noticed" by other people?

   1. Your wife or husband?

   2. Your children?

   3. Your brothers or sisters?

   4. Your parents?

   5. Your Christian friends?

   6. People at church functions?

   7. People on the job?

2. Explain the difference between doing acts of righteousness for the purpose of being noticed by others (Matthew 6:1) and allowing others to see our good works so that our good works will glorify God (Matthew 5:16).

3. If a Christian performs acts of righteousness for the purpose of being noticed by other people, while will these deeds not receive any reward from God?

4. Explain the importance of our motives in our deeds.

5. In obeying God, is a Christian's motives as important as his or her obedient acts? Explain your answer.

6. Example: read and consider Matthew 23:1-7. How does this example illustrate Jesus' statement in Matthew 6:1?

David Chadwell

Building a Healthy Faith Study Guide (lesson 1)
Sunday morning young adult Bible class, Summer Quarter 1999
West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR

Copyright © 1999
Permission is granted to freely copy and distribute with text unchanged, including author's name.

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