Category Archives: Adult Bible Classes

Amazing Grace: On Restoring Those Fallen Away

JMF posted this question (edited for space) — One of the students in my class posted a question on the Church of Christ “House To House” website about the proposed reading of Heb.6:4-6 that is in The Holy Spirit and … Continue reading

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Amazing Grace: Guy’s Question

Guy asked regarding the last post of this series, Does this [that we aren’t sinless unless we live as Jesus lived] mean that prior to Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were living as well as Christ did? Guy, That’s a … Continue reading

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Amazing Grace: JMF’s Questions

From a comment by JMF. Hey Jay– I’ve been holding in a couple questions waiting for you to settle from your vacation.  Alas, I start teaching a class this coming Wed. night and it is greatly based on The Holy … Continue reading

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Amazing Grace: Patternism Articles in New Wineskins

The recent series of articles in New Wineskins regarding the errors of patternism have triggered a response at the From God’s Breath blog edited by Scott Shifferd Jr. I was actually quoted! Shifferd’s posts responding to the articles are- A … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: “My Yoke Is Easy”

Jesus taught, (Mat 11:28-30)  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: “Abolish” and “Fulfill”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus introduced a large section of his teaching by saying, (Mat 5:17-18)  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Fifth Cup

The Lord’s Supper was instituted as part of a Passover meal. The Passover, of course, celebrates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. By the time of Jesus, the meal was celebrated with four cups of wine, each reflecting a … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: On the Prodigal Son and Thinking the Eastern Way, Part 2

Now, there’s a much more subtle point that Jesus makes, that the teachers of the law would likely have picked up. In the Psalms, nearly every metaphor used for God is about his power, his strength, and his holiness. But … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: On the Prodigal Son and Thinking the Eastern Way, Part 1

The Western mode of thought comes from the ancient Greeks. We think abstractly. We like to take what we learn apart, see how it’s made, and extract the underlying principles. RVL’s students in high school have to dissect a frog … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Good Samaritan

RVL tells the story of being in class in a Jewish university. The rabbi taught the Parable of the Good Samaritan, as taught by Rabbi Yeshua (Hebrew for “Jesus”), and he declared this the greatest parable ever told! The Jewish … Continue reading

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