Author: winnipegbiblestudents

June 18, 2025

Galatians 5 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.  I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.  But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.  I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Discussion Questions:

Dear brethren, I know that there are many different ways to divide chapters 5 and 6 and there are many things to talk about in these chapters.  But our objective during this study is to get an overview of what chapter 5 is about.

I see in this chapter that Paul is contrasting three ways of living: 

1)  living under the Law (which the Gentile Galatians are starting to adopt) 

2)  living under the flesh (which the false teachers are saying will result if the Galatians don’t put themselves under the Law

3)  living under the Spirit (which Paul is urging the Galatians to continue doing)

So, for our discussion questions, we would like to explore these three ways of living:

Verses 1-12:  What is the inevitable result of living under the Law?

Verses 13-21: What is the inevitable result of living under the flesh?

Verses 22–26:  What is the inevitable result of living under the Spirit?

Discussion Summary:

Verses 1-12:  Christians living under the Law are unable to keep it fully and would be condemned by sin.  Jesus’ forgiveness of sin would not be the central feature of their lives.  Instead, keeping from sin by obedience to the law would be the central feature of their lives.

Paul also reminds the Galatians that he did “preach” circumcision when he had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), but it was not to replace the cross.  Rather it was done as an aid to gospel preaching to Jewish people.

Verses 13-21:  Christians who are still living after the flesh are not confined by outward laws or rules that are agreed upon.   The result is that each person’s idea becomes a law unto themselves giving everyone a reason to argue.  Love is easily forgotten.

Verses 22-26:  Christians who live under the Spirit are liberated from both the Law and the flesh.  The spirit will compel them to develop characteristics that are Christ-like.  These Christians will imitate Christ’s sacrifice of himself and will give up their preferences in the interests of others.  They will become a positive influence in the lives of other Christians.

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June 15, 2025

Luke 13:18–21 ESV

He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

Discussion Questions:

How does Jesus in verses 18 and 19, using the grain of mustard seed, describe the kingdom of God?

In verses 20 and 21, what does the illustration of the leaven and the measures of flour reveal about the kingdom of God?

Discussion Summary:

Verses 18,19:  The kingdom of God as begun in Jesus’ ministry would grow over the centuries until eventually it fills the earth (Isaiah 61:11; Habakkuk 2:14)  Many of the symbols of this parable can be found in Ezekiel 17:22-24.

There is also a negative perspective of this parable.  The kingdom of God as begun in Jesus’ ministry was corrupted over time and became powerful and aligned to the kings of this world as Christendom.   This can be found in Matthew 13:24-30.

Verses 19,20: The Kingdom of God starts small and grows through a hidden, transformative process.  This can be seen in a positive way through the lives of Christians (Colossians 3:3).  This can also be seen in a negative way when leaven is viewed as sin (1 Corinthians 5:6,7; Luke 12:1).  Revelation contrasts the pure virgin church of Revelation 12:1 to the great harlot of Revelation 17:1-6.

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June 11, 2025

Galatians 4 ESV

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.  Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.  Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.  You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,  and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.  What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.  Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?  They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.  It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,  my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!  I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.  Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.  Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.  Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.  But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.  For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.”  Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.  But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.  But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”  So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

Discussion Question: 

In chapter 4 Paul has three thought sections:

• Verses 1-7 where he describes how both Jews and Gentiles come out of slavery to the freedom of sonship.
• Verses 8-20 where he discusses their past and present relationship with him
• Verses 21-31 where he gives an allegory from the Old Testament

What points does Paul make in each section?

Discussion Summary:

Verses 1-7:  These gentile Christians were once heathens.  Their lives were governed by “the elements of the cosmos.”  For example, stars, horoscopes, temple calendars of sacrifice dictated their worship.  Paul asks if now that they have been made free from those powers do they want to put themselves back under outside influences that dictate their worship?  The Mosaic law prescribes when and where one sacrifices and prays.  Christians are supposed to worship freely in Spirit and Truth (John 4:19-24).

Verses 8-20:  Paul uses the example of Abraham and his wives to make an allegory.  The first wife to have children was a slave and so her child did not have full rights of inheritance.  The second wife to have a child was free and so her child had full rights of inheritance.  Paul equates Christians to the second child of Abraham.

Verses 21-31:  Paul quotes the prophesy in Isaiah 54:1 to show that the second child was more blessed of God.  He explains that Christians are more blessed because of the freedom that they have in Christ.

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June 8, 2025

Today we cancelled our study so that we could join an online Bible Student Convention.

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June 4, 2025

Today we had a meeting of praise to our Heavenly Father. We shared our testimonies of how the Lord has been evident in our lives.

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June 1, 2025

Today’s study was cancelled as a Memorial Service was held. We remember those who mourn in prayer.

May 28, 2025

Galatians 3 ESV

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?  Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—  just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?  Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”  So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.  For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”  Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”  But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—  so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.  To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.  Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.  This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.  For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.  Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.  Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.  Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.  But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.  So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Discussion Question:

Our challenge this week is to understand Apostle Paul’s doctrinal argument in Galatians chapter 3. 

Our question for discussion is:  What are the points the Apostle Paul is making in his argument? 

The chapter can be broken down into the following sections or the Apostle Paul’s paragraphs. 

Sections:

1-5:  Intro to Galatian brethren

6-9:  Abrahamic Promise

10-14:  Curse of the Law

15-18:  Abrahamic Covenant and Law Covenant

19-25:  Purpose of the Law

26-29:  New way for Christians – putting on Christ

Discussion Summary:

The gentile Christians in Galatia had been converted by Paul.  He did not teach that they had to observe the law when they converted.  He is asking them if it is only now, as they are being pressured to observe the law that they are truly Christian?

Christians believe that the promise made to Abraham that through him all the nations would be blessed is fulfilled in Jesus.  He inherited that promise.

The law given at Mt. Sinai came after the promise to Abraham.  The law showed that no one until Jesus was able to keep the law perfectly.  No one was able to inherit.  Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 and Leviticus 18:5 to prove this point.  The law was also designed to put the people into an attitude that they would need to have their failure to keep the law, their sins, forgiven.

Once Jesus proved worthy to inherit the Abrahamic promise by obeying the law of God perfectly, he then gave up that perfect life for all humans.  Those who now have faith in Jesus Christ and in his ability to forgive sins have the opportunity to become Christians and inherit the promise.

May 25, 2025

Luke 13:10–17 ESV

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”  And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”  Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?  And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”  As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Discussion Question:

What lessons regarding the Law and Satan’s power was Jesus trying to convey to the people?

Discussion Summary:

This woman did not approach Jesus.  He was the one who noticed her and called her over.  He did not ignore those on the sidelines but engaged those who needed his help.  She had come to the synagogue demonstrating her faith in God even in her affliction.  Jesus responded to her faith.

Jesus had earlier in chapter 6, verse 5 declared himself to be Lord of the Sabbath.  It would be through his death that he would be able to offer to all a true rest from the labour of sin.  We read in Leviticus 25 that as the sabbath is every 7 days, and every 7 years there is a sabbath year where the land lies fallow, so on the 50^th year (following 7×7) there was a year of jubilee in which all captives were released, debts pardoned and land redistributed to the tribes.  Jesus is illustrating this grand sabbath lesson as foretold in Isaiah 61:1.

Satan as the “god of this world” has blinded the eyes of men that they cannot see (2 Corinthians 4:4).  Figuratively, people are in bondage to him and cannot free themselves.  They are in effect leashed like an animal.  While the religious leaders would have unleashed an animal on the sabbath to lead it to water, they denied the unleashing of this woman by healing her.

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May 21, 2025

Galatians 2 ESV

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.  I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.  But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.  Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—  to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.  And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.  On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised  (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.  Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.  But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.  For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.  And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”  We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;  yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.  But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!  For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Discussion Question:

Last week we learned the Galatians were mainly Gentile Christians.  After Paul had left them, false teachers came among them who persuaded the Galatians that they had to come under the Jewish Law in order to properly follow Christ.  For example, they had to be circumcised and follow dietary laws.

There are two different sections within Chapter 2 and we’d like to discuss both separately.

Section 1 (vss 1-14) What was Paul’s relationship to the brethren in the Jerusalem church and in particular, Apostle Peter?

Section 2 (vss 15-21) is an argument that Paul probably gave to Peter in Antioch and is now also giving to these false teachers in Galatia because it is addressed to Jewish Christians.  What are the points Paul is making?

Discussion Summary:

It seems to have been common knowledge that Paul’s preaching was different from the Apostles’.  In 2 Peter 3:15,16 it states that Paul says things that are “hard to understand.”  There seems to have been an understanding that Paul carried on his work independently of the Jerusalem church, while still being mindful of them (verses 9,10).  In Acts 15 we read of the agreement reached between Paul and the Jerusalem church that circumcision would not be required of Gentile converts.

In verses 15-21, Paul is referring specifically to the incident in Antioch.  He is saying that he would have been transgressor if he had joined Peter in reintroducing the food laws they had earlier torn down.  He is now telling the Galatians that if he joined these false teachers in requiring circumcision after that requirement had been torn down, he would be a transgressor.  Whoever would rebuild the Law’s distinction between Jew and Gentile after God had torn that down through Christ would show himself to be a transgressor in God’s eyes.  Christ makes things right with God, not the law.

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May 18, 2025

Luke 13:1–5 ESV

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”  And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’  And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

Discussion Question:

In this section Jesus uses two current events and one parable to teach about repentance. 

What is the lesson of each part and how are they related?

Discussion Summary:

In the ancient world sickness and tragedy were looked upon as evidence of wrongdoing and punishment.  We see this principle vividly in the Book of Job.  In the first two current events, the people died tragically being martyred and engaged in good works.  Jesus is using both of these examples to make the people understand that even good people have “punishment” because in God’s eyes all are sinners (Romans 3:23). 

Everyone is in need of the forgiveness of sins ever since Father Adam first disobeyed God.  This forgiveness is given once the sinner repents and asks for it.  This message of repentance to the nation of Israel at the first advent was being preached by

The parable is designed to show that there was still time for the nation to obtain this repentance.  The man in the parable was willing to give the fig tree more time to bear fruit and he was actively engaged in helping it.  God was also willing to give time for the nation to repent before a judgment would be meted out.  During this time John the Baptist (Matthew 3:8), Jesus (Mark 1:15), and the Apostles (Acts 2:38; 17:30) preached repentance.

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