Bible Study Proposal

[joey_the_ox]

Would anyone here be interested in participating in a Bible study? I would like to participate more here, and hear the perspectives of others on the forum, but I don't find the overtly political topics that seem to be the bulk of the discourse to be very productive discussions. (I did participate in one of the 2nd Amendment threads a while back, which was probably a bad decision on my part.)

My idea is to pick a passage and then study it together in detail, working through it piece by piece and allowing plenty of time for research and meditation on the text. The period of time I have in mind is something on the order of 6 months total, so that a larger passage could be covered, not just a few verses or a single chapter.

We could do this on the forum, starting a new thread for each major section of the passage, and for any subtopics of discussion that spin off and require their own threads. A new section would not be started until plenty of time passes (something like 2-3 weeks), allowing everyone who wants to participate time to get their thoughts in order. I could draft up a sample schedule once a passage is selected.

The Sermon on the Mount comes immediately to mind as a good passage, or we could pick one of the New Testament epistles and go through the whole thing.

Please comment on this thread if you would be interested in participating, and state which passage or passages you would be most interested in studying (and feel free to make other suggestions than the ones I gave above).

[Sudsy]

Wow, a study of the bible. Would love to. Consider taking a small NT book that we don't hear referenced much on this forum. I tried the SOM awhile back and was surprised how little interest there was. Perhaps a small book like Philippians would be a good trial to this.

Whatever you chose, I'm in.

[ohio jones]

Please do. But based on past experience with SOTM studies, which never seem to get to chapter 7, consider starting smaller. Like really small. Jude or Obadiah? If that goes well, tackle a longer one next.

[temporal1]

Don’t be dismayed if it gets a slow response. It’s summer. Numbers of active posters usually declines.
Refresh, add a note, use it as a place for your own interest, others may or may not participate.
Notice the number of “views.” Many members read-only. Written replies are not the whole story.

Review the Anabaptist and Christian categories. There have been different threads on Bible Studies, and, some threads titled and focused on certain passages. You might find something helpful, or of interest. i enjoy reviewing posting history, i often choose a category, then begin reviewing subject lines, oldest to newest. MN began in October 2016, that’s the oldest.

Also, review “Unanswered topics.” There can be some gems in there, too.
This category is a bit skewed, there was a period of lots of H. Lamar Smith quoted topics. (i think Nazarene)
(Good topics, viewed, often no responses.)

Because you’re thinking of doing a series (i suggest, fwiw) thinking of a word or two to distinguish subject lines.
For instance, “JTO Bible Study 1: 1 Cor 13” (At the moment, JTO is a great keyword to search.)

Or something along those lines.
i’m often digging around in the past, i appreciate ways to help locate topics.

Don’t let noisy members like me bother you. Noise is noise.

There’s always interest in scriptural exposition, there’s no shortage of worthwhile, studied, informed, interested believers present. i’m continually blessed by them. sincerely i am. i depend on them. very much so.

Best wishes for your endeavor. i look forward to seeing who you might pull out of the woodwork, so to speak.

[Sudsy]

Not surprised at the lack of interest. Summer or not, things of this world seem to be of far greater interest and entertaining. I wonder too if your Affiliation of 'Catholic' may have something to do with the lack of response.

[joey_the_ox]

Not surprised at the lack of interest. Summer or not, things of this world seem to be of far greater interest and entertaining. I wonder too if your Affiliation of 'Catholic' may have something to do with the lack of response.

Haha, perhaps . I would consider such a study a success simply if everyone came away with a greater understanding of the text.

[Bootstrap]

Please do. But based on past experience with SOTM studies, which never seem to get to chapter 7, consider starting smaller. Like really small. Jude or Obadiah? If that goes well, tackle a longer one next.

Or even one section. The Beatitudes. One parable. Maybe more than one person could do that.

[temporal1]

Haha, perhaps .
I would consider such a study a success simply if everyone came away with a greater understanding of the text.

Don’t be thwarted, membership here is mixed-faith, mixed-everything, with an occasional atheist.
MaxPC, altho quiet presently, a devout Catholic (remains) one of the most prolific posters, with no shortage of interaction, not always kind, but usually kind, often appreciated - often by CMs. i believe there is another Catholic or 2 active presently, and some former Catholics.

Not all have equal gifts of engagement.
Some have a (gift?) or way that brings out discord, for better and worse. The positive is, some of the best and most thoughtful responses are directed to sources of discord. One of life’s conundrums.

[temporal1]

Still thinking of this ..

A search of the word “study” brings 1051 results, 106 pages. search.php?keywords=study

Starting with the earliest, i was reminded of Wade, “Devotional Study” viewtopic.php?f=22&t=79&p=1279&hilit=study#p1279

Wade hasn’t been posting in awhile. haithabu and gcdonner, also not posting (a lot) recently, have gotten into Bible studies.

i like your idea, i hope you proceed with it.

Maybe if i quote Wade, he’ll revisit MN.
Wade’s OP / Page 1

Open to any comments or discussion:

Devotional Study #32 – Matthew 18:23-24 and Forgiveness

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”– Matthew 18:21-22

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” – Matthew 18:35

The word ‘for’ in forgive has the meaning of complete or cessation. So forgive contains the idea of giving a complete full pardon, without holding onto any part or bitterness, although it maybe only one that is being forgiven; it can easily be two or more that are blessed.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” – Matthew 6:12-15

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” – Colossians 3:8-13

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” - Romans 12:19 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” – Hebrews 12:15

Because vengeance is the Lord’s it is never our position to settle a situation how we may see fit and neither is it our position to pass judgement. When we have any feeling that we could or should is when we allow bitterness to be planted.
While we cannot choose how the other person will respond Christ in our main text shows our part, however when we also balance that with Christ’s intent of forgiveness to us, we see restoration and reconciliation which involves doing more than just “our” part.
“...freely ye have received, freely give.” – Matthew 10:8b

Some questions in growing and sincerely walking with Him:
Do I carry bitterness?
Do we seek opportunities to forgive when it is hard?
Do we have a proper view of offenses/sin in looking at how it effects me or how it effects the offenders soul and his standing with God?

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” – 1 Peter 3:8-9

“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” – Jeremiah 33:8

Mercy is not forgiveness; God is withholding punishment and is rather extending mercy to the world. It is because of His mercy that we have opportunity to seek forgiveness that He so richly and freely gives. As Christ was being tortured and was dying on the cross He said to forgive them. Them could be taken as those who have sinned and that is us. When we can see even a glimmer of the mercy and forgiveness that we didn’t deserve that Christ has extended to all in Christ we cannot help but to extend that forgiveness to others too. Sometimes it hurts but, “with his stripes we are healed.”
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” – Luke 23:34a

“The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” – Numbers 14:18

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” – Mark 11:24-26

A favorite:
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” - Isaiah 53

And more:
“So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” – Genesis 50:17-20

“Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.” – Psalm 25:18
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” – Psalm 32:1
“Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.” – Psalm 85:2
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” – Psalm 86:5
“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;” Psalm 103:3
“But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” Psalm 130:4
“Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” – Acts 5:31
“Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” – Romans 4:7
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:” – Acts 13:38
“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” – 2 Corinthians 2:7
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” – Ephesians 1:7
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” – Colossians 1:14
“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.” – 1 John 2:12

“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” – Jeremiah 31:34
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” – Luke 6:24-38

Are these getting too long?....

[JimFoxvog]

I'd be interested, but summer is my busy season being a market gardener, and I'm often too exhausted to put much effort into such things. I'd like to try. Sermon on the Mount sounds like a great place to start to me.