LHIM Weekly Bible Teaching

• You Belong 4: Community Unity

  God has graciously provided us with a diverse community of faith. Rather than judging or worrying about our differences, let’s strive to love one another. When issues come up, we can work them out rather than dividing. Romans 12:3-8 God just loves diversity. We see this so clearly by looking at how many kinds of fish, or dogs, or flowers he made. Within the church too, we find lots of diversity with respect to gifts. Rather than worrying about differences, let’s work together to serve God as a community. Romans 12:9-13 The great key to community unity is love. Rather than thinking of yourself as a spectator or, even worse, a critic, get involved and find ways to contribute to the community of faith. Romans 12:14-18 All groups of people face conflict from time to time. Thankfully Jesus did not leave us without clear guidance on what to do when you’re offended (Mat 18:15-17, 21-22). Romans 14:1-6 Some of us are weaker in our faith while others are stronger. We should cut each other some slack and prioritize community over our individual rights. Romans 14:13-20 It’s easy to judge one another on secondary issues that are not clearly stated in the Bible. Everyone has their own shortcomings and limitations, which may be quite different than yours. Romans 16:17-19 Divisiveness, however, is to be avoided. The issue is not whether or not you should stay part of the community, but how can you work the issue out that’s bothering you in a godly way. Pastor Sean used the Bible version NRSVUEThe post You Belong 4: Community Unity first appeared on Living Hope.

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• You Belong 3: Your New Identity in Christ

  Your identity in Christ is received, not achieved. You belong because of God’s grace, you are adopted into His family, and your identity is grounded in what Christ has already done. Romans 6 teaches that your old self died with Christ: “Your old self was crucified with Him.” Your former identity isn’t improved — it’s executed. The old lies—“Only what you see is real,” “Your choices don’t matter,” “You can’t change”—no longer define you. Scripture calls you to “consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God.” Colossians 3:3 declares that your life is now hidden with Christ in God—covered, secure, and protected. God sees you as a new creation, not as your past. Galatians 2:20 shows that Christ now lives in you. Christianity is not you trying harder but Christ expressing His life through you. Your strength is not your own. Because of this new identity, you belong to a new kingdom: “Sin shall not be master over you.” Shame no longer names you. You now live by faith in the Son of God. You live out your identity by declaring truth (Romans 6:11), renewing your mind (Colossians 3:2), and walking by the Spirit (Romans 8:14). Scripture replaces old labels with God’s identity: free, loved, new, forgiven, empowered, never alone, God’s workmanship, secure, victorious, chosen, strengthened, and without condemnation. You are dead to sin, alive to God, hidden with Christ, and Christ lives in you. This identity is a gift — now live like you belong.The post You Belong 3: Your New Identity in Christ first appeared on Living Hope.

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• You Belong 2: Adopted Into God’s Family

  When we first believe and repent, we receive God’s spirit, which adopts us into his family. Like Octavius whom Julius Caesar posthumously adopted, we must accept our adoption and live it out. When we do, we will suffer. Thankfully, our inheritance as God’s children far outweighs any suffering we must face today. Romans 8:11 The spirit of God is the primary activating agent for resurrection on the last day. We receive the spirit when we first believe in the gospel and repent of our sins (Titus 3:3-7; Eph 1:13-14). Romans 8:12-14 There’s something inherently wrong with us. Paul calls this impulse to do what is wrong, “the flesh” (Rom 7:14-15, 21-24). If we choose to be led by the spirit, we can gain freedom from the flesh. By acting like God, we are the children of God (Gal 3:6-7). Romans 8:15-16 Receiving God’s spirit also means that we’ve been adopted into God’s family. Just as Octavius had to believe and act on his posthumous adoption by Julius Caesar, so too we must believe and act upon our adoption by God. Romans 8:17 Because we are God’s adopted children, we are also heirs. To be an heir is to be destined to receive an inheritance. Heirs of God means that we will receive our inheritance from God—eternal life in the kingdom of God (Mat 5:5; Luke 12:32). Romans 8:18 All who want to live a godly life in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Tim 3:12). Although we don’t seek out suffering, it is inevitable if we stand for God in this fallen world. Our suffering matters, but we must remember to keep it in perspective of the coming glory.The post You Belong 2: Adopted Into God’s Family first appeared on Living Hope.

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• Who Told You That? Jesus Is a God-Man

  Science Assumes Intelligent Design cannot be challenged.  Christianity has assumed that Jesus is God and the debate is over. The Gospel the Apostles Preached After forty days of instruction, the apostles proclaimed: God sent, raised, and exalted Jesus. (Acts 2:22–36; 3:13; 5:30–31) Their gospel: what God did through a man, not what God became in a man. Acts 10:38 – “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth… for God was with Him.” John’s Message about the Word “The Word became flesh” reveals God’s wisdom and power embodied in Jesus. “My flesh… for the life of the world” shows flesh as God’s provision, not incarnation. (John 1:14; 6:51) Proverbs 8:22–30 – Wisdom beside God from the beginning. The True Accusation Jesus was condemned for claiming to be the Messiah, not God Himself. Mark 14:61–64; Matthew 26:63–65; Luke 23:2–3 The inscription read: “King of the Jews,” not “God of the Jews.” (John 19:19–22) The Law of Agency In Jewish thought: “A man’s agent is as himself.” Jesus spoke and acted fully in God’s Name. (Exodus 23:21; John 5:43; 14:10; 17:11) Conclusion God didn’t become man to save us—He sent a man, His Son, to reveal and redeem. 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 5:19; Acts 2:36The post Who Told You That? Jesus Is a God-Man first appeared on Living Hope.

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• Who Told You That? God Is Three Persons

  Bible version: NRSVUE (New Revised Standard Version Updated) The common view is that God is three persons in one being or substance. Each of the persons is fully God, but the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Problem 1: Believing that God is three persons contradicts scriptures that speak of God as a singular individual—as a one, not a plurality (Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4-9; Isa. 43:10-11; 44:6; 45:5-6; 1 Kgs. 8:60; Mal. 2:10; Mark 12:28-34; John 17:3; Rom 3:30; Eph 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; Jas. 2:19). Just imagine how well-known scriptures would change if God were three persons (John 3:16; Jer. 29:11). Problem 2: If God were three persons we find serious logical difficulties. Questions multiply. Why doesn’t the Bible say God is three persons or explain the idea? Why wasn’t it included in the preaching in the book of Acts? How is belief in three persons not tritheism? If the spirit is a person, what’s his name? Why doesn’t anyone pray to the spirit? Why doesn’t the spirit receive worship or give greetings? Problem 3: The tri-personal idea slowly evolved over time. Tertullian first used the word trinitas, but didn’t recognize the Father, Son, and Spirit as coequal. Origen of Alexandria developed the concept of eternal generation, but he too believed the Father was greater than the Son. It’s not until Gregory of Nazianzus in the mid to late fourth century that we get a clear statement of God as three persons in one being (Fifth Theological Oration 31). Solution: The Bible teaches that the Father is the only true God (John 17:3), Jesus is his Son, the Messiah, and the spirit is their presence in the world.The post Who Told You That? God Is Three Persons first appeared on Living Hope.

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