Month: February 2022

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The Curse of the Serpent

After the fall of man, God pronounces a curse upon the serpent which includes an enigmatic statement concerning a future enmity. Jesse joins Tim for the first time to discuss this earliest of prophecies about the Lord Jesus Christ and how he would crush the head of the serpent. Listen in as we break down each of the characters and what the allegory all means.

Key Verse: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Gen 3:15

Show Notes:

Introduction

  • The Edenic covenant in Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy and promise of the Bible. It is an allegory using events to represent another spiritual meaning.
  • Quick overview of what is represented by the serpent, woman and the two seeds.

The Serpent

  • More subtle than any beast of the field that God had made (3:1)
  • Spoke based on animal instincts to speak a lie therefore represents the mind of the flesh at enmity with God (Rom. 8:7)

The Woman

  • She proclaimed the truth of God’s revelation even though she was beguiled.
  • The woman represents the mind of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5)

The Seed of the Serpent

  • The wicked are described as a generation of vipers (Psalm 58:4; 140:3; Matt 23:33; John 8:44)
  • The seed of the Serpent are therefore those ruled by the mind of the flesh.

The Seed of the Woman

  • Represents those who have the mind of the Spirit.
  • First of all, this is Jesus (Gal. 3:16; 4:4)
  • Second, it is all those who seek to be like Jesus, transforming their minds (Rom 6:11-13; Gal 3:26-29; Eph 4:22-24)

The Defeat of Sin

  • “Bruise” = crush. The difference between a wound to the heel and head.
  • How that relates to Christ’s death and resurrection (Heb. 2:14)

Conclusion

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Sin Entered the World

In this episode, Rob and Tim read through and discuss the Bible’s record of the very first sin in Genesis 2 and 3. Why was there a tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Why did God command Adam not to eat of it? What is up with the serpent? What lessons can we learn about temptation and sin? It’s all here in this episode.

Key Verse: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” Romans 5:12

Show Notes:

Introduction

  • Sin is the cause of death (Rom. 6:23)
  • Sin and therefore death came by one man (Rom. 5:12)

The First Sin – Reading through Genesis 2 and 3

  • Genesis 2:16-17 – God’s law and its consequence
  • Genesis 3:1,4 – The serpent and the lie
  • Genesis 3:6-7 – Temptation (1 John 2:16; James 1:14) and the fall of man

Final conclusion

  • The seriousness of sin and its effects on the whole world
  • Hope and forgiveness in Jesus (1 John 3:5)
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Sin in Five Verses

From Genesis to Revelation, sin is a major topic. One could even say it is a subject of life and death. Rob joins Tim to get a grasp on five verses that define sin. They are all very similar, yet each has its own nuance. The more we get into this study the more we get a sense of the seriousness of sin and letting God define it for us.

Key Verse:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 6:23 

The Five Verses:

#1 – Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4)

#2 – All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17)

#3 – What is not of faith is sin (Rom. 14:23)

#4 – Failing to do right is sin (James 4:17)

#5 – Coming short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23)

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The Greatest of these is Love

Could there be any more beautifully expressed words then Paul’s exposition on love in 1 Corinthians 13? Join Brian and Tim and as they talk about the Greek words for love to get a better understanding of how to love like Christ. They then go on to explore each phrase and consider what it means for us in our life of discipleship.

Key Verse:

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

Handouts:

1 Corinthians 13 Version Comparison Spreadsheet

1 Corinthians 13 Comparison with Exodus 34

1 Corinthians 13 Comparison with Galatians 5

Show Notes:

Definitions of the Greek words for love

  • Agape (Strong G25, G25 and G27) – to love (in a social or moral sense)
  • Phileo (Strongs G5368) to be a friend to (fond of (an individual or an object)), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while agape is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as G2309 and G1014, or as G2372 and G3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head)
    • Root G5384 philos – properly dear, ie. a friend
    • Used as a root of several other words. G5386 philosophos – philosopher, fond of wise things

Quotes about love

  • Agape is “the love that flows from a person’s association with God’s purpose in Christ, a principled love that is not free from passion, but is not driven by passion.” – Michael Ashton, The Christadelphian Magazine, 2002.
  • “the Greek agape takes on a special meaning: it is used to designate a volitional (or relating to one’s will) love as opposed to the purely emotional kind. It is a self-sacrificial love, a kind naturally expressed by God.” – Stephen Whitehouse, The Christadelphian Magazine, 2009.

Special verses that define agape love as self sacrificing (John 15:13; Rom. 5:8; John 3:16).

The beautiful definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13

  • Appreciating the context and comparing different versions.
  • Similarities between 1 Cor. 13 and the character of God in Ex. 34:6-7 and the fruits of the spirit in Gal. 5:22-23.

Breaking down 1 Corinthians 13

  • “Love is patient and kind” compare Eph. 4:1-3. “Kindness is love communicating” Dennis Gillet, Genius of Discipleship
  • “love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant”. KJV “not puffed up”. This was a problem with the Corinthians (4:6, 18, 19; 5:2; 8:1)
  • “love is not rude”
  • “It does not insist on its own way”, not self-centered
  • “it is not irritable”, that is, not easily provoked to anger.
  • “or resentful” literally mean to not keep a record of wrongs. Doesn’t hold grudges.
  • “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
  • Two ways of interpreting this – love does not gloat over the wickedness of others (Ezek. 33:11) and love does not overlook error but speaks the truth (2 Tim. 2:17; Eph. 4:15)
  • “Love bears all things”. Literally means to cover over like a roof. Compare Prov. 10:12; 17:9
  • “believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
  • Love includes faith (belief) and hope

In the Kingdom there will be no need for faith (Heb. 11:1) or hope (Rom. 8:24) but love will endure.

J.B. Phillips translation of 1 Cor. 13:7-8 “Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.”