2nd Oral Exam Flashcards
- You are talking to a friend, and he expresses the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit rather than God’s Word to determine His will for our lives. How do you respond?
The Holy Spirit wrote the Scriptures. (2 Pet 1:21).
Num 23:19 - God does not lie
Sufficiency of Scripture
- Your friend tells you that they went to a church that was “Spirit filled” and that they got to see miracles of healing and people speaking in tongues. They want to know why The Stone doesn’t have the power of the Holy Spirit and if you’ve ever been baptized in the Holy Spirit? How do you respond?
What do you mean by “filled with the Spirit”?
There are many instances where being filled with the Spirit results in speaking in tongues, or healing, but that is not always the case. The Spirit fills a person and empowers them to do more than that.
Luke 4:1 - Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit to resist temptation.
1 Cor 12:3 - We proclaim “Jesus is Lord” by the Spirit.
I do pray for healing -
Grandpa’s heart
Friends’ marriage
Friend’s aunt
To summarize, prayer works, but it will not thwart God’s purposes.
Eph 5:18-20 - Don’t be drunk w/ wine, but be filled w/ Spirit, making melody to the Lord, giving thanks for everything to God
Rom 8:12-17 - Spirit of Adoption: Those led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
1 Cor 12:4-11 - Spiritual Gifts
Gal 5:22 - Fruit of the Spirit
Luke 4:18 - Spirit of the Lord is upon me… (not only for tongues)
1 Cor 14:26-33 - Regulations and order for tongues.
- A friend tells you that predestination, election, Calvinism, or whatever you call it is wrong and not biblical and points to Matthew 23:37, 1 Timothy 2:4, and 2 Peter 3:9. How do you respond?
Matt 23 (Tried to save you, but you were not willing)
1 Tim 2 (He desires all to be saved)
2 Pet 3 (Not wishing that any should perish)
I don’t think it’s safe to say that “predestination” and “election” are wrong, because these are terms explicitly taught in the Bible. (Rom 8:28-29, Eph 1:4, 2 Pet 1:10)
I do think all Scripture should be interpreted by Scripture, and if God says our choices are meaningful, as it seems to imply in Matt 23, and if God desires all to be saved, as seen in 1 Tim 2, and 2 Pet 3, then the doctrines of election and predestination must not undermine these things.
Predestination does not say that our choices are meaningless. They’re full of meaning because the God of all creation, who ascribes importance to whatever he wills, says our choices matter, not because our choices are somehow completely separate from God’s will and knowledge.
Those in both camps agree that even though God wills all to be saved, and that not all are saved (Matt 7:13-14). They differ, though, on what they think God wills more than that. Arminians would say that it’s preservation of human free will, and Calvinists would say that it’s God’s receiving the glory that is due his name. I believe the latter, because I can see that more clearly in Scripture (Isa 43:7), and because I don’t see how I could survive completely separate from the will of God (counsel of his will).
- A friend tells you that he is absolutely convinced that the doctrine of unconditional election is true and biblical, but ever since he started believing this doctrine that it has completely killed his desire to evangelize and share the Gospel with people. How do you respond?
Rom 10:13-15 - How can they believe…
Matt 24:14 - …and then the end will come
Matt 28:19-20 - Go, therefore…
Tell me about the last time you evangelized. Did it bring you joy?
- A friend tells you that he is really disturbed by the doctrine of election. He tells you that he agrees that the Bible teaches that God is sovereign over everything, but wouldn’t allowing men free will and yet still achieving his purposes display a greater view of God’s sovereignty? And how could God receive glory for people loving Him if that lover is coerced?
I’m sorry you’re disturbed by the doctrine of election. I believe it is meant not to be disturbing, but very reassuring and comforting.
Allowing us free will doesn’t have to mean that our decisions are completely separate from God’s will. Our decisions are 100% purposed by us and 100% purposed by God.
Gen 50:20 - What you meant for evil God meant for good.
Rom 8:28 - All things work…
Eph 1:4 - predestined in LOVE
The problem with your idea of sovereignty is that God would not be able to work EVERYTHING for our good, and he would not be able to keep people from the destructive tendencies of evil men.
Would you like to study this doctrine with me, and seek to understand why it should be comforting rather than disturbing?
- We really enjoy the Stone but don’t think we would ever become members. Or partners I guess they call it? I heard they require you to give 10% to the church, seems pretty legalistic. Plus I heard that you have to join a small group, which we just don’t have time for. Sundays are awesome, you just have to get past all the chatter about Missional Communities.
The point of calling it a partnership is that there’s more accountability, as opposed to membership, where there are more perks. At the Stone, this looks like being accountable to tithe regularly, and being a part of a missional community.
Who is your community?
Are they missional?
Are you tithing regularly?
These are questions the Stone wants to ask their partners in order to keep them pursuing Jesus, and looking to him for their purpose, and obeying his commands.
Lev 27:30 - Every tithe of the land is the Lord’s
Mat 28:19-20 - Great Commission
- (speaking with a friend over dinner) I stopped going to church a few years ago and have loved it. It’s not like I have any extra days in my weekend. I don’t think you have to go to church to be a Christian. The last church I was at was so dysfunctional, the pastor ended up cheating on his wife and leaving. I made up my mind not to waste my time. I still love God, and still open my Bible from time to time. I even have a website I go to occasionally to listen to talks. That has been encouraging, minus the commute.
Heb 10:24-25 - Not neglecting to meet together
This is not a suggestion, it’s a command from Jesus. It’s not just a command for the hearer to be bettered, it’s so that the hearer can pour into others, and encourage them. By neglecting the gathering of believers, you’re robbing them of you.
If a pastor cheats on his wife, he clearly didn’t have the accountability he needed (it’s his fault for not having accountability, and having an affair). That situation won’t be made any better by the congregation going off into isolation. You’re just falling into the same trap by cutting yourself off from other believers.
James 5:16 - Confess your sins one to another.
Will you come to church with me?
Would you check out my missional community?
- A friend tells you that the doctrine of end times is so confusing and that there are such diversity of views that in order to keep the unity of the church we shouldn’t have strong views towards it, and that after all it doesn’t have any practical application in day to day lives. How do you respond?
I agree it’s confusing, and we’re not going to be able to understand it all perfectly. I also agree that much of the study of the end times should be considered non-essential beliefs to the Christian. But there are some great things we do get from end times theology, that is vital to our daily lives.
Rev 22:20 - Jesus is coming back.
Rev 20:7-10 - Jesus wins.
Num 23:19 - Prophecy will come to pass.
We should also be eager to study the details of the end times, because they’ve been revealed to us directly by God. If God wrote you a letter, and mailed it to your address, would you only read a few sentences if it was little difficult to understand?
- I wanted to ask if you would pray for my father. He is suffering from cancer and we are praying that God would heal him completely. He is a believer, and I have encouraged him with verses like Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” This has encouraged him to know that God will heal him. He will beat this cancer. God has a plan for him. I have encouraged him that he needs to have faith. Jesus came to give us abundant life.
First off, I’d love to pray for your Father, and I will pray with boldness before the throne of God that your father be healed in the name of Jesus.
Read Rom 8:32 in context.
While I want to assure you that God is powerful enough to heal him this instant, and he loves him, he also knows the best thing for him, even better than any of us.
Gen 50:20 - What Satan means for evil, God is working for good.
Rom 8:28 - God works all things…
Psalm 16:11 - In HIS PRESENCE is fullness of joy
How is God using this hard time in your father’s life to draw people to himself?
Prayer works, absolutely, but God will not allow us to stand in the way of his carrying out everything for our eternal good.
- My wife and I have separated. You have no idea how selfish she has been through this entire process, and she has the audacity to point the finger at me. I have spent some time reading and feel convinced that splitting up is the right thing for my overall spiritual and mental health. In Proverbs 21:9 – “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”, and I couldn’t agree more. This verse has been very freeing for me as I try to move on.
I’m truly sorry to hear that times are difficult in the home.
Mark 10:11 - Divorce = adultery
You have to interpret Scripture with Scripture, so let’s look at Prov 21:9 in the context of the whole Bible.
Have you done any marriage counseling?
“Sexual Immorality” does not mean marital infidelity only. It’s a much broader term. It could mean looking at pornography, it could mean simply seeing someone on the street and thinking, “I want that”! I believe this passage could be talking about during the engagement period.
What does God think about marriage?
It’s meant to be a display of God’s love for his people. Look at Hosea. In light of that, how do you think God feels about divorce?
- A friend comes to you and tells you that he is struggling with pornography. How would you counsel them using the four questions to determine the root cause? How would you apply the gospel to that root cause?
What are you doing? Looking at porn.
According to your sin, what is it saying that you need, and what does that say about who you are?
What does that say that God is doing to you, or not doing to you?
What does that say about who God is?
But who is God actually?
And what has he done for you?
And what does that make you? Who does that say that you are?
And therefore, what will you do?
- (riding in the car with a coworker, you see a homeless man holding a cardboard sign at an intersection) Can you believe these guys? I saw a special on how some of these guys make 6 figures. I would never give them a freaking dime. The guy is a waste, a leech on society. Look at him. How much you want to bet he is going straight to the bar after this afternoon? You should roll your window down and then roll it back up when he gets close to the car.
IF THE GUY IN THE CAR IS A CHRISTIAN:
What does what you’re saying about that guy say about you? That you’re better than he is? That you’re more worthy of respect?
What does that say about what God has done for you and the salvation that he freely offers you, and that guy?
What does that say about who God is?
Who is God actually?
What has he actually done for you?
What/who does that make you?
What does that say that you will do?
IF THE GUY IN THE CAR IS AN UNBELIEVER:
Because of what God has done for me in Jesus, I don’t see myself as any better than that guy. I’ve been an evil jerk to the God who created me, and I turned against him with every desire of my heart.
But he sent his Son, Jesus, to accept the excruciating penalty on my behalf, so that I could be freed from my debt to God, and would be reconciled to him forever.
In light of this, I can’t be a jerk to anyone, because after being an enemy of Jesus, I can’t say that I am any better, or deserve any more respect than anyone else. Moreover, after I’ve been forgiven perfectly for that sin, and knowing that that free gift of salvation is offered to him as much as it is you and me, I no longer see him as any less forgivable than me.
Matthew 25:41 - Caring for the least of these (through 46)
Luke 6:27 - Be merciful as God is merciful (through 36)
