Mar 24 2008
Bible Study Week 4 - How Do You Become An Effective Christian In A Decaying And Immoral World?
Purpose of This Bible Study Lesson
In this lesson we will attempt to understand how we can become effective Christians in a decaying and immoral world.
Lesson Objective
This lesson will guide the participants to:
- Discover what the Bible says about our status in the world today.
- Discover our worth as the salt and light of the world.
- Discover how we can be used as the salt and the light to fight moral decay and decadence in our society.
Introduction
Throughout the topic on relationships we have focused on our duty as Christians to be the building blocks of relationships having established that Christ is the chief cornerstone and we are called to build ourselves up in the “most holy faith” (Jude 1: 20Jude 1: 20
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
). This week we will study our role as the salt and the light of the world in impacting the rotten and darkened society around us.
Today’s Lesson: Becoming a Change Agent
Begin today’s lesson by reading Matthew 5:13-16Matthew 5:13-16
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.
16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
and Genesis 19:15-29Genesis 19:15-29
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord:
19 behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die:
20 behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape thither , and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar.
24 Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven;
25 and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah:
28 and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.
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Our Personal Mission Statement
If Christians were to write a Personal Mission Statement, it would be summarized in one sentence as follows: “To be the salt and the light of the world”. During the days of Lot in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the world was rotten and in darkness; wickedness was at its greatest and God chose to intervene. He sent his angels to deliver Lot out of the fire and brimstone that would rain on the inhabitants of Sodom. Lot’s family was given strict instructions not to look back, but Lot’s wife disobeyed and looked back. Immediately she was turned into a pillar of salt. This could be symbolic, may be for us in our age, could God have been stating something here - that they should have been the preservative of their society in order to prevent God’s judgement?. Because they failed to be that preserving ’salt’ and that she longed to go back, she literally became physical salt. Let me digress here a little - this could imply that if you happen to be in an environment (e.g. ‘friends’) that is not pure, you should do something to purify it or else quit immediately otherwise you may be included in the judgement that will follow.
The world today is not any different and Paul writing in 2 Cor 4:42 Cor 4:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them].
says that “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”.
So, what is the purpose of Christians living as salt and light in the world? It is so that we may influence our world to know God. As we live lives that are pleasing to God, unbelievers in our workplace, our school, and our neighborhood will behold our good works and discover a better way of doing things. But if our salt has lost its saltiness, then we will be thrown out and be trampled upon.
In ancient history salt was used as a food preservative and therefore it had great value since refrigerators had not been invented. Again salt has the following effects:
” As a seasoning agent: It improves the taste of the food that it comes into contact with, likewise as we come into contact with society our Christian values should improve the nature of that society.
” Salt makes people thirsty: As Christians we seek to create a thirst in people’s lives that can only be satisfied by Jesus, who said: “if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37John 7:37
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
37 Now on the last day, the great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
)
” Salt is used to thaw ice: It can have the effect of warming hearts that have hardened against the gospel - over time the saltiness of Christians can bring people to know Jesus Christ.
Christians have therefore great value in preserving the world from decay and reversing the decay that is already there in these times. Let’s not be like Lot’s wife who desired the ‘things of the World’ and not changing the world around her with godliness - and she perished. Let us in our day, impact the world with godliness as the ’salt and the light of the World’.
God bless.
Week 4: Bible Study Questions For Discussion
- Why do you think the angels told Lot not to look back at Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 19: 17Gen 19: 17
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. ? Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… - Why do you think God spared Lot according to Gen 19:16,29Gen 19:16,29
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt. ? - Do you think God’s act in dealing with Lot’s wife was justified yet Abraham had prayed for them? If yes, why do you think so? Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
- What do we learn from the story of God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in relation to our being the salt and light of the world today? Please explain. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- Give an example of how Christians can be used as the salt of the world in adding flavor in your church or community today. Please explain …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- Give an example of how Christians may hide their light in their workplace or community today?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
- Give an example of how Christians may loose their saltiness in the world today. Please explain …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
- What do you think Christ meant in Matt 5: 13Matt 5: 13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. when He said that salt that has lost its saltiness “is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men”? Please compare this with what He also said in Matt 8:12Matt 8:12
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. and comment……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For Meditation: Revelation 3:12Revelation 3:12
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name.
aV- Pillars in the Temple
“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it…”
Christ is the chief cornerstone and He has promised to make us pillars in the temple of God, if we overcome this world. Let us therefore do our best to overcome the world by working while it is still day for “night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4John 9:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
b).
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