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Galatians Paul to the Galatians
Woman Man-Woman Issues
Outreach Outreach
Interpreting Bible Interpretation and Authority
1Peter Peter's First Letter
2Peter Peter's Second Letter

Fifth topical series list for simplybible.com

 

UP Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

The background and outline of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, plus seven lessons including verse by verse studies.

Prologue: Seven Lovely Things —In Paul’s letter to Galatians there are seven short passages that are well known and loved by every believer in Christ.

Background to Galatians —Various items of background information that help to establish our study of the letter.

Structure: Outline of Galatians —The letter falls into five sections between which are short plea passages.

Salutation, Doxology, Benediction —The importance of statements at the beginning and end of the letter.

Paul's Appeals to the Galatians —The five plea passages that separate the main sections of the letter.

Issue: You Are Not Under Law —About Paul's statement in Galatians 5:18, If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The Guiding Principle —More discussion of the subject of the previous lesson.

Setting the Record Straight —Main Section 1, (Gal 1:10 to 2:21) where Paul answers misrepresentation and opposition by certain Jewish brethren who promote obedience to the law of Moses, and distinctions between Jew and Gentile.

Challenge to the Churches —Main Section 2, (Gal 3:6 to 4:9) where Paul presents three powerful contrasts or choices between the gospel and the law, to show how superior the gospel is, and how foolish it would be to go back to the law. Paul issues strong challenges the churches to choose the superior way.

An Allegory Explained —Main Section 3, (Gal 4:21-31) where Paul expounds the significance of events surrounding God's promise to Abraham to show that the law of Moses has been abolished. In this lesson Paul walks us through the allegorical meaning of the real-life story of Hagar and Sarah.

God Requires Good Works —Main Section 4, (Gal 5:13 to 6:10) where Paul makes good works a part of faith. Although the Christian is free from the law, the Christian must keep the commandments of Christ. Paul shows that salvation depends upon this. He never taught that the works commanded by Jesus are non-essentials.

 

UP Man and Woman

A collection of lessons concerning relationships between woman, man, and God. The series includes lessons relating to marriage.

What God Says About Marriage —Marriage is a "holy estate" instituted by God who created man and woman as equals to complement each other. Love is the first principle of marriage, where the husband sacrifices himself for his wife, and the wife submits herself to her husband. In holy matrimony, the two become one flesh with God's approval. Marriage is for life, and nothing but death should separate the married man and woman. God hates divorce. This lesson looks at those points about marriage.

What God Says About Divorce —Divorce not only displeases God, it does terrible harm to our society, and leaves many victims suffering. In this lesson we focus on the problem of divorce. God's solution to this problem is very simple, yet it is a complete and thorough solution.

What God Says About Celibacy —Celibacy is an honourable and respectable state, no less admirable than marriage. Of course like marriage, celibacy comes with its own set of problems and disadvantages, and also like marriage, a set of benefits and advantages. In this lesson we are looking at celibacy in various contexts: among the unmarried, the married, the widowed, and the divorced.

What God Says About Adultery —Adultery has a more devastating effect on family life and Australian society than any crime, yet adultery is not a punishable offence under Australian law. Australians are freely violating existing marriages by their adultery. It is an offence to God and a shame on Australia. Adultery is so common, it is hardly frowned upon. However, God takes a very different view of adultery, and it's time for Australians to start listening to God.

What Makes Women Beautiful? —This lesson looks at the attributes and qualities that make a woman beautiful as God intended she should be.

The Weaker Vessel —This phrase (in 1Pe 3:7) has been misunderstood, and some women have felt insulted by it. We need to clear that up and find out what manner of weakness Peter is referring to.

Head Covering in Worship (1Co 11:1-16) —This lesson examines subjection within a relationship of equals, and looks at the question of a man not wearing a head covering during worship, and a woman wearing one.

 

UP Outreach

This series serves as a video/DVD listener’s guide, however the lessons also work on their own. They show, from the scriptures, the method, techniques, and stages involved in converting a person to Christ.

Introducing Outreach —Introduction to the study of the five-step process of Christian Outreach.

The Opening —The first of the five steps in the process of Christian Outreach.

More on the Opening —We look more deeply into the first step. Most of our lesson is taken up in studying the example Jesus sets us in his dealings with the woman at the well (John 4).

The Invitation —Now we turn our attention to the second step in the outreach process, the invitation that we should hold out to someone with whom we have found an opening.

The Reassuring —The third step in the process of Christian Outreach.

The Unsettling —In the fourth step, a person is brought face to face with his own error, disobedience, neglect, or need. The purpose is to help a person and confront what God requires, to awaken conscience, and to test honesty. This is a critical moment.

The Closing —The fifth step in the soul winning process happens when a person makes a decision to change his beliefs and ways. You bring the person into line with God's word which has shown the person's error.

Final Pointers —Some extra scriptural tips on outreach, and a summary of the five steps in the outreach process.

 

UP Bible Interpretation and Authority

This series addresses the principles of Bible interpretation, and how one derives authority for what is taught and done in the name of Christ.

How the Bible is Put Together —Lesson and chart showing the theme of the Bible and the arrangement of its various parts.

The Main Way God Speaks —Comparing the advantages of the written word over oral revelation.

How Timothy Knew the Truth —Examining how or by what means Timothy knew the truth.

Untruths About God's Truth —Looks at some of the untrue statements people make about the Bible.

Applying the Bible to Self —The first thing we must learn to do with the Bible is to make self application. To this end, there are at least six simple questions we can ask of any portion of scripture we read.

Handling the Word Aright —Six simple principles to help us interpret and understand the Bible properly.

Having Authority From God —Common misconceptions about what constitutes authority from God.

Comparing Scripture with Scripture —We look at three instructive examples of a failure to compare scripture with scripture. These examples are recorded by John. They occurred during the ministry of Jesus.

Testing Things which Differ — In Philippians 1:10 Paul states one of the great skills we all need. Without this skill, we won't have a proper sense of values, a sensible view of the world, or a correct understanding of God’s word.

Book in Your Hands, Head on Your Shoulders —A study of reason and revelation, the relationship between our thoughts and divine thoughts, human judgment and scriptural authority.

Is It Scriptural? —Many Christians wish to ensure that all they do and believe has the Lord’s authority. Here's how.

Constants and Variables —About matters of faith as distinct from matters of judgment.

The Meaning of Words —Many arguments about what the Bible means only happen because people lose sight of these simple principles.

What is This Thing Called Context? —About "taking scripture in context." What does this mean?

Dynamic Equivalence in Translation —An advanced lesson about dynamic equivalence in translation, using Acts 20:7 as an example

Words and Thoughts in Translation —What should a Bible translator convey primarily? The words of the original or the thoughts intended?

Using Our Brains —The role of the human mind in using the scriptures as our authority and applying the scriptures to self.

Just Play Ball —Some people have difficulty understanding the Bible. In most cases, there is a simple reason and a simple solution.

Interpreting the Bible —This lesson is a digest of four articles I wrote some years ago for a church bulletin. Each relates to the theme of scriptural authority and interpretation of the Bible.

The Apostles’ Creed —A discussion of the Apostles' Creed and creeds in general, and why churches of Christ have no creeds.

No Creed But Christ —A Bible discussion about creeds and confessions of faith.

Who Has the Truth? —About the source and repository of truth, and about departures from it.

Relativism and Absolute Truth —A short but informative discussion of relative and absolute truth from a Biblical perspective.

Why I Believe the Bible —This lesson explains my faith in the Bible based on the three tests of truth that I apply to the Bible.

Did Jesus Preach the Law of Moses? —Did Jesus preach the gospel or were his teachings an exposition of the Mosaic Law? Get this wrong and you won't understand the Bible.

Is the Gospel for the Church? —Ten arguments showing that the gospel of Christ is not just for aliens and sinners, but includes Christ's doctrine for Christians.

Was God’s Word Fully Revealed? —Scripture chain lesson. Latter day revelations versus God's revelation completed in the days of the apostles.

Your Pet Project (Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?) —A project is designed with vision to fill a great need. Yet the churches may give it thumbs down. Why?

Instrumental Music in Worship —Discusses whether musical instruments (other than the human voice and heart) are allowable and desirable in Christian song worship. An exercise in applying scriptural authority.

 

UP First Epistle of Peter

A comprehensive study of the first letter of Peter.

1st Peter —This series has its own index. A comprehensive hyperlinked table of contents for all the lesson titles below.

God Treats Us Right 1 | 2 |
Our Right Response to God 1 | 2 |
Our Right Self Image 1 | 2 | 3 |
Our Right Set of Values 1 | 2 |
Our Right World View 1 | 2 |
Our Right Mental Attitude 1 | 2 |

 

UP Second Epistle of Peter

A study of the second letter of Peter, looking at why Peter wrote, and his teachings about Christian growth, false prophets, and the second coming.

2nd Peter —This series has its own index. A comprehensive hyperlinked table of contents for all the lesson titles below.

Christian Growth  This lesson in Peter's second epistle looks at what Peter says immediately after his greeting. He speaks of the power of God, what it can do for us, and what it helps us to do for God.

Why Peter Wrote  Here in 2Peter 1:12-21, the apostle gives his reasons for writing.

False Prophets  A study of Second Peter chapter two, which is comparable with Jude's letter. It concerns false prophets who lead people into heresy and apostasy.

The Second Coming  A study of Second Peter chapter three which deals with the second advent of Jesus Christ when he will gather us up to the new heavens and new earth.

Nothing But the Best (2Pe 1:1-4)  We focus on the excellence, glory, and perfection of what God has granted to us, and how we must not allow God's gift to be diluted or polluted by man.

The Morning Star (2Pe 1:12,19)  The importance of being enlightened and established in the present truth because the world is a dark place.

The Error of Balaam (2Pe 2:15-16)  The story of Balaam, referred to by Peter is one of the strange-yet-true stories of the Bible.

Righteous Lot in Sinful Sodom (2Pe 2:6-11)  Lot was living in Sodom. He was a very righteous man, and Sodom was a very sinful city. God decided to destroy Sodom and its neighbouring city Gomorrah. This story, like that of Noah, is a microcosm of the end of the world (2Pe 3).

Noah and the Flood (2Pe 2:5, 3:3-7)  In his second epistle, Peter uses the destruction of the old world by water as a precedent for the future destruction by fire of the world we live in.

Peter's Three Swords  This is not a lesson from Peter's writings, however it is an old sermon outline which I felt would make a good finish to the two series of lessons covering Peter's first and second epistles. So I have included it here for that purpose.

2nd Peter —Hyperlinked table of contents.