The Weekend Bible Study - with Ronald L. Dart

If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, man or woman, that has worked wickedness in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, And has gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told you, and you have heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is worked in Israel: Then shall you bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, to your gates, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones, till they die. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put the evil away from among you.Deuteronomy 17:2–7 AKJVThe priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.Deuteronomy 18:1-5Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part nine of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.Deuteronomy 16:1–3Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part eight of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

You shall not eat any abominable thing. These are the animals which you shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, The hare, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the ibex, and the antelope, and the mountain sheep. And every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof split in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, that you shall eat. Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that have cloven hooves; as the camel, and the hare, and the rock badger: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you. And the swine, because it divides the hoof, yet chews not the cud, it is unclean unto you: you shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass. These you shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall you eat: And whatsoever has not fins and scales you may not eat; it is unclean unto you. Of all clean birds you shall eat.If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.Deuteronomy 13:1-4Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part seven of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

And you shall overthrow their altars, and break their stone idols, and burn their idol poles with fire; and you shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. You shall not do so unto the LORD your God. But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his dwelling place shall you seek, and there you shall come.Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. You must not worship the Lord your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling.Deuteronomy 12:2-5Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part six of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which you sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep His charge, and His statutes, and His judgments, and His commandments, always. And know ye this day, for I speak not with your children, who have not known and who have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, His greatness, His mighty hand, and His stretched out arm, and His miracles, and His acts, which He did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt and unto all His land; and what He did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses and to their chariots: how He made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them unto this day; and what He did unto you in the wilderness until ye came into this place.Deuteronomy 11:1–5Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part five of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

All the commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers. And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. And he humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live. Your clothing grew not old upon you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years. You shall also consider in your heart, that, as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.Deuteronomy 8:1-6Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part four of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy, which teaches us to know God, love God and obey God.

And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, (I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord.)Deuteronomy 5:1-5Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Tonight we are pleased to bring you the teachings of Ronald L. Dart and part three of his thoughtfully detailed study on the book of Deuteronomy—which teaches us to know God, love God, and obey God.

Get up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.Deuteronomy 4:1–2

The Lord our God spoke unto us in Horeb, saying, You have dwelt long enough in this mount:Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places near there, in the plain, in the hills, and in the lowland, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their descendants after them.Deuteronomy 1:6–8 KJ2000

Many people have called Pentecost the birthday of the New Testament Church. It has also been called a lot of other things down through the years. It has been called a harvest festival. It’s been called a celebration of the resurrection. It’s a celebration of the Holy Spirit. It’s been called the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Firstfruits, and the name we generally use—the Feast of Pentecost, itself a curious little Greek word signifying that it is the fiftieth day. In the very beginning, though, Pentecost was a harvest festival. Let’s begin with the very earliest reference to the feast, found in the 23rd chapter of Exodus.Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study. It is good to be with you and we thank you for being there and allowing us to make this weekly service possible.Over the past few weeks, we’ve followed Ron Dart in taking a closer look at the Passover, the resurrection of Christ, and the beginning of the countdown to the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. As we find commanded in Leviticus 23:From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain…a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord.Leviticus 23:15–17 NIVThis weekend concludes the sixth of those seven weeks, so tonight we’ll join Mr. Dart in examining this time of year and its accompanying harvest—both of grain and of men.

One of the first questions the scholars tend to ask is, Who wrote this book and when was it written? The Talmud refers to Samuel as the author of Ruth, but scholars, generally speaking, say: No, Samuel died before David became king and the way in which the author writes the genealogy in Ruth, chapter four—right at the end of the Book of Ruth—supposes that this whole lineage is well known to the people who are reading it. It talks about this child that is born and Naomi takes him, lays him in her lap, and cares for him. And the woman living there said, Naomi has a son, and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. This, then, is the family line of Perez. Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nashon, Nashon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz—who is the male lead in this play—and Boaz the father of Obed, who is the father of Jesse, and Jesse is the father of David. Now, what is this book about? Well it's about David, as a matter of fact, about what leads up to him.

It was just at the crack of dawn. First light of the new day was just starting to show over the top of the Golan Heights. Still too dark to see anything. The men in the boat fumbled around because they knew where their tackle was, they knew what the boat was like, they knew where everything was by hand, by touch. They had fished a lot at night, so they didn't have any problem with that.But on the shore, off to one side, they could see a little fire burning. They had fished all night long, and they were frustrated because they hadn't caught a thing. And, you know, fishing the way they fished was fairly hard work. And nighttime for them was the time—with daylight coming, hope for catching a lot of fish was beginning to diminish. But that little fire was burning over there. Someone was moving around the fire, and a voice came out across the sea there, about some hundred yards or so away where they were."Boys, have you caught anything?"And one of them put his hand to his mouth and says, "No!"He said back, "You're fishing on the wrong side of the boat. Try the right side."Now, that must have in itself been a little bit of frustrating advice to those fellows out there because they'd been professional fishermen, off and on, all their lives. And there's just not a whole lot of difference between the right side of the boat and the left side of the boat.And one of them says, "There's no point in doing that."He says, "Well, you had a better idea?"He said, "No, I don't."So they threw the net out the right side of the boat. And before they got anything done at all, the net began to get very heavy. There was a lot of vibration coming up the lines, and they realized they had gotten themselves a load of fish.And about that time, John leaned over to Peter and said, "It's the Lord. It's the Lord."And Peter, who had been fishing naked all night (it must have been pretty warm), grabbed something and put it on him and jumped in the water. They were only 100 yards offshore, so they rowed their boat to shore, dragged the net behind them and up on shore, and they got counted over 160 fish they had in that net.But Jesus already had a fire going, had fish propped up against it, cooking away; and he'd taken bread and put it up, toasting the bread against the fire; and so they had breakfast already well underway.After breakfast, Jesus said to Peter (and the way I read the account, I think it was kind of privately when he said it, perhaps walking along the shore after breakfast as the sun was beginning to come up), "Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?"And Peter said, "Lord, you know I love you."And Jesus replied, "Feed my lambs."He walked a little further along, and he turned again and he said, "Simon, son of Jonas, do you truly love me?"And he said, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you."And Jesus fixed him with a glaze in his eyes and says, "Feed my sheep."And then finally he said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?"And Peter was grieved because he said it to him the third time, and I can understand why he might have been. And he said, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you."And Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."Now, I can understand why Peter was grieved, but here's my question for you today (my first question of many): Why did Jesus call his love into question? Why was it questionable? Was it perhaps that he had denied the Lord three times? Most commentators who read this, most preachers who preach on it, make that comparison just like that. Peter denied Christ three times. Christ made him affirm his love back to Christ three times. There was reason for it.You know, to deny your best friend, your closest friend, is a betrayal. And Peter had in every sense betrayed Christ. His love certainly could be called into question, and so Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee did so."Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?"And now my next question for you: What if Jesus had asked you the same question three times?"Robert, do you love me? Feed my lambs.""James, do you love me? Feed my sheep.""Shirley, do you love me? Feed my lambs."Would it cross your mind to wonder why Jesus would need to ask you that question? Why? I mean, "Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?"Because you do have to understand, I hope, that there are more ways to betray somebody or to deny somebody than the way Peter did. There are other ways to do it, as well.I don't doubt for a moment that Peter loved Jesus. I mean, how could you not love a man like him after having spent this amount of time with him? When you read about Jesus, you see the character of the man, you see the charisma of the man, the love of the man. And you remember that Peter and all these guys had been up and down every road in Galilee and Judea with him. They'd camped out on the roadside at night. They'd eaten from the same pot so many times they couldn't even count them. They shared the same bread. They passed it around together. They actually slept next to each other on the ground.How, after all that period of time, would Peter not love Jesus? I don't think there's much of a question as to how that would be so.But we only know Jesus secondhand. We haven't had that chance. We haven't had that time. How could we possibly know Jesus like Peter did to love him as Peter loved him? But Jesus had to ask him anyway.So I suppose he would ask me, as well."Ronald Dart, do you love me?"And it's a painful question. But it's a question I have to answer. And so do you."Do you love me?"

We rarely give very much thought to these days between Passover and Pentecost; but in ancient times, this was a time of very hard work… These are weeks of harvest that we are now going through. What do the weeks between Passover and Pentecost really mean? And what does an ancient agricultural rhythm have to do with the Church today?

There are, in some of Paul's letters, some things that are...well, the only words I can say for it is astonishing and astounding. We spend a lot of time in these epistles explaining the problems, or expounding from those scriptures where Paul exhorts the church to do these things and do the other things, and where he addresses theological concepts, and we have had to spend lots of times with the technical problems.What I want to look at today is not those portions of the Scriptures, but what I call the unswept corners of Paul's epistles—where there are some things said that are not explained, that are not really a part of a technical discussion or an advancing of a doctrine. They are things that are said that are dropped on the ears of people who are new in the faith, when the faith was new.

Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Hebrews 13:12–14 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the age has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.Hebrews 9:24–26 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.Hebrew 4:12 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

And, you, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands: They shall perish; but you remain; and they all shall grow old as does a garment; And as a mantle shall you fold them up, and they shall be changed: but you are the same, and your years shall not fail.Hebrews 1:10–12 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Finally we come to Second Timothy. Paul is now an old man—one who had been over a lot of roads, been to a lot of places. He had been imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked. Paul may not have lived as many years as some in the Bible, but he put an awful lot of miles on in that period of time. He also changed a lot.The Paul we know in Luke’s early writings—the man who went up to persecute the Christians in Damascus, who was a fanatic in the plainest sense of the word—is the same man who was later so vehement in his defense of Christianity that he made enemies almost as fast as friends, and many people wanted him dead. A lot of people in the Church would not have been that disappointed if something happened to Paul, because he had caused them a lot of trouble.This is the man who, when he and Barnabas had a disagreement on whether to take John Mark with them on a journey, refused to have him. Barnabas wanted him, and the dissension between them was so sharp that they split up entirely. I speculated earlier that I wouldn’t be surprised if Paul was really at fault. Now, later in his life, he’s mellowed; and he tells Timothy to take Mark with him, as profitable for the ministry.I believe that suffering pain and loss, and getting older, brought life into perspective for Paul. You can see the change. It’s a slow change, but it takes place in Paul’s letters; and it’s finally capped in this last, mellow letter of Paul’s life.[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Titus was a younger man than Paul, and is called his own son after the common faith. Titus had assisted him since at least the Jerusalem Conference, so by the time Paul gets around to writing this letter to Titus, he is writing to an experience minister—a man who has been used to deal with difficult situations on several occasions. Now, having Titus on Crete to solve some problems there, Paul writes to offer pastoral guidance as well as to establish Titus' authority among the Cretans.Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.Titus 3:11–3 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Let no man despise your youth; but be an example of the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.Meditate upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your progress may appear to all. Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save yourself, and them that hear you.1 Timothy 4:12–16 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.1 Timothy 1:5–7 NAS[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things are held together.Colossians 1:16–17 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.Philippians 4:8–9 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Who in time past was to you unprofitable, but now profitable to you and to me: Whom I have sent again: you therefore receive him, that is, my own heart: Whom I would have retained with me, that in your stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:But without your consent would I do nothing; that your benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you should receive him forever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto you, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?Philemon 1:10–16 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love[.]Ephesians 1:1–4 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself; much learning does make you mad.But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and good sense. For the king knows of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost you persuade me to be a Christian.Acts 26:24–28 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the barracks. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers because of the violence of the people.Acts 21:31–35 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

But if your brother is grieved with your food, you no longer walk in love. Destroy not him with your food, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of:For the kingdom of God is not food and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.Romans 14:15–18 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Hello everyone and welcome to the Christian Educational Ministries Weekend Bible Study.Tonight, we present Ronald L. Dart with a study on the Epistle of Jude from the CEM Vault.To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.Jude 24–25

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?Romans 11:22–24 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?Romans 9:21–24 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Likewise the Spirit also helps our weakness: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.Romans 8:26–27 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.Romans 5:19 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Romans is easily the most important of all of Paul's epistles. It is a long letter. It is a detailed letter. It goes into much more careful exposition of Paul's basic theology. Here's where we really learn what Paul believes about many critical areas where, if it weren't for this book, we might have a very difficult time understanding what he has said in many other places.For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.For in it is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.Romans 1:16–17 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern my weaknesses. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I lie not.In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of Damascus with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.2 Corinthians 11:30–33 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. […] Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things presenting ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.2 Corinthians 6:1,3–10 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed[.]2 Corinthians 4:6–9 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without meaning. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaks a foreigner, and he that speaks shall be a foreigner unto me.Even so you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church.1 Corinthians 14:10–12 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of workings, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man for profit.1 Corinthians 12:4–7 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!1 Corinthians 6:12–15 ESV[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.Acts 18:1–4 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise.Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, which brings forth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.Galatians 4:22–26 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's descendants, and heirs according to the promise.Galatians 3:26–29 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.I do not nullify the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.Galatians 2:20–21 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

Paul's epistle to the Galatians may be the most controversial book in the New Testament. It's been studied, it's been talked about, it's been argued about for generations. In fact, there are indications in the New Testament itself that it became a focus of controversy in the first century.Why? Why this confusion? Who were these Galatians, and what was the nature of the problem that arose in this area?Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren who are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father: To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.Galatians 1:1–5 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

And then shall that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deception of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.2 Thessalonians 2:8–10 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Therefore comfort one another with these words.1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 KJ2000[Paul_Study_Questions_Link]