Lesson 3 Review: To Be Pleasing to God

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17, NKJV).

God does not look upon us, or the gifts we bring to Him, with the attitude of a father who does not care about the gift of his son. On the contrary, we can be pleasing to God, but only through Christ.

How does God respond to lost sinners who come back to Him?

As the father who had compassion and welcomed the prodigal son who requested for his inheritance from his father and left his father for prodigal living, so does God have compassion and welcomes every wayward person. The son who remained home may have, from a human standpoint, thought that it was not a fair treatment the father gave but it further tries to explains to us the extent of God’s love towards us, that is beyond human understanding.

How does Zephaniah 3:17 shed light on the parable of the prodigal son?

Just about every word in the Hebrew language is packed into Zephaniah 3:17 to describe God’s delight over His redeemed people. Almost as though none of the terms is sufficient to describe the magnitude of God’s love. The reconciliation of God’s love comes with the immediate presence of God, just like the father who sees his son from afar off and runs to meet him. The very pinnacle of God’s joy is reserved for the ay of restoration.

What does Ephesians 5:25-28 say about the kind of love we are called to display?

Husbands are exhorted in this passage to love their wives “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,” and to love their wives as “their own bodies” (Eph. 5:25, 28, NKJV). Christ indeed loves the church as part of Himself.

What does Isaiah 43:4, Psalm 149:4 and Proverbs 15:8,9 say about God taking delight in His people?

God loves people in a way that takes account of their best interests as would anyone who loved and cared for others. Conversely, God is displeased by His people when they do evil. God loves the righteous and the cheerful giver according to Psalms 146:8 and 2 Corinthians 9:7 respectively. These texts do not say God loves only the righteous and the cheerful giver, God loves everyone. The text says God loves the righteous and the cheerful giver in some special sense — in the sense of being pleased with them is the clue from Proverbs 15:8, 9.

How can we be reconciled to God and even pleasing to Him?

God bestows grace on people prior to any human response. And We can be reconciled to God and even pleasing in His sight, by faith through the work of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. God’s work is not only for us but in us as well.

What is the worthy Goal according to Paul’s counsel?

Our worthy goal is to “be well pleasing to God” (2 Cor. 5:9, 10, NKJV) and we should ask God to transform our interests to include the best interests of those whom we love, and to expand our love so that it reaches out to others.

In Conclusion,

We are reconciled to God and even pleasing in His sight, by faith through the work of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ and may We have faith so we can be pleasing to God, in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 2 Review: Covenantal Love

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ ” (John 14:23, NKJV).

The Greek term agape refers not only to God’s love but also to human love, even sometimes misdirected human love (2 Tim. 4: 10). Other terms for example, phileo refer to God’s love for humans. Scripture also teaches that God’s love is not unilateral but relational, in that it makes a profound difference to God whether or not humans reflect His love back to Him.

What does the Bible record about the love of God towards us?

God’s love for us is an everlasting love, every person is loved by God. He also wants everyone to be saved, as well.

What is the nature of God’s covenantal love?

hesed is translated “lovingkindness” or “mercy” in Deuteronomy 7:9. God’s hesed shows that His lovingkindness is extremely reliable, steadfast, and enduring. Yet, at the same time, the reception of the benefits of hesed is conditional, dependent upon the willingness of His people to obey and to maintain their end of the relationship.

What is the basis of all love relationships?

God’s steadfast love is the basis of all love relationships, and we could never match that love. God not only freely gave us existence but also in Christ He gave Himself for us.

What does the benefits of a saving relationship with God depend on?

John 14:21 and John 16:27 among other texts teach that maintaining the benefits of a saving relationship with God depends upon whether we will accept God’s love (which involves willingness to be vehicles of that love, as well). God’s love never ceases.

What can we do in order not to forfeit God’s mercies?

By loving God in response, by loving the people we see around us, by keeping God’s commandments, we are showing that we love God, we are avoiding forfeiting the mercies of God. We should not be like the unforgiving servant who did not forgive his fellow servant even when he had been forgiven a far greater debt. God forgives us, we are to forgive others.

What is expected of us in response to God’s infinite love toward us?

We have been forgiven an infinite debt because of God’s infinite love. Jesus commands us to love God and to love one another. If to love God entails that we love one other, we should with urgency share the message of God’s love, both in word and deed. We should help people in their daily lives, we should be conduits of God’s love and point people to the One Who can give eternal life.

In Conclusion,

God loves us and His love is an everlasting love, but we must respond to His love by keeping His commandments, by loving Him, by loving one another. This is how we can receive the benefits of this love. May God help us to love God, in Jesus’ name.