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Galatians 5:16-23 teaches that at any moment we are either walking by the Holy Spirit or according to the sin nature. Walking by the Spirit, enjoying fellowship with God, walking in the light are virtually synonymous. During these times, the Holy Spirit is working in us to illuminate our minds to the truth of Scripture and to challenge us to apply what we learn. But when we sin, we begin to live based on the sin nature. Our works do not count for eternity. The only way to recover is to confess (admit, acknowledge) our sin to God the Father and we are instantly forgiven, cleansed, and recover our spiritual walk (1 John 1:9). Please make sure you are walking by the Spirit before you begin your Bible study, so it will be spiritually profitable.

Colossians (2011)

Colossians (2011)

January 2011 - December 2012

The epistle to the Colossians is a book that focuses on the sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the significance of that for our spiritual life: for the way we think and the way we live.
The author of this epistle is the apostle Paul.

There was heresy going on in Colossee, which was a blend of different ideas. We run into the same kind of thing today. There is all manner of blends of religions today. People think they can pick a little bit of this and a little bit of that, mix it together and add a sprinkling of something else and come up with something they think works for them, and make some new religion. Religion isn’t something that you can believe in because it just “works for you,” it has to be something that has objective reality and objective truth, and is internally coherent and consistent. Yet most of what most people believe is nothing more than a bunch of irrational bilge that somehow makes them feel good rather than deal with what the Word of God says about their basic condition as a sinner. People don’t like to recognize they are a sinner and in disobedience to God because in arrogance they are rejecting the truth.

So with this Colossian heresy, we see the focus is on the sufficiency of Christ. It is that which helps us to realize that no matter what the issues are that we face today, the solution is still the same. It is still the sufficiency of Christ. There are three areas of sufficiency that are always attacked by false teaching and by Satan: the sufficiency of Christ, the sufficiency of grace, and the sufficiency of God’s Word. If God’s Word, God’s grace, and Jesus Christ aren’t enough, then where are we going to get help? We going to go to psychology, to science, sociology, or to some other area of human thought and thus we are going to dilute and diminish the power of God, and we end up destroying grace, destroying Scripture, and destroying the reality of who Jesus Christ is. This is the reason Paul is writing.

Video DVDs of these lessons can be ordered here and here.

To view all video Bible studies in the Colossians series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).

To listen to this series as a podcast, copy and paste the following URL into your podcast software.
www.deanbibleministries.org/podcasts/2011colossians.xml		  
81 - Training Children [C]
Sun, Nov 25, 2012
by Robert Dean
Passage: Colossians 3:20-21 & Ephesians 6:1-4
Series: Colossians (2011)
Duration: 51 mins 8 secs
The family is where the next generation is trained. Its health is related to the health of a society. Honoring parents shows humility and respect which is the essential response to authority. A leader must first learn to follow. Observe a child’s response to the parent of the opposite sex as an indicator of the way he will relate to his spouse. In Proverbs, verses concerning how to train children are practical guides of implementation. See the nature of Proverbs as wisdom sayings, not promises. Understand what it means to “train up a child” and when that begins. When is the “rod of correction” appropriate? What is the common starting point of every baby? Is discipline always negative? What is the direction of our culture regarding child rearing? How does discipline relate to God’s love for us? What was God’s ultimate expression of judicial punishment?
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82 - Parents, Children and the Home [C]
Sun, Dec 02, 2012
by Robert Dean
Passage: Colossians 3:20-21 & Ephesians 6:1-4
Series: Colossians (2011)
Duration: 50 mins 59 secs
The purpose of Biblical family roles in our culture has taken a back seat to personal agendas. This is one of the causes of the breakdown of the family. The percentage of stay-at-home mothers is way down. Radical feminism, increase of national debt, teenage motherhood, absence of fathers in the home and reduction of the amount of time parents spend with their children are the results of the deterioration of the family. It is the job of the parent in the home to train a child to function in every area of life. From Deuteronomy 4 understand the emphasis on instruction in the home as the way God thinks about the first line of education in a culture. What is the parent’s first duty with regard to his own education before he is qualified to competently educate his child?

This lesson also includes Deuteronomy 4:25.
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83 - Christian Work Ethic [C]
Sun, Dec 09, 2012
by Robert Dean
Passage: Colossians 3:22-4:1
Series: Colossians (2011)
Duration: 47 mins 37 secs
Pastor Dean encourages us to listen to the excellent presentations from the recent Pre-Trib Conference where the core doctrine presented is the rejection of the sufficiency of Scripture.

In his address to masters and slaves, Paul is not making a statement about social change. Neither is he endorsing or rejecting slavery. Change is brought about by the application of Christian principles, and the universal principle here is; whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not to men. Paul uses reward and repayment as legitimate motivation, not necessarily reward in time, but the reward of inheritance. Orientation to authority, accountability, obedience and humility of master and servant is a function of shedding the self absorption of the flesh and focusing on the pattern of service of Jesus Christ, the ultimate authority, in the same manner He subjected Himself to the authority of the Father when, as a man on this earth, he suffered injustice beyond any we will ever encounter.
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84 - Prayer, Wisdom, Final Greetings [B]
Sun, Dec 16, 2012
by Robert Dean
Passage: Colossians 4:2-18
Series: Colossians (2011)
Duration: 58 mins 45 secs
Prayer has high priority in scripture. It is good to interrupt and reevaluate a routine filled with responses to small crises. Prayer deserves focused attention, reflection, and concentration, which require time. God communicates with us through His Word. Our response is to communicate with Him through continual prayer and obedience in application of scripture. Since God’s revelation in scripture is sufficient, there is no need for Him to grant us new revelation in His answer. What are the categories of prayer? What specific prayer is Paul asking for as he continues to spread the gospel? How does the request to walk in wisdom apply when we try to communicate the gospel message? Find out to whom Paul gives his final greetings in Colossi and the roles they have had in Paul’s life.

Note: Due to technical difficulties the audio and video may be out of sync on the video of this class.
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