This week we are going to extend on what we briefly discussed last week. Question 12 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism tells us that after God created Adam and Eve He entered into a covenant relationship with them. Through the history of mankind the Bible records various covenants God has entered into with individuals and large groups of people. All the covenants found in scripture can be categorized as either a covenant of grace or a covenant of works. God has revealed His redemptive story of mankind through these covenants. Those who are relying upon their works to achieve righteousness and acceptance before God are in a covenant of works. Those who rely on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for their righteousness and acceptance before God are in a covenant of grace. On Thursday we will briefly discuss why the Adamic and Noahic Covenants are primarily categorized as covenants of works and why the Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants are primarily categorized as covenants of grace. We will also examine our responsibilities as believers in the covenant of grace

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Doctrinal Standards WSC #12

• Q. What did God’s providence specifically do for man whom He created?
• A. After the creation God made a covenant with man to give him life, if he perfectly obeyed; God told him not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he would die.

Memory Verses

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV).

Study Passage: Genesis 1:26-2:25

Support Passages: Exodus 20:8-9, 31:12-17; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; Hebrews 13:1-6

Bible Story: Exodus 24

Thoughts

• The traditional definition for covenant is “a contract or agreement between two parties” (Eaton’s Bible Dictionary). While this definition may provide insight in some facets of understand our relation to God more explanation is needed. The covenant between God and man is not a fifty-fifty agreement. God in is infinite power and wisdom brought us into a covenant of life with Him for His glory.
• The first covenant made with Adam is considered a covenant of works also known as a covenant of law. In a covenant of works God enters into an agreement with an individual or group of people defined by keeping commandments. If the individual or group obeys the commands of the Lord they will be blessed. If they disobey the commands they will be cursed. Adam and Eve were in a covenant of works with God. Adam and Eve were blessed when they obeyed God. When they disobeyed God by eating the fruit they were cured and died.
• All of the covenants can be categorized as either a covenant of law or covenant of grace. The Adamic and Mosaic Covenants are covenants of law. “Obey and you will be blessed.” “Disobey and you will be cursed.” The Abrahmic, Noahic, Davidic, and New Covenant are covenants of grace. The end result is always in God’s hands. Making Abraham as a great nation was all God’s doing, saving Noah and his family was all God’s doing, making David’s throne eternal through Jesus Christ is all God’s doing, and the perfect sacrifice for our sins was all God’s doing! Those who are saved rely on God’s doing through the covenant of grace. Those who will not be saved are relying on their own works through the covenant of law.

Discussion Questions

• Why did God create mankind?
• What is a covenant?
• What was the covenant God made with Adam and Eve (Gen 2:16-17)?
• What is God’s part of the covenant and what is Adam and Eve’s part?
• Compare and contrast the Adamic and New Covenant (refer to insight and application for more information).
• God told Adam and Eve that if they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would die. What does it mean that they would die?

Posted in Study Guides Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Genesis 1:26-2:25
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Sorry for the late posting but tonight we will be examining the Westminster Catechism questions #11-15. I’m looking forward discussing these great scriptural truths with out middle and high school students.

Q. 11. What is God’s providence?
A. God’s providence is His completely holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing every
creature and every action. (Ps 145:17; Ps 104:24; Isa 28:29; Heb 1:3; Ps 103:19; Mt 10:29,30,31)

Q. 12. What did God’s providence specifically do for man whom He created?
A. After the creation God made a covenant with man to give him life, if he perfectly obeyed; God told him not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he would die.
(Gal 3:12; Ge 2:17)

Q. 13. Did our first parents remain as they were created?
A. Left to the freedom of their own wills, our first parents sinned against God and fell from their
original condition. (Ge 3:6,7,8,13; Ecc 7:29)

Q. 14. What is sin?
A. Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way. (1 Jn 3:4)

Q. 15. By what sin did our first parents fall from their original condition?
A. Our first parents’ sin was eating the forbidden fruit.
(Ge 3:6,12)

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Doctrinal Standards WSC #11

• Q. What is God’s providence?
• A. God’s providence is His completely holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing every creature and every action.

Study Passage: Isaiah 43

Support Passages: Psalm 145:8-12; Matthew 5:43-45, 10:29-31; Luke 6:35-36; II Thessalonians 2:6-7; Revelation 20:1-3

Bible Story: Exodus 7:20-11:5 (Exodus 9:12, 15-16, 10:27)

Memory Verses

“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made” (Psalm 145:9, ESV).

Thoughts

• When thinking upon the providence of God, God’s sovereign and moral will comes to mind. Throughout scripture the will of God can be divided into these two categories. First God’s sovereign will encompasses everything that has or will ever take place. These events are predetermined and will come about regardless of the intervention of any created being (i.e. Man’s sin, Christ death, salvation, Christ’s return, etc). God’s moral will on the other hand can either be obeyed or denied. In scripture God has commanded what He requires of man and it is man’s obligation to either obey or disobey.
• The way these two will’s relate can best be illustrated by two circles. God’s sovereign will encompass every creature and every action. No being or any action is ever outside of God’s sovereign will. Within the sovereign will of God we find God’s moral will. At any point of action an individual can either be within or outside God’s moral while always be within God’s sovereign will.
• Since sin is outside of God’s moral will but still within His sovereign will is God responsible for sin and evil? This is a difficult topic but is something Christians should feel comfortable discussing. If God were not sovereign over everything then He would not be God. We also know that that God is not the author of sin nor does He tempt anyone to sin. Therefore, while God does not sin nor does He tempt anyone to sin He has allowed sin to enter into the world in order for His attributes to be seen and glorified by everything created both on earth and in heaven. It is important to understand that the ultimate purpose of all that God does or allows is to bring glory and honor to Himself and that God bringing glory to Himself is for our greatest good.

Discussion Questions

• What does preserving and governing mean?
• Do you really believe that God preserves and governs all things?
• If God preserves and governs everything why is it important that He does is completely holy and wise?
• If God is preserving and governing all things how does this make you feel?  How should this affect your behavior?
• Since God is in control of everything does this mean there will be no evil or hardship? Explain (Refer to study passage and Bible story).
• Why does God allow evil and or hardships? (Exodus 9:15-16).
• What does Romans 8:28-30 promise believers and what does it teach us about God?

Posted in Study Guides Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Exodus 9:15-16 Isaiah 43 Romans 8:28-30
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There will be no youth this week since everyone is on vacation from school. We are planning on having a wiffle ball game at the Zerebny’s house on Thursday. Time is TBD. Contact Phil if you are interested in playing.

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Doctrinal Standard WSC #1

• Q. What is man’s primary purpose?
• A. Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #2

• Q. What authority from God directs us how to glorify and enjoy Him?
• A. The only authority for glorifying and enjoying Him is the bible, which is the word of God and is made up of the Old and New Testaments.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #3

• Q. What does the bible primarily teach?
• A. The Bible primarily teaches what man must believe about God and what God requires of man.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #4

• Q. What is God?
• A. God is a spirit, Whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #5

• Q. Is there more than one God?
• A. There is only one, the living and true God.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #6

• Q.How many persons are there in the one God?
• A. Three persons are in the one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance and equal in power and glory.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #7

• Q. What are the decrees of God?
• A. The decrees of God are His eternal plan based on the purpose of His will, by which, for His own glory, He has foreordained everything that happens.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #8

• Q. How does God carry out His decrees?
• A. God carries out His decrees in creation and providence.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #9

• Q. What is creation?
• A. Creation is God’s making everything out of nothing by His powerful word in six days – and all very good.

Doctrinal Standard WSC #10

• Q. How did God create man?
• A. God created man, male and female, in His own image and in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, to rule over the other creatures.

Memory Verses

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(Romans12:2,ESV)

Study Passage: Judges 2:6–11

• This should be a time of reflection, assessment, and reteaching.

• There are a couple of different ways to approach this review week. First, the review questions and answers could be made into a game that helps the child to remember what they have learned while assessing their understanding. Another idea is to quiz your child on each of the 10 questions making sure to encourage and celebrate their accomplishments. Last, it would be beneficial to review each of the questions and answers drawing out their central truths and discussing how they are connected.

Discussion Questions

• Why is it important that we know these facts?
• How do facts about events and individuals affect relationships?
• What did the Exodus generation fail to do with their children (Judges2:6-­‐11)?
• Can you have a relationship with God without facts about Him?
• While facts are vital to any relatonship what else must relationships include?
• What is our righteousness and acceptance before God founded in?

Posted in Study Guides Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Judges 2:6–11
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There will be no youth this week. Merry Christmas everyone. Remember to take some time to pray and reflect on the significance of God humbling himself by coming to Earth as a baby and eventually laying down His life as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of those who call upon His name.

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Doctrinal Standard WSC #10

• Q. How did God create man?
• A. God created man, male and female, in His own image and in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, to rule over the other creatures.

Memory Verses

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27,ESV)

Study Passage: Genesis 1:26-2:25

Support Passages: Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 23:43; Matthew 10:28; Daniel 7:15; I Corinthians 15:45-54; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:23-24; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24

Bible Story: Genesis 1:26-30, 2:15-25; Man and woman were made perfect without sin.

Thoughts

• Mankind is created special; no other created thing is made in the image of God. This means there are aspects about mankind that are similar but not as complete or powerful as God’s. For example, we like God can make decisions, have dominion over creation, are social, express emotion, have an intellect, can reason, our spirit is immortal, and we are creative.  In addition we can express limited amounts of love, truth, justice, and mercy.
• Mankind was created without sin. Before the fall of man Adam and Eve were right with God and holy. As a result of sin man has lost that position requiring the redeeming blood of Christ to place us back into the state of righteousness and holiness.

Discussion Questions

• Why is human life so sacred?
• What does it mean that mankind is created in the image of God?
• Is anything else created in the image of God?
• Spiritually speaking, how was mankind created?
• What does it mean that Adam and Eve were righteous and holy?
• What does it mean to rule over the other creatures?
• How can we do this today?

Posted in Study Guides Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Genesis 1:26-2:25
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