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Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #36 (2 of 3 Weeks)

Doctrinal Standard #36 (2 of 3 weeks)

  • Q. What benefits in this life go with or come from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
  • A. The benefits that in this life go with or come from justification, adoption, and sanctification are: the assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, and growing and persevering in grace to the end of our lives.

Memory Verses

  • “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31–32 (ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 8:26-39
  • Support Passages: 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 10:27-30, Philippians 1:6, 2 Peter 1:5-11, John 17, Hebrews 9:13-15
  • Bible Story: Genesis 47:13-26, 50:20

Thoughts

  • Wayne Grudem does a good job explaining the joy a believer experiences when they understand their purpose in life (Pg 441-442).
  • “What is our purpose in life? The fact that God created us for his own glory determines the correct answer to the question, ‘ What is our purpose in life?” Our purpose must be to fulfill the reason that God created us: to glorify him. When we are speaking with respect to God himself, that is a good summary of our purpose. But when we think of our own interests, we make the happy discovery that we are to enjoy God and take delight in him and in our relationship to him. Jesus says, ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10). David tells God, ‘In your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures for evermore’ (Ps. 16:11). He longs to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, ‘to behold the beauty of the Lord’ (Ps. 27:4), and Asaph cries out, ‘Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever (Ps 73:25-26).

    Fullness of joy is found in knowing God and delighting in the excellence of his character. To be in his presence, to enjoy fellowship with him, is a greater blessing than anything that can be imagined. ‘How lovely is your dwelling place O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God… For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere (Ps. 84:1-2, 10). Therefore, the normal heart attitude of a Christian is rejoicing in the Lord and in the lessons of the life he gives us (Rom. 5:2-3; Phil. 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6, 8)

    As we glorify God and enjoy him, Scripture tells us that he rejoices in us. We read, ‘as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you’ (Isa. 62:5), and Zephaniah prophesies that the Lord ‘will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud signing as on a day of festival’ (Zeph 3:17-18).
    This understanding of the doctrine of the creation of man has very practical results. When we realize that God created us to glorify him, and when we start to act in ways that fulfill that purpose, then we begin to experience an intensity of joy in the Lord that we have never before known. When we add to that the realization that God himself is rejoicing in our fellowship with him, our joy becomes inexpressible and filled with heavenly glory’ (1 Peter 1:8, author’s expanded paraphrase). [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to be joyful?
  • Why can we have joy in our lives?
  • How can we glorify God?
  • Why does joy come from glorifying God?
  • Examine your own life. Do you take joy in God? Explain

 


[1] Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #36 (1 of 3 weeks)

Doctrinal Standard #36 (1 of 3 weeks)

  • Q. What benefits in this life go with or come from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
  • A. The benefits that in this life go with or come from justification, adoption, and sanctification are: the assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, and growing and persevering in grace to the end of our lives.

Memory Verses

  • “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2–3, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: 1 John 5
  • Support Passages: 1 John 1:6-9; 2:3-29; 3:3-24; 4:6-13
  • Bible Story: Luke 15

Thoughts

  • God’s work of justification, adoption, and sanctification in the lives of believers provides the assurance that He will never leave nor forsake His promises. God is the author of sanctification. Believers are saved because of what Jesus has done and it is not up to the believer. God has bought His people with the blood of Christ, adopted them into His family, and is sanctifying their lives through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is with this understanding that believers can have assurance that God’s love will also remain and never change.
  • In order to understand the assurance of God’s love and the peace of conscience that the catechism speaks of, it is important to remember God’s sovereign plan in the lives of believers. Ephesians 1:4–5 teaches us, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Understanding God sovereign plan provides a believer with greater assurance in God’s love that will never fail or forsake those who call upon Him for salvation.
  • Understanding God’s sovereign plan of salvation (justification), adoption, and sanctification gives greater insight to the parables that Jesus told in Luke 15. Each of the three parables provides an illustration on the assurance of God’s love and the peace that comes from that. Each of the three parables illustrates how God’s will never relent in gathering those who are His nor will he forsake His children who seem to walk away for a time.

Discussion Questions

  • What does assurance mean?
  • What does peace of conscience mean?
  • How do Christians have an assurance of God’s love?
  • Read Luke 15. One of the parables is often referred to as the “The Parable of The Prodigal Son.” Even though most of the story describes the son’s behavior, why is this story really about the Father?
  • What does this teach us about God’s love?
  • What do the other two parables in Luke 15 teach us about God’s love?
  • How does knowing God’s love give us a “peace of conscience”?

 

 


Catechism Insight – Review Doctrinal Standards WSC #27-35

Review Doctrinal Standards WSC #27-35

WSC #27
Q. How was Christ humiliated?
A. Christ was humiliated: by being born as a man and born into a poor family; by being made subject to the law and suffering the miseries of this life, the anger of God, and the curse of death on the cross; and by being buried and remaining under the power of death for a time.

WSC #28
Q. How is Christ exalted?
A. Christ is exalted by His rising from the dead on the third day, His going up into heaven, His sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and His coming to judge the world at the last day.

WSC #29
Q. How are we made to take part in the redemption Christ bought?
A. We take part in the redemption Christ bought when the Holy Spirit effectively applies it to us.

WSC #30
Q. How does the Holy Spirit apply to us the redemption Christ bought?
A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption Christ bought by producing faith in us and so uniting us to Christ in our effective calling.

WSC #31
Q. What is effective calling?
A. Effective calling is the work of God’s Spirit, Who convinces us that we are sinful and miserable, Who enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and Who renews our wills. This is how He persuades and makes us able to receive Jesus Christ, Who is freely offered to us in the gospel.

WSC #32
Q. What benefits do those who are effectively called share in this life?
A. In this life those who are effectively called share justification, adoption, sanctification, and the other benefits that either go with or come from them.

WSC #33
Q. What is justification?
A. Justification is the act of God’s free grace by which He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight. He does so only because He counts the righteousness of Christ as ours. Justification is received by faith alone.

WSC #34
Q. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is the act of God’s free grace by which we become His sons with all the rights and privileges of being His.

 WSC #35
Q. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace by which our whole person is made new in the image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to
righteousness.

Memory Verses

  • “And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25–27,ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Luke 24:13-35

Thoughts

  • This should be a time of reflection, assessment, and re-teaching.
  • There are a couple of different ways to approach this review lesson. First, the review questions and answers could be made into a game that forces the students to remember what they have learned while assessing their understanding. Another idea is to quiz each student on each of the 9 questions making sure to encourage and celebrate their accomplishments. Last, it would be beneficial to review each of the question and answers drawing out their central truths and mentioning how they are connected.

Discussion Questions

  • Why is it important that we understand the Old Testament in order to understand the New Testament?
  • Explain how Christ was humiliated and exalted?
  • What does redemption mean and how does it come about?
  • What does effective calling mean?
  • Explain justification, adoption, and sanctification.
  •  What is God’s and man’s responsibility in our justification, adoption, and sanctification?

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #35

Doctrinal Standard #35

  • Q. What is sanctification?
  • A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace by which our whole person is made new in the image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to righteousness.

Memory Verses

  • “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 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” (Romans 12:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 7-8
  • Support Passages: I Thessalonians 5:23, II Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 6, I Corinthians 6, Philippians 3:1-16, Romans 12:1-2, I Peter 1:13-21
  • Bible Story: Genesis 12-25:11

Thoughts

  • “Sanctification is the continuing work of God in the life of the believer, making him or her actually holy. By ‘holy’ here is meant ‘bearing an actual likeness to God.’ Sanctification is a process by which one’s moral condition is brought into conformity with one’s legal status before God. It is a continuation of what was begun in regeneration, when a newness of life was conferred upon and instilled within the believer. In particular, sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s applying to the life of the believer the work done by Jesus Christ” (pg. 980). [1]
  • While justification and sanctification are connected it is important to understand the distinction between the two. Justification is what saves an individual from their sins and allows them to be accepted before God. This is made possible through the righteous life and death of Jesus Christ (see lesson #48-49). Justification is applied to an individual through faith and by faith alone. While sanctification does not save an individual sanctification is the response to the justification in the life of a believer. Sanctification is the “progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and more like Christ in our actual lives” (pg. 1259).
  • Romans chapter seven and eight is an interesting passage of scripture that explains the connection between God’s Law, justification, and sanctification. In chapter seven, Paul explains that God’s Law is good and it is the measure by which man must perfectly live by in order to be accepted by God. Paul goes on to explain that it is impossible for man to live up to this expectation. In fact, the more Paul understands the Law, the more he realizes how much sin is in his life. Paul teaches that’s it’s the imputed righteousness and forgiveness in Christ blood that takes the place of man’s efforts to keep the Law and be accepted before God (justification). Does this mean that the Law is done away with? Paul says no! While there is no way man can keep the Law to be accepted before God, with the Spirits help we are called to live pure and holy lives which the Law points towards (sanctification).

Discussion Questions

  • Explain in your own words sanctification.
  • How does sanctification differ from justification?
  • What is the measure of sanctification?
  • Is sanctification an option for believers? Explain
  • How does God play a part of sanctification?
  • Does the sanctification process ever stop for a believer?


[1] Erickson, Millard J. (1998). Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Baker Books.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #34

Doctrinal Standard #34

  • Q. What is adoption?
  • A. Adoption is the act of God’s free grace by which we become His sons with all the rights and privileges of being His.

Memory Verses

  • The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:16–17, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 8:12-17
  • Support Passages: Ephesians 1:3-6, II Corinthians 6:18, Hosea 1:10, Galatians 4:1-7, Psalm103:13, Hebrews 12:6
  • Bible Story: Exodus 2:1-10

Thoughts

  • Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology book provides insight into the benefits and privileges of being adopted into God’s family.
  • “One of the greatest privileges of our adoption is being able to speak to God and relate to him as a good and loving Father. We are to pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven’ (Matt 6:9), and we are to realize that we are ‘no longer slaves, but sons’ (Gal. 4:7). Therefore, we now relate to God not as a slave relates to a slave master but as a child relates to his or her father. In fact, God gives us an internal witness from the Holy Spirit that causes us instinctively to call God our Father. ‘When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God’ (Rom. 8:15-16). This relationship to God as our Father is the foundation of many other blessings of the Christian life, and it becomes the primary way in which we relate to God. Certainly it is true that God is our Creator, our judge, our Lord and Master, our teacher, our provide and protector, and the one who by his providential care sustains our existence. But the role that is most intimate, and the role that conveys the highest privileges of fellowship with God for eternity, is his role as our heavenly Father” (pg. 739).
  • “The privilege of being led by the Holy Spirit is also a benefit of adoption. Paul indicates that this is a moral benefit whereby the Holy Spirit puts in us desires to obey God and live according to his will. He says, ‘all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God’ (Rom. 8:14), and he gives this as the reason Christians should ‘put to death the deeds of the body’ by means of the Holy Spirit working within them (v.13; note ‘for’ at the beginning of v. 14). He sees the Holy Spirit as leading and guiding God’s children in paths of obedience to God” (Pg. 740).
  • “Another privilege of adoption into God’s family, though we do not always recognize it as a privilege, is the fact that God disciplines us as his children. ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves and chastises every son whom he receives’ (Heb 12:4-6, quoting Prov. 3:11-12). The author of Hebrews explains, ‘God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?… he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness’ (Heb 12:7, 10). Just as earthly children grow in obedience and righteousness when they disciplined properly by their earthly fathers, so we grow in righteousness and holiness when we are disciplined by our heavenly Father” (Pg. 740). [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean for someone to be adopted into a family here on earth?
  • How is this similar to Christians being adopted by God?
  • What are the benefits of being adopted into God’s family? Explain
  • How does God discipline His children?
  • How is being disciplined by God a sign of being in his family?


[1] Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #33

Doctrinal Standard #33 (2 of 2 weeks)

  • Q. What is Justification?
  • A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace wherein He pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.

Memory Verses

  • “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 5:12-21
  • Support Passages: Romans 4:1-9, Psalm 32:1-2, Philippians 3:8-12, I Corinthians 1:30-31, II Corinthians 5:21
  • Bible Story: Philemon

Thoughts

  • Romans 5:12-21 contrasts the work of Adam and Jesus Christ. Had Adam lived in perfect obedience to God’s word sin would have not entered into the world and been passed on to the generations. But we know that did not happen. Romans 5:12 tells us that, “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Jesus Christ (sometimes referred to as the second Adam) came into the world and did what the first Adam was unable to do. He died a perfect sacrifice, taking away the sins of those who believe. He also lived a righteous life according to God’s Law and imputed that righteous to his follows enabling his believes to be accepted before God the Father (refer to lesson #48 for more on the act of justification).
  • So when does justification take place in the life of a believer? C.I. Williamson provides some thoughts on this question. “In order to see the glory of this justification more clearly, we need now to stress certain truths. One of these is the fact that a man can be justified only once. It is not possible for a man to be justified again and again. Justification is not a work (which is only gradually completed) but an act (which is completed in a moment). This is because of the fact that when Christ finished His life of obedience on earth, He offered up to the Father for His elect people a perfect righteousness. And when He received the terrible punishment for their sins, He made a full payment for all of their sins. When a man repents of his sin and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, in other words, he is from that moment onward – even through all eternity – legally righteous before God. He is no more subject to God’s wrath and condemnation. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus’ (Rom. 8:1). But another thing that we must stress is the fact that no man is justified until he repents and believes. Since Christ died for the ungodly many centuries ago, some have thought that God’s elect people who were already justified at that moment when Christ’s work was finished. Others have supposed that they were justified from eternity because God already planned to justify them before the world began. But the Bible clearly teaches us that this is not so. ‘You,’ says the Apostle, ‘were some time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death’ (Col. 1:21-22). And ‘we have believed in Jesus Christ,’ he says in another place, ‘that we might be justified ‘ (Gal 2:16). The reason for this is that there is a difference between God’s plan and execution of God’s plan. There is a difference between what God has done to provide a basis for our justification, and what God does in making application of redemption to us” [1] (Pg. 150)

Discussion Questions

  • Adam was created without sin and then what happen? What was the result on all of humanity?
  • Was Adam capable of saving mankind from sin entering into the world? Explain.
  • Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as the second Adam. Why is that?
  • Jesus Christ was able to do what Adam could not, live righteous before God. How does Christ righteousness benefit believers?
  • How does Christ sacrifice benefit believers?
  • Why does God accept Jesus’ death as forgiveness for the believers’ sins?


[1] Williamson, C.I. (2003). The Westminster Shorter Catechism – 2nd Edition. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #33

Doctrinal Standard #33 (1 of 2 weeks)

  • Q. What is justification?
  • A. Justification is the act of God’s free grace by which He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight. He does so only because He counts the righteousness of Christ as ours. Justification is received by faith alone.

Memory Verses

  • “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 5:1-11, John 6:41-71
    • Support Passages: Romans 3:24-25, 4:5-6, James 2:21-25, II Corinthians 5:11-21, Galatians 2:15-18, Titus 3:5-7, Colossians 1:19-23, Isaiah 44:22-23
    • Bible Story: II Samuel 12:1-28, Psalm 51

Thoughts

  • Martin Luther calls justification the “wonderful exchange.” He explains Justification as “mystery which is rich in divine grace to sinners: wherein by a wonderful exchange our sins are no longer ours but Christ’s, and the righteousness of Christ not Christ’s but ours. He has emptied himself of his righteousness that he might clothe us with it and fill us with it; and he has taken our evils upon himself that he might deliver us from them.”
  • As Scripture declares and Martin Luther explained justification has two components.  The sins of all those who believe in Christ were placed or imputed to Jesus and paid in full at his crucifixion. Second, if the taking away of sins was the only aspect of justification a believer’s spiritual state would only revert back to that of Adam and Eve’s prior to the Fall. Not only do believer’s need their sins taken away they also need Christ’s righteousness imputed to them. God requires perfect obedience to His Law. The Scriptures and the history of mankind has revealed that man’s effort to live righteously before God (covenant of works) is unable to save anyone. Since Christ lived in perfect obedience to the Law and was accepted before God, believers benefit by having His righteous life imputed to them as their own. This is the pinnacle of the covenant of grace. What believers are unable to do Christ did for them.

Discussion Questions

  • There are two components of justification. What are they?
  • Martin Luther calls justification the “wonderful exchange.” What does that mean?
  • The righteousness that Jesus imputes onto believers comes from him doing what?
  • What would be the problem if Jesus only took our sins away?
  • What would be the problem if Jesus only gave us His righteousness?
  • Jesus has done the work of justification but how must the believer receive it?

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #32

Doctrinal Standard #32

  • Q. What benefits do those who are effectively called share in this life?
  • A. In this life those who are effectively called share justification, adoption, sanctification, and the other benefits that either go with or come from them.

Memory Verses

  • “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: John 6:41-71
  • Support Passages: Romans 8:1-11, John 5:41-47, Ephesians 4:17-19, Romans 3:9-18
  • Bible Story: II Samuel 9

Thoughts

  • The next three catechism questions specifically explain justification, adoption, and sanctification. This particular doctrinal standard provides a larger perspective on the different ways believers benefit from their effective calling.
  • “Justification is a legal act whereby God declares the believing sinner righteous on the basis of the blood of Christ. The basic meaning of justification is ‘to declare righteous.’ Several other things can be learned about Paul’s usage of justification:  justification is a gift of God’s grace (Rom. 3:24); it is appropriated through faith (Rom 5:1; Gal 3:24); it is possible through the blood of Christ (Rom 5:9); and it is apart from the law (Rom 3:20; Gal. 2:16; 3:11). This last point is a major emphasis of Paul and undoubtedly the thesis of the book of Galatians – man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” (110).
  • “The word adaption (Gk. Huiothesia) means ‘placing as a son’ and describes the rights and privileges as well as the new position of the believer in Christ. The word is taken from Roman custom where, in a legal ceremony, the adopted son was given all the rights of a natural-born son. In this rite, four things happened. ‘[a] the adopted person lost all rights in his old family, and gained all rights of a fully legitimate son in his new family. [b] He became heir to his new father’s estate. [c] The old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out. For instance, legally all debts were cancelled; they were wiped out as if they had never been. [d] In the eyes of the law the adopted person was literally and absolutely the son of his new father’” (pg. 329).
  • “The word sanctification (Gk. Hagiasmos) means ‘to set apart.’ The same root word is found in the English words saint, holy, and holiness. Sanctification and its related terms are used in a variety of ways in both the Old Testament and New Testament. With respect to the New Testament believer, however, there are primarily three aspects of sanctification.
  • (1)   Positional sanctification. This is the believer’s position or standing before God, based on the death of Christ. In positional sanctification the believer is accounted holy before God; he is declared a saint. Paul frequently began his letters by addressing the believers as saints (Rom. 1:7). It is noteworthy that so carnal a group as the church at Corinth is addressed as ‘those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus’ (1 Cor. 1:2). This positional sanctification is achieved through the once-for-all death of Christ (Heb. 10:10, 14, 29).
  • (2)   Experiential Sanctification. Although the believer’s positional sanctification is secure, his experiential sanctification may fluctuate because it relates to his daily life and experience. Paul’s prayer is that believers should be sanctified entirely in their experience (1 Thess. 5:23); Peter commands believers to be sanctified or holy (1 Peter 1:16). This experiential sanctification grows as the believer dedicates his life to God (Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2) and is nourished by the word of God (Ps. 119:9-16). Clearly, additional factors enter into experiential sanctification.
  • (3)   Ultimate Sanctification. This aspect of sanctification is future and anticipates the final transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ. At that time all believers will be presented to the Lord without any blemish (Eph. 5:26-27)” (Pg. 329-330). [1]

Discussion Questions

  • In the next four weeks we will look at each one of these more closely. This week is an introduction to become familiar with the terms and their meaning.
  • What are the three ways believers benefit from being effectively called (saved)?
  • Briefly explain Justification in your own words.
  • What is God’s and man’s responsibility in Justification?
  • Briefly explain biblical adoption in your own words.
  • What is God’s and man’s responsibility in adoption?
  • Briefly explain sanctification in your own words.
  • What is God’s and man’s responsibility in sanctification?
  • In what other ways does Christ’s salvation benefit believers?


[1] Enns, Paul (1994). The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, Illinois, USA; Moody Press.



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that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

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