Lesson11

Lesson 11

LESSON XI – THE BELIEVER’S PARTICIPATION

(Our response to God’s Leading)

What am I to do about all that I am learning?
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My
Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of
My sheep as I said to you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch
them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My father are one.”
John 10:25-30

And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus
Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 1 John 3:23

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants,
for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all
things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me,
but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These
things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:14-27

‘If you love Me, keep my commandments.’ John 14:15

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating
and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves
Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore, let us pursue
the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
Romans 14:16-17

My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. John 4:34

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war
against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they
speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe,
glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of
man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who
are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of
foolish men – as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of
God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
1 Peter 2:11-17

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I
certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the
covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is
sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioners
– not even to eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those who
are outside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves
the evil person. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is
holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them
out of the hand of the wicked. Psalm 97:10

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says,
‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. He who says he
abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in
the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Titus 2:11-15

So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
Luke 10:27

Understand that you are saved by grace alone and HAVE eternal life. Walk as Jesus
walked in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in your own strength. Be in the world but
not of the world because the world is evil and passing away, but the kingdom is forever.
Live as one who has been made holy, as your Lord above is Holy. Love your neighbor
as yourself, but hate the evil in you, in them, and in the world. Above all, love the Lord
your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.

What is to be my relationship with other Christians?
I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for
they are Yours. John 17:9

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking, as
newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed
you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:1-3

And He Himself gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors
and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that
we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but,
speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things unto Him who is the head – Christ –
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of
the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again
the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid
food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness,
for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14
Then He said them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you
may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of
the Son of God. 1 John 5:13

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the
saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the
glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power
toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked
in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the
heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Ephesians 1:15-20

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the
riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in
love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and
depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:13-19

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to
them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. John 1:11-12

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special
people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not
obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from
death to life, because we love the brethren, He who does not love his brother abides in
death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has
eternal live abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.
And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s
goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of
God abide in him? 1 John 3:13-17

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not
lose heard. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those
who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more
and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you
know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus; For this is the will of
God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of
you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in
passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take
advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all
such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness,
but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also
given us His Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5

You and all who have been redeemed by God through Jesus Christ have been set aside
to God. Study and yield yourselves to God that He might sanctify you into the maturity
of Christ. Persevere together in living, maturing, and ministering in this fallen world.
Love all and do good to all; but especially those of the fellowship of faith.

What should be my relationship with the Jews?
Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from
your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation; I
will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those
who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the
earth shall be blessed.’ Genesis 12:1-3

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of
her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of
vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are
pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great
distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the
sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24

Brethren, my heart’s desire for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness
that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of
God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law,
“The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith
speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”(that is, to
bring Christ down from above)? or “‘who will descend into the abyss?’”(that is to bring
Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth
and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with
your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the
dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on
Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for
the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:1-13

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should
be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the
fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will
turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away
their sins.’ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the
election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God
are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy
through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through
the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to
disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Romans 11:25-32

And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were
grafted I among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the
olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do
not support the root, but the root supports you. Romans 11:17-18

And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to
graft them in again. Romans 11:23

In this current time, born again Christian believers should honor all Jews, everywhere,
since God chose them as the path through which salvation would come to mankind;
even though, individually, not all Jews honor Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah.
We should love and bless the Jewish people, even though we do not necessarily agree
with or participate in all that they say and do individually or nationally. God yet has a
plan for them and will work out His plan His way and in His time.

What is to be my relationship to others who are not Christians?
Do not love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world
is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15-17

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity
with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy
of God. James 4:4

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we
implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin
to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19

Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us go back and visit our brethren in
every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.’
Acts 15:36

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all
discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere
and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness
which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9

Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens
alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the
gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one
should be shaken by these affliction; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to
this. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you. Doe not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test
all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

So let each one give as he purposes in his heard, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God
love a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the
preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you
will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and
supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:13-18

You are ambassadors of Christ, not citizens of this world. Live among the people of
this world, but do not love the things of this world. Love the sinner but hate the sin.
Come apart from this world, but go into the world as fishers of men, that all who will
may come to the saving knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Run the race well
until the end of your life here on this earth.

What should be my attitude in responding to the Love of God?
He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is
of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has
sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father
loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has
everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of
God abides on him. John 3:30-36

But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:13

You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I
say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of
your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send
rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have
you? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your
Father in heaven in perfect. Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before
men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.
Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may
be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Matthew 5:43-6:1-2

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward
according to this own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you
are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise
master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take
heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it,
because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it
is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If
anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as
through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:8-15

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give
you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him,
for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

He must increase, I must decrease; yet I can do all things God commands through
Christ. Give thanks to the Lord!

What does God require of me?
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be Baptized by him. And John
tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to
fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. Matthew 3:13-15

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See,
here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe
with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water, and he Baptized him. Acts 8:36-37

But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live
by faith. Galatians 3:11

Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose
corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His
rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of
unbelief. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of
you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to
them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
those who heard it. Hebrews 3:17-4:2

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn
himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he
does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:22 -23

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits
for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and
latter rain. James 5:7

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do
justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in
heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:28

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to
faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

Be baptized, live by faith, not by sight. Love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with
your God. Now go, and make disciples of all people.