[1]NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Explore the Bible curriculum.
Bible Passages: Genesis 15:1-7, 13-16
Discussion Questions: What is the connection between faith and righteousness? How does a person’s faith in God impact their confidence in being able to stand before Him without dread or guilt?
Food for Thought:
After arriving for work, the first email received that morning is from your boss to schedule a meeting with you at 4 p.m. No information about the purpose of the meeting is included, just a time and location. Most likely, you would first check your calendar to make sure it’s not the end of a pay period. You might then begin to inventory the status of any projects you are assigned. The rest of the day will be spent reviewing any conversations you have had with other employees and customers. Your entire day is now filled with apprehension knowing that the four o’clock meeting awaits.
[2]When we face a person to whom we are accountable, a lot of how we approach that person depends upon the relationship between the two of us. If you have a stronger relationship with the boss, you might feel more inclined to ask for information so you could prepare for the meeting. Ultimately, how you would respond to that initial invitation reveals your level of trust in your boss. We see this in the life of Abraham. God promised Abraham a son in his old age. Abraham chose to trust God and His promises. As a result of that trust God credited Abraham as righteous (Genesis 5:6). God granted Abraham the right to confidently stand before Him without fear of reprisal. This righteousness was secured through faith and not because of Abraham’s moral excellence.
All who place their trust in Jesus are credited or granted that same righteousness. We too can stand before God without fear of reprisal. The righteousness of Jesus is credited to us. This truth should change how we view the day we will stand before God at life’s end. We no longer need to approach that day with fear and apprehension. We can approach that day with confidence and hope, knowing that the sacrifice of Jesus secures our righteousness. Our lives leading up to that day can be dominated by that same confidence and trust.
Explore the Bible
Explore the Bible is an ongoing Bible study curriculum that helps groups dig into the key truths of each Bible book, while keeping the group on pace to study through the Bible books in a systematic way. More information can be found at LifeWay.com/ExploreTheBible [3].
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool [4].