Tag: David Parks

The Last Fight for Human Freedom

• Lesson 13 for the week of June 19 to June 26

Key passages: Rev 12:1-12 2 Thess 3:1-11 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 The decisive battle for human freedom has already been fought. The most intense struggle ended with the defeat of Satan in the death of Christ...

Continue reading →

Scripture Twisting

• Lesson 12 for the week of June 12 to June 19

Key passages: Psalm 1 Psalm 119 The temptation of Jesus by Satan shows that the devil can use Scripture to his own ends. One can always find a Bible text that appears to support almost...

Continue reading →

Encounter

• Lesson 11 for the week of June 5 to June 12

Key passages: Revelation 12 Matthew 4:1-11; 9:32-34; 12:22-30 The New Testament gospels record the greatest war in the universe. The most intense point of struggle in that war occurred during the life of Jesus. Satan...

Continue reading →

Human Vulnerability – Addendum B

• Addendum B for the week of May 29 to June 5

In the interpretation of the book of Daniel, it is important to note which parts of the prophetic chapters are interpreted by the Bible itself. Where no specific interpretation is given, interpreters diverge; where the...

Continue reading →

Human Vulnerability – Addendum A

• Addendum A for the week of May 29 to June 5

In our modern world, views of prophecy, especially with reference to the “last days” or the “end of time” (apocalyptic/eschatology) fall into four basic categories: A. Preterist: The “liberal” rationalist, critical perspective that denies the...

Continue reading →

Human Vulnerability

• Lesson 10 for the week of May 29 to June 5

Key passages: Ephesians 6:10-18 The devil works to break down human freedom and maintain his control through force, threat and deception. In this conversation we focus on his strategies of control through deception. Look at...

Continue reading →

Invented by the Devil

• Lesson 9 for the week of May 22 to May 29

Key Passages: Isaiah 34:10 2 Peter 3:10-13 Revelation 14:6-12; 20 “Love me or Iíll torture you forever.” The belief that God will torment forever those who reject his offer of salvation has driven many thoughtful...

Continue reading →

Condition in Death

• Lesson 8 for the week of May 15 to May 22

Key passages: 1 Corinthians 15:1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 John 11:25, 26 Most Christians believe that when a person dies (s)he goes directly to heaven or hell. Others, including Seventh-day Adventists, believe that there is an unconscious...

Continue reading →

The Restoration of Human Nature

• Lesson 7 for the week of May 8 to May 15

Key passages: Romans 6; 8 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Galatians 5:16-26 Exiled from Eden and at enmity with our Creator, we ask if there is a road back home? Is there a bridge across the great...

Continue reading →

The Fall

• Lesson 6 for the week of May 1 to May 8

Key Passages: Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-26 Romans 3:9-20; 7:14-8:5 Coaxed by a lying serpent, first Eve and then Adam disobey God. As readers of the story we have barely comprehended the curses directed by God against...

Continue reading →

Origin of Sin

• Lesson 5 for the week of April 24 to May 1

Key Passages: Isaiah 14:12-15 Ezekiel 28:12-19 Revelation 12:7-9 Key Questions: If evil is not an eternal reality, it must have had a beginning. Common Christian teaching points to the origin of evil in the devilís...

Continue reading →

Spirit, Soul, and Body

• Lesson 4 for the week of April 17 to April 24

Key passages: Genesis 2:7 Matthew 10:28 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Like a Swiss pocket knife with attachments for different jobs, a lot of words are versatile enough to be used to convey quite different meanings in...

Continue reading →

Our Social Nature

• Lesson 3 for the week of April 10 to April 17

Key Passages: Genesis 2:18, Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, John 8:29 Key Questions: Did God create the universe because he was lonely? Does every one have a capacity and a need to connect with God? How can this...

Continue reading →

Our Physical Nature

• Lesson 2 for the week of April 3 to April 10

Key Passages: Psalm 8:1-9; 139:13-16 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Key questions: The Biblical story of creation includes a scene where God fashions the first human being out of clay from the ground. The biblical view of...

Continue reading →