The Cincinnati Church

Alive Without the Law (Rom 7:9)

I. The purpose of this study is to provide a proper Biblical understanding of Rom 7:7-13 and to answer the following questions:
1. Was Paul referring to being spiritually alive (in possession of eternal life) when he said that he was "alive without the law once"?
2. Was Paul referring to living in sinless innocence prior to the law coming to him when he wrote "without the law sin was dead"?
3. Did Paul die spiritually when the commandment came and sin revived and slew him?
4. If not, then what kind of death was he referring to?

Aliens

I. Abraham the alien.
1. Abraham was a man of faith (Rom 4:3).
2. Abraham is the prototypical man of faith in the Bible.
A. Prototypical - Of the nature of or serving as a prototype; prototypal.
B. Prototype - 1. a. The first or primary type of anything; the original (thing or person) of which another is a copy, imitation, representation, or derivative, or to which it conforms or is required to conform; a pattern, model, standard, exemplar, archetype.
C. Abraham was strong in faith, who against hope believed in hope (Rom 4:16-21).

"The Husband of One Wife" (1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:6)

I. One of the qualifications a man must meet to be ordained and hold the office of a pastor/bishop/elder/overseer is that he must be "the husband of one wife" (1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:6).
A. Does this mean that a pastor must be married?
B. Does this mean that a pastor cannot be a widower?
C. Does this mean that a pastor who is a widower cannot remarry?
D. Does this mean that a pastor cannot be divorced?
E. Does this mean that a pastor that is divorced cannot remarry?

Partaking of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:1-11)

I. This study should accomplish the following:
1. Learn how to know Jesus more intimately.
2. Learn what it means to partake of the divine nature and how to do it.
3. Learn how to gain the assurance of eternal life.

II. The importance of the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.
1. Grace and peace are multiplied unto us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2Pe 1:2).
A. Knowing God brings us peace (Job 22:21).
B. The knowledge of God comes through diligently studying the word of God (Pro 2:1-6).

Chad preaches an extemporaneous sermon on the twofold nature of justification: 1) how Jesus Christ justified His people in the sense of making them righteous by His knowledge, faith, blood, and grace, and 2) how believers are justified in the sense of being accounted righteous by their faith.

Flattering Titles

“Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. 22) For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.” (Job 32:21-22)

I. The reason for this study.
1. Flattery is condemned in the scripture (Pro 26:28; Pro 29:5)
2. It is clear from Job 32:21-22 that it is wrong to give someone a flattering title.
3. Some have concluded from this that it is wrong to call a pastor "Pastor So-and-so" because to do so would be to give him a flattering title.

Offending the Little Ones (Mat 18:1-14)

I. This study should be both convicting and edifying. The following should be accomplished:
1. Understand what is meant by “offending” and “despising” little children.
2. Learn how to not offend and despise little children.
3. Learn how Mat 18:8-9 fits with the rest of Mat 18:1-14.

II. The reason for Jesus’ discourse.

1. The disciples asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Mat 18:1).
A. They had been reasoning among themselves about who should be the greatest (Luk 9:46).

The Hidden Gospel (Part 2)

The Hidden Gospel

“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” (Mar 4:11-12).

I. Defining the terms.

The Hidden Gospel (Part 1)

The Hidden Gospel

“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” (Mar 4:11-12).

I. Defining the terms.

Paul on Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:16-34)

I. This study should accomplish 4 primary things:
1. Show that many times God’s people are no different from the heathen.
2. Observe and relate to the nature and thinking of unconverted men.
3. Demonstrate how to successfully preach the gospel to heathen, unchurched men.
4. Demonstrate how preaching the gospel will sort out men and reveal what manner of spirit they are.

II. God’s people are often times no different than the heathen (v. 16-17).

Paul on Mars' Hill (Part 1)

Paul on Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:16-34)

I. This study should accomplish 4 primary things:
1. Show that many times God’s people are no different from the heathen.
2. Observe and relate to the nature and thinking of unconverted men.
3. Demonstrate how to successfully preach the gospel to heathen, unchurched men.
4. Demonstrate how preaching the gospel will sort out men and reveal what manner of spirit they are.

II. God’s people are often times no different than the heathen (v. 16-17).

Contending for the Faith - Some Personal Examples

I. The mandate to contend for the faith.

1. God has commanded us in the scripture to contend for the faith (Jud 3).

Contend - 1. intr. To strive earnestly; to make vigorous efforts; to endeavour, to struggle.
Earnestly - 1. In an earnest manner; in a manner indicating earnestness.

Psalm 65:4

“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” (Psa 65:4).

Choose- (v.) 1. To take by preference out off all that are available; to select; to take as that which one prefers, or in accordance with one’s free will and preference. b) Of God: to elect for eternal happiness; to predestinate to life.

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

I. The example of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist knew that Jesus, of whom he was the forerunner, was the Christ from O.T. prophesies (Joh 1:23 c/w Isa 40:3-5).
John was told by God that he would know that Jesus was the Messiah by the Spirit descending on Him (Joh 1:33).
John knew certainly that Jesus was the Christ the first time he saw Him (Joh 1:29).
After Jesus’ baptism, there was no doubt in John’s mind that Jesus was the Messiah of promise (Mat 3:13-17), so much so that John bore record that Jesus was the Son of God (Joh 1:29-34).

Jesus Christ in Hebrews 11

Faith- I. Belief, trust, confidence

1.Confidence, reliance, trust (in the ability, goodness, etc, of a person; in the efficacy or worth of a thing; or in the truth of a statement or doctrine).

I. Jesus was a man of faith (Heb 11:6 c/w Joh 8:29 c/w Mat 3:17).

A. Jesus was both man (1Ti 2:5) and God (Joh 1:1, 14).

B. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1).

Chad exhorts us to read our Bible every day like we eat food every day, for, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Lk.4:4)

Peace- I. 1. Freedom from, or cessation of, war or hostilities; that condition of a nation or community in which it is not at war with another.
4. Freedom from quarrels or dissention between individuals; a state of friendliness, concord, amity (Eph 4:3).
4b. trans. An author or maintainer of concord (Eph 2:14).
5. Freedom form mental or spiritual disturbance or conflict arising from passion, sense of guilt, etc.; peace of mind, soul, or conscience (Phi 4:7).

I. The origin if true peace.
1. Our God is the God of peace (Rom 15:33; 16:20).

Sergeant Chad Wagner outlines some biblical principles that he's learned while deployed in Iraq in the U.S. Army. He shows from the scriptures how that God is not against war, he is the same today as he ever has been, and he does not condemn soldiers. He also shares many principles that the Lord has taught him during his deployment, including the importance of authority and submission thereto.