LESSON OUTLINE: "Love Letters: Communication within the Godly Family”

“Love Letters: Communication within the Godly Family”

Lesson prepared by Tony Thomas

Family Life Class 

June 15, 2014

 Photograph: David Levene/Public Domain

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." [Hebrews 4:12 ESV]

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." [Ephesians 4:29 KJV]

Foundational Truth #1: God Communicates with us through His Word.

1. In Proverbs 30:5 what one word is used to characterize the Word of God?
2. In Hebrews 4:12 how is the Word of God described.
3. What word would you use to describe what Jesus is saying about His Word in Matthew 24:35?
4. Does God protect his Word?
5. Can we trust our modern English translations of the Bible?*
6. Why are there sometimes differences between different translations?*

{*For questions 4 and 5 you need to thoroughly study "Translation Philosophy" and know the practical difference between what is known as the "majority text / Textus Receptus" and the "revised text".} The following links should prove useful.

http://www.mardel.com/UserFiles/File/Bible%20Translation%20Chart.pdf

http://www.uv.es/~fores/programa/majorityvscritical.html

 Foundational Truth #2: God Communicates with us through His Spirit.

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." [John 16:13 NKJV]

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" [Ephesians 6:18 KJV]

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" [Romans 8:16 KJV]

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

• In what ways does the Holy Spirit communicate with the church?

  Family Life Application: Communication within the home

• We know that God’s Word is pure, alive, powerful, penetrating, and discerning. As we live as an imitation of Christ how should this knowledge affect how we talk to each other?

• Are short answers okay? Matthew 5:37, James 5:12.

• Are long conversations okay? Reference Song of Solomon.

• In what way does the human spirit affect our conversation?