Discussion Questions
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Do you agree with Dr. Blomberg that resisting the injustice of the world with violence is wrong? Why or why not?
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I agree because we need to pray for those who cause injustice instead of reacting with violence.
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I agree with Dr. Blomberg. Born-Again Christians are not to partake in acts of physical violence of any sort. Some Christians may point to the OT to justify violence. However, these brothers and sisters are forgetting that NT Christians are “new creations” and we are not to look to the OT to justify violence. Additionally, Christians would have to ignore all of the NT epistles and the Gospels regarding our relationships with our enemies.
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From my understanding of Scriptures, unless God has specifically commissioned someone or a group of people to use force or violence (see Old Testament for details of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites), individually we are not told to attack those who are perpetrating injustice. We are to pray and seek God’s will and do whatever we can to achieve God’s will as He directs us in dealing with injustice.
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I do agree with Dr Blomberg, if us as Christians want to bring change to our world, it has to be by being completely different from the world. The world has enough violence, Jesus said all will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. Love was the catalyst for change. When Jesus was on Earth, He expelled demons from people, because the kingdom of Heaven was here on Earth. One kingdom replaced another, the better and the more powerful was replacing the broken one. Change comes from something radical and different to oppose what has been stablished before.
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Describe some of the ways in which 1 Peter calls Christians to live godly lives. Then, choose one of these principles and explain how you currently apply it in your life, or how you could apply it in your life going forward.
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The book of Peter deals with Christian holiness, submission, and persecution. Humbly I need to work on all of them, but I would say a focus for me is Christian holiness. It is difficult sometimes not to be caught up in the world and to resist certain temptations, but as my faith continues to grow stronger it gets easier. The devil knows how to attack and so my relationship with God and knowing the scriptures fights those attacks.
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Peter tells us that we need to be charitable to those in need, especially those in the family of God. I support a foundation that gives food to the poor but I can improve be looking within the local Christian community for ways to help those in need here.
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Some of the ways Peter calls Christians to live godly lives is,
husbands to be understanding with their wives
to be harmonious, kindhearted and humble in spirit.
to suffer by doing good, be obedient to God.
The principle that I want to keep applying to my life is being obedient to God. Obedience is for me has been a challenge for me in some areas, and fear has caused impediment in those areas. I want to keep fighting fear and getting out of my comfort zone, to honor God with my obedience by facing uncomfortable situations and knowing that obedience brings blessings and experiences that only God can provide when I meet Him in service