Romans 6:12-14  (HCSB)12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.S...  Read More

Romans 6:1-11  (HCSB)The New Life in Christ 6 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the d...  Read More

Romans 3:10-13  (HCSB)10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.Sarah Ricciardi In college I read Augustine’s Confessions. I can’t quote him, but I remember a portion where he talks about infants. He argue...  Read More

God's Design for PurityDo what is good, right, and productive, even in unwanted circumstancesKEY TRUTH: Model God’s Design for Purity by Living Godly, Productive Lives (Jeremiah 29:1-5, Genesis 39:1-9)KEY TRUTH: Model God’s Design for Purity by Building Strong Christian Families and Engaging the People Around Us (Jeremiah 29:6-7, Genesis 2:18-25)FAMILY CONNECTION: CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AFTER CHU...  Read More

1.  Why is it harder for us to reprimand sin than to let it slide? Why is it better to correct sin earlier than later? How do you find the balance between confronting sin without ruining a relationship?2. In 1 Cor. 6:11 Paul says that the Corinthians “were washed, were sanctified, were justified.” This means they experienced salvation in the past AND that they weren’t responsible for the washing, ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 7:25-40 (HCSB)About the Unmarried and Widows25 About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 7:1-24 (HCSB)Principles of Marriage7 Now in response to the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman.” 2 But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3 A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (HCSB)Glorifying God in Body and Spirit 12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be brought under the control of anything. 13 “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food,” but God will do away with both of them. The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 (HCSB)Lawsuits among Believers6 If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So i...  Read More

1 Corinthians 5  (HCSB)Immoral Church Members5 It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent ...  Read More

Humility is a mark of spiritual maturity; pride, jealousy and strife are characteristics of immaturity.KEY TRUTH: Knowing Christ Should Bring Unity (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)KEY TRUTH: Unity Requires Humility (1 Corinthians 3:2-9)KEY TRUTH: Unity Requires Common Purpose (1 Corinthians 3:10-23)FAMILY CONNECTION:  CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AFTER CHURCH!What was the arguing and dividedness among the belie...  Read More

1.  Where do you find yourself forgetting your identity in Christ? How can you cultivate a greater awareness of God's grace in your daily life? In what ways are you waiting with hope for the revealing of Christ?2. Where do you see divisions in your own church community? Are there ways you might be subtly contributing to disunity? How can you actively promote unity and focus on Christ?3. Where do y...  Read More