Discussion: The Fear Of The Lord

Assignment: Read Proverbs 22, focusing on verse 6. What does "train" or "direct" mean in this context?  What was the original word? What's your best guess as to what the original hearers would have heard in this statement?

Notes from class:
Word for the day: LOVE
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13 ; John 21:15-17
Context Notes:

“Love isn’t proven by what we say to Jesus, but by how we serve what He loves.”

Assignment to work on this week:
Read one commentary about 1 Corinthians 13.
Think through the following questions for your own life:

• Who am I called to love sacrificially right now?
• Where has love become conditional or convenient?
• What does “feeding the sheep” look like in my life today?

Word for the day: ABIDE/REMAIN
Scriptures: John 15:1-17, 1 John 1-5
Greek Word: Menō

How many times is menō used in John 15?
How many times is menō used in 1 John?

How do you think this connects to our new understanding of “agape”, from last week?  Are the two ideas (meno and agape) connected?

Some takeaways:

• Fruit is not the result of effort, but connection.
• Abiding is not optional--it is essential.
• Abiding is both relational (in Christ) and formational (His Word in us).
• Abiding means choosing presence over productivity. (Perseverance is so important.  Quick repentance over perfection)
• Fruit is the result. Connection is the calling.

Assignment to work on this week:
Read 1 John 4.
What are some instructions we can take from that book, to answer the question, "How do we abide in Christ?"

Faith / Believe
Hebrews 11; Romans 4; Galatians 3

• Greek: pistis (faith), pisteuō (believe)
• Explores faith as trust, allegiance, confidence—not just belief
• What does faith look like in action?

Assignment for this week:

• Read the following passages and ask yourself how they deepen your understanding of faith. 
  • James 2:14–26 — Faith and works
  • John 20:31 — Belief leading to life
  • Habakkuk 2:4 — The righteous live by faith

Righteousness
Romans 3-5, Micha 6:8, Matthew 5:6, Matthew 6:1, 13, 
Hebrew: Tsedeq (צֶדֶק) / Tsedakah (צְדָקָה)
Greek: Dikaiosynē (δικαιοσύνη)

Biblical righteousness includes:

1. Right Standing — Justified by faith
2. Right Relationship — Walking humbly with God
3. Right Living — Acting justly and loving mercy
4. Right Motivation — Seeking God’s approval, not people’s

Assignment: Memorize a verse!
Memory Verse Options (We should be memorizing more scripture!):

• Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom…”
  
• 2 Corinthians 5:21, “...so that we could be made right through Christ.”
  
• Romans 1:17, “This Good News tells us how God…”

WORD STUDY: RUACH & PNEUMA (15 Minutes)
Hebrew: Ruach (רוּחַ)
Meaning:

• Wind
• Breath
• Spirit
• Invisible force with visible effect
  
  

Occurs ~380 times in the Old Testament.
Key idea: Movement + Life + Power

Greek: Pneuma (πνεῦμα)
Meaning:

• Wind
• Breath
• Spirit
• Inner life-force
  
  

Used for:

• Human spirit
• Evil spirits
• The Holy Spirit
  
  

Key idea: Animating life and divine presence
Ask:

• Why would Scripture use the same word for breath, wind, and Spirit?
  
  

Lead them toward: all are invisible but powerful, life-giving forces.

Genesis 1:1-2
Ezekiel 37:1-14
John 20:22
Acts 2

Word Study: Call / Called
Hebrew: qārāʾ (קָרָא)
 Greek: kaleō (καλέω)
 Theme: God initiates relationship and purpose.

Meaning of qārāʾ
Common meanings:

• To call out
• To summon
• To proclaim
• To name
• To invite

It carries both authority and relationship.
In the Old Testament, calling often involves:

• Naming (identity)
• Summoning (direction)
• Commissioning (purpose)

In Hebrew thought, to call someone is to assign identity and destiny.
God doesn’t just shout instructions — He speaks identity.

Genesis 12:1–4
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go…’”
Observations:

• God initiates.
• Abram is not seeking God first.
• The call includes:
  • Relationship (“I will bless you”)
  • Promise
  • Mission (“You will be a blessing”)
    
    

Discussion Questions:

1. What did Abram have before the call? What did he gain after it?
2. What did God reveal in the calling? What did He withhold?
3. Why does God often call people without giving full details?
4. How does obedience precede clarity?

God’s call is:

• Personal (“to Abram”)
• Disruptive (“leave your country”)
• Redemptive (“all peoples… will be blessed”)

GREEK WORD STUDY — KALEŌ
Meaning of kaleō

• To call
• To invite
• To summon
• To appoint
• To name

From this root comes:

• Ekklesia — “called-out ones” (church)

Calling in the New Testament often implies:

• Invitation into salvation
• Transfer of identity
• Appointment to purpose

Greek emphasizes effectiveness — when God calls, it accomplishes something.

ROMANS 8:28–30 
“Those He predestined, He also called…”

1. Foreknown
2. Predestined
3. Called
4. Justified
5. Glorified

Discussion:

• What kind of call is this?
• What does it mean that calling leads to justification?
• How does this passage comfort believers?

God’s call here is not merely invitation — it is transformation.
This call:

• Awakens faith
• Secures identity
• Guarantees future glory
  
  

Calling is evidence of belonging.

1 PETER 2:9 
“He who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Notice:

• From darkness
• Into light
• For proclamation
  
  

Calling always includes:

• Rescue
• Identity
• Mission

You are called out and called for.

Overarching Themes:
1. God Initiates
Abram wasn’t searching.
 We were not self-saving.

2. Calling Creates Identity

• Abram → Abraham
• Fishermen → Apostles
  
• Sinners → Saints

3. Calling Leads to Purpose
Blessed → Be a blessing
 Saved → Proclaim
 Chosen → Represent

4. Calling Requires Response
Abram went.
 The church proclaims.
 We obey.