Queen's Road Cell

5. What is Jesus's point about faith in Luke 17:5-6? The apostles may have felt that great faith is needed for forgivenes. Jesus is not concerned about the quantity of faith, but its genuineness. It is not so much great faith that is required as faith in a great God.(Morris)   The rabbis held that the roots of the tree with this name would remain in the earth for 600 years. Why are mulberry trees not uprooted in our experience then? The immediate conclusion would be the lack even of minimal amounts of faith, but that is not Jesus' point. Answers to prayer depend on trust in God, implying a certain knowledge of His character and will. Answers depend then on: our relationship with Christ (Jn 15:7) steadfastness of trust (Js 1:6) asking according to God's will (1 Jn 5:14) not asking for selfish reasons (Js 4:3) Faith, then, is not a force where, after reaching a certain level, answers to prayer become possible.  6. How should God's servant feel even if he manages to exerci...

Divorce and remarriage God “hates divorce” (Mal 2:16, KJV).  The Law allowed men to divorce their wives (Deut. 24:1ff.), though women could not divorce their husbands Divorce misrepresents and breaks the meaning of marriage. To divorce for remarriage is wrong. Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ justification of divorce and pointed out God’s original ethical ideal of marriage. Divorce does not dissolve the marriage bond. Remarriage is adultery.   The marriage bond is life-long, dissolved only by death (1 Co 7:39, Ro 7:1-3) 2 exceptions : 1.The “Matthean exception”(Mt 5:31-32, 19:3-9) • What is meant by ‘sexual immorality’ (Gk. ‘porneia’)? • Does the exception of sexual immorality apply to divorce, or to both divorce and remarriage? 2.  The “Pauline exception” (1 Cor 7:10-16) • What does “I, not the Lord” mean? (c.f. 7:40, 14:37-28) • What does “not enslaved/bound” mean?  Different views: No divorce to be initiated, no remarriage until death. Divorce only with adultery or r...