Growing in Christ Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know what Christ accomplished through his death and resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:20-21)

   Answer: Christ defeated death and rose again as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Through His victory he guaranteed eternal life to all who believe and overcame the sin introduced by Adam. — 1 Corinthians 15:20-21 declares: 'Christ has risen from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep'. As death came through one man (Adam), so also through one man (Christ) came the resurrection. The cornerstone of the Christian faith.

2. Understand what happens in the life of someone who maintains fellowship with Jesus. (1 John 1:5-7)

   Answer: Whoever walks in the light has fellowship with God and with their brothers and sisters, and the blood of Jesus purifies from all sin. A transparent life, without hidden darkness, generates unity in the church. — 1 John 1:5-7 teaches that God is light and in him there is no darkness. Walking in the light produces two results: fellowship among believers (relational) and continuous purification through the blood of Christ (spiritual). There is no true fellowship without holiness.

3. Know what God's plan is for our life, following the example of what was fulfilled in the life of Jesus. (Luke 2:52)

   Answer: To grow in four areas: wisdom (mental), stature (physical), grace with God (spiritual), and grace with people (social). The integral and balanced development of the whole person. — Luke 2:52 says: 'Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men'. Four dimensions form harmonious development: intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social. The basis of the Adventist educational method (White's philosophy).

4. Explain the results that appear in the life of someone who follows Jesus and receives the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

   Answer: The nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faith (faithfulness), gentleness, and self-control. Character transformed by the Spirit. — Galatians 5:22-25 lists the nine fruits of the Spirit as evidence of someone who is led by Him. Unlike the works of the flesh (v.19-21), they are singular ('fruit', in the singular) — they form an integrated character, not isolated virtues that can be chosen.

5. Define the importance of maintaining fellowship with God through prayer. (Ephesians 6:18)

   Answer: To pray at all times, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching with perseverance for all the saints. Prayer is a spiritual weapon and a means of constant fellowship with God. — Ephesians 6:18 closes the passage on the armor of God (v.10-17). Prayer is not a piece of the armor, but the air that makes all the armor work — persevering, intercessory, and dependent on the Holy Spirit, not on human formulas.

6. Memorize and recite Psalm 1:1-2 and Luke 2:52.

   Answer: Psalm 1:1-2: 'Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked... but whose delight is in the law of the Lord'. Luke 2:52: 'Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men'. — Psalm 1 opens the Psalter with the beatitudes of the righteous versus the wicked. Luke 2:52 is the only record of Jesus' childhood from ages 12 to 30. Both texts are foundations of integral Christian growth according to Adventist theology.

7. Share with a friend how a person's life is transformed when they accept Jesus as Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

   Answer: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old has passed away, the new has come. Conversion transforms identity, values, priorities, and relationships through spiritual regeneration. — 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a key text of the new creation. The verb 'to be in Christ' is positional — whoever converts receives a new identity, not just better behavior. Paul wrote Corinthians in ~55 AD from Ephesus in Macedonia.