Explore the Bible Study: Choose
2:26 PM
Whether we know Christ or not, our flesh is always in a state of rebellion against God. While believers are forgiven and are in a process of being made new, we still face a constant battle with our old fleshly desires and seem to continuously seek ways to thwart God's law or subvert its righteous requirements. LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: Choose, addresses this as it examines Moses' exhortation to the people of Israel to remain faithful to God.
Illustration
Be sure to check out the opening illustration using a styrofoam cup that is a part of the Downloadable Teaching Ideas.
Passage Points
Deuteronomy 30:1-5
- Moses knows the Israelites won't consistently pursue living for God, which would lead to them to experience consequences as described in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
- However, Moses did predict a change of heart among the people, which would lead to them being restored.
- Restoration would take place when the people of God would "come to their senses" (Deuteronomy 30:1), return to God, and "obey Him with all their heart and soul." (Deuteronomy 30:2)
- This is called repentance.
- This passage tells us what true renewal looks like. There must be a work of God that brings about repentance and faith. Individuals and churches continually battle the temptation to compromise beliefs and embrace ungodly behavior. This leads to God having to do something to get our attention. When that happens, we must come to our senses and repent. Then God will restore us.
Deuteronomy 30:6-10
- Full renewal meant that God would have to do some work on the hearts of the Israelites. Equally, this has to take place in our own hearts as well. Moses tells us that God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants.
- The Apostle Paul points out in Romans 2:28-29: “For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.”
- In order for the Israelites to love God with their hearts, their hearts would have to be circumcised. What wasn’t necessary or what was unclean would need to be cut away. This has come to be called regeneration.
- This was the results when the hearts of the Israelites were circumcised by God - Vs. 7: God would vindicate His people – God would put all the curses Israel had endured on their enemies; Vss. 8-10: God would cause them to prosper, multiply, and thrive; V. 9: God would be delighted.
- God delights in us when our hearts are fully devoted to Him.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
- By choosing “life”—obedience to God—the Israelites would live under His wings of protection and guidance.
- By choosing “blessing” the Israelite’s would enjoy a relationship with God that is blessed and not cursed.
- Unbelievers are condemned to eternal separation from God in hell – this is the curse.
- Why would anyone not choose life? Why do believers rebel and ignore the life God has given them? Why would anyone choose to be living under the curse of God instead of the life God offers through Jesus Christ?
LOOK OUT: LIVING OUT THE BIBLICAL TEXT
- Equally, when you love, obey, and remain faithful as Moses challenges us and the Israelites to do in verses 19-20, God will use you to demonstrate His work of grace to those around you.
- You will experience a relationship with Christ that will be clean. All the unnecessary, unclean parts of your sinful life will be cut away.
- Commit yourself to loving, obeying, and remaining faithful to God in daily living.
- You will experience the delight of the Lord!
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