LifeWay Explore the Bible (Hebrews 12): Responding Properly to the Holiness of God

God’s holiness is what sets Him apart from humanity. He is without sin, and all humans have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Responding properly to the Holiness of God is what we as believers need to learn and understand. Under the old covenant the people of God approached God cautiously because of fear, but under the new covenant we can approach God confidently because of what Christ has done and is doing for us. This is the focus I am taking when teaching the LifeWay Explore the Bible Plan for Sunday November 23.

I have modified the direction and teaching plan from LifeWay quite extensively in order to focus more on the overall context of the passages. I felt that the emphasis on community was not the best approach. Please understand that my opinion is only one person's view and is most likely being shaped by my personal study of the passage. Remember, my plans are only suggestions to be used as a supplemental resource.

The title, target, and text I am focusing on are:

• TITLE:  Responding Properly to the Holiness of God
• TEXT:  Hebrews 12:14-29 (Key verses: Hebrews 12:18-24; 28-29)
• TARGET: Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His promise of eternal fellowship with Him now and in Heaven, our fear of God’s Holiness should be replaced with grateful hearts and confident service.

Here are some resources that you might want to consider using:

• LifeWay Explore the Bible EXTRA! (Click to Review).  Use for the LOOK UP and LOOK OUT portion of your study.
• For the LOOK UP portion of your study consider introducing what people fear by using the following video from the movie, Monsters Inc.

If you need training for your Bible study group leaders, check out the 4:12 Network. If you need further information about curriculum, see the Explore the Bible page. Receive the Explore the Bible teaching helps and other regular 4:12 blog posts by submitting your email address in the Receive Blog Updates by Email box to the right.

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