1Timothy 1:8-11

Return again with showers of converting grace

to a poor gospel-abusing sinner.

(from an old Puritan prayer)

NEXT WEEK: 1 Timothy 1:12-20

Questions for the Community

6. Personal Reflection  
   1. Consider your relationship to rules. Are you a rule-follower or rule-breaker by nature? How does the gospel (mentioned in vs. 11) shape you in this?

   Group Discussion

   2. Re-read the text from Sunday and review what was said, prayed and talked about (both during the sermon and interactions w/ people). What do you remember as helpful or troubling?
   3. Do you tend to live more in legalism (obeying God’s law to earn/keep his favor) or in license (disobeying God’s law because it’s not necessary to obey to be saved)? How so?
   4. How does the teaching about the law here in 1 Timothy help motivate you to obey God’s law from a gospel motivation?
   5. God never gives rules apart from relationship. Review how and who gave the 10 Commandments and the many ways God continues to keep relationship at the center of rules. If you enforce or create rules, do you mimic God in this? 

   Plan of Action

   6. Pray the prayer on this handout each morning or night as you review the day. Take each of the people listed in our text and ask God’s mercy on you to get out of or stay out of harms path by ever living as these verses describe. 
   7. Write out how you ensure you are growing in understanding sound doctrine. Bounce your plan off of someone else. Get help where needed.