For the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson for Sunday, May 6, 2001

The answers to all of these questions can be found (1) in the Bible Lesson itself, (2) in the "Bible Lesson study aid" at http://www.bibletexts.com/bl.htm, or (3) in other webpages on the BibleTexts.com website, the homepage of which is http://www.bibletexts.com.


Golden Text and Responsive Reading

  1. What does everlasting punishment have to do with "the second death" mentioned in last week's Bible Lesson?
  2. What does being judgmental have to do with the subject of "everlasting punishment" and "the second death?"
  3. What does being merciful have to do with the subject of "everlasting punishment?"


Section 1

  1. What is our means of salvation from our sins and from the sins of others?
  2. How is our being forgiven tied to our forgiveness of everyone else for anything that they appear to have injuriously thought, said, or done against oneself or against one's family, friends, nation, or world?


Section 2

  1. What is the relationship of the following?
  2. What do revenge and animosity have to do with the subject of "everlasting punishment?"
  3. How genuine is one's claims to being a Christian or a Christian Scientist if one does not love and forgive all enemies?


Section 3

  1. How important is it for us to confess our sins?


Section 4

  1. How was it that Jesus could equate his two statements, "Your sins are forgiven" and "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk"?
  2. How does "forgiveness" as Jesus taught and practiced it relate to Christian healing of both sin and sickness?
  3. How do Jesus' practice and teaching of "forgiveness" relate (1) to his Jesus' role as "an advocate" (comforter, paraclete, counselor, defense attorney, 1Jo 2:1) and (2) to the role of "another Advocate" that Jesus promised (John 14:16)?


Section 5

  1. What was the relationship between Paul, Onesimus, and Philemon?
  2. What was the point of Paul's letter to Philemon?
  3. What is the possible connection between Onesimus and the Letter to the Ephesians, which was also cited in this section of the Bible Lesson?
  4. What is the value of helping each other?


Section 6

  1. How can we here and now experience God's mercy?


* Copyright 1996-2001 Robert Nguyen Cramer *