ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

WEEK BEGINNING 19 FEBRUARY 2006

PHILIPPIANS 3:1-9: NEW CONFIDENCE

For home groups that would like them, here are some questions based on the talk at Sunday's 6:30 pm service. There's no need to answer them all - just tackle the ones you have time for. You don't need to stick to the areas mentioned here - feel free to discuss any other issues that arise for you. (Incidentally, please note that we're now using Today's New International Version in Evening Worship and that some of the Bible quotations may be slightly different from other versions.)

1. Read the passage, Philippians 3:1-9.

2. Why do you think Paul expresses himself so strongly in verse 2? Who is he opposing? Why?

3. In verse 3, how does Paul characterise those who are genuinely the people of God?

4. If he chose to go down this path, in what ways would Paul be able to be confident in himself? (Note: it's important to be clear about what a genuinely good man Paul really was. For example, although Pharisees have a rather bad press in our day, back then they were highly respected and looked up to as those who went all out to obey God's law without compromise.)

5. In what ways do you share Paul's accomplishments? To what extent do you rely on them in the way you think about yor relationship with God?

6. Think about the confidence that Paul is talking about here - what exactly is it for?

7. What is it that leads him to treat his gains as 'garbage'? How has this happened?

8. Why is 'the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith' so much better than 'a righteousness of our own that comes from the law'?

9. "One of the greatest gifts God can give us is the sense of how great a problem our sin is." What do you think of this statement?

10. Pray for those whose sense of their own sin is preventing them from seeking God's grace and forgiveness. And then pray for those whose sense of their own goodness is having the same effect.

David Stone
19 February 2006