THE GENERAL EPISTLES

LESSON 1:

Yes the general epistles are useful for Christian today because of the following:

 It teaches us to endure hardship.

 It teaches us on wisdom and how to use it.
 it emphasizes on maturity in the word of God.
 It teaches Christians to avoid false doctrines.
 It show us how Christians can be recommended for job well done like Gaius ‘
 It teaches Christians how dangerous it is to be proud like Diotrephes.
 It emphasize on knowledge of God.
 It teaches us to be compassion, to resist the devil’.
 It teaches us how to handle our marriages by respecting each other.
 It encourages the Christians to rejoice when passing hardship.
 It teaches Christians to submit.

LESSON 2:THE EPISTLE OF JAMES

The major issues seen in James that are very prevalent in our churches today are:

 The issue of trials and temptation-most of the Christians get discouraged when they fall
into temptation to an extent of isolating themselves from brethrens
 Favourism-this is witnessed in the midst of the brethrens where the people who are well
off are given the first priority in the church.
 Taming of tongue-the church is full of people with loose mouth or tongue where many
chase saints by the loose talk.
 Conflicts in the church-the Church is at war with each other because of their own desire.
This causes us to pray a miss if we dwell in it.
 The issue of pride and critism-this is where someone feel is better than the other that
causes us to speak ill of the other brother.
 Lack of submission-this is caused by ignorance where the church does not recognize the
authority they under.
 Lack of maturity in sharing –faith of sharing in community and society in large was very
poor like in our church even today.
 Lack of faith in prayer-in our sickness, when we have sinned when we pray in faith we
will receive our portion.


2b: The ways we could face the above issues are:

  We can face the trials and temptation with confidence because God turns them into
triumph if we be endures them.
 We need to treat all brethren equal without discrimination.
 A Christian needs to manage the way he talks by speaking with care.
 We can solve the war in the church if everyone understand his gift and work on it.
 To overcome pride and critics we need to plant a seed of peace in our life.
 We need to submit to the authority by honoring them.
 Sharing in love shows the level of maturity we have reached and helps us to grow.

LESSON 3:

THE EPISTLE OF PETER.

The main themes in the letter of peter and their relationship to the Church today and how the
letters are similar, and the areas they differ

 He encourages the church to endure hardship –we need to tell the church they will pass
through many trials but at the end if there is endurance they will triumph.
 The saints are the chosen generation and a royal priesthood. The church need to stand
and know that Christ choose us and he value us.
 It teaches on Jesus Christ ministry to the spirit world following the crucifixion.
 He teaches on submission to the rulers and masters –the church is supposed to follow
this track since it will make us to live in peace within us and outside the society.
 Peter touches on family issue where he advices wives to be submissive and husband to
love their wives-this is helpful in the Christian fellowship since if there is no unity in the
marriage the church cannot grow.
 He is warning the church concerning the false prophets ,false teachings and false
doctrine. The church is still fighting with these teachings and need to be reminded that ,
from the beginning there were such teachings.
 The church needs to love one another and strengthen each other-when church practice
this even in the time of persecution they will remain strong.
 Peter is encouraging the disciples to have the nature like that of Christ .
 We are elected according to the knowledge of God.
 Jesus Christ was an example of one who endured hardship.
B. Areas the letters are similar.

 Peter is the author of both letters.

 He wrote to the same people who received the first letter
 In both letters he is encouraging the church to believe in Jesus Christ despite of all the
challenges.
 He wrote when he was passing challenges at Rome.
 Areas the letters differs:
 In the first letter peter is addressing to persecuted Christians ,he is exhorting Christian to
endure hardship.
 In second letter peter is concerned with the second coming of Christ.

LESSON FOUR.

THE EPISTLES OF JOHN.

The members of my church according to the characteristics given in john 3 are:

 They are loving

 They caring
 Some watch things to be done by others (uncooperate).
 They are submissive but some partially.
 Some honor their vows.
 Most are givers and support the mission.
 They are committed.
 They are welcoming means they love visitors

(b) Gaius ,Demetrius,Diotrephes.

The steps am willing to take to effect a change are:

Gaius and Demetrius

 I will encouarage them to continue doing the good work for the glory of God.
 I will let them to be a ware of the character of Diotrephes.
 I will warn them about their fellowship with those brethrens of bad characters because
its easily to be discouraged by there deeds.
 I will use them as a good examples in the church and put them in the church leadership.
 We will continue to have a private fellowship with them.
 I will discourage them from listening to any gossip concerning the church.
 Diotrephes.
 I will encourage them to do the word of God without hypocrisy.
  I will not give them any responsibility in the Church.
 I will show them the dangers of dividing the Church
 I will teach them the results of the people who fights the church because our battle
belongs to God.
 I will teach them on blessings that accompany those who gives
 I will warn them of their actions, and if they will not listen to me ,I will send the church
elders ,and if they will not listen to them, I will let the whole congregation to know
about it, and if they will listen I will set them aside to decide for themselves away from
church.

[Link] letter of John compliment in the following ways.

 They emphasize on sanctification.

 They speak on present experience.
 They talk on Christ who lives in us.
 They all shows that the word was made real in us.
 The centre is Jesus Christ
 They encourage us to love God
 Its gives the reality of on how we need to practice the truth and the dangers of
hypocracy.

[Link] lessons that we can learn in the letters of John are:

 Test of obedience –one need to choose to walk in light or in darkness.

 The test of love –this is the commandment we were given, his wonderful love is
witnessed.
 We know what a Christian is .
 How to pray with confidence
 Practicing the truth.
 Protecting the truth.
 A prosperous Christian
 A proud Christian
 A pleasant Christian
 The specific problems.
 God reveals himself in us through the word.
 Christ died for us,he will come for us
LESSON FIVE: THE EPISTLE OF JUDE

The ministry of salvation healing ministry

 The founder is prophet victor Kanyari who changed his name to bishop Mwangi.
 Characteristics that show his false teachings
 Planting a seed to get a miracle which is a deception
 He uses a portion of the scripture to manipulate the people with it Malachi 3:10 by
twisting it.
 He asks people to give an offerings for prayer where he has reduced to 250.
 Selling of water and harkerchief to the congregations saying is a gift he has prayed for
and they will receive a miracle through it.
 He teach that Sacrifices leads to blessings you cannot be blessed without giving
 His teachings are based on giving only on giving .
 B .yes the ministry is false because of the following.
 People need to be taught the word of God entirely not rely on one area of teaching.
 They lend people to sin deliberately.
 Someone cannot give in exchange of sin. Rebuke is needed to be applied where
necessary.
 You cannot sell water and hake chief and call it a miracle of prayer in your home.
 People need to be taught on how to pray.

2:ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY THAT LOOK LIKE FALSE TEACHINGS:

 There are specific people who are selected to testify every Sunday and the said pastor is
the one who initiate the testimony and they acknolwlge as he talks.
 Using one scripture of the bible to support his teachings.
 Selling of water naming it as an answered prayer.
 Coaching people on how to give testimonies that are suiting him.
 Making a doctrine based in one verse of Malachi 3:10

HOW I CAN HELP THE MINISTRY

 By defending the truth through telling the believers the right teaching to follow.
 By Condeming those teachings and the one who follow them.
 We need to pray for them for their eyes and ears of understanding to be opened.
 Snatch them out of fire by planting a new seed in them through teachings.
 The pastor need t be warned by the church council and denied the license of the
ministry and the church to be closed completely.
  The congregation need an impact through fellowship.

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT.

Series in the epistle of James with ten sermon.

Rejoice in your trials

James 1:2 consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because
you know that the testing of your faith develop perseverance. When we pass through
temptations and trials we need to have confident in God that we will overcome and at the end
of it we will celebrate with joy.

Listening and doing

James 1:22 do not be merely listen to the word ,and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.
James here is teaching us if we want to reach into spiritual maturity we must learn to be doers
of the word not only the listeners.

Do not show favoritism.

James 2:1-4 my brothers ,as believers I our Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a
man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, an another poor man in
shabby clothes ,comes in.

What can a Christians do this two? May be the well dressed can be treated well that the other.
A Christian need to be neutral in love and compassion. We need to treat all the people equally.

Faith is proven by works.

James 2:14 what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but no deeds?

James is alerting us here that we cannot operate only by words but apply actions as well.

Taming our tongue.

James 3:6 .The tongue is a fire ,a world of evil among the parts of the body .It corrupts the
whole person, set the whole course of his life on fire ,and is itself set on fire by hell.
James is telling us on how small the tongue is and damage it courses ,so we need to weigh what
we talk because when the words get out of our mouths cannot be reversed.

Disagreements among the saints.

James 4:1 what causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that
battle within you? you want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet ,but you cannot have
what you want. You quarrel and fight, you don’t have because you do not ask God.

The disagreement among the brethrens cause battle in the body of Christ ,church needs not to
have power hungry to avoid these conflicts. Brethrens we need to know wars are of different
types in body of Christ e.g class wars ,Employment war and personal war.

Warning against pride.

James 4:10 humble yourselves before the lord ,and he will lift you up. we are encouraged as a
Christian as Christian to remain humble since wars originate through pride.

Don’t judge

James 4:17 there is only one lawgiver and judge ,the one who is able to save and [Link]
you who are you to judge your neighbor?

Brethrens need not to pass judgment on others rather they are supposed to live it to God.

Prayer of faith.

James 5:13 is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? let him sing songs of
praise.

Brethrens need to be watchful in all time may it be in trouble or joy we need to remain alert
and with heart of thanksgiving.

Sharing in possession.

James 5:1-6 now listen,you rich people,weep and wail because of the misery that is coming
upon [Link] wealthy has rotted,and moths have eaten your [Link] gold and silver are
corroded.

James is telling us here to be careful on how we can use our wealthy so that we cannot harm
others .
NAME:SARAH KAMBURA NABEA.

COLLEGE: NAIROBI PENTECOASTAL BIBLE COLLEGE.

COURSE: DIPLOMA IN BIBLE AND THEOLOGY.

CENTRE: KISIMANI E.A.P.C.

LECTURER: FESTUS YAWA.

MOBILE NO: 0728581955

TOPIC: THE GENERAL EPISTLES.

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08/01/2022.