Purpose: The purpose of this session is to introduce the importance of Christian Doctrine.

Objectives

1. The disciple will come to appreciate the study of doctrine for theChristian life and the Church.

2. The disciple will understand the nature and categories of systematic Theology.

3. The disciple will be able to distinguish doctrines that are central to the Christian faith from those on which Christians may differ and that some are worth dying for.

4. The disciple will understand the necessity of the doctrines in Scripture for living a holy life.

Scripture Memory

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

Romans 12:16

Agenda

1. Mutual accountability and prayer.

2. Discuss theological terms and concepts.

3. Discuss the study of materials.

4. Discuss new items.

5. Mutual sharing of Scripture memory.

Defining Doctrine

In previous sessions, we reviewed some of the major competitors to Christianity, particularly their views and why they cannot properly be called “Christians.” Some of these other religions have “holy” writings. Some have their own deities. A world-view will come with its own set of core beliefs, ways of knowing, and a set of behaviors that make them unique.

What, then, are the characteristics of Christianity which comes from a ___________ world-view? What is unique about Christian faith that sets it apart from other belief systems? To define Christianity and understand how it is unique from all other belief systems is a major element of the theological task.

A second element of theology is to differentiate primary from secondary doctrines. Even Paul spelled out what was most important in his preaching.

“For I deliver to you as of first importance, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures , and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-5

But first, we must define doctrine. Many Christians (and non-Christians) have preconceived ideas about the term without ever investigating it. These ideas are often negative, reflecting a long history on the part of the church to emphasize “correct theology” as more important than the Bible, obedience to God, or sometimes, even God Himself.

As a result, theology has encountered hard times in recent decades, making Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy 4:3 an increasing reality: the creation of false doctrine for the purpose of satisfying personal desires.

What, then, is “doctrine?”

Doctrine is truth revealed from Scripture regarding God, His ways, and His purposes. D____________, then, comes from the Bible itself. Doctrine is what the Scriptures tell us about God and the things of God. Although nature portrays His existence and His attributes, we receive clarity in Scripture concerning His teaching.

The Need For Doctrine

Someone has said that everyone is a theologian. Although very few Christians have actually written down what they believe in a systematic manner, it is nonetheless true that every Christian has a belief system. Although belief systems are usually unconscious, they form the structure by which people make sense of their world. They help us decide what is right and what is wrong; they govern our relationships and interpret our experiences.

Theology is not an option. We all have governing belief systems, whether we want to or not. The question becomes for us: how will we “take charge” of our beliefs and thereby grow and develop in the Christian life? Will our beliefs be formed primarily from experience, from the teaching of authority figures, or from the Word of God?

The Categories of Doctrine

Although doctrine come to us from the Word, it is not usually revealed to us in a tidy package of definitive statements. For example, a great deal of the Bible has come to us in the form of narrative literature or stories. They tell us about what God has done more than they define Him or His attributes.

Therefore, through the history of the church, Christians have divided the Scriptures into categories. These theological categories, while themselves not derived directly from Scripture, allow us to speak and think about God in ways the human mind can grasp more easily.

• Theology is the study of God and His attributes, including His triune nature.
• Christology is the doctrine of Christ, including His divine and human natures, as well as His work on the cross on behalf of humanity.
• Pneumatology is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, including his nature and His operation in the church and the world.
• Bibliology is the doctrine of Scripture, including its inspiration and authority.
• Anthropology is the doctrine of humanity (man).
• Hamartiology is the doctrine of sin.
• Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation.
• Angelology is the doctrine of angels, including Satan and demons.
• Eschatology is the doctrine of last things, including the return of Christ and the ultimate destiny of individuals.

The upcoming sessions will deal with each of these theological categories in turn. You have already been introduced to some of them, such as the doctrine of sin in session 11.

When we arrange doctrines into categories, we call them systematic theology. Such an arrangement is useful for the categorization of biblical doctrine for the human mind. However, a theological system also allows us to observe the interrelationship between doctrines.

For example, before we can understand salvation (Soteriology), we must understand the nature of sin (Hamartiology). Knowing the depths of our sinful state helps us to more fully understand and appreciate our salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul discusses this relationship in Ephesians 2:1-10.

In addition, since Jesus Christ was the God-man, we can begin to glimpse through the person of Jesus what humanity was intended to be (Anthropology). Our obedience to Christ is founded in our identification with him, particularly in His death and resurrection (Christology). The apostle Paul discusses this in Romans 6:1-10.

A Hierarchy of Doctrine

Not everything revealed in Scripture is of equal importance to the Christian. As one grows in the Christian life, it will be important to differentiate between doctrines that are of primary importance and those that are secondary in nature. Some are worth dying for while others are not.

Tragically, Christians are sometimes divided over doctrines that may be important, but not absolutely necessary. This creates rifts in the body of Christ. Just as tragic, Christians often fail to stand up for what is most important, capitulating to views that may actually be in opposition to true Christianity.

While we will not be able to describe all such views in this section, the hierarchy on the following page will give examples of primary doctrines and those that are of less importance.

The Doctrinal Hierarchy

Doctrine And Life: An Example From Scripture

Many wonder why it is important to believe certain things about God and Christ. They believe that “mere facts” about God are sterile things, and that our relationship with God is all that counts. Life is more important than facts, relationship more important than doctrine.

Our assertion is that doctrine is a vital element of the Christian life. It cannot be separated from our relationship with God, any more than what we know about people can be separated from our relationship with them.

In Christianity, there is a definite link between believing correct doctrine and living rightly before God. The biblical view of doctrine is that one lives what he believes, and thus an understanding of God and his ways are indispensable to the Christian life. Theology and life are intimately connected.

Worksheet

In his epistle to the Colossians, the apostle Paul gave an example of the application of doctrine to life. The church at Colossae was embracing a kind of false teaching, as we know from reading Paul’s letter to them. The false teaching was not in the form of “getting their facts wrong” about God so much as it was in the form of living in ways inconsistent with the gospel. Colossians 2:16-23 refers to some of these ways. What are they?

Verse 16

Verse 18

Verse 21

Verse 23

The believers of Colossae had apparently embraced a combination of elements of Judaism, angel worship, and asceticism. False humility and “spirituality” in an unbiblical sense seem to have been the root attitudes that supported such forms of religious expression.

What was Paul’s response to the Colossians when he heard what was happening in their church? He could have simply told them to stop certain practices and to change their attitude. To be sure, he did tell them to change their ways; chapter 3 in particular is full of ethical instruction. However, the particular situation at Colossae required a deeper understanding of the Christian faith, especially an understanding of the identity of Christ.

Paul’s teaching about Jesus Christ was necessary in order to lay a foundation for correcting the Colossians’ behavior. As we will see, Paul’s doctrine of Christ was crucial for addressing the situation at this church. What are the important elements of Paul’s Christology from Colossians 1:15-20?

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

Why would Paul write to the Colossian church regarding correct belief in the nature of Christ? What does the supremacy of Christ in the universe—His deity, His authority, and His ultimate reconciliation of the universe to God—have to do with the situation of false worship in Colossae? (Colossians 2:6-8)

The Colossians’ false Christology had much to do with their false worship. In these verses, Paul begins his discussion of the Colossians’ particular problems with an exhortation to continue living in the faith, along with a distinction between Christ and the “basic principles of this world” that were the foundation of the church’s problem.

Verses 9-15 of Chapter 2 go on to describe the relationship between Christ and the Christian. Building on the idea of the supremacy of Christ that he began in Chapter 1, Paul discusses the relevance of Christ’s high position to salvation and to the Christian life. What are the links between Christ and the believer in this passage?

Verses 9,10

Verse 11,12

Verse 13,14

Verse 15

Now that he has identified the Person of Christ with the life of the Christian, Paul is ready to address the specific issues that are disrupting the Colossian church. We have already discovered the elements of false worship that Paul describes in Colossians 2:16-23. However, as you read the passage again, how does Paul relate the supremacy of Christ to specific issues of church life?

Verse 17

Verse 19

Verse 20

Our life and worship have their roots ultimately in our concept of God and Christ. That is, right living is founded on right doctrine, while a failure to grasp sound doctrine can have profound effects on the Christian life and the church.

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. It has been said that “everyone is a theologian.” What are some of the unconscious assumptions that guide the spiritual life of most Christians?

2. Not every doctrine is of equal importance. What issue(s) has caused a church division that was not a primary doctrine?

3. Think! What are some beliefs you hold for which you would suffer martyrdom?

What are some beliefs you hold for which you would not suffer martyrdom?

4. What practices in the Christian life or in the church might be affected by how one thinks about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the nature of humanity and sin?

Purpose: It is the purpose of this session to understand the Scriptural teaching regarding the person of Christ.

Objectives

1. The disciple will understand that Jesus was truly human.

2. The disciple will understand more clearly the deity of Jesus and who He truly is.

3. The disciple will see the unique nature of Christ as a human and yet He is God.

4. The disciple will understand the significance of the doctrine of Christ and its impact upon us as Christians.

Scripture Memory

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

Agenda

1. Mutual sharing and a time of prayer.

2. Share Scripture memory verses.

3. Discuss the doctrine of Christ.

4. Discuss the questions for review.

Introduction

Christianity differs from other world religions in that Jesus Christ is absolutely central in the Christian religion. If Buddha, Mohammed, or Zoroaster were removed from the religions associated with them, their entire doctrines would remain intact. But if you remove Jesus from Christianity, nothing in the way of its doctrine remains.

Worksheet

Hypostatic Union

Central in the understanding of Jesus is the doctrine called "hypostatic union". Hypostatic union is a theological term used in describing the unique personality makeup of Jesus. He was truly man and truly God. But in reality, the previous statement is an inadequate way to describe Him. Let's look at some of the approaches to describing His person that are inadequate and untrue.

1. Jesus’ person contained both deity and humanity. This is only partially true. Think about this and indicate why it is not true.

2. Jesus was one-half God and one-half man. What is wrong with this description of His personality?

3. Jesus was mostly God and a little bit man. Write your thoughts and what you know about Scripture in response to this statement.

4. Jesus was a man as we are men. He was no different from us, except that He attained a high level of morality and mission. React to this statement.

5. Jesus was God and really not a man at all. What is wrong with this statement?

Each of these statements contains error and does not truly represent the Person of Jesus accurately. Before we look at Scripture which accurately portrays Him, we will make a statement which has been the position of Christian theologians through the centuries as they speak of His nature and personality.

Jesus can accurately be described as being "as much God as if He'd never been man, and as much man as if He'd never been God, and yet both in vital union, the God-man."

The Humanity of Jesus Christ

Look up the following verses and write after each one how it teaches the humanity of Jesus.

1. Matthew 1:18

2. John 1:14

How does this verse teach the pre-existence of Jesus?

3. Luke 2:40, 46, 52

4. Matthew 4:2; John 19:28

5. 1 Timothy 2:5

What is He called in this verse that speaks of His humanity?

6. 1 John 1:1

7. Hebrews 1:3

The Deity of Jesus Christ

By deity, we mean that Jesus was truly God. Look at the following verses and write how each one teaches that Jesus was truly God.

1. John 1:1

2. Hebrews 1:8

3. John 20:28

4. Romans 9:5

5. John 8:58

6. Titus 2:13

7. Revelation 22:13, 16; compare Revelation 1:8

8. John 5:23, 24

His Attributes Were the Attributes of the Father

Remember the definition of an attribute from the study on the doctrine of God. See if you can find from the following verses the attributes of deity that are ascribed to the Lord Jesus.

1. John 1:1

2. John 1:4

3. Hebrews 13:8

4. Matthew 28:18

5. John 16:30

6. Matthew 18:20; Ephesians 1:23

7. Hebrews 1:3

What can we conclude from these verses?

What difference do these truths make in your life?

His Works Were Those of God

See if you can identify things Jesus did, does, or will do that are actually the works of God alone.

1. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-18;

Compare Genesis 1:1

2. Mark 2:5-10; Psalm 51:4

3. John 5:22; Matthew 25:31-46

4. John 6:39-40; 11:25

What significance is there for us today in the reality that Jesus Christ is God?

The Kenosis: Philippians 2:4-8

The meaning of the word "kenosis" is "to empty". Christ emptied Himself of something when He became a man. In the light of this study , and in consideration of John 5:19 and Hebrews 9:14, of what did He empty Himself?

Remembering our study on spirituality early in this ministry, what practical example is there for us from the kenosis?

The Death of Jesus

I. The Purpose of His Death

A. There are many prevalent unscriptural views of the death of Christ. Some of them are as follows:

1. Jesus died a martyr.

2. Jesus died as an example to show us how to die.

3. Jesus died to show us the love of God for us.

4. The death of Jesus was an accident.

B. Some of these may have appeal to people today, but none of them express the true meaning and purpose of the death of Jesus. His death was for the following purposes.

1. He died as a _________________________ for our sins, Romans 3:25. What does this mean?

2. Find the purpose of His death in Isaiah 53:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. When one takes the place of another, he is called a _____________. Israel’s sins were confessed over the head of a scapegoat which became the_____________________________________________ sin bearing ____________. Substitution was also taught through the sacrificial system.

3. In 1 Peter 3:18, and 1 Timothy 2:6, Christ’s death is referred to as a ________________________. This language is usually involved in the payment of a price when something is held captive. In think-ing through a ransom in relation to His death, see Romans 7:14. Who was purchased from whom?

4. Yet another reason for His death is seen in Romans 5:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. What was this?_________________________ Remember in our study of the Bridge we spoke of reconciliation. Who is reconciled as a result of the death of Jesus? What does this mean? See Romans 8:7.

5. In the space provided below, write some of the reasons you feel the death of Christ to have been an absolute necessity.

II. For Whom Did He Die?

A. John 1:29; 1 Timothy 2:6. What do these verses do with the idea of a limited atonement?

B. What does Hebrews 2:9 teach us about the inclusive aspects of His sacrifice?

Although the effects of Christ's death touch all men, this verse teaches us that Christ died for each of us personally.

C. What kind of men did Christ die for in particular? Romans 5:6-10; and 1 Timothy 1:15.

What kind of sinners would be excluded from the benefits of Calvary according to this verse?

D. The effects of His death will be realized by? 1 Timothy 4:10.

E. One last effect of the death of Christ is found in Romans 8:19-23. See if you can understand this and write your answer.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Lastly, we will see some of the truths related to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See if you can find these in the following verses.

I. John 14:2

II. Hebrews 9:24

III. Christ's resurrection assures us of:

A. Hebrews 4:14-16

B. 2 Corinthians 5:1-8

C. Romans 4:25

The resurrection of Jesus is a fact, historically, and it is an absolute necessity if our hope is to be a valid hope, 1 Corinthians 15:14. He rose from the dead in a body just as He had died, Luke 24:39. This is denied by Jehovah’s Witnesses and others. We must ever keep the truth of the resurrection before us as an historical reality.

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. Why was it important that Jesus be the God-man?

2. What indications are present that He was truly human as we are human?

3. How would you prove from Scripture that He was truly God?

4. Jesus will forever be the God-man. What event during His time on earth assured His perpetual nature as the God-man? Why?

5. Why is the resurrection of vital importance to believers today?

6. What was the nature of Christ's physical being following the resurrection?

7. What vital truth does Romans 4:25 teach us?

Purpose: It is the purpose of this session to show how the Bible came together and to demonstrate its uniqueness.

Objectives

1. You will understand how the books of the Bible were chosen from among many writings.

2. You will learn the criteria used to select books for the canon of Scripture.

3. You will see the patience of the early believers in accepting New Testament writings.

4. You will see something of the uniqueness of Scripture.

Scripture Memory

For no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Peter 1:21

Agenda

1. Mutual sharing and prayer.

2. Discuss the subject matter of this session.

3. Discuss new terms.

4. Discuss summary questions.

5. Discuss different translations of Scripture, and which is most practical for the disciple.

Introduction

Christians have a bias toward the written Word of God. We believe the Bible and the message it has for us today. This is because it has proven its authenticity to those who live by it, because of its very nature and because of the claims it makes for itself. This study will include some of the ways God has revealed Himself, attitudes men have toward the Scriptures, how books of the Bible (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament) were gathered into a single book with 66 books, and why understanding these things is perhaps the most important area of study we will undertake. Surely if we did not have the Bible, we would only speculate about God and His creation. If there were no Bible, and we only saw nature and the message which it speaks, we would not have an adequate revelation of Jehovah. We would be left with only human reason, science, and the speculations of men which are not enough to bring us to God, We would have no knowledge of the sacrifice of His Son. We would have nothing to teach us how to live or die.

Worksheet

Terms Used for the Scriptures

The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblion which means book. The original writings were prepared on papyrus, which was a plant that was cut into strips and dried.

The word “Scriptures" comes from the Greek word graphe which means writings. The idea of “Scripture” saying something is presented to us in the Bible, and is equivalent to God speaking.

From your earlier analysis of Psalm 119, (session 15) see how many different ways the Scriptures are referred to.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

How does Jehovah regard His Word?

Psalm 138:2

2 Corinthians 3:14

Acts 7:38

List any other terms you might be aware of in your own study of the Word of God

How Men See the Scriptures

I. Neo-orthodoxy - This system of thinking puts Christ above the written word and says the Bible only becomes authoritative when it speaks to the individual. This system of thought teaches the Bible is not the Word of God but only contains the Word of God.

II. Romanism - This is the Catholic position. The “church” is the final authority on what the Bible says and the channel of revelation. Since the Bible is the product of the church, only the church can be the final authority concerning what the Scriptures say. Tradition is also a source of revelation. What does Galatians 1:14; and 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6 say about traditions?

III. Mysticism - The Bible is incomplete. Other revelations have been given which are equally true. Why do we say the Seventh-Day Adventists hold this position?

What about Mormonism?

How is “Christian Science” guilty of this error?

A false mysticism is found even in some Evangelical circles. Some hold that God actually speaks to them and the words are authoritative. There are those who want to divorce their spouses contrary to Scripture, and the claim is that there is a “word from God” on that issue. Sometimes such words are concerning divorce when one simply will not follow the Scriptures. Hear this! God never leads or speaks to one contrary to His written word. He simply does not do that.

There is also a “true mysticism” in the experience of Christians. This is taught in John 14:26 and 16:13. To what does this refer?

How does the Holy Spirit work in this framework?

What sin against the Holy Spirit is committed when one is disobedient to His leading, 1 Thessalonians 5:19?

IV. Evangelicals (The Conservative Protestant position). See 2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:89 and see if you can state the position of Evangelicals.

From these passages we understand that the Bible is infallible and inerrant as the Word of God (as it came originally) and is sufficient for all matters of faith and practice.

What the Bible Says About Itself

It is important for the reader to understand that even as one has a right to testify for himself, so it is important for us to hear what this book and its writers say.

See 1 Corinthians 14:37. As Paul is speaking, what does he say concerning his words?

See also 1 Thessalonians 2:13. John spoke of His words as being authoritative. What does 1 John 4:6 say was equal to rejecting God’s Word?

What statement in the Old Testament used over and over again would be significant to this issue? See Jeremiah 1:11 as an example.

This way of looking at Scripture is called internal evidence. Another way of looking at the Scriptures is from the outside looking in. Whereas we have just completed talking about internal evidences, we will now look briefly at external evidences, or things about the Bible that make it unique. These are external evidences.

The Bible — God’s Revelation to Man

The Scriptures are the special revelation of God to mankind. What is God like - what are His characteristics? God’s central attribute is __________, Habakkuk 1:13. Yet He is characterized by love, mercy and ______________, Titus 2:11. The Bible also speaks of the true condition of mankind which is ________________________________________Isaiah 53:6.

The Scriptures also contain prophetic utterances that speak of the future and what is to come and as well as what has already been fulfilled, cf. the book of Daniel; Matthew 24-25; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

The Scriptures present issues related to morality and living in the present world. We are to ____ ______ ____ ______ ________ Ephesians 4:30, and be ________ ______ ______ __________ Ephesians 6:10,11 to be able to live lives that are adequate for Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us how God spoke to man by _____________. First He spoke, then He took upon Himself the form of a ___________ and revealed to us all that God is, John 14:8-9. He who has seen Jesus has seen all that the Father is. God has spoken in other ways as well. During other times, He used dreams, visions, the appearances of angels; and in the Old Testament, He used prophets, i.e. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Micah, Hosea and others.

The Bible and Inspiration

Christians contend that the Bible is the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is inspired by God.” The word in the original is only found in this one passage of Scripture in all of Koine Greek.

The meaning of inspiration is “God-breathed.” God literally “breathed it out.”

What is the value, then, of Scripture? 2 Timothy 3:16 says it has value for _________________, ____________________, __________________.

The ultimate purpose is found in vs. 17. What is that?

It is as if the wind took the ship, so the Holy Spirit took men used by God and “carried them along” so they would speak the Word of God, 2 Peter 1:20,21.

What is biblical “inspiration”? I would like to quote Ryrie and his definition. “God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded without error His message to mankind in the words of their original writings.”

External Evidences of Inspiration

When I stand at a distance and look at the Scripture, what are some of its characteristics that make it unique? How is it different from all other books in the world? The consideration of these seven external evidences is one that involves this valid approach. Taken individually, each by itself is not a sufficient argument declaring uniqueness. But together, these become a bundle of unbreakable arguments that testify to the authenticity of Scripture and its authority in our lives. This is a brief session in Christian apologetics.

Antiquity

The Bible is the oldest book or thing most of us have ever possessed. The book of Job, the oldest book in the Bible, is at least 4,000 years old. Revelation is the most recent book. It is approximately 1,900 years old. The Bible, therefore, is a least 1,900 years old in its completed form. It has survived all attempts of men and nature to destroy it. The Roman emperor Diocletian ordered all Bibles destroyed and decreed death for anyone who yet had copies of the Scripture in his possession. When Constantine was “converted,” he asked for Bibles. Within 24 hours, at least 25 copies of the complete Scriptures were delivered to him. These were handwritten. What would you feel about a man who had been crucified, drowned, stoned and yet lived? Would he not be considered a superhuman? The Bible has survived even more. It is the most hated and most loved book in the universe. Surely its unique ability to survive sets it apart as different!

Modernity

Scientific text books 100 years old are a curiosity. A medical journal about one hundred and fifty years old prescribed the following treatment for cataracts. “ Take one totally black cat. Burn it to ashes and sprinkle the ashes in the eye. This will eliminate the film that grows over the eye.” Even 10 years old, they are out of date. Yet the Bible is up to date in whatever area it touches or addresses. Its medical laws are contemporary, Leviticus 13:45-46. The teaching concerning life and the blood is modern, Leviticus 17:11. The use of antiseptics is advocated, Luke 10:34. And the Bible speaks of the “circle of the earth,” and is up to date astronomically when in Job we read of “Arcturus and her sons.”

Diversity

It is one book, but in reality, it is a library. The Bible was written over a period of about 2,000 years by 44 authors, on every known subject of literature plus one, prophecy. In Scripture you can find any kind of literature. It contains history, mystery, and romance. It is said that Ben Franklin attended a meeting of literary giants in Paris where each person was to tell the greatest love story he had ever heard. One by one, men told their stories. When it came Ben Franklin’s time, he told the story of Ruth and Boaz. The listeners were spellbound as he related the magnificent story. When he had finished, they all applauded. And one asked Franklin where he had ever found such a story. “Why,” he said, “in the Bible which you all reject!”

Unity

Although there were 44 authors who wrote 66 books on at least 50 different subjects, and although these men were scholars, shepherds, kings, fishermen, medical doctors, tax collectors, teachers and statesmen, and although few of these men knew each other, there is perfect agreement. Old and New Testaments complement each other. The New is in the Old concealed— the Old is in the New revealed.

One Theme

The Bible is a history of redemption. The coming One, the One Who came, and the One Who is coming again. Redemption is the crimson thread that runs throughout the Scriptures. The story begins in Genesis 3:15. It is elaborated through typology, the sacrificial system, the tabernacle, prophetic teaching, and finally He is here (the Gospels). And the Epistles become the ultimate elaboration of His life and all that it means.

Cultural Power

Jeremiah 23:29. Wherever the Scripture has gone and has an impact, it changes lives, upgrades cultures, and elevates the status of women. Compare the cultures of the United States and China — England and India. Which are the oldest? The most modern? John Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, evangelized those islands bringing savages to civilization. It is stated that when American servicemen landed in these islands during World War 2, they found the natives with Bibles. Some of the natives were ridiculed. One old tribesman said, "If it were not for these Bibles, we would have you in the pot."

Comfort

The Bible is not only the best book to live by, it is the only book to die by, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 2:21. When men are about to die, it is unlikely they would call for the reading of Shakespeare or Poe. But the Bible takes away the fear of death like no other book.

Test of Canonicity:

How the Books of the New Testament Became Accepted as Scripture.

In order to help you understand this material, you should first be familiar with the terminology related to this area. "Canon" means "measuring rod." It is a word used in relation to the criteria or standards which certain writings must reach in order to be part of the Scriptures. "Canon" also is used in relation to the complete collection of Scriptures that have met the standards or judgments of the church and are considered sacred. "Canonicity" is an adjective describing a state of being acceptable in the "canon."

When I am talking, therefore, about measures that test the acceptability of any writing to be included in Scripture, I speak of its __ __ __ __ __ icity. This demonstrates that a book of the Scriptures has met certain ____________. And these standards assure its acceptance into the total _____________ of inspired Scriptures. We want to understand how all the books that are part of the New Testament were accepted and to know what the various standards were, as determined by the early church.

Perhaps it would be reasonable to say that there was an overriding principle in the consideration of the total subject of canonicity. See if you can find that guiding principle yourself. Read John 16:13 and write the answer in the following space.

Surely the church could trust the Lord Jesus and this promise to direct them.

Test #1

The first test of canonicity was divine authorship. Is the book inspired? Was it given by God through men, or did it come from men and their efforts alone? (This, of course, would be a subjective judgment, but it nonetheless had to involve the universal agreement in the body of those considered worthy of making such a judgment.)

This consideration, then, is relative to the book being inspired, which means ___________ _________________ (See the meaning of inspiration from earlier in this session). "God-breathed" is the literal meaning of what ________________ is. And to be considered for a place in the _____________ of Scripture, agreement had to be reached concerning it being ________ -given, rather than man-given. The overriding characteristic of the writing must be that it came from _______.

Test #2

The first test we have looked at is the test of divine ________________. Now we will look at the test of human authorship. This consideration is not one that simply asks "was it edited or written by a human." Obviously some man would be involved in its writing. But the kind of person who wrote it is the central issue in this test of canonicity.

What type of person would the early church feel should be considered as one through whom the Spirit of God would speak? See if you can choose from among the following which would be considered possible writers.

_____1. Those who were very bright—the highly educated in philosophy and religion.

_____2. Men who were not so bright because God desires to choose foolish things to use.

_____3. Those who actually saw Jesus and experienced a relationship with Him during their lifetime.

_____4. Those who were considered spokesmen by the early church, persons who truly knew God.

_____5. Any person through whom the Spirit of God might speak.

In the space provided, summarize the problems with the criteria above that you do not choose, and talk a bit about the one you feel is the right answer.

Let's look at these criteria and see which we might decide upon as one used by the early church as a test of canonicity.

The first concerns the educated and very bright. That God does and did use men who were bright is readily evident. Paul the apostle was an educated rabbi. But this was not true of Peter and James. They were simple and ordinary men.

The second can be reversed as an argument. Not all writers of the New Testament books were unlearned men. Paul is certainly an exception and he was very bright. Luke was a physician and would be considered an intelligent man.

The third criterion, seeing Jesus and experiencing a relationship with Him, was apparently not a test of genuine authorship because Paul and Luke apparently never knew Him personally.

The fourth criteria is the answer that is correct. Each writer or author must be a recognized spokesman or key person in the family of God by the early church.

The fifth criteria is a problem and perhaps the most difficult of all. Anyone can claim to speak by the Spirit of God. And surely if one is speaking by the Spirit of God, He needs to be listened to. But making that evaluation of someone who is not considered a likely author by the early church would be a difficult thing. This could not be a test of canonicity.

The two tests we have considered to this point, therefore, are the test of ______________________ , and whether or not one was considered a _______________ for God by the early church.

Test #3

The third test relates to authenticity. By authentic is meant that something is true. When we speak of the canon of Scripture including the criterion of truthfulness of material, we are speaking of auth _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or simply that the material is ________________. Included in the need for truthfulness or ______________ is the need for true historical accuracy. This relates to the historicity of the record. Is it a record of things that actually happened? This was one of the criteria for canonicity and relates to a particular book being trustworthy and accurate and therefore included in the ___________________.

Particular interest in an extra-Scriptural writing in relation to this test might be in the Book of Mormon in which there are all kinds of historical errors and statements which in no way could be true. Therefore, the Book of Mormon could not meet the tests of ________________.

Test #4

The fourth test of canonicity is that of genuineness. Did it truly come from the author whose name it bears? Are there legitimate reasons to doubt that the stated author truly wrote the book? If there were such reasons, the _________________ of the book would be in doubt. One book creating a problem for the early church was the book of Hebrews. The problem with this book was that it has no stated author. In this case, it was ultimately decided that even though there was no author, the material was such that Scripture would be incomplete without it. Therefore, it was included in the canon and is part of our Bible today.

Test #5

The fifth test of canonicity is that which relates to testimony. Testimony involves the witness of the Jewish and early Christian church, as well as the later Christian church. It was important that it be included in the ancient versions of the Bible. Books that did not have universal ________________ of the early and later church were not considered _ _ _ _ _ ical. The Apocrypha was one such collection of books that did not have universal ____________ of the early church, although it was included in the Septuagint (the first translation of the Old Testament into Greek). It is also interesting to note that the Apocrypha was not included in the Catholic Bible until 1546 at the Council of Trent. This inclusion was for the purpose of stemming the tide of the Reformation which had made great inroads into Catholicism.

Test #6

The final test of canonicity was its ability to edify. This word means to "build up" or to bless. It is apparent that every part of the Bible is not equally edifying. But if a writing had no value relating to edification, it was not considered a part of the ________________ of Scripture. It simply was not canon _ _ _ _ . To edify means to ____________or to _________________ .

See if you can find what the following verses say about the Scriptures themselves.

John 14:26

1 Corinthians 14:37

2 Peter 3:2

2 Peter 3:15,16

The early church knew by 150 A.D. which books were inspired. The canon remained open, however, until 397 A.D. For nearly 250 years the common witness of the Spirit was to the 27 books comprising our present New Testament. The same Lord by whom they were ___________ - ______________, had led to their placement into the ________________ of the Scriptures.

Relationship with the Scriptures: Four Great Words

1. Admit: Open your entire being. Study lovingly. Let the Word be God's voice to direct and encourage you.

2. Submit: Let the truth of Scripture grip you and govern you. Let plain declarations be an end to all controversy in your life. Follow Scripture explicitly.

3. Commit: Grip truth by hiding it in your heart. Let it be an anchor to your soul in times of temptation and other kinds of trial.

4. Transmit: Don't be a pool--be a stream. Share the Scriptures you have. Make every truth tenfold your own by passing it on. It will be fitted into your lips, Proverbs 22:17-21.

And remember, we are to look for faithful men, not those necessarily who are enthusiastic, 2 Timothy 2:2 !!!

The Inspiration of the Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16

I. Progressive Natural Insight —Natural

In this type of inspiration, there is no intrusion on God's part in communicating with man.

Problems: This view of inspiration opens the door for rejection of the miraculous and any supernatural revelation.

II. Illumination—the writers rather than the writings were inspired. The

Bible contains the Word of God rather than is the Word of God.

Problems: There is no truth communicated beyond the understanding of the writers.

III. Inspired Concepts—God gave concepts through inspiration and allowed men to write them down in their own words.

Problems: There is no safeguard against error.

IV. Partial Inspiration—The doctrine and moral truths are inspired. History and other areas beyond doctrine are not necessarily correct.

Problems: Man has become the critic as to what is inspired. Scripture says "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God."

V. Dictation or Mechanical—Men were passive instruments and their personalities were not involved at all.

Problems: Different styles cannot be accounted for--the medical language of Luke and the sophisticated Greek of Paul as opposed to Peter's style.

VI. Plenary Verbal—The Scripture is fully and equally inspired. There are statements in Scripture which are not true, such as John 7:52 and John 9:31. These are accurate recordings of statements that were not true. The writers were directed in the use of words, yet their own personalities and choice of words were used.

Inspiration is closed. There is nothing to be added or taken away, Revelation 22:18,19. 2 Peter 1:21 says, "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Theories and Approaches to the Nature of the Scriptures

This is a section we deal with the nature of the uniqueness of the Bible. The Scripture claims uniqueness for itself . What do the following verses say about the method involved in Scripture's coming into existence?

1. 2 Timothy 3:16

2. 2 Peter 1:21

3. 1 Corinthians 14:37

4. Psalm 119:89

5. Matthew 5:18

On the basis of what you have found in these verses, how would you describe in your own words the Scripture's uniqueness?

Definition: 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all Scripture is "God-breathed." The word "God-breathed" speaks of the unique inspiration of Scripture. These words are not associated with any other writing known to man. We can rightfully say that Scripture is _____________ or _________ - ______________. The nature of this inspiration is a question among men today. We want to help you be acquainted with the discussion related to this and also help you see the evangelical position today.

I. The first approach we will consider is called natural or progressive natural insight. This is in reality no special kind of inspiration at all. It puts the Scripture on the same basis as other books that can be helpful such as those written by Robert Schuller, Sigmund Freud, or Charles Swindoll. The problem is that this concept gives no assurance of accuracy and puts the Scriptures on the same level as any other writing. It also opens the door to the rejection of the miraculous.

This approach is called __________________ or __________________ _________________ ___________________.

II. The second approach is called illumination. In this approach, it is merely the person writing who is inspired rather than the writing itself. The Holy Spirit has no part in the guiding of the writers but leaves men to write as they are illuminated. The problem with this theory is that there is no truth communicated beyond the understanding of the human instruments who are doing the writing. With your understanding of the word "God-breathed," why is it impossible that this theory would be the method of communication of the Scripture?

This approach says the ___________ rather than the _________________ is inspired and is called _________________.

III. The third approach discussed in this session is called inspired concepts. In this approach, God gave the concepts to men through inspiration and allowed them to write in their own words. In other words, to illustrate, God inspired the concept of blood atonement and allowed men to formulate the doctrine in their own minds. He inspired the truth of justification and allowed Paul to state it in his own words. What problems can you see in this approach to inspiration? Put your ideas in your own words.

a.

b.

What inconsistency is taught by this theory when we consider Matthew 5:18?

This approach is called ________________ __________________ .

IV. Another approach is partial inspiration. This approach is an attempt to decide which parts of Scripture are inspired and which are not. Generally, historical and scientific areas are considered non-inspired, while doctrine and moral truth are considered to bear the mark of inspiration if this approach is held. Large chunks of Scripture from the Old Testament, creation accounts, miraculous accounts in both the Old and New Testaments, the early history of mankind, etc., are relegated to the areas of folklore and common literature. These are arbitrary decisions of men who decide what is inspired and what is not. What problems do you see in approaching inspiration in this way?

a.

b.

What does 2 Timothy 3:16 say that contradicts this theory?

This is called the ____________ ______________ theory.

V. A fifth approach is called dictation or mechanical. In this framework of thinking, Scripture is given through the Holy Spirit and the totality of Scripture is included and is equally inspired. However, the writers were passive instruments—like keys on a piano—without any personality or part in the writing. This theory is held by some evangelicals and fundamentalists. There are obvious problems with this form of inspiration.

A. The style of writing varies from writer to writer (Peter with Paul).

B. The style of the writer varies when different situations exist. Compare Romans and Galatians.

C. The terminology of writers often relates to their occupations. Luke was a medical doctor and uses medical terms throughout his writings, whereas no other writer uses such terms with equal frequency. To pay no attention to these things and claim that every word is inspired is usually called ________________ or mechanical inspiration.

VI. The final concept of inspiration, and one that is held by most evangelicals today is called plenary verbal. The term means that the Scriptures are wholly and equally inspired. The Holy Spirit guarded the writings of those who wrote the Scriptures, but allowed them to write in their own personalities and styles of writing. Plenary verbal inspiration allows for statements in Scripture which are not true, such as John 7:52 and John 9:31.

The Scriptures contain an accurate account of statements made that may not have been true as in the above situations.

This concept is called ___________ ___________ because ________________________________ .

It allows for what aspects of humanness?

a.

b.

c.

How can the nature of Scripture impact my life uniquely? What effect can Scripture have on a life because of its unique nature?

It is the very living Word of God. It transforms lives.

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. What are some of the current errors in thinking concerning the Scriptures?

2. A mystical approach to words from God abounds. What are some of the ways this approach is seen in our society today?

3. What things are unique about the writing of the Scriptures?

4. What is the meaning of the word “inspiration?’

5. Review the external evidence for inspiration of Scripture, and write then in your own words.

6. What is the meaning of “canonicity,” “canon,” etc.?

Summary and Key Concepts

This has been a session that stresses the uniqueness of the Scriptures as opposed to all other writings — sacred or secular. By Scripture is meant the Bible, which stands with a solitary uniqueness among all the writings in literature anywhere in the world.

The Scripture is “God-breathed” which is the meaning of the word “inspiration.” This session has been for the purpose of acquainting you with the method of inspiration held by evangelicals in most places in the world. Other types of inspiration are discussed and illustrated. It is important to know that plenary verbal inspiration is generally held as the type of biblical inspiration which has brought man the Scriptures. This allows for the personalities of men to be involved, but guards the transmission of the words so that we will have the message God desired us to have. It also allows for correct rendering of statements men made that were not true. In some places in Scripture, therefore, there are some statements that are not true — statements made by men and recorded accurately as they were stated.

Life Application

Learn each point of the external evidences of inspiration well, using a pencil to illustrate each argument for the uniqueness of Scripture. Break a single pencil. That is relatively easy. Then put seven pencils each representing a uniqueness of Scripture together and see how much harder they are to break as a group or pencils. Share this with someone and continue to do this until you are effective and know each point or argument well.

Purpose: It is the purpose of this study to acquaint the disciple with various aspects of sin that would help him with questions often posed by our society today.

Objectives

1. The disciple will understand truths about the origin of sin.

2. The disciple will see more clearly the fact of sin in the human race.

3. The consequences of sin will be clearly understood.

4. The disciple will understand that sin has permeated the entire human race.

Scripture Memory

For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

James 2:10

Agenda

1. Mutual accountability and prayer.

2. Sharing of memory work.

3. Discuss the study materials.

4. Discuss review questions.

5. Discuss any new terms.

Introduction

One of the chief questions posed by the human mind is, “where did sin come from?” That evil is in the world is not debatable. Every day there are threats and killings and sorrow that seem to fill our lives at every juncture.

This session is set apart for a discussion of sin and its impact upon the human race as we experience it.

We will discuss the beginnings of sin, its reality in the world, what happens because of sin, and its universality. We will also speak of its ultimate banishment from the earth and universe.

Worksheet

Where Did Sin Originate?

The origin of sin is not totally clear. There seems to have been a revolt against God before the world began. In Isaiah 14:12-17, there are words that are believed to relate to Satan sometime before the world was made. In reading this account, the statement _____ __________ occurs five times. That seems to be the essence of sin in its beginning. When we compare 2 Peter 2:4, we see that ___________ sinned having kept not their first estate. We don’t know for sure exactly what that was. There also seems to be a period of time between Genesis 1:1 and verse 2. Some have said that the translation should read, “the earth became void...” They suggest that the earth became void as a result of angelic rebellion, possibly because the angels aspired to a higher place than their creation allowed.

Sin’s Entrance into the Human Race

Having accepted the reality that sin is in the universe, how did the sinfulness of humanity come about? We find the account of this in Genesis 3. Read this account and see if you can answer the following questions.

1. Who was the primary person involved in the fall of Adam and Eve?

2. What was his appearance like?

3. Who did he approach?

Why do you think the approach to Eve was made rather than Adam?

4. What was the nature of the temptation?

5. How was Satan’s appeal to Eve similar to the account in Isaiah 14?

6. What was the result of the fall as indicated in Romans 5:12?

What was the result of the fall to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:14-24?

So what is in the human race today that speaks of sin? See Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Genesis 8:21

The Reality of Sin

There are several ways we know that sin is in the universe We will consider nature, law, the human heart, and divine revelation.

I. Look at the contrasts that exist in nature, such as every rose having thorns. There is an awesome howl in every storm, the shriek of a captured animal, the minor key in all of nature and the shifting of the earth that shakes and causes the death of many of us who inhabit the earth.

We know that sin has affected creation because of Romans 8:19-22. How does this passage speak of the effect of sin in creation?

From this passage, is anything tied to our ultimate redemption that involves creation? Discuss this subject briefly.

II. How does the law give the knowledge of sin, Romans 3:20?

“Law” refers to the commandments given by the Father in the Old Testament.

A. James 2:10

B. Romans 7:10

C. Romans 7:7

III. Man confesses that he is a sinner. What do the following verses say about man’s own confession?

A. The prodigal son, Luke 15:21

B. King David, 2 Samuel 19:20

C. Achan, Joshua 7:20

These are but a few men who confessed their sin. Surely you and I would acknowledge the same.

IV. The very presence of Christ and the knowledge of the Father speak eloquently of the reality of sin. When an awareness of the Father and the presence of Christ are experienced, this brings a new awareness of the sinfulness of man. How was this described in the following verses?

A. Luke 5:8

B. Job 42:4-6

C. 1 Timothy 1:15

There is no goodness we can claim before a righteous God.

The Nature of Sin

Lest any misunderstand, it is important to state what sin truly is. There is no better Scriptural statement than that which we find in Romans 3:23. Most feel that sin is only capital crimes such as murder, adultery, kidnapping, etc. The above verse in Romans indicates that sin is to miss the mark. What does Scripture say in Galatians 3:10 about keeping the Law? “Cursed is__________________ who does not abide by _________ things written in the Book of the Law, to perform them.”

The Father requires absolute perfection. Who is able to meet that standard? “But,” one might say, “I have come fairly close.” Years ago I heard Donald Barnhouse give this illustration. In the state of California (before Alaska became a state) there is the lowest and highest elevations in the Untied States: Death Valley, and Mount Whitney. He compared lives of men to these. Some live lives of brokenness and debauchery which he compared to Death Valley. Most live in areas such as the San Joaquin Valley. They fudge on their income taxes, exceed the speed limit and occasionally shoplift. Yet they manage to stay out of jail. Then there are those with higher morals, who do their best to keep the law and have good family relationships. Perhaps they are even regular attendees at some church. Then there are those who are high moral people who become noticed by many: Billy Graham, Mother Teresa and a few others, who give their lives for the sake of mankind. These people seem apart from most and could be compared to Mount Whitney. But you could no more easily reach the moon from the top of Mount Whitney than you could from Death Valley.

In the same way, we have all fallen short of the glory of God — we have missed the mark of _______________. We miss it through negligence, unfaithfulness, crossing the boundaries set by God, and by ________________ _______________, James 4:17. Every thing we should do and don’t do is sin!

Sin, Adam and Me

It is impossible to escape sin and its effects. I become a sinner through whose sin? Romans 5:12 _________________________________________ Because I sinned when Adam sinned in the garden of Eden, I cannot be anything but a sinner. I sinned in Adam. What is the result of Adam’s sin in my life?______________ What does death mean in this instance? ___________________________ We might well say that because of the actions of Adam, we are all condemned to sin and death. What has our “last Adam” done that provides a refuge from this? I Corinthians 15:45.

Perhaps it would be good at this point to review the meanings and types of death spoken of in Scripture, and in Session 2. It would also be helpful for you to review the truths taught in Romans 3:10-23.

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. How is the sin of angels and humans different?

2. What are some of the effects of sin in nature as we see them today?

3. How much sin must a person commit to be condemned?

4. Describe sin from the standpoint of neglect as compared to disobedience.

5. Discuss some of the general ways we see the consequences of sin in the world today.