REDEMPTION CHURCH: GOSPEL CLASS

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2 REDEMPTION CHURCH: GOSPEL CLASS What is Gospel Class? Gospel Class is the foundational discovery course of Redemption Church. It s here that you will learn what Redemption Church is all about. You ll learn what we believe about God and Christianity and how we put that understanding into practice. We ve structured the class as a basic doctrinal survey where the very essentials of what it is to be a Christian are taught. The included topics are Scripture, God, Creation, Sin, Salvation, and the Church. Within this context and out of our biblical theology, however, you ll discover what our values and practical mission are as a church. We ll cover things like money, spiritual gifts, leadership structure, and what it means to be Redemption on mission in Huntington. Who Should Take The Gospel Class? Anyone. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey our Gospel Class will be helpful. The class is designed to help a non-christian learn about Jesus and Christianity. It s designed to help a person who wants to join our church. You ll love it if this is your first time at Redemption or if you ve been here awhile. How Do I Become A Member of Redemption? We require that anyone who wants to become a member of Redemption take this class in order to have a clear understanding of what they are committing to, we believe, and what can be expected. This goes for everyone: Graduates of seminary, old, young, new believer, girl and guy. No exceptions. More on membership is coming in this booklet, bear with us. Are There Other Classes at Redemption? Right now, no. But we have plans to change that very soon. When God does enable us to expand our teaching ministry, the Gospel Class will be the foundational course that is a prerequisite to every other course and Redemption membership will be a requirement for admission. Becoming A Member: At Redemption So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (Ephesians 2:19) I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:14-15) Although there are no proof texts in the Bible that say we should have local church membership. There is clear teaching in the New Testament that we are a part of the church 2

3 of God. When a person trusts the person and works of Jesus Christ they receive the Holy Spirit and are brought into the church. Out of that we are called to participate, promote, and serve the message of the gospel with other believers (Rom. 12:3-8). For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Redemption is a part of Christ s body in Huntington. We have been called to do the work of Jesus in this city (Eph. 2:10, 4:12). The work happens as all of the parts of the body work pull together and commit to sacrifice and serve together. So Redemption sees EVERY member as the primary missionaries of the gospel to Huntington. God has placed every one of us in Huntington in order to engage and influence the city with the gospel. The church is to be a place of life transformation, training, and equipping so that the members (missionaries) can scatter to live and proclaim the gospel (Eph. 4:9-16). In many churches that isn t the case. We believe that membership means something. In a day where I m a member of the YMCA or the Rotary Club or Blockbuster Video, membership can be optional participation. You know, when I feel like it I ll connect and every month I ll just throw in a few bucks. Not so here. Christ, please not so here. Becoming a part of Redemption means giving your life to Jesus Christ, members of this church, and your community. A commitment to this church means you are being called to a high level of responsibility and accountability. On the other hand, the elders of this church are promising to above others assist, give counsel, provide help, serve, teach, and pray for you. 3

4 Covenanting as a Member To make the next step from visitor or friend of Redemption to committed member of Redemption, we ask that you attend and participate in Gospel Class. As mentioned, this course will root you in what we believe, what we re about, and how that is practically lived out at our church. Gospel Class is required to become a member of Redemption. The following checklist needs to be completed in order if you desire to become a member of Redemption: Register for Gospel Class online at or other available method. Already be plugged into Redemption through service, participation, and community. Attend and participate in all 8 Gospel Class sessions. (If you miss a class you make it up online by listening to the audio. This is only allow for up to 2 sessions) Complete all membership paperwork Complete membership interview (this final step will be conducted by an elder, deacon, or gospel community leader.) Once this has been completed, you will: Be formally recognized and commissioned in front of the gathered church. Receive a letter confirming your membership status. Receive an giving you access to any members only pages on our site. 4

5 Gospel Class Plan Table of Contents Lesson 1 The Bible... 6 Lesson 2 God Lesson 3 Creation, Humanity, and Sin Lesson 4 Jesus Christ Lesson 5 - Salvation Lesson 6 - The Church Lesson 7 - Giving Lesson 8 - Who we are, what we do, what we believe Gospel Community Q&A Redemption Church doctrine Members covenant

6 LESSON 1 THE BIBLE All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) Why Do We Need The Bible? Without getting to complex and philosophical, let me ask another question. How do we know what is true? Historically truth has been sought through reason alone. I observe my world, and then logically and rationally deduce the truth based on those observations. In the last several centuries this has developed into a system of science, ideally objective science, where truth seeking is arrived at through studies, experiments, and the application of scientific laws. There is nothing wrong with this pursuit, in and of itself. In fact, the Bible in Psalm 19 and Romans 1:19-20 teach that truth can be found in the created world. This is called general revelation since God and truth are generally discovered through these means. And while it is available to all people, it s not sufficient. Human ability to discover is limited for several reasons. First, our ability to access all that there is in our world to observe and know about is limited. Second, there s a lack of objectivity. Every observer brings certain presuppositions to truth-seeking that skew the search to varying degrees. Finally, the effects of sin on our reasoning inhibit us. This is part of the reason we re seeing a cultural shift from seeking truth through reason and science (modernism) to the belief that there is no actual truth only my personal experience of truth (postmodernism). Now, to the question of why we need the Bible. The Bible comes forward and claims strength and certainty where the other search for truth is weak and uncertain. The Bible claims that it has the truth. It claims that there is a God who has created everything and in turn everything in creation finds its purpose in knowing Him as Creator. There is truth to be known and lived in. This is called specific revelation. This teaches that God has clearly and sufficiently revealed truth to mankind through the Scriptures. Without the Bible we would not know what we need to know about God or ourselves. It s important to note that general revelation (truth known through reason, creation, conscience) is available to all, yet not sufficient. The Bible is sufficient, yet not available to all. What Is The Bible? The Title Let s start with where it got its name. The word bible isn t in the Bible! The Greek word, graphe, which can be translated writings or Scriptures is used in the Bible to describe itself. By the late 2 nd century Christian were referring to these writings and Scripture as the biblos meaning the book. As it passed through Latin and into English it became the Bible. 6

7 What s In the Bible? The Bible is composed of 66 total books. It was written by over 40 authors of different personalities and geographic areas, over thousands of years, covering hundreds of subjects. But since it is God breathed and ultimately authored by God it is completely true and maintains its unity, also known as integrity, and can rightly be referred to as one book. The Bible is currently available in over 3000 languages and is the bestselling book of all time. The Old Testament There are 39 books in the Old Testament, which were written over a thousand years mainly in Hebrew and some Aramaic. Without paper and/or a printing press these writings were preserved both orally and on papyrus, a paper made of reeds. The genres of literature include history, legal documents, building code, poetry, songs, love letters, and sermons. The authors range from kings, priests, farmers, peasants, and scholars. It deals primarily with God s dealings with the Hebrew race, also known as the Israelites or Jews. The major emphasis of the Old Testament is an anticipation of a Messiah to come, who will deliver not only the Hebrew race, but the whole world, from its failure to live up to God s standard. The New Testament There are 27 books in the New Testament which were written in Greek on animal skins, known as parchment. It was written over a span of about 50 years by 9 authors. The Old Testament points to the Messiah to come. The New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) reveal to us that Jesus Christ is the one to come. The rest of the New Testament explains what his coming means to the world. What Do The Scriptures Claim To Be? The Bible speaks everywhere of itself as God s Word to the world. Philosophers and religious leaders have not made this claim for the Bible. The Bible claims it for itself. The Bible says that it is: Complete; nothing is to be taken from or added to it (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6) Effective (Isa. 55:11) Pure (Ps. 12:6; 19:8; 119:140) Perfect (Ps.19:7) Precious (Ps. 19:10) a Life guide (Ps. 119:105) Soul food (Jer. 15:16) A fire that purifies and a hammer that breaks us (Jer. 23:29) True (Ps.119:160; John 17:17) Helpful (Prov. 6:23) Flawless (Prov. 30:5) To be obeyed (Luke 8:21; James 1:22) All we need to know God (Luke 16:29, 31) The standard by which all teaching is to be tested (Acts 17:11) Faith-building (Rom. 10:17) 7

8 For everyone (Rom. 16:26) Sin-cleansing (Eph. 5:26; James 1:21) A sword for spiritual battle (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12) The very words of God (1 Thess. 2:13) Divinely inspired (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19 21) Life-changing (Heb. 4:12) Life-giving (James 1:18) Spiritual nourishment (1 Peter 2:2) *Bullet list taken directly from Mark Driscoll s chapter in Listening to the Beliefs of the Emerging Church What Does Jesus Say About The Bible? If it s true that the Bible points to Jesus, records the life of Jesus, and then explains the significance of Jesus, then it s worth our time to look at what Jesus said about the Bible. So what did the greatest teacher and most influential person to ever live say about the Bible? The 1 st century Jewish understanding of the Old Testament was that it was the word of God to man and was referred to as the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Jesus regularly affirmed this belief. He claimed to come and fulfill the requirements of the Old Testament (Matt. 5:17-20, Luke 24:25-27). He claimed that the Old Testament was about him and pointed to him (John 5:39). He regularly quoted the Old Testament as an authoritative source of truth (Matthew 19:4-5, Mark 12:24). The events and people of the Old Testament were treated as historically accurate facts (Luke 11:51; 17:28-32, Matt. 8:11; 12:40; 24:37-39). He taught that Scripture could not be maligned or fail to be true (John 10:3). Jesus promised that more Scripture, ultimately New Testament writings, would come from inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the apostles' teachings and writings (John 14:25-26; 16:13). Finally, he claimed that his words and teaching were true and authoritative (John 18:37). What Did the Apostles Say About the Bible? When Jesus ascended to heaven he commissioned his disciples to go into the world teaching what he taught and proclaiming his message (Matt. 28:16-20). The entire book of Acts records the story of them doing just that. Through this ministry they wrote narrative accounts of the life of Jesus and doctrinal and ethical letters to Christians that were authoritative. Their View of the Old Testament The authors of the New Testament quote the Old Testament as Scripture over 300 times.(matt. 21:42; 22:29; 26:54, 56; Luke 24:25 32, 44 45; John 5:39; 10:35; Acts 17:2, 11; 18:28; Rom. 1:2; 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2;15:4; 16:26; 1 Cor. 15:3 4; Gal. 3:8, 22; 4:30; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20 21; 3:15 16) 8

9 Their View of Their Own Writings, the New Testament The writers claim that their teaching has God s authority (1 Cor. 2:12-13; Gal. 1:6-12; 1 Tim 3:15; 1 Peter 1:10-12). They refer to their own writings as Scripture (1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Peter 3:15-16; also note how Paul quotes Luke 10:7 in his book 1 Timothy (5:18). How Did These 66 Books Get Chosen? The 66 books of the Bible are referred to as the canon. Canon is a Greek word that refers to a measuring instrument and was commonly used to describe creeds that measured up to be true. Around the 4 th century, this term was given to the 66 accepted books of the Bible because these 66 books had met certain tests or rules and were considered as authoritative. Before we look at the tests, note that the 66 books did not become authoritative and true only because they were examined and tested by councils. They were authoritative when written. But how are Christians to know which ones are and aren t? A book passed the test and was considered authoritative if: 1. It was written by a prophet, an apostle, or backed with authority of one, an example is Luke and Mark s writings (Deut. 18:18-22, 1 Peter 1:20-21) 2. The prophet or apostle was confirmed by an act of God (Heb. 2:3-4) 3. It tells the truth about God (Deut. 13:1-5, 18:22; Gal. 1:18) 4. It has the power of God (Heb. 4:12) 5. It was accepted by the people of God (Deut. 31:24-26; Col. 4:16, 1 Thess. 2:13, 5:27; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:16) The Old Testament The 39 Old Testament book are uncontested and without dispute. Through the years it has been unanimously accepted with Judaism and Christianity that these 39 book comprise the word of God to man. The New Testament The New Testament has been debated however. Most debated are the books of 2 Peter, James, and Hebrews. It s been mentioned that the New Testament writers saw their own writings as authoritative. We also know through the early Christian writings and writers that from AD the 66 books that we have were already viewed and being used as Scripture. It wasn t until the mid-300 s that other false gospels (e.g. The Gospel of Thomas) and pseudo writings started popping up. Therefore, at the Council of Carthage in 397, theologians and pastors convened in order to clearly define the canon in which we have it today so as to protect the church from false teaching. There wasn t any significant or widespread debate about the canon until the 1546 Council of Trent when the Protestants and Roman Catholics split off. What is the Apocrypha? The Apocrypha is a set of Jewish writings that were written between the books of Malachi (the last OT book) and Mark (the first New Testament book, although not first in your New 9

10 Testament). As a side the first message from God post Malachi would be the prophet John the Baptist preaching the wilderness (Mark 1:1-4). There was a 400 year time span from Malachi and John the Baptist and so there were obviously many writings about God, the nation of Israel, the coming Messiah, and the end of the world. They were widely read and written about, but they were never treated as Scripture. The New Testament quotes the Old Testament regularly while it never quotes the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha writings don t claim to be inspired, contradict each other, and disagree with the clear Word of God in other places. A good analogy would be Christian books in our bookstores today. We would read them and maybe even quote them or teach them, but they are not viewed as God s Word. The Roman Catholic Church, at the Council of Trent included the Apocrypha in the Roman Catholic Bible in order to justify the teaching of purgatory which is not in the New Testament. How Did God s Word Make it From God to the Bible in my Hands? The Revelation and Inspiration of God God, the Holy Spirit, miraculously, accurately, clearly, and patiently used human authors, their personalities, languages, and styles to write down exactly and perfectly what he wanted to say to his creation (2 Tim. 3:15-16; 2 Peter 1:21). The way in which he did that varied. Sometimes God told them exactly what to write down (Exodus 19:18-19), sometimes he used dreams and visions (Dan. 2:19, Zech. 1:8, 18), some apparently wrote like they do today in journals or letters or books, yet God preserved and oversaw that what was being written was without error. No matter the mode the result was a perfect without error original. These are called the original autographs. The Transmission of the Autographs When the autographs were written there were no printing presses or computer copiers so everything had to be painstakingly handwritten by scribes. As you would expect, from time to time spelling errors and punctuation would be incorrect in the copying. The temple held trusted and examined copies to be used to compare newer copies in order to correct errors that would creep in. Through time all of the original autographs have worn out or been lost. However, through the faithfulness of God s people and the providence of God s plan the Old and New Testament manuscripts in our hands today far outweigh in both quantity and quality any other piece of ancient literature. And it has been proved through textual criticism and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls that the transmission of the Bible to us has only minor deviation from the autographs and not a single doctrine is to be doubted due to them. The Translation of the Bible The writings of the Bible were originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Through the years scholars and linguists have carefully translated the Bible into over 3000 languages. It was translated into English in

11 Interpretation of the Bible This is the process of reading what the Bible says and interpreting what it means. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit will bring to light (Illumination) what he inspired in the Scripture (John 14:26). The question is not: What does the Bible mean to me? That is a bad question. There is only one meaning. The question is what did God mean? Interpretation seeks to answer that. It is drawing the meaning out of the passage, not bringing my preconceptions, desires, and beliefs into it. The correct way to interpret the Bible is through literal interpretation. The big word is literal-grammatical-historical-hermeneutic. Take that. Essentially it is getting the accurate context of the passage. Who s talking to whom? What s going on historically? How is the language used? What s being addressed? When is it being written? Why? Where are these events happening? That s the idea. And from that we derive the meaning of the original context and then bridge that theologically and personally to our lives and context. Do not confuse literal interpretation with the absence of figurative language. Figurative language is used in the Bible, but it is still communicating in a literal way. For example, if someone was to walk into McDonalds and say I m so hungry I could eat a horse. Obviously they couldn t literally eat horse and weren t ordering one, but they are hungry and could eat a lot. That is literal interpretation. Non literal interpretation would be to interpret hunger as a deep need for power, and the horse represents government, and to eat would be to overthrow. There is nothing within the context to back that. That would allegorical interpretation and is at the whim of the interpreter rather than the other way around. The Bible is written to be understood like any other book. The writers do the same thing any writer does. He uses poetry, figures of speech, metaphors, etc. in books like Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, the Prophets, and Revelation. That doesn t mean because they are speaking figuratively that I can take their words to mean anything at all. Application of the Bible Having read what the Bible says and interpreting what the Bible means it now needs to be applied to our lives. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the word of God changes our attitudes, motives, thinking, and actions. While there is one interpretation there are limitless applications of the Word of God. This very involved process demonstrates how important it is to defend the truth of the gospel and why Redemption takes it so seriously (2 Tim. 2:14-15). Reliability of the Text Why Does Redemption Believe the Bible is True? In a culture that doubts absolute truth in general and absolute faith claims in particular, it is vital to demonstrate why we believe that the Bible is true Word of God. If we re going to submit to its teaching for both faith and how we live then it has to be true. There are three 11

12 tests that we can put not only the Bible through, but any ancient text through to determine if it is valid or not. Bibliographical Test This test analyzes how many of a given text there are available and of what quality they are. Are there a lot or just a handful to examine? Are the copies far removed from the time in which they were written? As the chart below illustrates, the Bible passes this test better than any other piece of ancient literature available today! Reliability of Ancient Literature Author Date Written Earliest Copy Time Span Number Of Copies Accuracy Homer 850 bc % Herodotus 450 bc about 900 ad about 1350 years 8 n/a Euripides 440 bc about 1100 ad about 1500 years 9 n/a Thucydides 420 bc about 900 ad about 1300 years 8 n/a Plato 380 bc about 900 ad about 1300 years 7 n/a Aristotle 350 bc about 1100 ad about 1400 years 5 n/a Caesar 60 bc about 900 ad about 960 years 10 n/a Catullus 50 bc about 1500 ad about 1600 years 3 n/a Livy 10 bc n/a Tacitus 100 ad about 1100 ad about 1000 years 20 n/a New Testament 60 ad about 130 ad about 100 years 14, % **N/A there are not enough copies to reconstruct the original Source: I'm Glad You Asked, by Boa & Moody. Not enough? We have numerous available manuscripts of the early church father s writings (AD ) in which they quote Scripture liberally. The New Testament can be completely reconstructed from these writings, with the exception of 11 verses from 2 nd and 3 rd John. There have been doubts through the years as to how accurate the Scripture has been transmitted through the years due to lack of manuscript integrity. However, in 1947 the Dead Sea Scrolls, containing 40,000 manuscripts, were discovered. Many of the manuscripts, having been preserved for over 1900 years, were of the Bible and verified that the transmission process has produced accurate copies. In short, the Scriptures are reliable and to reject it is to reject all of Western Literature since the reliability of these manuscripts is unmatched. 12

13 Internal Test This test wants to see if there are contradictions within the book. If the Bible is true, then it would logically flow that it would have unity and integrity. It would not say one thing in one place and then the exact opposite in another. The Bible passes yet again. God has been able to orchestrate the revelation process of over 40 authors over thousands of years in multiple languages and yet there are no inconsistencies within its pages. This is amazing. Imagine everyone at Redemption being commissioned to tell a story. Then we isolated everyone in time and space so that we couldn t read the other person s story. Think there would be contradictions or discontinuity? The Bible has neither. We could add here that the Bible adds the prophecy of concrete historical events and even people who will come onto the scene hundreds and thousands of years later and they come to pass. This test shows the authorship of God who sees the past from the future and is ordering events and people for his purposes. Historical Test This test seeks to discover if the people and the events of the Bible are in fact historically accurate. This has been verified time and again through archeology and non-christian historians such as Roman historians Tacitus and Pliny the Younger and the Jewish historian Josephus. The Bible is not a philosophical book of abstract thoughts; it is an historical record of God and his redemption of humanity through Jesus Christ. What s Up with All the Bible Translations? When a person translates any text into another language there are decisions the translator has to make in the process. These decisions are necessary since syntax, grammar, word order, idioms, and vocabulary differ from one language to the next. These decisions effect accuracy and readability. There are 3 categories of translation that are most common. We ll deal with those here. Word for Word This approach is sometimes called functional equivalence or literal interpretations. The major concern in this approach is that the translation from the original language (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) into English be as accurate as possible. Since God not only inspired the ideas of the Bible, but also the very words it s important that we not lose them in the translation. This type of translation is important in other communication such as legal documents and contracts. One word lost or added makes all the difference. These translations are the best for personal bible study and teaching because they are most accurate. The best of the literal translations are the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV). The King James Version (KJV) and New King James Version (NKJV) are also word for word translations but sacrifice too much readability by 13

14 using Old English. There are also manuscripts that are not used in the translation process for the KJV that are concerning, but won t be mentioned here. Thought for Thought This approach is sometimes called dynamic equivalence. This seeks to convey the exact idea of the verses of the Bible, but on occasion will add or take away original words in order to make the verse clearer or more readable to the modern reader. Thus they re easier to understand and more people will read them. The translations that fit this category are the New Living Translation (NLT) and the New International Version (NIV). The NIV is the most widely read English Bible and is the best balance of accuracy and readability. Paraphrase This process takes the translation process and combines it with interpretation. They are highly readable and help the reader understand what is being said. The most popular and helpful of these translations are The Message (Tm) and the Amplified Bible (TAB). ** There is one translation that is not truly a translation at all, but is a corruption. It is the New World Translation (NWT), disseminated by the cult known as Jehovah s Witnesses. Its purpose is to disprove the deity of Christ and undermine the Bible. They cut and paste what they want in there. What Translation Does Redemption Use? After several years using the NASB, Redemption has switched to the ESV as its primary pulpit version. Both are accurate, but the ESV handles poetry in a more readable way without sacrificing any accuracy. You ll also notice that from time to time we ll use other translations to bring out points or illustrate the teaching. Each translation has strengths and weaknesses and God has seen fit to give us several great translations for our study and transformation. A good principle would be to invest in a NASB or ESV for personal study and hearing the word of God at Redemption. Yet use other thought for thought and paraphrases as secondary sources to supplement your interpretation and devotion. 14

15 A Guide to Various Bible Translations Commonly Used Translations CEV Contemporary English Version ESV English Standard Version GNB Good News Bible HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible KJV King James Version NASB New American Standard Bible NCV New Century Version NIV New International Version NLT New Living Translation NKJV New King James Version NRSV New Revised Standard Version NTME New Testament in Modern English (Phillips) REB Revised English Bible RSV Revised Standard Version TAB The Amplified Bible TLB The Living Bible TM The Message TNIV Today s New International Version TSB The Street Bible Word for Word Translations ESV, HCSB, KJV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, RSV Thought for Thought Translations NCV, NIV, TNIV, NLT, CEV, GNB, REB Paraphrases NTME, TAB, TLB, TM, TSB Corruptions New World Translation 15

16 LESSON 2 GOD For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me (Isaiah 46:9) Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24) No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18) And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3) Can We Know God? Yes, God can be known, but not fully and completely. God has chosen to reveal himself generally in creation and specifically through the Bible and Jesus Christ. Through this revelation we have all the knowledge of God that is needed while alive. Upon death we will learn even more of God (1 Cor. 13:12). However, he is infinite and therefore can never be known fully (Rom. 11:33). In this sense it is true that God is incomprehensible. If we think of the universe in which we live. We know the universe and are learning more all the time, but because of its vastness and complexity there is much more to know. This amplified to an infinite level when we come to the God of the Universe. How Do We Know God? In a sense we answered this last week when we asked the question of why we need a Bible. The only way we can know God is if he tells us about himself. We can never know God apart from his self disclosure. God telling us about himself or anything for that matter is revelation. God is revealing truth to us. There are 2 ways in which God reveals himself to us. General Revelation: The first way is through everything that has been created. In Romans 1:19-20, God tells us that his nature and power have been evident since the beginning of creation and that it is clearly seen and to be understood. Special Revelation: God also intervenes and visibly steps into his created world to reveal Himself. It is through this revelation that we truly know God. Without special revelation we would be accountable to know God, yet unable to truly do so. As we saw last week, God graciously uses human language and authors to reveal who is and what he s about. These words are exclusively contained in the Bible. The Word of God records God s miraculous acts and perfect teaching about God. Finally, God took on humanity in the person of Jesus Christ in order to show us who God is (John 1:18, Hebrews 1:1-2). 16

17 How many gods are there? There is only one true God. This is made emphatic throughout the Bible. Old Testament: Deut. 4:35, 4:39, 6:4 5, 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 7:22, 22:32; Ps. 86:8 10; Isa. 37:20, 43:10; 44:6 8, 45:5, 14, 21 22, 46:9. New Testament: John 5:44; Rom. 3:30, 16:27; 1 Cor. 8:4 6; Gal. 3:20; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 1:17, 2:5; James 2:19; Jude 25. Not only is there only one God, but there is no one even like God: Ex. 8:10, 9:14, 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Chron. 17:20; Ps. 86:8; 1 Kings 8:23; Isa. 40:18, 25, 44:7, 46:5, 9; Jer. 10:6 7; Micah 7:18. What is God Like? God is what one man has called completely other. That doesn t mean that he is an idea or thought or concept. He is a personal living God. One we can relate to and commune with and know personally. He has traits or attributes that describe who is and what he is like. It s important to note here that attributes are qualities that make up who God is, his very nature. This is not referring to his acts or what he does. Things like, create, guide, preserve, etc. Another thing about God s attributes is that they are permanent and intrinsic (Erickson, Christian Theology, p. 292). That s important. It means that God will never stop being who he is. He never changes. And he isn t these things sometimes, but all the time. Also, God isn t loving. He is love. God isn t powerful. He is power. God is complex and listing his attributes helps us think of who he is. A common way in which Christian theologians have described God s attributes are by dividing them into two categories. Unshared (incommunicable) and Shared (communicable) Attributes. Unshared attributes are qualities that only God has. They are unique to him. Shared attributes are qualities that we can possess in a limited degree since we are made in God s image. These attributes are both revealed in Scripture and experienced through humanity s relationship with God. Unshared Attributes Omnipresence God is completely, with his whole being, everywhere at all times. (Ps. 139:7 12, see also Jer. 23:24; Prov. 15:3; Deut. 31:6; Col. 1:17). Omniscience God knows everything, things that have happened, are happening, will happen, and could potentially happen. He does it all without effort. (Ps. 147:5, see also Isa. 40:12 14, 46:10; Ps. 139:1 6; Job 42:2; Heb. 4:13). A. W Tozer wrote: God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters because God knows all things perfectly, He knows no thing better than any other thing, but all things equally well. He never discovers anything, He is never surprised, never amazed. He never wonders about anything -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy, p

18 Omnipotence God is all powerful to do what he wants and that is consistent with his nature. He cannot sin for example. (Job. 42:2, see also Ps. 147:5; Matt. 19:26; Eph. 3:20). Immutability God is unable to be changed and does not change. He is never inconsistent or growing or developing. (Malachi 3:6, see also Num. 23:19, Ps. 102:27, Rom. 11:29; Heb. 13:8; James 1:17). Eternality God exists endlessly. He has no beginning and was not created. He has no end and will never cease to exist. He created time and is active in time and space, but is not bound by time or space (Ps. 90:2, see also 93:2, 102:12; Eph. 3:21). Sovereignty God is supreme in both position and power over all things. He allows human choices and freedom, but nothing happens without being decreed or allowed by God. He can never be stopped in his purposes or plans. (Ps. 103:19, see also 2 Sam. 7:28, 1 Chron. 29:10 13; Gen. 50:21, 22). Shared Attributes Spirit God is an immaterial being (John 4:19 24, see also John 1:18, 3:1 10, 14:16 17, 16:12 1; 2 Cor. 3:15 17; 1 Tim. 6:15 16). He is in way limited to time and space by a physical body. There are images and descriptions of God that suggest or assign that he has physical parts such as hands and feet (Ex. 8:19; Deut. 11:12; 1 Kings 8:15; Psalm 19:1, 28:5, 34:15; Acts 22:14. But these are what are called anthropomorphisms. That s a big word that refers to language that expresses truths about God using human analogies. This is best considered a shared attribute even though we have physical bodies. We are physical beings, but also have an immaterial aspect to our being. Holiness This has a negative definition in which God is absolutely separate from any evil. It also has a positive nuance in which is God is absolutely pure and clean and beautiful. This holiness is in his very nature as well as in his actions (1 Peter 1:16, see also Ex. 3:5; Lev. 19:2; Ps. 5:4 6, 99:5; Isa. 6:3, 8:13, 57:15; Hab. 1:12 13; 1 John 1:5; 1 Peter 1:14 19). Love/Goodness God is perfectly good and loving. This needs a little clarification because of the broad use of love and good in our culture. All goodness and love is based on God s character, glory, and desire for his creatures to be like him. So, God loves by seeking the supreme fame (glory) for himself which is the same as supreme enjoyment in Christ for people (1 John 4:8 16, see also Ex. 34:7; Ps. 84:11; John 3:16; Eph. 2:4 7; Gal. 5:22). Truth God gives all truth and is all truth. Truth is what really is. Not an interpretation of what is. Not a desire for what is. But what actually is. God is the embodiment of everything that truly is. Therefore he is consistent with himself, is all he should be and all he says he is. He is reliable (faithful) and dependable since He is true. (John 17:17, see also John 14:6; Titus 1:2; Num. 23:19; 2 Cor. 1:20). Justice/Righteousness God is what is right and does what is just. Within himself, He does not violate his nature nor do his actions violate who he is or what is just. This is called Absolute Righteousness. In dealing with creation he acts in a way that violates his own standard of righteousness. He can never be accused of dealing unfairly or immorally with creation. This is called Relative Righteousness (Ex. 34:7, see also Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:11). 18

19 Mercy/Grace God is compassionate and merciful toward those who do not deserve it. He patiently restrains wrath and withholds judgment even though he is right to condemn and punish. This favor is shown because of the person and work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26; Titus 3:5, see also Eph. 2:4 7; Ex. 34:6 7; Matt. 18:23 35; Rom. 12:8). Who Is This God? The Trinity: God is revealed in the Bible as one God who eternally exists as 3 distinct persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are of one substance and coequal in power and worth. God is one God, existing in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He never stops being one or stops being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is called the Trinity. The word trinity is not a biblical word. It never appears in the Bible. But that doesn t mean it isn t a good word to describe God or that the truth it describes of God isn t biblical. It was first used by an early church theologian named Tertullian in AD to describe God s revelation of himself. Speaking of which, track with the Bible as it reveals the Trinity to us. Is God Viewed as Trinity in the Old Testament? God is revealed as Trinity in the Old Testament. He is clearly declared as one God. But as we ll see the OT only allows for the possibility at Trinity. The Unity of God The Old Testament writers and Judaism, then and now, is rigorously monotheistic. The oneness of God was revealed to the Hebrews in many times and in different ways. The clearest articulation of God s oneness shows up in Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema, which is the foundational confession of Judaism and declares, The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. We can also see this in passages such as Ex. 20:3; Deut. 4:35; Isa. 45:14, 46:9. Plural Nouns for God in the OT One of the first things we notice in the Bible about God is that he uses a plural Hebrew noun (Elohim) as who he is. This word is denotes an unlimited greatness or supremacy. Also a few times, even in the first chapter of the Bible, the pronoun used to describe God is plural (Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7, Isaiah 6:8). However, to be faithful to the language and its use, we need to mention that Elohim is sometimes used of a singular king to denote his greatness. So to deduce from this alone that there is Trinity would be a stretch. But at the very least, especially in light of other Scripture, we can say that God as Trinity is implied at best and allowed at least. Distinct Divine Persons in the OT There are some passages that seem to distinguish between the persons of the Trinity: The Lord is distinguished from the Lord (Gen. 19:24; Hos. 1:7). The Divine Redeemer of Israel is distinguished from the Lord (Isa. 59:20). The Spirit is distinguished from the Lord (Isa. 48:16, 59:21, 63:9-10). Again this implies and allows for Trinity. But not quite there yet. 19

20 Is God Viewed as Trinity in the New Testament? Yes. When we get to the New Testament, the evidence and clear teaching of Scripture is that there is one God, yet three persons the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all revealed as God. The Unity of God Since the NT writers all affirm the teaching of the Old Testament as the Word of God they also affirm the oneness and unity of God. This is seen in passages like: 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Eph. 4:3-6; James 2:19. However they declare deity on three distinct persons The Father Is God It is crystal clear that the Father is viewed and declared as God (John 6:27, 17:1-3; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3). There is absolutely no debate about this. Jesus is God Jesus Christ declared himself to be God by claiming diving unshared attributes (Matt. 9:4, 28:18) and explicitly stated his deity (Matt. 26:63 65; John 5:17 23, 8:58 59, 10:30 39, 19:7). The rest of the New Testament continues the teaching of Jesus as God (Matt. 28:9; John 1:1 4, 1:14, 5:17 18, 8:58, 10:30 33, 12:37 41 cf. Isa. 6:9 11; 20:28 29; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Col. 1:16 17, 2:8 9; Phil. 2:10 11; Heb. 1:8; 1 Cor. 8:4 6; 1 Tim. 6:15; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 1:8, 1:17 18, 17:14, 19:16, 22:13 16). The Scriptures are also clear that Jesus was fully human (Isa. 7:14, 9:16; Rom. 8:3; 1 John 4:2). Is the Holy Spirit God? The Holy Spirit is clearly called God throughout the Scriptures. He is all powerful (Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:13, 19), eternal (Heb. 9:14) all knowing (1 Cor. 2:10), and all present (1 Cor. 6:19). The Holy Spirit is also declared to be God (Acts 5:3 4; John 14:16; 2 Cor. 3:16 18). Another important thing to make clear is that the Holy Spirit is not simply the power of God or Christ, but is a distinct person who has intelligence (1 Cor. 2:10-11; Rom. 8:27), shows feelings (Eph.4:30), has a will (1 Cor. 12:11), performs miracles (Acts 8:39), prays (Rom. 8:26), is to be obeyed (Acts 10:19-21), can be resisted (Acts 7:51), insulted (Heb. 10:29), and blasphemed (Matt. 12:31). Are the Father, Son, and Spirit different persons? Though one God the New Testament reveals the Father, Son, and Spirit as distinct persons. The Father and Son are two persons in frequent salutations (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2, 6:23; Phil. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1, 2; 1 Tim. 1:1, 2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philem. 3; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John; John 3:17, 5:31 32, 8:16 18, 11:41 42, 12:28, 14:31, 17:23 26; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 4:10). Jesus and the Holy Spirit are two different persons (Luke 3:22; John 14:16, 15:26, 16:7; 1 John 2:1). 20

21 The Father is not the Holy Spirit (John 14:15, 15:26; Rom. 8:11, 8:26 27; 2 Cor. 1:3 4; Gal. 1:1). All Three Members of Trinity Distinct and Present (Matt. 3:16-17, 28:18-20; Rom. 14:17-18, 15:16; 1 Cor. 2:2-5, 6:11, 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22, 13:14; Eph. 2:18, 3:16-17, 4:4-6; Col. 1:5-8; 1 Thess. 1:2-5; 2 Thess. 2:13). Is It Important What I Believe About Trinity? A million times, yes! This is a true and distinct doctrine of Christianity. It has everything to do with who God is, namely who is Jesus Christ. If there is no Trinity, then Jesus Christ is not God, and he can t die for our sins. If the Father is not satisfied by Jesus, the Son s death then we are still under judgment. If the Holy Spirit did not seal us and indwell us then we are impotent to overcome sin or know the truth of God. There are 4 essential affirmations that reflect an accurate biblical understanding of God: 1. There is only one true God 2. This one God exists eternally in 3 persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 3. These 3 persons are equal in attribute and divine nature 4. While each person is completely God, the persons are not identical, but distinct How Do I Understand and Explain It? We cannot truly understand it or explain it perfectly. We took Tertullian s word and I m going to agree again when he said that Trinity must be revealed to us. We will never be able to humanly construct it. There are no analogies that work to describe it. It is absurd from the human viewpoint and is only feasible within the revelation of the Word of God. We don t understand it or believe it because it s logical or obvious. We believe it because God has told us that it is so. As one man has written: Try to explain it, and you ll lose your mind; But try to deny it, and you ll lose your soul. Historical Misunderstandings about the Trinity I want to make clear some common historical misunderstanding about the Trinity. First, there are not 3 gods; that s Polytheism. Polytheism states that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God, but not the same God; there are 3 Gods. Mormonism holds this view. However, the Bible teaches that there is one God. Second, it s important to know that God does not simply manifest himself in 3 different ways at different times. That s Modalism. Modalism views God as a shape shifter. Those who hold to this idea believe that there is 1 God who manifests Himself in 3 modes (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Oneness or Jesus Only Pentecostals hold this view. Finally, Arianism is a view that states that only the Father is God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not divine, but created. Jehovah s Witnesses hold this view. 21

22 What are the Implications of Trinity? The implications of the Trinity are exhaustive in the details of how we live our lives, but the major ones would be as follows: God exists in loving community and did not create out of need. God doesn t need creation. He was fully and completely happy and satisfied within himself. (Acts 17:25) He provides our model for meaningful relationships (i.e. church, marriage). (1 Cor. 11:3; 12:4-6; Eph. 4:4-7) The revelation of God is possible (John 1:18) Salvation is possible (Heb. 9:14) Man is made in God s image and therefore has relational capacities and needs (Gen. 1:27, 3:18; 1 Cor. 12:12-27) What Do I Do Now? 1. Intrinsically: Don t just attend Redemption, but become Redemption. 2. Relationally: Join a gospel community to live Trinitarian lives. 3. Formally: Covenant with the church and participate fully in its life through membership. 22

23 LESSON 3 CREATION, HUMANITY, AND SIN In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) What Do The Scriptures Say About Creation? The following verses are some of the clearest revelations from God to man on his creation of the world. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11) You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you... (Nehemiah 9:6) Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding... (Job 38:4) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1) For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. (Psalm 96:5) As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. (Ecclesiastes 11:5) By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3) Trinity and Creation All three persons of the Trinity are involved in the creation process. The Father initiated and planned creation. The Son (the Word) implemented and spoke forth creation (John 1:3, 1:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph 3:9; Col. 1:16 17; Heb 1:2, 1:10; Rev 3:14). The Holy Spirit empowered creation (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 33:6, 104:30; Isa. 40:12 14). How Did the World Come to Exist? This is a huge question that deeply shapes what a person believes about God, themselves, and the world (this is called a worldview). There are all kinds of views out there that answer this question. Some believe the Bible, believe God created the world, and still disagree on Genesis 1 (Christian Views of Creation). Others hold to a view apart from the one true God of the Bible (Non-Christian Views of Creation). So, we ll break it down into Major Christian views about Creation and Major Non-Christian views about Creation. 23