BEREAN. SUMMER 2013 June, July, August THE INSTITUTE UPDATE IN THIS ISSUE. Issue 1 Rightly Dividing God s Word. Volume 15 Training for Ministry

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1 The BBI BULLETIN Volume 15 Training for Ministry SUMMER 2013 June, July, August BEREAN Issue 1 Rightly Dividing God s Word THE INSTITUTE UPDATE Dr. Robert E. Nix President, Berean Bible Institute It s summer time at BBI and one would think it would be less busy, however I am here to tell you that is not the case. While we are not teaching in the classroom, and vacations are being taken, there is plenty to do in preparation for next semester and representing BBI at various conferences and churches. Recently the faculty of Berean Bible Institute attended the Berean Bible Fellowship conference in Cedar Lake, Indiana. I must say it was a blessing to attend, and the messages were very uplifting. Many of our faculty members were asked to speak and it was a joy to see BBI represented in such a positive way. On Tuesday night, before preaching my message, I asked all those in the audience to stand if they had ever taken a course from BBI. It was such a blessing IN THIS ISSUE (continued on page 6) The Institute Update...1 Glory...1 Mail Received at Box The Bulletin Board...2 Bible Words & Words of the Bible...5 The Apostle to the Gentiles (Part 6)...5 Pastor Daniel Wolgast Dean of Students, Berean Bible Institute Most of us are familiar with Romans 3:21 and, All have sinned, but how much thought have we given to fallen short of the glory of God? What does glory of God mean? I know that for years I thought of glory as that bright shining light of God that was on Moses face in the wilderness. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:6, For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This tells us that we ve been given light to enable us to have knowledge of God s glory. Little by little I have learned that the glory of God is much more than a bright light. Glory, in its simplest form,means to make bigger. Glory is defined as to recognize. This would mean that God wants us to recognize Him for who He is; that which is absolutely true and changeless. Glory is the true apprehension of God. Giving glory to God is attributing to Him His true attributes. We are to have knowledge of Him as He truly is. The Apostle John tells us that God is Love. That means that God s very nature will not allow Him to (continued on page 3) Berean Bible Institute PO Box Kettle Moraine Dr. Slinger, WI Phone: (262) Fax: (262) bbi@bereanbibleinstitute.org Web:

2 The Bulletin Board Mail Received at Box 587 Upcoming Events BBI HAS PUBLISHED A NEW BOOKLET Hot off the press! A Praying Life From Wyoming: I thank you for the articles that you send me. I am thankful that I can give a small portion of my income. I shall continue to do so. I may not be able to make an increase in giving but pray that I can be faithful. True Spirituality and Prayer by PASTOR KEVIN SADLER From Florida : Enclosed is a gift to be used where needed most. May God s richest blessings be upon each of you as you teach God s Word rightly divided to young men that have received their call into the greatest ministry ever. God bless all of you. A 50 page booklet on prayer for the Christians daily life. Available for purchase for $4.00 plus S&H. Contact BBI for your copy today! From BRAZIL: My brother Georges and I had a life-transforming experience while we studied at the Berean Bible Institute, in Slinger. We hope the Lord will use us to touch the lives of men and women in much the same wonderful way! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! August 2-4 Grace Believers Conference, Bitely, MI August 11 Dr. Nix speaking at Glacier Hills Bible Church, Hartford, WI August 16 Student Orientation August 19 Fall Semester Starts Just for Laughs September 6-8 White Sulphur Springs Conference Bedford, PA Specialty Hymns for Specialized Saints The Dentist's Hymn:...Crown Him With Many Crowns October 5&6 BBF Fall Conference, Springfield, IL The Weatherman's Hymn...There Shall be Showers of November 10 Dr. Nix Speaking at Grace Church, Indianapolis, IN Blessing The Tailor's Hymn...Holy, Holy, Holy If you would like more information on any of these churches or conferences, please contact BBI and we would be happy to help! The Golfer's Hymn...There is A Green Hill Far Away The Politician's Hymn...Standing on the Promises The Optometrist's Hymn..Open My Eyes That I Might See Only one life; twill soon be past. The IRS Agent's Hymn... I Surrender All The Gossip's Hymn...Pass It On Only what s done in Christ will last. The Electrician's Hymn...Send the Light The Shopper's Hymn...Sweet By and By 2

3 (GLORY continued from page 1) do anything for selfish reasons. If John had written that God is a loving God, then there would be room for God to be self-seeking, in bringing a little glory to Himself from time to time. God s love is a perfect sacrificial love and leaves no room for the need to glorify Himself, because He is perfect in His glory. To be loved by God means that He always has our best interest in mind. Therefore, He simply wants us to recognize His glory and glory in Him instead of ourselves because it is to our benefit to glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:30-31). If God is the very attribute of love, the love that only looks outward to the needs of others, that is His glory. It seems as though one of the most difficult things for us to wrap our hearts around is the way God loves us. The world, the religions, and the vast majority of Christians believe that to be loved of God means that God will do things for us, but He demands something in return. The lost believe that He demands that we live a sinless life, or that He demands that they give up what they feel is fun, or that He demands that they live an austere life. The religious lost believe pretty much the same thing, plus they believe that God demands that they work for their salvation, and/or work in order to keep their salvation. Unfortunately, the vast majority of mankind believes that God demands something meritorious from them. How subtle this is when it comes to believers in Christ. This is often seen in those who believe water baptism is for us today. Many believe that God demands it, and they are water baptized for that reason. Others will say that water baptism isn t for salvation or because God demands it, but, rather, for a testimony of their salvation. When one discusses the matter with them, however, it usually becomes apparent that they are clinging to their water baptism as something that God demands in return for their salvation. All of this is understandable in the sense that the general rule for mankind is that one doesn t get something for nothing. People do not normally give without expecting something in return. Often someone will refuse a gift from someone simply because they have learned that people often demand 3 something in return for their gift. Sometimes the return they are looking for is just to be recognized for their generosity, a seeking of glory. We recognize this when we hear someone boasting of his or her benevolence. There is another word most often translated glory in the King James which has the meaning of boasting, (2 Cor. 5:12). Men are constantly looking for glory for themselves. Athletes look to sports to bring them glory. Politicians, soldiers, actors, actresses, comedians, even preachers often seek glory. They want to look bigger in the eyes of their fellow man. They do this because of prideful and needy hearts, and they hope that what they are doing will be the way they receive what they think they are looking for; I want to do something that I can boast about, that will bring me glory. We see in Scripture that the main purpose of man, however, is to bring glory to God not self. Because man seeks glory for his own purposes, he tends to believe, whether stated or not, that God is seeking glory for Himself; that He must have a supersize ego that needs stroking. Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. God doesn t need anything at all, especially from His creation. God is all-sufficient and the very nature of God leaves no room for needing anything. For God to need glory would go against His very being. God simply wants us to know Him as He is, not as we may have made Him up in our mind to be. When Scripture tells us of the need to renew our minds, one of the primary reasons is that we need to know the God who is, not the God we have imagined Him to be. Twice the Apostle Paul recorded prayers for the Ephesians to know God and His love, (Eph 1:17; 3:14-19). When Scripture tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, it reveals His glory. He loves all of His creation and desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). The verses For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph 2:8,9), also reveal His glory. He did for us what we (continued on page 4)

4 (GLORY continued from page 1) could not do, and He gives us, those who believe in His Son s finished work, eternal life. To say that we receive this by any other way than through faith is denigrating God. To say that we have to do anything to maintain salvation is denigrating God. Both take away from His glory because neither recognize His true nature. That He willingly gave His Son to provide salvation means that it is impossible for Him to demand anything in return, it would go against His nature. He asks only that we respond in faith, trusting in Jesus Christ s finished work alone for salvation and for our security in His salvation. For God to want to be glorified means only that He wants His true self known, not that He is looking to boast about who He is and what He has done. He simply wants man to recognize Him for who He is. When Moses asked to see God s glory, God responded by saying that He would show Moses His goodness (Ex. 33:18-19). His goodness was so bright that Moses face shown because of the glory of it. When a man called Him good, Jesus replied with a question and then said that only God is good, (Mat. 19:16-17). He meant to show the pureness of God s goodness and that only He is purely good, because it is His nature. For man to bring glory to God simply means that his walk of faith is meant to enlarge others understanding of God; so that He will become bigger in their understanding. If a person is a loving, caring person because of what God has done in his heart, then people who know that person will recognize that God is bigger than they realized, whether they want to believe in Him or not. When people see God s attributes manifested in His children s lives, God is glorified, and it often gives them hope and a desire to know their God. Even Christians that see a brother or sister living a life of faith through difficult times see a bigger God, and often are encouraged to trust Him more themselves. A pastor is often at a loss for words when someone compliments him on his sermon, as he knows that it is only because of God that it was a good sermon. When this happened to me recently after a message I preached at a conference, I found myself responding with a question, You mean God may be a little bigger in your life because of what you just heard? Some were surprised at the question, and had to think about it before affirming that was the case. Although we don t always attain to it, a pastor s goal in preaching should always be that of making God bigger in the eyes of his audience. If we stop and think about it, the gospel of the grace of God magnifies our God. That He has done it all and all He asks of us is to believe Him is wonderful beyond words. The fact that most people rebel over the truth of it shows how little God is to them, and how difficult it can be for them to see the glory of our Lord. To glorify God, we must learn from Scripture about Him. We must learn of His attributes, how, unlike man s, they are perfect and pure. We need to learn that anything that is contrary to the glory of God is not of God. We must always be about renewing our minds about God and His glory. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory (Isa 6:3)! Over the years BBI has been funded primarily by the monthly gifts of individuals and churches that see the need for an Institute with a goal to train students to be leaders in the Grace Movement. Since the founding of Berean Bible Institute in 1996, we have on occasion been blessed with various estate gifts. It has been the desire of these donors to see BBI continue to train leaders for the Grace Movement long after they have gone to be with the Lord. We want to ask that you prayerfully consider BBI as you plan for the future. Please note that there are also various Trusts and or Charitable Annuities that may allow one to give and also receive some tax benefits through their giving. If you have any questions about this process or need more information about Berean Bible Institute don t hesitate to call us. 4

5 BIBLE WORDS & WORDS OF THE BIBLE Dr. W. Edward Bedore, Editor, BBI Bulletin, BABQ The meaning of some Bible words give us a strong basis for having complete confidence in the Bible s message of hope and assurance for those who trust in its message of redemption through Jesus Christ. The words we are looking at in this edition of the BBI Bulletin are of that kind. ABBA Abba is an Aramaic word meaning father that is found three times in the Bible (Mk. 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). It is a term of trust and endearment that was commonly used by Hebrew children in reference to their fathers. The Lord Jesus used it in His garden prayer the night before His crucifixion. And He said Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee. (Mk. 14:36). The Apostle Paul used it twice to emphasize the closeness and security that believers have with God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, that is secured by the indwelling of each believer by God the Holy Spirit. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Rom. 8:15). And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6). SANCTIFICATION Sanctification means to be separated or set apart from something for some special purpose. Biblical sanctification is the setting apart by God of His people from the world for His eternal purpose. Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation is set apart positionally the moment they are saved and identified with Jesus Christ (I Cor. 1:2,30). All believers are saints or set apart ones according to Scripture (II Thess. 1:10). Practical sanctification is the believer s practical state of being in which he is called to separate himself from the wicked and ungodly ways and practices of the world system. Positional sanctification is a once and for-all-time action that takes place when God declares an ungodly sinner a righteous saint when he is cleansed by the blood 5 of His Son, redeemed, and placed into Christ. Practical sanctification is a lifelong process by which the believer grows more spiritually mature over time through the reading, studying, and application of God s Word (II Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17). The positional and practical aspects of our sanctification will finally come together when we receive our glorified bodies in heaven. At that time all believers will be conformed to the image of Christ and will live in a state of perfect holiness forever after. No one will ever reach a place of sinless perfection in this life. The work that God begins in the believer at the time of salvation, He will continue until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). As the song writer said; What a glorious day that will be when we see Jesus the Bible tells us that then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (I Thess. 4:17). THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES (Part 6) Dr. W. Edward Bedore, Editor, BBI Bulletin, BABQ PAUL S PRAYERS FROM PRISON I Ephesians 3:1-13 In chapter three of Ephesians, Paul starts to record the content of a second prayer for the believers in Ephesus. However, after verse one, he temporarily leaves off explaining the details of his prayer and goes into a discourse explaining his special knowledge of the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Paul s explanation of his knowledge includes several important facts: 1). The Dispensation of the Grace of God was given (revealed) to Paul (v. 2). 2). It was for the Gentiles (nations) (v. 1-2). 3). It was a mystery (secret), which concerned Jesus Christ (vv. 3-4). 4). This mystery was never made known in previous times (v. 5). 5). It has been revealed by the Holy Spirit (see I Cor. 2:9-16). 6). Only after being revealed to Paul was it revealed to Christ s Holy Apostles and Prophets (cf. Gal. 1:11-2:9; II Pet. 3:15-16). 7). That Jews and Gentiles would become fellow heirs in Christ (v. 6). 8). Paul, by a gift of God s grace, was to preach the unsearchable (hidden and untraceable) riches of Christ (v. 8). 9). His commission was to make all men see what the fellowship of the mystery (secret) (continued on page 6)

6 (THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES continued from page 5) is (v.9). 10). In past ages the mystery was hidden in God, indicating that it is not a subject of any Scriptures written by anyone other than Paul (v. 9). 11). That Jesus Christ was co-creator with the Father (v. 9). 12). This is all for the purpose of making the wisdom of God known (v. 10). 13). This is all according to God s eternal purpose (v. 11). 14). It was accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (praise His name) (v. 11). 15). It is in Jesus Christ that we have access to God (see Rom. 5:1-2). These things are recorded for us in the Bible because they are vitally important to understanding our position in Christ. PAUL S PRAYERS FROM PRISON II Ephesians 3:14-19 In verse 14 of our text, Paul takes up where he left off in verse one of chapter three. This prayer is actually a continuation or addendum of his prayer recorded in chapter one, verses If we have come to an understanding of our spiritual blessings in Christ (the request of Paul s first prayer), we will now be able to continue in our spiritual growth and understanding of what it means to be in Christ. If we do not first understand our position or standing before God in Christ, we simply cannot fully understand what Paul is requesting on behalf of, not only the Ephesians, but every member of the Body of Christ. Remember, that while this was Paul s letter to the church at Ephesus, it was inspired by the Holy Spirit and preserved in Scripture as God s letter to the entire Body of Christ. The main thrust of this letter is that the character or nature of Christ would be formed in the heart of the believer. To say it another way is that we would become Christ-minded (see Eph. 4:20-23; Phil. 2:1-5; Col. 3:8-10). Paul equates this with "being rooted and grounded in love (v. 17), which in turn enables us to comprehend or understand the matchless love of Christ which passes knowledge (vvs ). The love of Christ is the fourth dimension which gives real meaning and substance to the three dimensional world we live in. True love can only be found in Christ. The love of Jesus Christ can only be exhibited in our lives in proportion to our understanding of the magnitude and scope of God s love and grace of which we have become partakers in Christ Jesus. TO BE CONTINUED... 6 (THE INSTITUTE UPDATE continued from page 1) to see over twenty people stand who had taken courses at BBI. It was obvious to me and others that Berean Bible Institute has made and is continuing to make an impact in the Grace Movement. NEW COURSES AND CERTIFICATES This next semester we will be offering a course in Biblical Greek. We are excited to offer this course again at BBI. It will be the first of two courses, Biblical Greek I and Biblical Greek II. These courses are designed to give the student a solid foundation in the Greek language and help the student study the scriptures more thoroughly in the original language. We will also be offering Evangelism & Follow-up as an online course. While this is not a new course, offering it online will be a new endeavor for us. It is our desire through distance studies and online courses to make study at BBI available to all who wish to be grounded in the truths of Grace. We have also developed two new Certificate programs that can be taken completely through our Distance Studies department. The first one is a Certificate in Dispensational Studies which grounds the student in a proper understanding of Pauline teaching. The second is a Certificate in Biblical Worldview. This certificate is designed to ground the student in a clear understanding of what the Bible says about life, education, and society, as opposed to what the world teaches concerning these issues. Both of these certificates are only ten credit hours in length and are perfect for those already serving in the church as board members, Sunday school teachers, or for those who simply want to grow deeper in their faith. FACULTY AND STAFF CHANGES In an institution like BBI, changes in personnel happen from time to time and several changes are occurring at BBI. As of August, Dr. and Mrs. Bedore will be moving to Florida. Dr. Bedore has accepted the position of Pastor at Grace Bible Fellowship in Nokomis Florida. While we will miss Dr. Bedore and Linda on campus, we are not letting them go that easily. (continued on page 7)

7 (THE INSTITUTE UPDATE continued from page 6) Dr. Bedore will continue to be the Managing Editor of the BBI Bulletin and Bible Answers to Bible Questions, as well as write articles and other study materials for the Institute. Linda Bedore will continue her work as a proof reader and in writing distance studies courses for BBI. We are excited for them as they follow God s leading to Florida and will continue to be blessed by their ongoing support of BBI. We are also sad to announce that Sandy Wruk Silva, our Office Administrator and Web Master, will be leaving us as of September. Sandy s husband has accepted a promotion with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and they will be moving to the other side of the state. Sandy has been a faithful servant of Christ and will be missed at BBI. STUDENT HOUSING We are excited to announce a new association with Atwater Properties, owners of Mutual Apartments in Slinger, WI for recommended student housing. This is a forty unit complex made up of two bedroom apartments that are clean, well maintained, and are in walking distance of BBI. We believe that this will be of help to future students who are looking for a good place to live at a reasonable price while at BBI. VISIT OUR WEBSITE I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit our website at bereanbibleinstitute.org and see what s new at BBI. On our website you are able to stay up to date on what is happening at BBI. We are happy to announce that you may purchase our new BBI 2013/2014 theme shirt Transformed By Grace as well as our BBI official Seal T- Shirt. You may also purchase our newest publication by Pastor Kevin Sadler entitled A Praying Life: True Spirituality and Prayer. This is a wonderful study on prayer in the life of the believer. Finally, we have also made available pictures and a video of our May 2013 Graduation. Through our website, we want to make BBI an encouragement and help to you. 7 PLEASE PRAY FOR US As you know we have been dealing with a drop in our finances at BBI. This continues to be a struggle yet we have seen God at work in those who give. We are so thankful for those who have recently started supporting BBI and those who continue to be faithful in their giving. While we still find ourselves in a financial battle, we know that the victory is the Lord s. This past semester we had approximately thirty-five students attend either on campus or via distance studies. It is my goal that in the next two years to see fifty students attending BBI each semester. Please pray for additional financial support, increased enrollment of students, our search to find a new Office Administrator, and our adjustment to the faculty and staff changes at BBI. It is truly an honor to be a part of a ministry that is impacting the world with the Gospel of Grace. Thank you for partnering with us. Transformed By Grace, Dr. Robert Nix President, Berean Bible Institute BBI needs your help! There are more Grace Churches out there that need pastors but, to train pastors we need students, people willing to follow the will of God. If you are considering going into ministry, or would just like a better understanding of the Bible to help out in your local church, please consider attending BBI. Make the decision to be a student of God s Word, rightly divided. There is no greater calling than to be a minister of His Word, no greater message than that of His Grace! BBI stands for the truth of the Word, and we need students to help proclaim the Good News of salvation. If your church or ministry would like to know more about Berean Bible Institute, we would be more than happy to send you some information, or come give a presentation about our school. Our goal is to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery (Eph. 3:9). The fall semester begins soon so don t delay! Contact BBI at: BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE, Inc. 116 Kettle Moraine Dr. S. PO Box 587 Slinger, WI Phone: (262) bbi@bereanbibleinstitute.org Web:

8 The BBI Bulletin is the official newsletter of the Berean Bible Institute Inc., and is sent free of charge to any that request it. Berean Bible Institute exists as a college level school of adult education, which endeavors to provide advanced Biblical and doctrinal studies in accordance with the Biblical principle of right division and the revelation of the mystery along with practical training in ministry and leadership skills, in order to help individuals become prepared to do the work of the ministry in local churches, the mission field, at home or abroad, with the overall goal of making the Gospel of Jesus Christ known to the lost throughout the world, the edification of believers, and the promotion of personal Bible study. President & Executive Editor: Robert E. Nix, Ph.D. Managing Editor: W. Edward Bedore, Th.D Layout: Jessica Sadler BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE 116 Kettle Moraine Dr. S. PO Box 587 Slinger, WI Phone: /Fax: bbi@bereanbibleinstitute.org/web: Berean Bible Institute, Inc. admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE 116 S. Kettle Moraine Drive PO Box 587 Slinger, WI Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Slinger, WI Permit No. 37 8