T FALL 2016 THE INSTITUTE UPDATE IN THIS ISSUE. Volume 18 September, October, November. Issue 2 Rightly Dividing God s Word. Training for Ministry

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1 U B L I L B E B T e IN h T FALL 2016 Volume 18 September, October, November Training for Ministry Issue 2 Rightly Dividing God s Word THE INSTITUTE UPDATE Dr. Robert E. Nix, BBI President Dr. Robert E. Nix, BBI President It is exciting to share with you that we currently have more students taking courses at BBI than at any other time in our history. We have seen our selfdirected distance studies courses and our online courses continue to grow. Just to give you an idea, the following are the States and Countries where our current students are located: PA, OR, KY, WI, FL, WV, NC, MN, IL, IN, OH, MI, OK, TN, NY, AR, MD, Canada, Cameroon, and Cambodia. As you can see, God is using BBI to further the message of Grace bytraining men and women to proclaim courageously His wondrous grace. When I was a young man I had a habit of looking down when I walked. I remember clearly my mother telling me to keep my head up when I walked or I was going to run into something. One day after school I was walking to a nearby park to meet up with some friends to play basketball. As I was walking along I stepped over a patch of grass. After about three or four steps I suddenly stopped. I realized that there was something in the grass I had just stepped over. As I walked back to the patch of grass, I discovered an eight inch long Copperhead snake coiled up! Needless to say, had I stepped in the wrong place it could have ruined my day. (continued on page 6) Where and how we walk is important. It is so important that the Apostle Paul uses the term thirty-four times in his epistles. The term for walk, paripateo, means to tread about. It can be used in a literal sense as in Matthew 4:18 where Jesus is said to be walking by the Sea of Galilee, or in a figurative sense as Paul uses it in his epistles to describe one s manner of living and activity. IN THIS ISSUE The Institute Update...1 Be Careful How You Walk...1 Mail Received at Box The Bulletin Board...2 Bible Words and Words of the Bible...4 (continued on page 3) Berean Bible Institute PO Box Kettle Moraine Dr. S. Slinger, WI Phone: (262) Fax: (262) bbi@bereanbibleinstitute.org Web: 1

2 Mail Received at Box 587 A Biblical Life A 50 page booklet on Folllthe Christians daily life. Available for $4.00 plus S&H. The Bulletin Board Upcoming Events & News FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA: Thank you for faithfully teaching others to study the Word, rightly divided and stand soundly in preaching Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery. FROM MINNESOTA: Dear Dr. Bedore, thank you for Bible Answers to Bible Questions, it adds a lot to my spiritual diet. I pray for BBI every day. ORDER YOUR 2016 BBI T-SHIRT TODAY Show your BBI support and order your 2016 T-shirt. This years design is Ambassadors For Christ! All sizes available, for only $10.00 each (2X and 3X are $12.00). To order please check out our website at bereanbibleinstitute.org or call us today. FROM PUERTO RICO: Enclosed is a check to help with the current need. We are so grateful for your labors, and for the fruit they produce. FROM CALIFORNIA: Having received your letter, my prayer is that there is a great response to your need. The work at BBI is needful and may hearts be in tune to the need responding generously. We always wish that what we give were more but it is given in a cheerful and thankful heart for our blessings that we enjoy in Christ Jesus our Savior. FROM ALASKA: Enclosed is a check to be used wherever you have need. What we have is all God s! We are so thankful for your ministry, so far reaching for the Lord. Blessings to each who work and teach and the board that directs. God bless you all. Only one life; twill soon be past. Only what s done in Christ will last. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Over the next month we are looking forward to some wonderful opportunities to share the ministry of Berean Bible Institute: October 23 Dr. Nix will be speaking in Alpha, KY at Old Bethel Bible Church October 27 BBI will be hosting a Pastor and Elders Appreciation Dinner. This will be a time for pastors and elders, along with their wives, to gather together for fellowship, food, worship and encouragement. Our guest speaker will be BBI Board Chairman, Pastor Jeff Seekins. It s never too late to be better equipped to serve the Lord. BBI currently has over 25 courses that you can take from the comfort of your home. 2

3 (BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK continued from page 1) In the book of Ephesians, Paul uses the term seven times. In the last three chapters of the letter he uses the term five times when discussing how the believer is to conduct him or herself with fellow believers and in the world. I believe as we examine Paul s usage of the term walk, we discover how to live a life that pleases God in this Age of Grace. The following references certainly deserve more study than is contained in this article. However, even as we examine these references briefly, we can see that God places a high priority on our walk as members of the Body of Christ. IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD (EPH. 2:2). Paul gives the believer a sobering look back at who they were before Christ. They lived and operated in the realm of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul reminds them of how dark their lives were before coming to Christ. They were dead in their sins and destined for God s wrath. Paul also includes himself as an example of one who was lost and in need of a Savior (Eph. 2:3; Titus 3:3). Ephesus was a hotbed of demonic activity, idolatry, witchcraft, and promiscuity. It was out of this environment that God radically saved them and gave them a glorious hope (Acts 19:11-20). FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFORE- HAND THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM (EPH. 2:10). I have heard it said that this one verse paints a picture of the whole book of Ephesians. We are created in Christ, to live for Christ. A large part of living for Christ is doing good works and allowing His love to show through us. A definition that I think is helpful when defining good works is any work that is based on God s Word, that is led by the Holy Spirit, and that brings glory to God. In Ephesians 2:8-10 Paul gives us a clear example of the relationship between good works and salvation. First comes salvation then good works are to follow. WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING WITH WHICH YOU WERE CALLED (EPH. 4:1). Paul is drawing from the truths he describes in the first three chapters. The idea of walking worthy 3 is to walk consistently or in balance with who God has called us to be. In the first three chapters, Paul deals with two key issues. The first issue is our identity in Christ. We are saved through believing the gospel and are sealed until the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13,14). The second issue is that as a result of our salvation we are placed into the Body of Christ. Our new position for the believer is that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. We are no longer strangers but members of God s household (Eph. 2:19). As members of the Body of Christ we are to strive for unity with other believers. God desires that we love one another and encourage one another in the Lord. NO LONGER WALK AS THE REST OF THE GENTILES WALK (EPH. 4:17). Paul confronts the believer with the fact that being in Christ is not the same as being in the world. There is to be a difference. Paul had already pointed out that before coming to Christ they were dead in their trespasses and sins and walked according to the course of the world system (Eph. 2:1-4). One cannot help but notice that as Paul describes how the Gentiles live, he speaks about the futility of their minds (Eph. 4:17). There is a saying in boxing, where the head goes, the whole body follows. So it is in the life of the believer, that which consumes our thought life will eventually find its way into our daily lives. Paul encourages the believer to not get caught up in the thinking of the world but we are taught that the truth is in Jesus. We are to put off the former conduct and be renewed in the spirit of the mind (Eph. 4:20-23). AND WALK IN LOVE AS CHRIST ALSO HAS LOVED US (EPH. 5:2). Paul draws on two perfect examples in God the Father and God the Son to show us what it means to love. In the final verses in chapter 4, Paul deals with the attitudes and actions that can plague believers when we take our eyes off of Christ. In Ephesians 4:32, Paul speaks of the fact that God demonstrated His forgiveness for us in Christ. It is easy to hold grudges when our feelings are hurt. However, God calls us to look to Him as the example of forgiveness and at Christ s sacrifice as an example of what it is to truly love others. (continued on page 4)

4 (BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK continued from page 3) NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD, WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT (EPH. 5:8). Paul reminds believers of who they were before coming to Christ and uses this to show a contrast between their old life in darkness and their transformed life in Christ. Paul then describes what it means to be a child of light. The believer is to be characterized by goodness, righteousness and truth, discerning what pleases the Lord. He is also not to participate in the unfruitful works of darkness but expose them by the light of Christ showing in the believer s life. Notice Paul says to not act like the world. He does not say do not interact with the unsaved, for it is interacting with unbelievers we are given opportunities to share the message of God s transforming grace. SEE THEN THAT YOU WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY NOT AS FOOLS BUT AS WISE (EPH. 5:8). The word circumspectly can also be translated carefully and gives the idea of looking around so as to make the right step. The Greek rendering is akribos, where we get our word acrobat. Here Paul is encouraging the believer to not walk foolishly but wisely, not wasting time because the times are evil. It is essential that we live our lives pleasing to the Lord, seeking His way and not our own or the world s. In Ephesians 5:17 Paul commands the believer to be filled with the Spirit. Here the idea is to be controlled by God s Spirit in us. Living in Wisconsin every year we hear about someone who wondered out on ice that looked strong enough to hold them but in the end cracked under their feet. When living our lives as believers it is essential that we look to the one we can trust. From what we have discovered in examining the epistle to the Ephesians, we can see clearly that how we live or walk is important to God. We can walk God s way according to His Word and please Him, or we can take steps that dishonor Him and bring us much pain, uncertainty, and discontent. Great care needs to be taken as we navigate the world around us. It is essential that we remember who we are in Christ and that He desires the very best for us. May we be ever vigilant in how and where we walk. 4 Dr. W. Edward Bedore Editor, BBI Bulletin, BABQ FAITH AND REPENTANCE Because of the close relationship between faith and repentance in regards to the Gospel of the Grace of God and the salvation of lost souls, we will look at them together here. FAITH Faith is trust based on what one believes. To trust in something or someone means to rely or depend on that thing or person in some capacity. We all exercise faith daily in some way. Meeting someone at a preset place and time is an act of faith. You trust (put faith in) that person to be there as he said he would. The farmer who plants a crop does so by faith. He believes that there will be a market for that crop at harvest time. Numerous examples could be given, but the basic idea of faith is to believe or trust in something. Of course, not all that we place our faith in is reliable. People may fail to do or act as we trust or hope they will. Machinery will eventually break down. Unforeseen circumstances may take the money we hoped to use for a special purpose, etc., etc., etc. In cases such as these, it is not faith which failed, but that in which faith was placed. Faith then, is to believe, to place confidence or trust in something or someone for a specific purpose. Biblical faith refers to faith or trust (reliance) in God s Word, the Bible. Some mistake Biblical faith for the power of their own faith, thinking that certain promises of the Bible are not realized because they didn t have enough faith. Or that they were not healed because they did not really believe. Or that their healing was lost because they quit believing. In other words, their lack of faith. Others teach that you create your own reality by the power of your faith. They say that if you believe something to be true it will become true or that you cause things to happen by believing (having faith) that they will happen. Still others understand faith to simply be the academic acceptance of the truths that (continued on page 5)

5 (BIBLE WORDS AND WORDS OF THE BIBLE cont. from page 4) are taught in the Bible, effectively reducing faith to nothing more than a doctrinal statement of what is perceived to be true. These ideas are not Biblical because they place the basis for faith on the wrong foundation. They are trying to build on the individual s power to believe rather than that which is completely reliable, the Word of God. The question of Biblical faith is not about the strength of one s faith or the level of one s intelligence, but is about the object of one s faith. The Scriptures tell us that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). This does not mean that we can open the Bible and, by faith, claim just any promise that we find written there as our own. The Bible is not a collection of religious sayings and promises that we can randomly pick and choose from! It is an orderly, factual Book written to and about particular people at different times with specific purposes. We must distinguish between the different ages, dispensations and purposes of God if we are to properly understand the Bible and how to apply its truths in a practical way to our own lives. We must rightly divide the Word of Truth (II Tim. 2:15). The most important aspect of Biblical faith is that we must take the Bible at face value. That means that we are to believe that it means what it says and says what it means. We must not spiritualize the Word of God. When figurative language is used, the context will show that it is figurative and also help us understand its literal meaning. We have no authority to change the meaning of the literal sense as found in any passage of Scripture. In other words, faith originates in the authoritative and inerrant Word of God so that we can, with complete confidence, trust in its message. Faith is placed in Jesus Christ for salvation because He alone is able to save us. We cannot earn our salvation (Rom. 3:27-4:5). The process by which faith is enacted through the message of Jesus Christ is a faith response to the truth of God s Word, the gospel of salvation. Thus, faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a matter of placing one s trust in Him and what He has done to save us in response to hearing the gospel (see I Cor. 1:18-23; Eph. 1:12-13). The gospel is that by faith (dependence) in the Person of Jesus Christ and His 5 finished work of redemption, anyone can be saved (Rom. 3:2-22; I Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 1:7). But no one can be saved apart from personally trusting in Jesus Christ. We must trust in the power of God for our daily walk as well as for our salvation. The defeated Christian is the one who is walking in the flesh (by faith in self). The victorious Christian life is walking in the Spirit (by faith in God). By faith every believer can say with Paul I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal. 2:20). To walk in the Spirit the believer must, by faith, access God s grace (Rom. 5:1-2) in order to activate the resurrection power of Jesus Christ that resides in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who guarantees our hope of eternal life (see Eph. 1:13-20; Gal. 5:16; Phil. 1:6; 2:13). Only when we believe (place our faith in the Word) that God s will and purpose for our life is superior to our own desires and plans, will we allow Him to transform us by the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 5:25-26; II Tim. 3:16-17). Through the reading, studying, memorization, and meditation of God s Word, we learn about God and through the obedience of faith we experience God s power. REPENTANCE The Greek word translated repentance in our English Bibles is metanoya. Its basic meaning is to have a change of mind or purpose. While it is true that sorrow might lead to repentance (see II Cor. 7:9-10), this is not always the case (see Heb. 12:17). In comparing these two passages of Scripture, we find in one a sorrow that results, or produces, repentance while in the other we find a man, Esau, who could not repent even though he was sorrowful to the point of tears. Our purpose here is not to expound on the subject of repentance in these respective passages but simply to show that being sorry for something is not the same thing as repentance as many mistakenly believe. Biblical repentance simply means to have a change of mind. The Bible associates repentance with the idea of turning from one thing to another, such as in Acts 26:20 where we have an account of the Apostle Paul (continued on page 6)

6 (BIBLE WORDS AND WORDS OF THE BIBLE cont. from page 5) having told both Jews and Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God. (Also see Acts 3:19; 8:22; Heb. 6:1; cf. I Thess. 1:9). It simply refers to a changing of the mind that involves a turning away from one thing to turn towards another thing. In the Biblical sense, it indicates a turning away from trust or reliance on something and placing that trust and reliance on something else. For salvation from the penalty of sin, repentance is turning away from whatever it is a person is trusting in and turning to Jesus Christ, trusting in Him and His finished work of redemption alone to save them. An example of this is found in Paul s message to the Athenians on Mars Hill. After explaining to those who lived in a city wholly given to idolatry (Acts 17:16) that their idols and temples did not represent the True and Living Creator God, he called upon them to repent and turn to Jesus Christ whom God had raised from the dead (Acts 17:22-31). It is obvious from the context that Paul s purpose in this message was to convince the Athenians of their need to turn away from trusting in their pagan gods and idols and to turn to Christ in faith in order to be delivered from the judgment to come. Paul commended the Thessalonians for having done this very thing in response to His having preached the Gospel to them (see I Thess. 1:9-10). Since faith entails putting one s trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, repentance is an interrelated aspect of faith. They are not the same thing, but you cannot have one without the other. To trust in Christ, a person must repent, or change their mind, about their spiritual condition and whatever they have been trusting in other than Jesus Christ. This will not be the same thing for every person. For example, a person who is trusting in good works for salvation must come to understand that their good works cannot save them and that Jesus Christ can. This is a change of mind about the saving value of good works and the sufficiency of the blood of Christ to save. This transfer of trust from self effort (good works) to Jesus Christ for salvation can be referred to as repentance as a person must change what they believe about good works and salvation in order to make a decision to trust Christ alone as Savior. The 6 same would be true for those trusting in their religion, the observance of rituals and Holy days, church membership, tithing, the strength of their faith, their experiences, or whatever else a person might be depending on to make them acceptable to God. And, of course, the atheist would have to change his mind about the existence of God and the reality of sin and its consequences. In the present Dispensation of Grace we live in, the unbeliever is brought to the place of repentance and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, by the preaching of the Cross through which God s grace is offered to all who believe (I Cor. 1:18-21; cf. Rom. 3:21-26; Eph. 1:13-14; 2:8-9), not by preaching repentance. (THE INSTITUTE UPDATE continued from page 1) WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP IN WV AND PA On September 17, I had the opportunity to speak and present the ministry of Berean Bible Institute at a breakfast hosted by Grace Bible Fellowship in Ridgeley, WV. It was wonderful to see how God is using that ministry to proclaim the gospel of grace and establish the saints in Christ. One of our students who continues to train with BBI, is now the assistant pastor of the church. Please pray for Pastor Brent Biller and Assistant Pastor Aaron Lease as they lead that ministry in reaching more people with the glorious gospel of the grace of God. Altoona Bible Church was my next stop in this three church swing in WV and PA. Over the years, I had heard much about this historic grace church and her stand for God s grace. I must say it was a joy meeting new friends and sharing the ministry of BBI during the Sunday School hour. Altoona Bible Church has a strong heritage of strong biblical preaching and proclaiming the message of grace through television and radio. Each week thousands hear of God s magnificent grace. BBI is honored to have several students taking courses from this ministry and we praise the Lord for Pastor Stewart McClelland, Intern Aaron Harris and others for their work to minister to the saints and proclaim God s grace. (continued on page 7)

7 (THE INSTITUTE UPDATE continued from page 6) Finally, I was able to share the ministry of BBI at Grace Family Bible Church to round out my trip. I was again blessed by the support of that ministry and their desire to see lives changed by God s grace. Pastor Zaebst has a wonderful congregation and a welcoming spirit. I praise the Lord that BBI has students from each of these ministries taking courses so that they might be better equipped to serve the Lord wherever He leads them. BBI NOW ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS In order to help our students pay tuition and for our partners donate to BBI, we have expanded our ability to take payments and donations by accepting credit cards over the phone. We continue to accept payments and donations via PayPal online. It is our hope that this makes the process easier for those who are taking a class or partnering with Berean Bible Institute. TEAM- TOGETHER EVERYONE ACCOMPLISHES MORE I praise the Lord for the response from our letter explaining our financial situation. I want to take this time to say thank you so much for your prayers and support. Many of you responded with both financial support and encouraging letters. Since sending the letter we have twenty-four new partners who have decided to partner with BBI to see men and women trained to serve the Lord and stand for His magnificent grace. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 MARCH 10 6:15 8:00 PM 102 Apologetics 8:15 10:00 PM 324 Theology in Missions WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 MAY 11 6:15 8:00 PM 312 Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians 8:15 10:00 PM 319 Youth Ministry THURSDAY, MARCH 23 MAY 12 6:15 8:00 PM 308 Daniel & Revelation 8:15 10:00 PM 110 Acts LEGACY GIVING Have you ever considered BBI in your legacy giving? One way is by considering Berean Bible Institute in your estate and long-term investment planning. It is our hope and prayer that the ministry of Berean Bible Institute trains leaders well into the future. Please consider BBI as a long-term investment in the furtherance of the gospel of Grace. There are also various trusts and charitable annuities that may allow you to give and also receive certain tax benefits through your giving. If you have any questions or need more information about legacy giving to Berean Bible Institute, don t hesitate to give us a call at (262) Serving Together, ONLINE COURSES EXPANDING Beginning in January, BBI will be offering our online courses in an 8-week format. This will allow us to hold 4 online courses from January 18 March 9 and then after Spring Break hold 4 more courses from March 22 May 11. These courses will continue to be held on Wednesday and Thursday nights with the first course at 6:15-8:00 PM and the last class at 8:15-10:00 PM. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 MARCH 9 6:15 8:00 PM 306 Practical Dispensational Theology IV 8:15 10:00 PM 116 Biblical Worldview Dr. Robert E. Nix President, Berean Bible Institute Ministers are not born. They are made. They are made out of ordinary individuals. The basic qualification is not intellectualism, but a yielded spirit, a devotion to the will of God, and a deep sense of call. Anonymous 7

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 Kettle Moraine Drive S. PO Box 587 Slinger, WI Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Slinger, WI Permit No. 37 8