Walking in the Way. of Christ and the Apostles. Study Guide, Part 1 Foundational Principles

Transcription

1 Walking in the Way of Christ and the Apostles Study Guide, Part 1 Foundational Principles

2 Walking in the Way of Christ and the Apostles Study Guide, Part 1 (Revision 3 Final) Foundational Principles September 12, 2013 Copyright 2013, Daystar Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America by Daystar Institute. Neither this document nor any part thereof shall be reproduced or copied by any means without express written permission of Daystar Institute. The picture on the front cover was provided by Good News Productions, International, and is used by permission. Some Scripture quotations in the theological readers are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation. Other Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible (ESV), Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. The remainder of Scripture quotations are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission. All Scripture quotations in the study guides are taken either from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) or the English Standard Bible (ESV) per the copyright and permissions stated in the paragraph above. Illustrations are use by permission of Big Stock Photo, Visual Bible Alive, Bible Picture Gallery, The Pattern by Cecil J. DuCille or are original works. ii Daystar Institute of Biblical Theology & Leadership Development dba Daystar Institute / NM P.O. Box Albuquerque, NM Phone: (505) DaystarInstituteNM@gmail.com Website:

3 Dedication Walking in the Way of Christ and the Apostles is dedicated to Rev. Morris Wanje whose prayers for God to raise up a means for strengthening and equipping young pastors and church leaders in East Africa caused the Holy Spirit of God to move upon the hearts of godly men and women at Daystar Institute NM to create this Bible Study. We honor you, Rev. Wanje, for your heart to expand the Kingdom of God in East Africa, for the 60+ churches you have planted there and for raising five godly sons. May God be pleased to bless this study by strengthening the faith of all believers and equipping them to do the work of ministry. Dr. Briggs & Rev. Wanje Peter Briggs Colossians 2:6-7 About the Author Dr. Peter Briggs is a graduate of Trinity College & Seminary in Newburg, Indiana with a PhD in Biblical Studies. He began his career in engineering and worked in the marketplace for over 30 years when he felt the call of God to full-time gospel ministry. Dr. Briggs has held various faculty and dean positions at Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, NM, as well as serving as pastor of Adult Education at Foothills Fellowship, Albuquerque. As founder of Daystar Institute NM, his heart is to train men and women to victoriously live out their faith in Jesus Christ by equipping them for the work of ministry. Acknowledgments We acknowledge with deep appreciation the heroic efforts of our team of contributors, editors, board of directors, and all who had any part in the development of this study. Special thanks to Rosemarie Briggs, Ruthanne Hamrick, Marcy Kinzer and Stephen Patterson for transforming the Student Guide into a more understandable, user-friendly document and to Emily Fuller for proof-reading the finished product. Thank you for you help and support! You have blessed us immeasurably. iii

4 Foreword Walking in the Way of Christ and the Apostles was developed at the request of missionary friends in Africa to provide a tool to train rural pastors and church leaders. Our goal is to blend biblical truth and practice so as to enable the student to successfully and joyfully walk in the way of Christ. Part 1 introduces foundational concepts including what it means to walk in the way of Christ, the storyline of the Bible, viewing the world through the lens of Scripture, learning to appreciate and study Scripture, tracing major Bible themes as they are introduced in Torah, developed in the Hebrew Scriptures, fulfilled in Christ, and culminated in the end-time restoration. We conclude this part by introducing the two-part Christian gospel. Part 2 explores in greater the depth the Kingdom aspect of the gospel as presented primarily in the synoptic gospels and the book of Acts whereas Part 3 considers the gospel of God as presented in the epistles. Thus we learn how these two aspects of the gospel fit together to give us a holistic understanding of the gospel. Part 1 Fundamentals of the Gospel Part 2 The Gospel of the Kingdom Part 3 The Gospel of God Theological Reader, Part 1 Theological Reader, Part 2 Theological Reader, Part 3 Study Guide, Part 1 Study Guide, Part 2 Study Guide, Part 3 Common Matter Complete Theological Reader / Common Matter Each Theological Reader is the primary textbook for the pastor and serious student and provides the theological background for the material presented in the Study Guide. The Study Guide is an interactive, easily-understood version of the concepts discussed in the Theological Reader. Many students will want to have access to the appropriate Theological Reader to gain a fuller understanding of the material. The Common Matter contains material pertinent to all three parts, such as a glossary of terms, bibliography, list of resources and other items of general interest. You will find this a valuable tool in your studies. We have chosen to use the traditional inclusive use of personal pronouns in this material. Thus, we use he and his as they appear in the Scripture whereby the context of the passage determines if it refers to a male, or to any individual regardless of gender. iv

5 Integrative Study Process The method of study used in Walking in the Way of Christ and the Apostles is called the integrative study process. From the chart above, note the three major divisions: Study the Scriptures, Share Learning in Community, and Apply the Principles. Our source of study is the Scripture. Studying Scripture is an interactive exercise by which we ask questions of the text, and answer them from the text. Our intent is to understand the text as its author intended, and not read into it what we think it should or could mean. Sharing learning in community is the exercise of doing theology in community. In other words, it is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that new insights are gained through group discussion. We learn from each other. Finally, application results as we derive timeless, normative principles from Scripture that apply to all people, places and periods, and internalize them into our hearts and minds. Our goal is to develop the habit of lifelong learning, in which our study of the Scripture results in the formation of a godly mindset through which we view the world, and our responsibility to impact it for Christ. May we truly walk in the way of Christ and the apostles! v

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7 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Walking in the Way of Christ & the Apostles Keynote Scripture Goals Motivation: CINO - Christian in Name Only The WAY Two Ways Doing Theology (Practicing the Way Recap Thought Questions Chapter 2 The Storyline of the Bible, The Bible is True Goals The Bible is True Bible Storyline My Personal Bible Storyline Group Bible Storyline Recap Thought Questions Chapter 3 The Bible God s Representation of Reality Goals Believing Faith - The Prerequisite to a Godly Point of View Two Ways of Thinking Two Ways of Living Biblical Examples Kadesh-Barnea David & Goliath - Faith vs. Fear Other Old Testament Examples Linking the Old and New Testaments The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant The Prodigal Son - Restored Relationships vii

8 Other New Testament Examples Building a Biblical World View Recap Thought Questions Chapter 4 Discovering the Meaning of Scripture Goals Reading Scripture from God s Point of View The Structure of the Bible Approaching the Word The Bible s Purpose Our Response How to Read & Understand the Bible Narrative Poetry Prophecy Teaching (Didactic) Recap Thought Questions Chapter 5 Torah The Fountainhead of Wisdom Goals Motif #1 - The Name of God Motif #2 - The Temple Motif #3 - the Sabbath Recap Thought Questions Chapter 6 The Christian Gospel In Two Parts Goals The Eternal Gospel One Gospel - Two Aspects The Gospel of the Kingdom of God viii

9 The Gospel of God Perversions to the Christian Gospel Comparison of the Two Aspects of the Gospel Recap Enrichment Exercises Appendix 1 - Glossary Appendix 2 - TR Motif #6 - The Invasion of Evil, Sin and Death FIGURES & TABLES Figure 2-1 Time Line of the Biblical Narrative Figure 3.2 Reality from a Human Point of View Figure 3.1 Reality from God s Point of View Figure 4.1 True Narrative Supports Doctrine Table 4.1 Main Literary Styles of the Scriptures Table 5.1 Fourteen Motifs of the Torah Table 5.2 Names of God Table Table 5.3 Yahweh (I AM) in the Torah Table 5.4 Yahweh in the Hebrew Scripture Table 5.5 Yahweh (I AM) Fulfilled in Christ Table 5.6 Jesus in Revelation Table 5.7 Seeing Jesus in the Tabernacle Table 5.8 Motifs 4-14 with Scripture References ix

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11 WITW STUDY GUIDE PART 1 CHAPTER 1 PAGE 1 Chapter 1 Walking in the Way of Christ & the Apostles The American poet, Robert Frost, in his poem The Road Not Taken writes: Two ways diverged in the wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. Like Robert Frost, we have chosen the way less traveled, for Scripture encourages us to enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the path that leads to destruction. The narrow way - the one less traveled - is the Way of Christ and the Apostles. Keynote Scripture 6 7 Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. [Colossians 2:6 7, ESV, emphasis added] As we all know, walking is an acquired skill. Toddlers are well-named as they toddle around, unsure of themselves and their ability to remain upright. But with practice, their confidence increases, their tumbling decreases, and they are soon walking and running. Even so, walking in the way of Christ is an acquired skill as we learn how to walk in the way of wisdom. Each small step of faith and obedience builds on the next, and so forth. Our desire is that every disciple of Jesus be firmly rooted, built up, and established in his faith. Our hope is that WitW will equip you with the tools and concepts needed to that end. May the word of God dwell in our hearts richly through faith by reading, thinking, and allowing it to penetrate into our very souls, bringing our hearts and minds into alignment with God s. As you begin each lesson, pray asking God to open your heart to the study of His Word, to speak to you through His Word, and to allow the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to break up the fallow ground of your heart. This study is not about learning a lot of facts - it is about living out the truth of the scripture in our lives in order to glorify God and impact others for Christ. Goals To be a Christian in reality and truth, to practice what we believe.

12 WITW STUDY GUIDE PART 1 CHAPTER 1 PAGE 2 To be a follower of Christ as He followed the Father, to be His disciple. To follow the Way of the LORD, Yahweh, the way of wisdom that leads to life. To learn about God through His word, individually and with others. Motivation: CINO - Christian in Name Only A major motivator in creating this Bible Study is the idea of CINO Christian in name only. We DO NOT want to be Christian in name only, but authentic Christians who truly represent the character of Christ. Many people attending our churches today are Christian in Name Only meaning their lifestyle is not consistent with the teachings of Christ. This may be because they are immature (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-3). In this case, it is our responsibility to disciple them. But it may also be because they are not truly Christian, and are simply pretending (2 Timothy 3:5). As a result, the name of Christ is made to look bad. These people sometimes infiltrate the church and teach falsehood to those who are not wellgrounded. For this reason, it is important to be certain of what we believe and willing to address sin and error in our lives and in the church so that the name of Christ is glorified and the church is strong. What does being a Christian mean to you? Following Jesus is like being on a journey. From the moment we first heard and received the gospel message, we began the process of becoming more and more like Christ. Think about how we grow in reflecting Christ. Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:5-7 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

13 WITW STUDY GUIDE PART 1 CHAPTER 2 PAGE 3 but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. What characteristics should we be growing in as described in these verses? Indeed, as we follow Christ we should become more like him...in his humility, emptying, consecration (not my will, but thine), holiness, and love. How well does your life exhibit these characteristics? How does living according to our own natural desires and agenda look different from Christ s model? What are the consequences in our own lives of the way people view Christianity when we live like the world. When we still live like others and not like Christ, we are full of self, pride, our own agenda and sinful desires. How many of these traits are present in your own life? We must examine ourselves so that we do not deceive ourselves into thinking we are something we are not when God sees us as something else, or in thinking we are under His favor when in reality we are courting judgment. We must avoid being Christian in Name Only. Say NO to CINO!