Teacher’s Guide
Teacher’s Guide
Doctrines of the Bible
Teen Study
© Pastor Vince Pienski, Mike Slayman, Charles Wilkes, Chanda Malone
Teacher’s F.Y.I. by Dr. John Hammett
How to Use This Guide
Each of the 30 lessons of this series covers a basic doctrine as would be found in a beginning theology course. This guide gives the materials necessary to prepare the teacher for each lesson. For each lesson this guide has a Teaching Sheet that outlines the lesson and gives all the information needed in the classroom. The teacher should take this section in the classroom with him. The second section for each lesson is the Teacher FYI. This is a more complete coverage of the doctrine that will prepare the teacher for possible student questions. The third section is a Review Sheet that can serve a wall poster that overviews the major points of the lesson (this particular Teacher guide has this section removed to reduce the size of the file).
This Doctrinal Series also includes a separate Student Guide. That guide has sheets for the students to take notes on the lesson and a devotional section that will prepare them for the next lesson. It is a separate download.
Doctrine of Revelation
Lesson 1
IntroDuction to Doctrine
Doctrine:
Ask students: When I say “doctrine” you say what?
Doctrine = Teaching
Biblical Doctrine = Biblical Teaching,
Biblical Doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches about a topic
Ask students: Is all doctrine true?
No, other religions that do not believe in Christ have doctrine as well.
Is it true because you believe it or is it true because it is TRUTH?
Have them read: John 17:17: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
1 John 2:21: I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
Revelation
Revelation:
Ask students: So when I say “revelation” you say what?
Revelation is the manifestation of God Himself and His will for us
Middle School translation: God making Himself known to us.
Ask students: The doctrine of revelation is what?
Teaching about how God makes Himself known to us or reveals Himself to us
TYPES OF REVELATION
Ask students: How does God reveal Himself to us?
Answers may include; His Word, Nature, Holy Spirit, etc.
1. Some of these ways are Universal or General Revelation= meaning accessible to all people, not just saved people, they give general knowledge about God.
Examples include:
A) Nature: Looking at Nature we can see that God the Creator exists
Psalm 19:1: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Romans 1:20: For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
B) Morals/Conscience = our desire for justice and things to be fair
Romans 2:14-15: (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
Discussion: Do you think that universal revelation is enough to bring an unbeliever to a saving knowledge of Christ?
2. God also reveals Himself in ways that are called Special or Particular Revelation=meaning revelation that is given to specific people and reveals more in-depth knowledge about God.
The main example of this is:
A) His Word/ The Bible: We have direct revelation from God available to us in the form of His written Word, which has the power to change our lives.
II Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
II Peter 1:20-21: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:13: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
John MacArthur writes, “Scripture first of all and above all is from God and about God, His self-revelation to fallen mankind.”
Discussion: Why is it important that the Bible actually is God’s Word?
SO WHAT?
Why is this important to you?
Some major reasons:
1) To help you know Him more so that you can make Him known to others.
Romans 10:14-15: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
2) To know why you believe what you believe
1 Peter 3:15: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
3) Because the God that created the universe still has something to say to you each day
Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Romans 15:4: For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Do you think you would pay more attention if God spoke to you audibly than if He spoke to you through Scripture?
He has spoken directly to us in His word, if we try to realize the importance of this fact then we should realize that what He has said to us in Scripture is just like if He were to speak directly to us in an audible voice.
“The Spirit who inspired Scripture still speaks through the Scriptures. They are his chosen instrument and servant, and they bear the authority of their Master.”
This is why we all need to be hungry to know God’s Word. It is active, alive and still speaking to us!
Teacher FYI
Lesson 1: The Doctrine of Revelation
Notes for the introduction:
A preliminary definition: Revelation is the manifestation of God himself (personal) and His will for us (propositional). It includes God's mighty acts, but with an accompanying explanation. It is not human discoveries about God but divine self-disclosure.
Notes for the types of revelation:
The two main divisions: universal (accessible to all) or general (giving general knowledge of God), and special (given at specific times to specially chosen individuals) or particular (giving more particular, specific knowledge of God).
Universal Revelation
I. Biblical Foundations. Scripture teaches that God is revealed to all people everywhere in at least two ways:
A. In the creation. Psalm 19:1-6, Acts 14:15-17, Rom. 1:18-20 (note also Rom. 10:14-18). From nature alone we may learn quite a bit about God: His existence, glory, goodness, eternal power and divine nature. the creation proclaims its Creator.
B. In human nature. Gen. 1:27, Acts 17:28-29, Rom. 2:14-15. Being made in God's image implies that there is some vestige or reflection of His nature in us. One such vestige seems to be the moral law written on our hearts (what we may call conscience). Though cultures may differ in what they consider right and wrong (due to the distorting effect of the fall), the fact that all cultures and all peoples have an idea of right and wrong is a reflection of the fact that all individuals are created in the image of a moral Creator.
Drawing together the biblical and historical material, we make the following affirmations concerning God's universal revelation.
A. In the creation and human nature, God reveals Himself, showing:
1. That one glorious, powerful, eternal, good and moral God exists;
2. That He is our Creator, and thus we are responsible before Him; He has the right to demand an accounting of us, of how we have used the life He gave us; and
3. That we are sinners, disobeying the moral law within and rejecting the knowledge of God given in the creation.
B. The Scriptures teach that because of our fallen nature we do not clearly perceive God's revelation, and that because of the fallen nature of creation, God's revelation there is distorted (Gen. 3:14-19, Rom. 8:19-22).
Special Revelation
Special revelation, then, may be defined preliminarily as revelation of God or of information God desired to communicate, given to particular individuals at particular times.
The Bible is both the record of past revelations and the channel that brings revelation to believers today. The usage of the Bible seems to confirm the idea that revelation is both personal (of God Himself) and propositional (of various types of information God wants to communicate). Thus we may say that the Bible is the witness and record of God's acts of self-disclosure in the past to chosen prophets and apostles, but it is more. It is the channel that actually brings revelation to us. Revelation may and should be a life changing encounter, but it is not devoid of communicable information or content, and that content is given in Scripture. God still speaks to us the word he spoke long ago to the prophets and apostles, for his word is living and abiding.
Moreover, in a number of instances, there is already a link being made between revelation and God's word, and even the writing down of that word (I Sam. 3:21 and Rom. 16:25-26, for example). The phrase "the word of God" is used in the Bible for more than just Scripture (the spoken message of the apostles, the message revealed to the prophets, for example), but we may speak of the Bible as being the written form of God's word.
The Bible as special revelation. The claim that the Bible truly is revelation, and not just the record or witness of past occasions of revelation, rests upon the claim that the Scriptures bear a special divine authority, in such a way that to hear the Bible is to hear God speaking to us. The Spirit who inspired Scripture still speaks through the Scriptures. They are his chosen instrument and servant, and they bear the authority of their Master.
Notes For the discussion question concerning universal/general revelation and salvation
(its quite long, but read it all for good background on this issue)
What About Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?
This question is one that frequently is raised as an objection to Christianity by non-believers. How could a just God send people to hell for not believing in a Christ of whom they never heard? The quick response is provided by the doctrine of general or universal revelation. It assures us that all have heard of God (Rom. 10:18) and have been offered some knowledge of God (Rom. 1:20). They are therefore without excuse. God will not condemn someone for rejecting the Savior of whom he has never heard. That would be unjust, and God is not unjust (Gen. 18:25). God will judge Him for rejecting the revelation available to him in the creation and his own heart.
But what if someone responds positively to the revelation of God in nature and in the moral law? All evangelicals affirm that salvation is possible only through Christ. The question under debate is, Can one be saved by Christ without hearing explicitly of Christ?
This possibility of salvation through universal revelation has been held by some notable theologians in church history. Justin Martyr believed God used Greek philosophy as a preparation for the gospel among the Greeks, almost as kind of a substitute Old Testament. He saw no reason why God could not have saved some who responded to the revelation they had. Huldrych Zwingli held a similar position at the time of the Reformation. John Sanders, in a recent book on this subject (John Sanders, ed., What About Those Who Have Never Heard? Downers Grove: IVP, 1995) claims Chrysostom and John Wesley held this position, though they seem to mention it more tentatively than Justin and Zwingli. And, nearly a century ago, Baptist theologian A. H. Strong argued that some who never hear may be saved through response to the light they had, as it seemed to him some in the OT were.
More recently, C. S. Lewis raised this possibility in his writings, and illustrated it in the last volume of The Chronicles of Narnia, but the current phase of the debate really began for evangelicals with the publication, more than 25 years ago, of Christianity and Comparative Religion by J. N. D. Anderson, a respected English evangelical. In that book, Anderson suggested, somewhat timidly, that perhaps some could be saved by their response to universal or general revelation. If they see God in creation, recognize their sinfulness, and cry out for mercy to the God they wish they could know intimately, they may be saved by Christ in the same way as OT believers.
In the past few years the debate has reached the boiling point, with 5 books involving numerous evangelicals produced on this subject since 1991.
It has been suggested that for those outside the people of Israel (believers like Melchizedek, Jethro and Rahab), general revelation must have been their path to God. They believe those who seek God with all their hearts will find him (Jer. 29:13, Matt. 7:7-8). Pious pagans, such as Cornelius in Acts 10:34-35, or those postulated by Paul in Rom. 2:7-11, show by their actions the work of God's Spirit in their hearts, and He will complete the work He began in them. And, if the knowledge of God mediated by universal revelation is sufficient to render culpable those who reject it (Rom. 1:20), does that not imply that acceptance of it would be sufficient to render one acceptable to God?
Indeed, as missiologist Don Richardson has noted, many cultures seem to have within them divinely planted clues that serve to open the people up to the gospel, once missionaries arrive (see Eternity in Their Hearts). Richardson himself does not suggest that a positive response to these fragments of universal revelation retained in the culture could lead to salvation, but if not, what was the purpose of such revelation for those who died before the missionaries arrived?
They who hold this position say it doesn't negate the need for special revelation, for God doesn't want His children to live and die wondering about Him; He wants us to know Him intimately. Those saved "in the shadows" still deserve the full light of the gospel.
Nor, they maintain, does it undercut the importance of missions, for the greatest motivation for missions in the NT is the glory of Christ, not the dying millions without Christ. And, in any case, we have Christ's command to share the gospel with all the world, which should be sufficient motivation.
Nor does it undercut the unique saving power of Christ's death. All who are saved are saved by Christ's atoning death; the question is whether one must hear of that death to be saved by it. Those who hold this position believe, on the basis of OT examples, NT hints, and the character of God, that it is possible to be saved by Christ without hearing explicitly of Christ, but by responding positively to God's universal revelation.
This position, first suggested by Anderson, has been supported by John Sanders (in the book cited above) and Clark Pinnock (in his book A Wideness in God's Mercy), debated in a book edited by William Crockett and James Sigountos, and very cautiously and qualifiedly admitted as possible by Millard Erickson. Though each position has different nuances and emphases, they share the conviction that a humble, penitent response to the God revealed in nature and conscience may be accepted by God as saving faith, and that such a person may be saved by the blood of Christ without explicit knowledge of Christ, though Sanders and Pinnock are the loudest and most fervent advocates.
Of course, this conflicts with the majority position held by evangelicals down through the years, that one must hear explicitly the gospel of Christ and respond positively to him for salvation, or at least respond positively to special revelation. This is the position of Ronald Nash in Sander's book and that of most evangelicals historically (Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Carl Henry, and most theologians). They point out that while the children of Israel may not have had explicit knowledge of Christ, they were responding to God's special revelation, not general revelation. They point to statements like John 14:6, and Acts 4:12 as leading obviously to their position. Those on the other side point out that these verses support the uniqueness of Christ as the only Savior, but do not say explicitly that one must hear of Him to be saved by Him, and say this still doesn't explain those outside of Israel who were regarded as OT believers.
The most recent book in the debate has been by Millard Erickson (How Shall They Be Saved? Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996). Erickson states, very carefully: "There are no unambiguous instances in Scripture of persons who become true believers through responding to general revelation alone." I would say that, while correct, the likeliest explanation for examples like Rahab and Melchizedek would seem to be general revelation. Erickson does not rule out the possibility, but simply states that Scripture is inconclusive at this point: "Scripture does not indicate how many, if any, come to salvation this way." He adds that the evidence from Romans 1 "seems to suggest that ordinarily, general revelation is insufficient to bring persons to salvation" but he does acknowledge that if general revelation is sufficient to render persons without excuse, that does imply that a positive response may render one acceptable to God. He finally comes down to a position not far from that of Anderson, though carefully qualified and guarded. The two key elements are a recognition of sinfulness from the moral law within (and thus the need for grace) and some valid knowledge of the true God from nature. Exactly how much knowledge is required (both for those who never hear and those who receive the gospel) is a question that Erickson suggests God alone can answer.
I believe we may hope that God will save some through their response to general revelation, but I believe also that this is one of those questions for which we do not need a definitive answer. God has told us He will be just (Gen. 18:25), and He has told us to preach the gospel to all nations. What more do we need to know?
J. Robertson McQuilkin gives a good illustration that helps me resolve this issue:
Suppose you and I were the safety officers on the tenth floor of a condominium which cared for elderly patients. Fire broke out. We, having done our job well, knew that the official floor plan posted on the wall identified one fire escape at the end of the corridor. Perhaps it would be legitimate for me to turn over in my mind the idea that surely the architect must have put in another fire escape. Then, too, I remembered reading a newspaper story of someone who fell out of a tenth floor apartment and landed in a bush and survived. It might be all right for me to think of that. I'm not sure. It might be all right for me to think of tying sheets together so that some unusually strong octogenarian could climb down. But I think it would be immoral to propose such ideas in an hour like that. What do you think? (cited in Ralph Winter and Steven Hawthorne, eds. Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, 1st ed., pp. 133-134.)
I don't think it's wrong to try to answer serious questions put to us by non-believers and show them that there are possible answers to their questions. But we know God will save those who come to him by faith in Christ, we are commanded and obligated to share Christ with all peoples everywhere for their good and His glory, and we can trust God to do what is right for those who died without hearing, so let's get on with the job.
Doctrine of the Word of God
Lesson 2
IntroDuction
Cover the definition of doctrine again:
Ask students: When I say “doctrine” you say what?
Doctrine = Teaching Biblical Doctrine = Biblical Teaching
Biblical Doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches about a topic
Ask students: The doctrine of the Word of God is what?
Teaching about God’s Word
Ask students: Where did the Bible come from?
2 Peter 1:20-21: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit
Men physically wrote the Bible, but, as this verse says, they were “carried along” by the Holy Spirit, and wrote the actual words of God.
"The Bible is a reliable collection of historical documents written by eye witnesses during the lifetime of other eye witnesses. They report the supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies that were divine rather than human in origin." Voddie Baucham
Ask students: Do you know who decided what is Scripture and what is not?
Ultimately God did. In His divine providence, He did not just create this world and leave it. God is actively involved in everything that goes on. The decision as to what should be considered Scripture was made by early church fathers in a series of councils and after much discussion. Of course, the Holy Spirit was clearly leading these men and we can rest assured that the Bible contains all God-inspired Scripture.
LECTURE
The makeup of the Bible:
The Bible is split into two main divisions, the Old and New Testaments.
Old Testament:
The Old Testament as we know it had been recognized as the word of God by the Jews as early as 90 AD.
Jesus affirmed the authority of the Old Testament.
Luke 24:44: He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
He referenced the entire Old Testament, and made it clear that the entire thing foretells of Him.
New Testament:
The decision as to what books should be in the New Testament came about through the work of certain church fathers and was accepted and finalized at the Council of Carthage in 397 AD.
All of the New Testament books bear the mark of either being written, approved, or lining up with the teachings of the Apostles.
But above all the books of the New Testament bear the witness of the Holy Spirit as being inspired.
The Canon:
What we have in the 66 books of the Old and the New Testaments together is what we call the Bible. Another way of referring to these books is the canon of scripture. Canon means straight rod used as a standard for measurement, and in the canon of Scripture we have the standard that Christianity is built upon.
Have the students open their Bibles to the Table of Contents, for a look at how the Bible is commonly divided.
Ask students: Does anyone know what the first 5 books of the OT are called?
The Pentateuch, or you may have heard the Law, Jewish Torah, or the Books of Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy)
Ask students: Does anyone know what the next 12 books of the OT are called?
The Historical Books (Joshua- Esther)
Ask students: Does anyone know what the next 5 books of the OT are called?
The Wisdom or Poetry Books (Job- Song of Songs)
Ask students: Does anyone know what the next 5 books of the OT are called?
The Major Prophets (Isaiah- Daniel)
Ask students: Does anyone know what the next 12 books of the OT are called?
The Minor Prophets (Hosea- Malachi)
Ask students: Does anyone have the Apocrypha in their Bible?
If anyone does have these explain that they are books that some groups have included in the canon, but traditional protestant Christianity does not accept them as inspired.
These books are useful for historical information about the time between the Old and New Testaments, but they are not the inspired Word of God.
Ask students: What are the first four books of the New Testament called?
The Gospels; All tell the story of Jesus, but each were written for certain audiences.
Matthew’s purpose in writing was to prove to Jewish readers that Jesus had fulfilled the OT prophecies of a coming Messiah.
Mark was written to Gentiles and focuses on action and miracles, rather than Jesus’ teachings and parables.
Luke focuses on salvation and its availability to all, it is also written with a high level of detail.
John states his purpose in 20:31: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. John writes an evangelistic message and is known for clearly stating the basics of our faith.
Ask students: What is the next book of the New Testament called?
Acts = the history of the early church
Ask students: What are the next 13 books of the New Testament called?
The Pauline epistles (letters written by Paul) (Romans- Philemon)
Ask students: What are the next 8 books of the New Testament called?
The General epistles (letters written by others) (Hebrews-Jude)
Ask students: What is the final book of the New Testament called?
Revelation is referred to as New Testament prophecy
ATTRIBUTES OF THE BIBLE
Ask students: What are some attributes of the Bible?
We will focus on four in particular: authority, clarity, necessity, and sufficiency
1. Authority of Scripture
As the Word of God, Scripture carries the authority of its speaker, and therefore to disbelieve or disobey its words is to disbelieve or disobey God.
Ask students: Knowing that the Bible carries the authority of God, how should we treat it?
We should understand the importance of it and the importance of believing and obeying the words found in it.
Isaiah 66:2: “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”
Note: This does not mean we should worship the Bible, but that we should be aware that it holds the words of the One who we do worship.
Inerrancy of Scripture
Ask students: Are there any errors in the Bible?
NO! The only mistakes are in interpretations.
Inerrancy means that Scripture in its original manuscripts is free from error.
Psalm 12:6: And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
John 17:17: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
2. Clarity of Scripture
Saying that Scripture has clarity means that its teachings are able to be understood by any who read it seeking God’s aid in understanding it.
Ask students: Who can really understand the Bible?
Believers and those unbelievers who are seeking the truth
Ask students: Who helps us understand?
The Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:12: We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
3. Necessity of Scripture
This means that the Bible is necessary for us to be able to know the gospel, to grow as Christians, and to understand the will of God.
Ask students: So what is the benefit of reading Scripture?
2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:4: Jesus answered, “It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.””
4. Sufficiency of Scripture
This means that Scripture has all the words of God that we need in order to know, trust and obey Him.
Ask students: Is the Bible enough to tell us what we need to know?
YES!!!
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
SO WHAT?
Why is this important to you?
Is it true because you believe it or is it true because it is TRUTH? We can be confident that we have the TRUTH. You are to test all things against the canon, the straight rod, your standard. It is to be a lamp unto your feet.
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path
Knowing all that we do about the Bible we should see it affecting our lives as it is THE standard for living.
What would you think of Scripture if there were errors in it?
How does knowing that it is inerrant effect the way you look at Scripture?
It is a comfort to know that we can trust every word of Scripture and that we don’t have to doubt whether or not what it says is true.
Do you nourish your soul on the spiritual food of the Word as carefully and diligently as you nourish your body on physical food?
Teacher FYI
Lesson 2: The Doctrine of the Word of God
Information concerning the canon of Scripture
The issue of the canon. The basic meaning of the root word for canon in both Hebrew and Greek is that of a straight rod, and, derivatively, a standard or criterion. In theology, it refers to those books that have formed the standard or criterion for, first, Judaism, and later, for Christianity. The canon is the list of books that form the norm for Christian theology.
1. The need for a canon. The 66 books of our Bible were not, of course, the only religious literature produced in the biblical period. There are 14 or so books that were produced largely during the intertestamental period or during the first century A.D. called the Apocrypha, a larger group of writings from roughly 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. called the Pseudepigrapha, and many other writings of various types. The need was for a list of books that the people of God viewed as determinative for their life before God.
That need was accentuated by the appearance of heretics who denied the validity of some of the books commonly used by God's people.
2. The historical development of the canon.
a. The OT. Mainline scholarship has maintained for decades the theory that the OT canon was recognized in three stages, corresponding to the three sections of the Hebrew OT. The Pentateuch was accepted as canonical by the fifth century BC, the prophets by the third century BC, and the writings continued in dispute until the synod of Jamnia, held around 90 AD. Thus we arrive at the Hebrew canon of the OT, containing the 39 books we recognize today
I think we have good NT support for accepting the Hebrew canon as valid. Jesus seems to have referred to it, and he certainly knew of it and never questioned it (though he did question many other accepted Jewish beliefs).
As to the question of the Apocrypha, Beckwith notes that the support for the canonicity of these books among the church fathers is in fact much weaker than is commonly thought. Often there are allusions or similarities of thought; there are some direct quotations, but clear claims or even implications of canonicity for these books is scarce. More important, Jesus and the NT authors quote from the books of the Hebrew canon hundreds of times, but never quote any apocryphal book as authoritative Scripture. It is true the NT book of Jude does make use of the pseudepigraphal books of the Assumption of Moses and I Enoch, but not in a way that implies their canonicity. The evidence from Jesus and the NT supports acceptance of the Jewish canon, and rejection of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha.
The Reformers rightly refused to accept them as canonical, though they did acknowledge them as useful, both for historical knowledge of the intertestamental period and for spiritual encouragement.
b. The NT. Here too the progress was gradual. In the NT itself there is evidence that some parts were already being regarded as Scripture (I Tim. 5:18, II Pet. 3:16), and early church fathers began quoting NT books early, often, and as authoritative. All the NT books except III John were quoted as Scripture in the second century. Early in the second century, there was general acceptance of the 4 gospels, the 13 letters of Paul and the writings of some of the other apostles. By about 170, we have a canon used by the church in Rome that was developed against the heresies of Marcion that recognizes almost all the books of our NT (it omits Hebrews, James and I and II Peter). For a time, some doubts persisted about the inclusion of Revelation, James, Jude, and II and III John and the exclusion of some popular first century books like the Shepherd of Hermas and the Didache. Our first complete list is from Athanasius in 367. He is followed by Jerome and Augustine and final approval by the Council of Carthage in 397, which effectively ended discussion.
3. The criteria for the canon. The most perplexing question is trying to reconstruct the reasoning of those who constructed the canon. How did they decide which books to include and which to exclude? There have been a number of proposals as to the criteria used:
a. The objective criterion: prophetic/apostolic authorship. R. Laird Harris claims that the books of the OT were accepted because they were written by people recognized as prophets, and that the NT books either came from an apostle or with apostolic approval, But there is a problem with this theory. We have no indication that the authors of Job or Ruth or I and II Kings were prophets or that Hebrews was written by an apostle. This theory claims more than the evidence provides.
b. The subjective criterion: Scripture is self-authenticating. Numerous authors have noted that the canonical books have a discernible qualitative difference from other books. Thus, the canon is not an authoritative collection of books (authorized by the Church), but a collection of authoritative books (authorized by the divine stamp of authorship that authenticates itself).
c. The historic criterion. This criterion trusts the judgment of the Church, which has always accepted the 66 books as canonical and has heard God's voice in those books.
d. The spiritual criterion: the Holy Spirit. This criterion affirms that the Spirit's role in Scripture did not end with inspiration, but continued in the process of canonization and illumination. The same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures worked providentially to secure acceptance of those Scriptures and gives the final internal testimony that convinces the heart not only of the canonicity of the Scriptures, but of their divine authority and claim on the individual's life.
I believe the strongest reason for accepting the canon lies in this final factor. Though there are some indications of the prophetic/apostolic criterion, and an undeniable self-authenticating quality in the documents, and a solid historical testimony to the canon, I simply cannot believe that the Holy Spirit would carefully supervise the writing of the Scriptures (inspiration) and then leave us to ourselves to recognize the authenticity of the writings (canonization). I accept the canon because I trust God the Holy Spirit.
4. The importance of the canon. The canon protects us from two dangers: adding to the Bible or taking something away from the Bible.
a. It is interesting to note that virtually every heretical group has another source of revelation beyond the Bible. The Mormons have The Book of Mormon, among others. Jehovah's Witnesses have the writings of Charles Russell. Christian Scientists follow the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy. But Christians affirm that the faith (the body of orthodox teachings) was given once and for all (Jude 3), and that Jesus is the determinative word of God.
In other words, we believe the canon is closed, in the sense that God is giving no authoritative, normative revelation today. Some may claim personal, private revelations. I do not deny their experience, but I think it is better to call it guidance or illumination, and it must always be judged by Scripture.
b. The second danger is not followed openly, but often subtly. If we believe II Tim. 3:16, we should be reading and preaching all the Bible. It is all profitable. Obviously, not all parts are equally valuable and applicable. I would not want a pastor to spend months on Leviticus and one week on Ephesians. There are central and peripheral things, but they are all part of the picture. Therefore, the pastor or leader must resist the temptation to develop a personal canon within the canon, and maintain continual exposure to the whole counsel of God (reading the whole Bible every year, balancing OT and NT preaching and teaching, etc.).
Doctrine of the Nature of God
Lesson Three
IntroDUCTION
Cover the definition of doctrine again:
Ask students: When I say “doctrine” you say what?
Doctrine = Teaching
Biblical Doctrine = Biblical Teaching,
Biblical Doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches about a topic
Ask students: Is all doctrine true?
No, other religions that do not believe in Christ have doctrine as well.
Is it true because you believe it or is it true because it is TRUTH?
Ask students: So when I say “Doctrine of the Nature of God” you say what?
Teaching about God’s Nature- the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing (Webster’s Dictionary)
LECTURE
Ask students: So what makes up God’s Nature? What makes God – God?
We will look at four truths about God, His transcendence, His immanence, the fact that He is spirit, and His oneness.
1. The God of the Bible is Transcendent.
Ask students: Does anyone know what transcendent means?
Transcendent means God is above all, including common human needs, such as oxygen, water, food, etc.
Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
This is saying God is not to be confused with the creation. He created all, but is not the tree, in the tree, the flowers . . . there is no Mother Nature.
Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
God is the creator, not a creation.
This means that the god of pantheism is not the true God that we worship (Pantheism teaches that god is in all things, that all things are god).
2. The God of the Bible is Immanent.
Ask students: Does anyone know what immanent means?
Immanent is the idea that God is thoroughly involved with His creation in a personal way.
2 Corinthians 6:16b: For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
God walked, talked, and gave instruction to His creation; He even came in the person of Jesus Christ to bring about our salvation. He is not a spectator creator like some believe.
This excludes the god of deism and theistic evolution
(Deism teaches that God created the universe and then left it on its own to develop, theistic evolution claims that God is the creator, but that he created everything to develop through the process of evolution)
This also excludes the Muslim Allah as being the God of the Bible because he is an impersonal, unknowable deity. You and the Muslims are not praying to the same god.
3. The God of the Bible is Spirit.
Ask students: What does it mean when I say that God is Spirit?
God is not a physical object or idol; there is no physical representation of God.
John 4:24: God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.
1 Timothy 6:15b-16: God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever, Amen.
We do not worship objects, shrines, or statues, which are made by human hands.
Isaiah 44:9-10: All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?
This makes our religion distinct from others such as Buddhism, which has deified a man. The second commandment makes it clear that idol worship is unbiblical and ungodly. Jesus Christ did come in the form of a man, in order to identify with us and atone for our sins, but the divine nature is spirit.
4. The God of the Bible is One.
Deut. 6:4: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Ask students: What does that mean?
There is only one God. (Monotheism)
Ask students: Are we being narrow-minded?
YES!!!
Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad the path that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
What does this say about Mormonism and Hinduism as well as other polytheistic (those who believe in many gods) religions since they believe there are many gods?
They are not worshipping our God!!
(LEADER NOTE- THE FIFTH TRUTH ABOUT GOD’S NATURE, HIS TRINITY, WILL BE COVERED NEXT WEEK.)
SO WHAT?
How does this personally affect us?
Some major reasons:
1) It is important to know that the God of the Bible is above all things. He created and is powerful. However, God is personally involved in His creation. He listens and cares about us. He is not in everything, but He is everywhere. He is there during your worship time, prayer time, sad times, and joyful times. God cares so much for us that He even came in person, Jesus, and sent the Holy Spirit to watch over us! (More to come next week on the Trinity)
2) It is important to know that the God of the Bible is the only true God. Other religions are worshiping a different God if He is not these things, Transcendent, Immanent, Spirit, and One.
Do most people today believe that God exists? If so, why are they not living for Him?
Teacher FYI
Lesson 3: The Nature of God
What type of God is God? He is:
a. Transcendent. Gen. 1:1 affirms that God created all things. This is the first and fundamental biblical affirmation about God--that He is the Creator-God. This means that He is not to be identified with the creation, but is separate and distinct from it. In theological terms, this is an affirmation of the transcendence of God. He is not within creation, or part of it, but is above it. Therefore, pantheism (the idea that God = the world) is excluded.
b. Immanent. But the affirmation of transcendence is soon balanced with an affirmation of immanence, the idea that God is thoroughly involved with His creation. Gen. 2 and 3 show His very personal involvement with His creation, especially with the creatures created in His image. God is involved with His world, interacts with human beings, acts to intervene in the course of events (including miracles, such as creation itself and other acts of intervention after the fall), and is Himself affected by what happens in His creation (see the divine sadness in Gen. 6:5-6).
Transcendence excludes pantheism, and immanence excludes deism, which pictures God as a watchmaker who winds up the world and then walks away from it, leaving it to run on its own. God is not intrinsically bound to the world as a part of it, but has firmly chosen to be immanently involved in the world and in the lives of His creatures. His immanence is not one of essence (that is, that God is by nature part of the created order) but one of personal relationship.
As we shall see, maintaining the balance of transcendence and immanence has been a perennial problem in theology, especially in the 20th century. But both are essential, because they give us a God like no other. Unlike the Roman and Greek gods, the God of the Bible is transcendent, infinite and majestic in both power and goodness. But unlike the gods of the east, of Hinduism and Buddhism, God's transcendence does not lead to a detached, impersonal God. He is immanent, not by being part of the world but by choosing to relate personally to His creatures. There is no other god in history like this personal-infinite, transcendent-immanent God.
c. Spirit. Another element we encounter early in the biblical record is the spirituality of God. Gen. 1:2 gives us the first hint, but the rest of the biblical record makes it clear that God not only has a Spirit, but is by nature spirit and not flesh and bones (John 4:24, Luke 24:39). What exactly does it mean, to affirm the spirituality of God? I think it has two implications, one emphasizing transcendence and one immanence.
The spirituality of God thus gives striking evidence of His immanence. He gives life to all that exists (Psalm 104:29-30).
The second implication of God's spirituality that does imply His transcendence is in the prohibition of making any physical representation of God (Ex. 20:4). In the Incarnation, God the Son accepted a physical body in order to identify with us, but the divine nature in itself is different. It is Spirit, and thus there is no adequate physical representation for God. Thus any physical representation, even using the most powerful or majestic of animals (a bull, for example) was sinful idolatry, for God is greater than any physical representation can convey.
d. A Unity. The theism of the Bible is monotheism, not polytheism (or even henotheism: one supreme God over all lesser gods). The people of Israel took a long time and severe experiences of judgment and persecution, but they finally learned the lesson taught by Moses in Deut. 6:4: "Hear o Israel, the Lord our God is one God."
There is only one God. The Bible teaches monotheism, and excludes polytheism.
One other attribute of God we may imply from God's unity is what is called His simplicity. This is the idea that there is no division in God's essence, no contradictory elements, no being pulled in two directions. Everything in God is united and in harmony.
There is some difficulty in trying to decide where the Nature of God ends and the attributes of God begin. For example, is “eternality” part of God’s nature or an attribute of God? Different theologians treat nature and attributes differently. The distinction offered by one of my theology professors was that the nature of God is like the foundation of a building, and the attributes like the superstructure, but there is no hard fast rule.
Doctrine of the Trinity
Lesson Four
IntroDUCTION
Ask students: What is the Trinity?
One God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Ask students: Can we find “Trinity” in the Bible?
Yes, the concept is present in the Bible, but the word itself isn’t used.
LECTURE
Let’s look at some Trinity passages.
Ask students: Can anyone think of any passages that show the Trinity?
Genesis 1:1-3: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
In the creation account we can see God the Father, the Spirit hovering over the waters, and the Word (Jesus) being spoken.
Genesis 1:26a: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”
Here we see the three communicating with each other in unity.
John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
v. 14a: The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
This shows that Jesus and the Father are one.
Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Here, in the Great Commission, all three persons of the trinity are mentioned.
Discussion:
1. Which of the 3 persons of the Trinity is God?
God the Father: John 6:27: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
Jesus: Colossians 1:15: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Holy Spirit: Acts 5:3-4: Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”
These Scriptures are just examples of the many that show that they are all fully God.
2. How do we pray in relation to the one God if He exists in three persons?
We have the model prayer of Matthew six, to show us Jesus’ example of how to pray.
John 15:16b: Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
In this verse Jesus tells us to pray to the Father in His name, however, this does not mean that it is wrong to address your prayers to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Also, praying in Jesus’ name is not a secret formula that guarantees your prayer will be answered.
1 John 5:14-15: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of Him.
The key in prayer is sincerity in seeking God’s will for our lives.
Romans 8: 26-27: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
Even when we aren’t sure of what to say to God the Spirit is speaking for us, He knows exactly what each of us needs.
3. Can we fully understand the truth of the Trinity?
1 Corinthians 13:12: Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
During our time on earth there will be many things that we are unable to understand, in heaven these mysteries will be fully explained and comprehended by us.
“Try to explain it, lose your mind. Deny it, lose your soul.” “If I can explain God, He isn’t very big.”
4. How can three persons be called one? Doesn’t 1+1+1= 3?
You can’t add God up. Our limited minds can barely even begin to understand the unlimited greatness of God. Jesus says in John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”
5. In what ways do the three persons of the one Godhead function differently?
Though there is overlapping in the functions of each person, generally we find the Father acting in administration, the Son acting in revelation, and the Spirit acting in operation.
SO WHAT?
Why is this important to you?
It is important to know that all three are fully God and that there is only one God.
Ask students: Why does Jesus need to be God?
Atonement, the perfect sacrifice, only Jesus, God in human flesh, could bear the penalty for our sins.
1 Peter 2:24: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 3:18: For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.
There are many religions that deny the deity of Christ; But if He wasn’t God than there is no way that His sacrifice could have been sufficient for our salvation.
Ask students: Why does the Holy Spirit need to be God?
In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) He is mentioned with the Father and Son as an equal, also Jesus speaks of new life coming through the Spirit, and only God can give someone new life.
John 3:5-6: Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Teacher FYI
Lesson 4: Trinity
e. A Trinity. This is the aspect of God's nature that makes the Christian God different than that of any other religion. Not only does the Bible exclude atheism, pantheism, deism, and polytheism, it also excludes Unitarian monotheism (such as held by Judaism and Islam). We affirm Trinitarian monotheism--one God who exists in a triune being, or, in traditional Christian language, one God in three personal distinctions. To my knowledge there is no other religion in the world that has this conception of God.
To those who say that the Trinity is irrational, for it asks us to believe that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1, we respond with two counters. Rather, we are saying that x + y + z = a, or better still, 1 x 1 x 1 = 1. In the case of deity, perhaps the relationship is multiplicative, not additive. At any rate, we must be prepared to show that it is not inherently irrational or incapable of a sophisticated, coherent formulation. Beyond that, we may allow that perhaps a full comprehension of the triune nature of an infinite God is beyond us. He is unique.
Which of the three persons of the Trinity is God?
(Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 5:20-21; John 1:1-2; I Corinthians 2:10-11, 15:24)
All three persons of the Trinity are the one God. The three persons are distinct and yet often overlap in their functions. Take a look at the many ways their functions overlap. This is a necessity since the three are the one God. The Father, Son and Spirit are co-equal, meaning each is equal in power and in substance. The three are one. All three persons are co-eternal, meaning that they are self-existing, have always existed, and always will. There has never been a time when God did not exist. Most cults deny the equality of the Trinity. The Jehovah Witnesses insist that Jesus is not fully God, but was a creation of God. If Jesus was God they reason, then there is more than one God. They insist that one plus one plus one equals three. The Trinity is more like one times one times one equals one. The Trinity is often depicted as three interlocking circles. It is sometimes compared to water in its three states of vapor, ice and liquid. All three forms consist of water. All analogies break down at some point and we simply believe by faith that which is beyond human explanation. The three are one.
How do we pray in relation to the one God if He exists in three persons? (Matthew 6:9-13; John 15:16b)
Jesus taught us to pray in reference to the father. It is not, however, wrong to address God as Jesus or the Holy Spirit. David often addressed God as Lord. Jesus also referred to himself as Lord. The most important aspect of prayer is not which name you address God by as much as the sincerity of the heart in prayer.
Can we fully understand the truth of the Trinity? (I Corinthians 13:12)
No, we cannot fully understand the Trinity. We only know bits and pieces. One of the most wonderful aspects of heaven is that for eternity we will discover new aspects of our awesome God. Each new discovery will add to the praises we will offer up to Him.
How can the three persons be called the one God? Doesn’t one plus one plus one equal three?
Answer: You can’t add God up. Our limited minds can barely even begin to understand the unlimited greatness of God. (John 3:12)
In what ways do the three persons of the one Godhead function differently?
Answer: Though there is overlapping in the functions of each person, generally we find the Father acting in administration, the Son acting in revelation, and the Spirit acting in operation.
Doctrine of the Incommunicable Attributes of God
Lesson Five
IntroDUCTION
Ask students: What does the word incommunicable mean?
It means not shared
Ask students: What does the word attribute mean?
It means a characteristic inherent in something.
Ask students: What do you get when you put these together?
God’s incommunicable attributes are His characteristics that are not shared with anyone or anything else. They are unique to God alone. That means no one else has these characteristics, including Satan.
Ask students: What do you think would be an incommunicable attribute of God?
We will be talking about His infinity, His self-existence, and His unchanging nature.
INCOMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES
1. God’s Infinity
God is infinite, or immeasurable in many ways, including His relation to time, space, knowledge, and in His power.
A. Time: Psalm 90:1-2: Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
God has no beginning or ending to His existence.
Is there another that can say this?
NO!
So in God’s infinity He is not bound by time in any way.
B. Space
This is an “omni” word.
Ask students: Does anyone know which “omni”?
Omnipresence
Ask students: Does anyone know the meaning of omnipresence?
God is everywhere. “Omni” means all. So it means all present.
1 Kings 8:27: “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”
So in God’s infinity He is not bound by space in any way.
C. Knowledge
This is another “omni” word.
Ask students: Does anyone know which “omni”?
Omniscience
Ask students: Does anyone know the meaning of omniscience?
All knowing.
J. I. Packer “God’s wisdom consists in knowing the whole plan, and how best to accomplish it. For humans, wisdom does not mean sharing in that type of wisdom. The book of Ecclesiastes shows us that things do not make sense under the sun. Rather, human wisdom is knowing, not why things happen, but how we ought to respond to whatever circumstances arise, and knowing that above all we can trust and rest in God’s wisdom.”
So in God’s infinity He knows all things.
Psalm 94:11a: The Lord knows the thoughts of man
D. Power
This is another “omni” word.
Ask students: Does anyone know which “omni”?
Omnipotent
Ask students: Does anyone know the meaning of omnipotent?
All powerful
Ps. 115:3: Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.
This passage answers all of the why questions asked about God.
So in God’s infinity He is all powerful.
Ask students: What are some examples of God’s power?
Creator of the universe; the Flood; parting the Red Sea; calming the storm
Matthew 19:26: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
E. Every Perfection
“God’s infinity extends to every other attribute. All that God possesses, He possesses in perfect and infinite measure: infinite love, holiness, mercy, and wrath.”
Psalm 36:5-6: Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.
2. Self Existence
Our life has been given to us. God exists and has always existed, this wasn’t given to Him, God is Life.
John 5:26: For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.
Ask students: To turn in their Bibles to Acts 17:25, then ask what can we understand about God from this passage?
Acts 17:25: And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
“He has no need of us or anything else (Acts 17:25); there is a sufficiency of everything within the Trinity. And since He has no need of us we can know His love is given freely and graciously.”
He doesn’t need anything from us, yet He chose to create us and desires a relationship with us, not for selfish reasons like many human relationships.
(May want to revisit Immanence from Lesson 3)
3. Unchangeableness or Immutability
Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
James 1:17: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
We can trust that God will stay the same forever, His promises remain true and His word is constant and unchanging.
SO WHAT?
Why is this important to you?
Ask students: Why is it important to your faith to know that God is infinite in time, space, knowledge, etc.?
1. God has all the answers. You can go to Him and ask Him questions.
2. God is always there listening and watching you. What is He hearing and seeing? Is He pleased?
3. God does not change His mind. You can always trust Him.
4. God has the power to do anything. He is able to answer your prayers.
5. God is perfect. He is our standard.
6. Satan is none of these things! “He ain’t all that!”
No matter what anyone else tells you, there is only ONE God with these attribute/characteristics.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 5: Incommunicable Attributes
1. The Incommunicable Attributes. Of the attributes that make God unique and different from all other beings, the first and most important is:
a. His infinity. By definition, there can only be one infinite being, and that being is God. He is infinite in:
(1) Space. This is what we mean by the omnipresence of God (Ps. 139:7-12, Jer. 23:23-24). Some use the terminology the immensity of God. He fills all the universe and more. This attribute contains both comfort and challenge. There is nowhere we go alone, but there is also nowhere to hide. As Luther said, we live all our lives before God.
The focus in Scripture is on God's greatness, and His presence with us wherever we are.
(2) Time. God's infinity in relation to time is His eternality. He is the Creator and owner of all time. He existed before the creation of time (Ps. 90:1-2) and dwells in eternity.
Implicit within the idea of this attribute is a distinctly Christian view of history. We do not see history as an endless, meaningless, painful cycle from which we long to escape (as in most Eastern religions), but as His Story, the arena in which God has chosen to accomplish His purposes. Still, it is God's creation, and He will conclude it at His chosen time.
(3) Knowledge. God's infinity in knowledge is omniscience (Ps. 139:1-12, Rom. 11:33-36), including perfect knowledge of us (Heb. 4:13). Because He knows all, God's decisions show His wisdom (Ps. 104:24), however hidden it may be to us today. As J. I. Packer says in "God's Wisdom and Ours" (Knowing God, p. 102), God's wisdom consists in knowing the whole plan, and how best to accomplish it. For humans, wisdom does not mean sharing in that type of wisdom. The book of Ecclesiastes shows us that things do not make sense under the sun. Rather, human wisdom is knowing, not why things happen, but how we ought to respond to whatever circumstances arise, and knowing that above all we can trust and rest in God's wisdom.
(4) Power. God's infinite power is omnipotence. That means that God can do whatever He pleases (Ps. 115:3). This may be related to one of the names for God in the OT, the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sabaoth). This title is found 285 times in the OT, but nowhere in the Pentateuch. It emerges as the nation of Israel begins to deal with other nations, and wants to affirm that Yahweh is not only the God of their army, but the Lord of all hosts (all armies). It is an exalted title, that affirms God's glory and sovereign power (see Psalm 24).
God can do whatever He desires. He cannot lie or be cruel or unjust, for His nature is such that He never desires to do so. Omnipotence means that God has sufficient power to carry out all His intentions. He is sovereign. His plans are not frustrated. Since He is omniscient, He knows what is best, and since He is omnipotent, He can accomplish what is best!
(5) Every perfection. God's infinity extends to every other attribute. All that God possesses, He possesses in perfect and infinite measure: infinite love, holiness, mercy and wrath (Psalm 36:5-6).
b. Self-existence: Our life is a derived existence; God has life in himself (John 5:26). The most common name for God in the OT, Yahweh, may hint at the fact that He is and always has been. God calls himself "I am."
He has no need of us or anything else (Acts 17:25); there is a sufficiency of everything within the Trinity. And since He has no need of us we can know His love is given freely and graciously.
He is supremely the living God (I Thess. 1:9). And His life alone is an immortal life (I Tim. 6:16). It is possible that he bestows immortality on human beings as part of the image of God, but the clear biblical statement is that God alone possesses immortality as an intrinsic attribute. Any others who possess immortality do so by God's gift.
c. Immutability. I list this word because it is the traditional one, but I prefer words like fidelity, or as Erickson uses, constancy. The point is that God's character is such that we can count on Him to be the same today, tomorrow and forever (Heb. 13:8). His nature, will, mind, and plans never change (Num. 23:19, Ps. 33:11, 102:26-27, Lam. 3:22-23, Mal. 3:6, James 1:17). There is no whimsy, no caprice in God.
All these incommunicable attributes could be equally true of a cruel and unjust God or a good and kind God. It is the communicable (or moral) attributes of God that are often of most concern to the people of God.
Communicable Attributes of God: Part I
Lesson 6: Is holiness what you long for?
INTRODUCTION
Last week we talked about the incommunicable attributes of God
Does anyone remember what that means?
It means God’s attributes that we are not able to share
So the communicable attributes of God are those attributes that He shares in part with His human creation.
The pursuit of these qualities marks the true Christian.
Ask Students: Do you have any idea of what some of the communicable attributes of God are?
We will be looking at several today and a few more next week, today we will focus on Holiness, and out of that Purity, Truth, Righteousness, and Wrath.
I. Holiness
God is holy, and He commands us to be holy.
Exodus 15:11: Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
1 Peter 1:15-16: But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:“Be holy, because I am holy.”
Discussion: What does is mean to be holy? Is this command asking the impossible? How can we be holy?
Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
“The holiness of God is the standard and pattern of what is right and wrong. We are holy to the degree we conform to that pattern in all our thoughts, acts, and intents.”
A. Purity
God is absolutely holy, so He is separated from impure things and cannot be contaminated by them.
Habakkuk 1:13a: Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.
Because God is absolutely pure He cannot be tempted.
James 1:13: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone
1 Timothy 5:22b: Keep yourself pure.
How can we pursue purity?
In body, thought, mind, word, deed, etc.
B. Truth
“Because God is holy, He cannot lie or deceive or fail to keep a promise. It would be a violation of His own nature.”
Numbers 23:19: God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
So how can we pursue truthfulness?
Matthew 5:37: Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
In your words and commitments be truthful and diligent to keep what you have said,
Proverbs 12:22: The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful.
2 Corinthians 4:2: Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
C. Righteousness
Because God is holy, He is perfectly righteous.
What is righteousness?
God always does what is right and is the final standard of what is right.
Ezra 9:15a: O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous!
How can we become righteous?
In Christ we are made righteous before God.
Romans 3:21-22: But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.
But it doesn’t stop there, as believers we should be constantly seeking to improve and grow in our faith and righteousness.
Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.
From righteousness comes justice, our God is righteous and His actions are just, we should seek to imitate this in our lives as well.
D. Wrath
Because God is holy He rejects that which is unholy.
Romans 1:18: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
God hates all sin and cannot tolerate it, His wrath is not like the anger that we typically think about; it is righteous anger directed against ungodliness.
Does God send people to hell?
God desires that all would come to a saving knowledge of him, those who don’t have chosen to reject the free gift of salvation.
2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God’s perfect holiness requires that His wrath be shown toward sinful people, since we are by nature sinful there has to be someone to appease God’s wrath toward our sin if we are to be saved. Jesus Christ accomplished that on the cross, becoming a propitiation, or wrath bearer, for those who would place their faith in Him, that we may be saved from the wages of our sin, which is death.
1 John 2:1-2: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
SO WHAT?
Knowing about these attributes of God should compel us to live in a way that honors His holiness.
- Knowing God is completely pure should lead us to desire purity in our own lives; in our thoughts, intentions, motives, actions and so forth.
- Knowing God is completely truthful should lead us to seek to be honest and true in everything that we do.
- Knowing God is completely righteous should lead us to seek righteousness and justice in our own lives.
- Knowing God is completely holy in His wrath should lead us to develop a correct concept of what righteous wrath really is.
We should also realize just how amazing God truly is, and that we cannot develop these attributes without Him.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 6: Communicable Attributes
2. The Communicable Attributes. These are the attributes that not only tell us more of what God is like, but also give us a pattern for life, for these are the ways in which God wants us to be like Him.
There are many lists and ways of describing these attributes. How far one goes depends in part on how finely one wants to distinguish various adjectives (kind, good, gracious, merciful, compassionate). I think the best approach is with an illustration I heard about 20 years ago from a pastor in Suffolk, Virginia.
Imagine these attributes of God like a great tree with two great taproots. One of these taproots is the holiness of God, and the other is the love of God. From these two roots, the tree grows, with one side of the branches representing outgrowths of holiness, and the other outgrowths of love.
I like this because it gives us a memorable picture, and because it accurately, in my opinion, identifies the center of God's moral attributes. If you want to boil all we're going to discuss down to two words, it would be holy love, or loving holiness. I think those two attributes underlie all the rest.
a. Holiness. This word, in both noun and adjective form, is clearly fundamental to the biblical view of God, especially in the OT. It has two aspects. The first is the idea of something dedicated to special purposes. God is holy because He is special, unique. He cannot be treated as common. We receive a status of holiness when we are saved because we are no longer to be devoted to the purposes of the world, but to God's purposes.
The second aspect of holiness is that of moral rightness. There is no standard of right and wrong above God. The holiness of God is the standard and pattern of what is right and wrong. We are holy to the degree we conform to that pattern in all our thoughts, acts, and intents. From this root of holiness, we may derive at least four branches.
(1) Purity. Because God is holy, He is separated from impure things and cannot be contaminated (Hab. 1:13, James 1:13). He cannot be tempted for there is nothing impure within that would be attracted to temptation. There are no hidden motives, no secret agendas. He is pure.
(2) True. Because God is holy, He cannot lie or deceive or fail to keep a promise. It would be a violation of His own nature (Num. 23:19, Heb. 6:18). Involved in his truthfulness are the ideas of faithfulness and being a covenant keeping God. Whatever commitments He makes, He keeps.
(3) Righteous or just. Because God's holiness is the ultimate pattern of what is good and just, and because God always acts self-consistently, He is always righteous and just. Righteousness means to be in the right, to be in accord with the law. Since that law is itself the expression of God's holiness, God's actions are always just (Gen. 18:25, Deut. 32:4, Jer. 9:24).
God's justice includes all He does to create, uphold and maintain justice. God requires others to be just, and when they are not, He acts in judgment and punishment (Rev. 15:3-4, 16:3-7). To not do so would be unjust and a violation of His character.
This word "justice" is very important in the NT, for it raises the question: How can a just God justly justify sinners? (Note: all the "j" words have the same root, as does righteous). Paul answers that it can only be through the imputed justice (or righteousness) of Christ (Rom. 3:21-26).
(4) Wrath. Because God is holy, He rejects all that is unholy. This opposition to and rejection of what is unholy, the Bible calls the wrath of God. It is not uncontrolled passion, but a firm and unalterable opposition to every form of evil. As light by its nature opposes darkness, holiness by its nature blazes against evil. The wrath of God is seen against some sins today (Rom. 1:18, 24, 26, 28), but it will be openly revealed one day against all evil in a final consummation (Rom. 2:5, Rev. 6:16-17).
A few decades ago, a British scholar, C. H. Dodd, tried to water down the NT teaching of the wrath of God to make it an impersonal process that sin somehow called down upon itself. His aim was to clear up misconceptions of God as a vengeful, wrathful, angry old man. And that is a misconception, but Dodd was equally wrong, and Leon Morris challenged Dodd's view in scholarly journals and in a number of books (see Morris's Apostolic Preaching of the Cross). Morris was able to show pretty conclusively that Dodd was not playing fair with the text of the NT, and that wrath was not remotely like sinful human anger, but was a divine attribute inseparable from God's love and holiness, and indeed was the reverse side of the same coin. Because God loved human beings, and had holy purposes for them, His wrath blazed against anything that contradicted that loving purpose.
Communicable Attributes of God: Part II
Lesson 7: What’s Love got to do with it?
INTRODUCTION
Last week we talked about the communicable attributes of God
Does anyone remember what that means?
Communicable attributes of God are those attributes that He shares in part with His human creation.
The pursuit of these qualities marks the true Christian.
Ask Students: Can you name some of the communicable attributes of God that we talked about last week?
Holiness, and out of that Purity, Truth, Righteousness, and Wrath.
This week we will focus on God’s Love.
I. Love
God is love.
1 John 4:7-8: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God’s love is unconditional.
Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We know what love is only because God has loved us.
1 John 4:19: We love because He first loved us.
Discussion: How does today’s culture define love?
Physical intimacy, a feeling, etc.
Is this the same kind of love as God’s love? What is your definition of love? What is the Bible’s definition of love?
Have the students look at 1 Corinthians 13
A. God’s Love is Good
From God’s love we can see His goodness.
“Because God is love, He does good for those He loves. There are no evil intentions behind any of His actions. He does good not to manipulate, but to bless. His goodness is the source of all that is good, and it overflows to all His creatures to some extent.”
Psalm 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.
Ask Students: What are some ways we can share God’s goodness?
B. God’s Love is Gracious
Ask Students: What is grace?
Unmerited favor, grace is getting what you do not deserve. However, there are two types of grace. He is gracious in salvation.
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense
God also gives common grace to all. All creatures experience His goodness.
Matthew 5:45b: He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Ask Students: What are some ways we can share God’s grace?
Help those in need, practice kindness towards others, share God’s love in practical ways and use opportunities to develop relationships and share the Gospel.
1 Peter 4:10: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
C. God’s Love is Merciful
Ask Students: What do you think of when it comes to God’s mercy?
Salvation
Can you define mercy for me?
Not getting what you do deserve. We all deserved the type of death that Christ went through, and we all deserve hell.
God is merciful.
Titus 3:5a: He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.
Ask Students: What are some ways we can share God’s mercy?
In our treatment of our family and friends, etc.
D. God’s Love is Steadfast and Patient
Ask Students: What does that mean to you?
Read Psalm 136 for an example of how God’s love endures.
God’s love is unchanging, eternal, long suffering, etc.
2 Peter 3:15a: Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation
The only reason that we can come to a saving knowledge of God is because He has been patient with us.
Ask Students: What are some ways you can show this?
Be an encourager at all times to those around you. Do not be so quick to point out the bad in someone, etc.
SO WHAT?
As God's people, we are called to be like Him, especially in showing His love (John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”) and His holiness (I Pet. 1:15: But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.).
Biblical love, because it is a holy love, cares too much to tolerate unholy, self-destructive acts and attitudes in the lives of those who are loved.
Love accepts others as they are, but yearns for others to be all they can be, and seeks by all possible means to motivate and encourage others to be the best they can be. We must not let our love degenerate to a mushy sentimentality, nor allow our holiness to become a harsh, legalistic set of rules. Hold the two together.
Hopefully you are seeking to grow in these areas and in Christ likeness.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 7: Communicable Attributes Part 2
Love. The quality most associated with God is love, and justly so (if not disassociated from holiness). But the love of God is different from any the world has ever known, and miles from the popular conception of love, for it is an unconditional, unmerited, self-giving love (John 3:16, Deut. 7:7 and I Cor. 13). From the root of love, we see 4 branches:
(1) Goodness. Because God is love, He does good for those He loves. There are no evil intentions behind any of His actions. He does good not to manipulate, but to bless. His goodness is the source of all that is good, and it overflows to all His creatures to some extent (Ps. 145:8-9, 16-17, Matt. 5:45, Acts 14:17).
(2) Gracious. Grace emphasizes that God's love is one in which merit is not considered. The fact that all creatures experience the goodness of God to some extent is an evidence of what theologians call "common grace," but more important to Christians is "saving grace," that grace which is the heart and soul of salvation. We need to be careful when we say we are saved by faith. Faith does not save us; Jesus does. Faith grasps Jesus, and He is there to be our Savior because God is gracious. We are saved by grace, through faith, in Jesus.
(3) Merciful. That God is merciful is the hope of every sinner who seeks pardon (Dan. 9:18, Matt. 9:36, Titus 3:5). One of the earliest and most often repeated descriptions of God in the OT centers on His mercy as our hope (Ex. 34:6-7 and many other places in the OT).
(4) The last attribute I want to highlight is variously translated as "steadfast love," "kindness" and "mercy." The Hebrew word is hesed, and it encompasses the ideas of loyalty, patience, and committed love. Psalm 136 repeatedly affirms that this loyal love "endures forever."
All these attributes and more than we can describe are all found marvelously harmonized in the character of God. As God's people, we are called to be like Him, especially in showing His love (John 13:34) and His holiness (I Pet. 1:15). May God plant these two roots deep in our hearts to produce Christlike character in our lives.
Doctrine of Creation
Lesson Eight
INTRODUCTION
What does the Bible teach about creation?
What did God create?
Everything that exists, except Himself, He has always existed
Is there anything that God did not create?
What about the chair you are sitting in?
He created the materials, and gave humans intellect and reason to be able to make things out of those materials, such as your chair.
How do we know that God created everything?
We know because the Bible tells us He did, and we believe it to be a reliable and completely accurate document.
LECTURE
Have the students open to Genesis 1, Read 1:1-2
1. What did God use to create the heavens and the earth? What materials?
He created ex nihilo, or out of nothing, God did not form the heavens and earth from some material that already existed, He created something where nothing had been.
Anything that humans make is just a manipulation of materials that God originally created.
Hebrews 11:3: By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
2. Look at 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, and 31; what do these verses have in common?
God sees that His creation is good.
So what does this tell you about the status of God’s creation at this point?
It was good!!
So what happened? Is everything still all good like it was when God created it?
When God saw that His creation was good it means that the material He created was not evil, at the fall of man all creation was affected. And though the creation has been affected by the fall it still clearly testifies to the existence of God.
3. Did God create angels?
Yes
Psalm 148:2-5: Praise Him, all His angels, praise Him all His heavenly hosts. Praise Him sun and moon, praise Him all you shining stars. Praise Him you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.
Did some rebel?
Yes: Jude 6: And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-these He has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
So did God create evil angels?
No, they chose freely to rebel
Why do angels exist?
To worship and serve God.
Are there guardian angels?
Hebrews 1:14: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
This verse affirms that one task carried out by angels is ministering to believers, but there is no evidence for individual “guardian” angels.
So What?
1. For what reason did God create?
To bring glory to Himself
2. As God’s creation what should our #1 priority be?
To glorify Him
3. How can we do this? What steps can you take to get on your way, or to continue to improve?
-Make sure to plan out your schedule to reflect your priorities.
-“If you fail to plan you’re planning to fail”
- Make reminder notes; avoid common distractions (TV, etc.)
- Don’t get so busy with other stuff that you forget God.
4. Since we are God’s creation, how important are we to Him?
“God knows your name; He loves you where you are and loves you too much to leave you where you’re at.” Bob Reccord
Activity
At the beginning of the lesson have everyone list what they spend their time on each week and what their top priority was, at the end of the lesson have them look to see how their answers line up with what we have established our priorities should be.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 8: Creation
We turn now to consider explicitly what in a sense we have already been discussing, for we know God's nature and attributes primarily through His actions. Here, however, we turn to a more thorough consideration of the major works of the Godhead (not including the special works of the individual members).
I. Biblical Foundations for the Works of God.
A. Creation. What does the Bible say about creation? I want to lay out the basics in five statements.
1. God created the entire universe, including human beings, who alone have the special status of being made in God's image, and God pronounced it "very good" (Gen. 1-2). We need to note several important implications of this statement.
Note that the first fact we are told of God is that He is the Creator, and most early creeds reflected that in their statements about God (the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"). It excludes pantheism, as we mentioned earlier. It also excludes dualism, for nothing exists on the same level with God. He is the Creator, all else is His creation (see John 1:3, Eph. 3:9, Col. 1:16, Rev. 4:11 for emphasis on the all-inclusive nature of God's creation). The traditional understanding of creation (creatio ex nihilo) guarded that understanding and emphasized the special nature of God's creative work. Our "creations" are shaping and fashioning already existing material, but God created all that exists, not out of pre-existing material, but out of nothing more than His own power (see Heb. 11:3).
His creation of human beings is the ultimate basis for human dignity and worth, as we shall discuss later. On the one hand, we share the status of being creatures with the rest of creation, and so cannot disregard that link. Indeed, we are given special responsibility for creation. But we are different from all other creatures in one respect. We are made in God's image, and that gives us a special dignity.
His pronouncement of creation as very good means that the material is not essentially evil. Nothing God created is essentially or necessarily evil. Thus our major problem is not our environment; evil originates within human beings. The world is not inherently evil.
2. Creation was affected by the fall (Gen. 3:17-19, Rom. 8:19-21). Somehow the fate and destiny of creation are intertwined with ours. Now it no longer cooperates with us, but rather, is subjected to corruption and decay.
3. Though injured, creation still gives testimony to the glory, power and goodness of its Creator (Ps. 19:1-6, Job 38-41, Is. 40:12-26). General revelation is still offered through the creation.
4. Though God completed His initial creative work and rested, there still remains to be seen the new creation of God, the new heavens and the new earth, the home of all God's redeemed (II Pet. 3:13, Rev. 21:4-5). Some have suggested that the fire at the end of history will be to cleanse and purge this creation and ready it to be recreated as God's new creation; others have said the new creation will be just that, new. But in either case we are not destined to live on clouds, but in a new (or renewed) universe.
5. God's creation includes the creation of spiritual beings, angels and demons (Col. 1:15-16). We will take this opportunity to consider briefly angelology and demonology. They are relatively minor doctrines of theology and do not require a separate section, so we will treat them as an appendix to the doctrine of God and His creation.
Appendix: Angels and Demons
I. Angels.
A. What are they? A central clue lies in the fact that in both the OT and NT, the chief word for angel (malak, angelos) means "messenger." The closest to a definition we find in Scripture is Heb. 1:14: they are "ministering spirits." From these clues, we may draw several implications.
1. They are spiritual beings. They neither marry nor procreate (Matt. 22:29-30), and are not subject to physical death (Luke 20:36). It seems their normal environment is heaven, the place of God's presence (Matt. 18:10, Mk. 13:32, Job 1-2), but they are often sent to earth, and are able (or are specially enabled by God) on those occasions to take on a physical appearance (Gen. 18:1-8, Luke 1:11-13, 26-29, Acts 1:10-11). When seen in Scripture, almost invariably their first words to humans are "Fear not." Apparently, they are an awe inspiring sight.
2. They are beings, not forces. Though different from us, they are represented as personal, rather than impersonal. They experience joy (over a sinner's repentance, Lk. 15:10), they feel curiosity and a desire to understand God's workings (I Pet. 1:12), and they act as God's messengers and servants. They are described as worshipping (Is. 6:1-3, Rev. 4:6-11), protecting God's people (Ps. 35:4-5, II Kings 6:13-17, Daniel 3:24-28, 6:20-23, Matt. 2:13-15, Acts 12:1-17), communicating messages from God (Matt. 1:20-21, Luke 2:8-15, Acts 10:1-8), and strengthening and encouraging (Matt. 4:11, Lk. 22:43, Acts 5:19-20, 27:25).
3. They are created beings. We infer this from the fact that God created all that exists (John 1:3, Col. 1:16), from the fact that though they are spiritual beings, they have numerous creaturely limitations. They are not omnipresent (Dan. 9:21-23), not omniscient (I Pet. 1:12), and they are specifically subordinate to Christ (see all of Hebrews 1). They are God's servants, not His equals (Ps. 103:20). Their creation by God is also implied by the fact that they are called "the sons of God" (see Gen. 6 and Job 1-2). But this leads to a second question:
B. When were they created? Job 38:4-7 and Ps. 148:2-5 imply that it was before the creation of the physical universe, and Mark 8:38 implies that their original state was good and holy, but we are told little about their origin. Certainly Satan was created and fell before he came to tempt Eve. (Was jealousy of God's creation of humanity a factor in his fall?) In fact, Scripture leaves most of our speculative, metaphysical questions unanswered.
C. Why do they exist? We have really already answered this question: they exist to worship and serve God. They were active at many points in the OT: the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:1-1), the Exodus (Ex. 14:19), the period of the Judges (Judges 6 [Gideon] and 13 [Samson]), and in the period of the exile (Dan. 3, 6). In the NT, angelic activity centers around the birth of Christ (19 times) and the end of the age (68 times in Revelation alone, many more times in parables of the end in the gospels: Matt. 13:39-43, 25:31, II Thess. 1:7-10). Thus, daily contact with angels was not the norm for believers in Scripture, and we need not expect it today.
D. Specific Issues.
1. Guardian angels? Matt. 18:10 and Acts 12:15 are probably the basis for this belief, but we cannot say that Scripture clearly affirms an individual guardian angel for each believer. However, guarding and protecting believers is part of their overall assignment.
2. Wings? The seraphim (Is. 6:2,6) and cherubim (Ezek. 1:5-8) are described as having wings, but there is little basis for the traditional artistic rendering of angels. As non-material beings, wings seem particularly needless. When they do appear physically in Scripture, it is most often in a human-like form.
3. Ranks? Though Michael is called an archangel (Dan. 10:13, I Thess. 4:16), there is little basis for elaborate attempts to draw up a hierarchy of angels.
4. The angel of the Lord. Several passages in the OT mention what appears to be a special angel, called "the angel of the Lord." What calls for special attention is the fact that this angel is, at points, identified with God (see Gen. 16:7-14; 18:9-10; 22:11-18; Judges 6:11-24, and others). Some see this angel as simply a special angel, but I think that does not do justice to the association with God. Some see it as a theophany: an appearance of God in a humanlike form. I think we can go further and say that the likeliest possibility is the Logos, the Eternal Son. Before his incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth, he at times served as the Father's messenger (which is what angel means; see also the usage of messenger for Jesus in Mal. 3:1, "the messenger of the covenant"). The factor that tips the scales in favor of this interpretation in my opinion is the fact that this angel never appears after the incarnation of our Lord.
5. How was it possible for some angels to fall? Is there any danger of some falling today? Though angels are represented as having a will, and those who fell are held responsible to God for their actions, we are told very little about how or why or when this happened. But angels are clearly represented in two black and white groups: the holy angels (Mk. 8:36) and the fallen angels (II Pet. 2:4, Jude 6). Both groups seem to be fixed in their positions. If the holy angels have any temptation or possibility of sin, we are not told of it. And the evil angels seem to be completely evil and fixed in their position. We are told that Christ did not die to redeem fallen angels bus sinful humans (Heb. 2:16). All this leads us to the second half of this appendix.
II. Demons.
Demons are one of the items Bultmann and liberals in general see as simply unacceptable to modern people. Others, like Tillich, have resymbolized demons as the biblical term for the powerful forces of evil that are at work in the structures of society ("demonic forces" rather than "demons"). But what does Scripture say about demons?
Overall, the OT says very little. We think of Gen. 3, but we don't learn the identity of the serpent until Rev. 12:9. There is a possible involvement in Gen. 6 that we will examine later, a few passing references in Deut. 32:17, Ps. 106:37 in reference to idol worship, a single reference in I Chron. 21:1 to Satan inciting David to sin, and another single reference to spiritual warfare in Dan. 10:12-13. Other than those, the clearest and most sustained mention is in Job 1-2. Even of these, most deal with Satan and not demons in general.
The NT situation is much different. Some will argue that this reveals Persian influences and historical developments during the intertestamental period, with a growing interest in angels and demons. That is possible, but it seems that it was the appearance of Christ that really brought demonic activity into the open, and by far, the great majority of references to demons is in the gospels. This was the definitive battleground.
Providence of God
Lesson 9
INTRODUCTION
Does anyone know what providence means?
It refers to God’s ongoing involvement with His creation.
So is God still involved?
Yes!! He didn’t create and then leave things to survive on their own
So what is God doing now?
Preserving/Sustaining and Governing/Guiding
1. Preserving and Sustaining
How is God actively preserving His creation?
God preserves and sustains His creation in numerous ways
Colossians 1:17: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Hebrews 1:3a: The Son is the radiance of the God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.
Both of these verses show that Christ is active in keeping things running as they should.
God is always providing in general ways, such as the course of nature and the regularity of the world; He also keeps watch over our lives and can intervene in miraculous ways as well, as seen in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Does God act in the lives of humans?
Yes, Philippians 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Does this mean that nothing bad can happen to us?
No
“Preservation does not mean of course that people do not die, or even that God's people are not afflicted. The evidence is obvious that this is not the case. We do suffer, and at those times we often find that God's greatest provision to us in those times of trial is His own presence
God's providential sustenance of this world means that the creation never becomes independent of its creator, never becomes self-sufficient. On a more positive note, it means that God never leaves or abandons us. He is always at work, holding all things, including our lives, together.”
2. Governing and Guiding
What does it mean to say that God governs His creation?
He directs and guides all things so that they accomplish His plan and purpose.
Proverbs 19:21: Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
God is sovereign; does anyone know what that means?
He reigns; He is the King of kings and The Lord of lords
1 Timothy 6:15b: God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Things don’t not go the way He wants.
So how are some ways that God actively governs His creation?
-He governs the course of history
Daniel 2:21: He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
- He governs the course of nature
Acts 14:17: Yet He has not left Himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.
- He even uses bad acts to fulfill His good purposes
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
So What?
1. Knowing that God’s Providence means that He is active in preserving and governing His creation what should our reaction be? Why is it important that God is doing these things?
It should inspire confidence and trust in us, to know that God is in control at all times.
2. How does prayer fit in to God’s Providence?
God desires our prayers and hears them; Scripture tells us that He is faithful to answer them.
James 5:16b: The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Teachers: we will discuss prayer further next week
Teacher FYI
Lesson 9: Providence
Providence. We use the word providence to refer to God's ongoing activity in the world. God is not a deist clockmaker who wound up the world and left it to run by itself. He is still immanently active in the world. We may speak of at least two aspects of his providential care: sustaining or preserving all of life, and governing or ruling and directing all things unto His ultimate purposes for them.
1. Preservation. Scripture speaks of God's oversight of creation in the sense of providing for the needs of animals, humans, and even the land itself (Ps. 36:6-9, 65:9-13, 104:10-30). Col. 1:17 and Heb. 1:3 are perhaps the most inclusive statements of this aspect of providence. Preservation can take very natural forms (common grace forms), such as providing the rain (Matt. 5:45), the growing of crops (Acts 14:17), even the establishment of civil authority (Rom. 13:1-7). It can take what we regard as miraculous intervention (sparing Daniel's friends in the fiery furnace, Dan. 3:17, 28-29), or it can take the form of timely coincidences (Esther 4:14; "coincidence- a small miracle in which God prefers to remain anonymous").
Preservation does not mean of course that people do not die, or even that God's people are not afflicted. The evidence is obvious that this is not the case. We do suffer, and at those times we often find that God's greatest provision to us in those times of trial is His own presence (Rom. 8:35-39, Ps. 23:4).
God's providential sustenance of this world means that the creation never becomes independent of its creator, never becomes self-sufficient. On a more positive note, it means that God never leaves or abandons us. He is always at work, holding all things, including our lives, together (Col. 1:17).
2. Governing. Scripture also affirms that God providentially works in history, guiding all events to his intended ends. His attribute of sovereignty is reflected in this activity. His government extends over all areas of life, and all persons, though he has a special care for His own people. He controls the forces of nature (Ps. 135:5-7), directs human history (Dan. 2:21, 4:35), and even uses bad acts for good purposes (Gen. 50:20, Acts 2:23, Rom. 8:28). Proverbs says humans may plan and scheme, but it is the Lord that controls the final outcome (Prov. 16:1, 19:21). He can shape hearts and implant thoughts, guiding individuals unknowingly to His purpose for their lives.
B. Providence. We divided the work of providence into the areas of preservation and government, the first being God's work of sustaining life. As we have moved from an agrarian to an industrial society, we may well have lost our sense of God's provision for us. We do not see as clearly that our food is dependent on God's gifts of rain and sun, for we get our food from the grocery store, not from God.
Moreover, preservation was also linked with the idea that God continually upheld the world, an idea largely denied by modern science that regards the natural world as a closed system of causes and effects that has no need for a Divine Sustainer. We disagree with this view, but preservation may make more sense to modern people if we can explain it in terms more relevant to their perceived needs. Stanley Grenz suggests we view God's preservation as preservation from meaninglessness. That is a threat much more felt by the average person today than starvation of dissolution of the universe. We may affirm that God not only holds the universe together, but holds our lives together and provides meaning.
In the area of God's governance of the world, we have already discussed the need to view this world and life from an eschatological perspective, as a place of soul-making. This means in our theological formulation of other doctrines, such as salvation, we recognize the importance of salvation for our present condition, but state clearly that the dominant biblical theme in regards to salvation is not "abundant life now," wonderful as that may be, but "the blessed hope" that lies ahead. In other words, when we preach about salvation, preach about how it will transform present life, but emphasize even more heaven and hell, and the greater issue of our eternal destiny. If we are accused of scaring people by preaching about hell, we may respond that fear is a proper response to the real existence of something fearful, which hell is.
Doctrine of Prayer
Lesson 10
Introduction
What is prayer?
Prayer is personal communication with God
What is the purpose of prayer? Why do we pray?
How should we pray?
Lecture
Let’s look at Matthew 6 to see what Jesus has to say about how we should pray.
Have someone read verses 5-8.
Matthew 6:5-8: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for you Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”
What can we learn about the proper attitudes and motives we should have in prayer from these verses?
In verses 5 and 7 Jesus gives us a negative example, to show us what we should not be doing, verses 6 and 8 are the positive and right examples that we should seek to follow. When we pray we should not be seeking attention for ourselves, our focus is on God, not on what others think about us.
Now let’s look at the model prayer that Jesus presents in verses 9-13.
How does Jesus begin His prayer in verse 9?
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name”
He begins by showing reverence for God’s name; we should always enter God’s presence with reverence, respect, fear, and awe. Our prayers should be characterized by an attitude of adoration and praise for our God.
OK, what does He mention next in verse 10?
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
What does this mean?
This is where you ask God to help you bring His kingdom of heaven to earth.
“All prayer, first of all, willingly submits to God’s purposes, plans, and glory.” John MacArthur
Verse 11
“Give us today our daily bread.”
What part of the prayer is this?
This is the prayer request portion of Jesus’ prayer; too many typical prayers begin and end here, but it is only one portion of what we should be including in our prayers.
According to Jesus, how often should we pray concerning our needs?
We need to pray daily for our needs to be met, not on the first of the month, or a few times a year, it’s important to acknowledge in our prayers that we realize God is in control and that we rely on Him for all things.
Proverbs 30:8-9: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
First thank Him for having met these needs daily. Then ask Him to help you be wise in your spending and saving. Remember God knows your needs but He wants you to ask Him. Also remember to ask God to help you distinguish between needs and desires. God will only give you what is in your best interest.
Verse 12
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
What might you call this section of the prayer?
This is the confession part of the prayer, we need to remember to be specific in this and ask for forgiveness for individual sins. Another important point is that we should have already forgiven others; we can’t selfishly seek God’s forgiveness while holding petty grudges against others.
Remember these 4 lessons:
1. Our debt of sin against God is greater than any debt anyone will ever owe us.
2. When we refuse to forgive someone we place that person in bondage.
3. We are to forgive at the same level that we are forgiven by God.
4. If we choose to keep a record of wrongs or bear a grudge we will live with tormenting memories and oppression until we release that person and forgive.
We have to by an act of our will forgive. It doesn’t matter if we feel like it or not!!
Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Ask God to reveal any unknown sin to you then be silent and wait to hear from Him. We tend to want to do all the talking, but it is important to listen as well.
Don’t be defeated by sin, Satan would love that. Confess it (1 John 1:9) and claim His righteousness.
Verse 13
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Jesus teaches us to watch and pray that we will not be led into temptation because of our own carelessness and disobedience. As children of God we do not have to learn the hard way. Remember to put on the armor of God in order to be protected from evil. See Ephesians 6:13 and following.
1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
“Temptations are an opportunity for faith building.”
NOTE FOR TEACHERS: In some translations there is a second half to verse thirteen reading, For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. This phrase is not found in the most reliable manuscripts, so the words are usually included in a footnote, or bracket.
SO WHAT?
Does prayer change things?
James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
(Teachers, make sure to get some discussion going on this section)
Has anyone prayed for someone else (like a 4x4) to come to know Jesus and seen it happen?
What about praying for a sick friend or relative?
We are truly blessed in prayer to be a part of God’s work.
What about unanswered prayer? Why does God not answer my prayers as He has promised?
James 4:2-3. God does not answer prayers if our motives are selfish or if we pray outside of His will.
Hebrews 6:12. The answers to our prayers sometimes require time and persistence.
II Corinthians 12. Sometimes we pray outside of God’s will because we don’t understand what God is doing. Paul asked God to remove some suffering from his life. God refused because the suffering was accomplishing an unseen, but positive purpose in Paul’s life.
God knows what we need better than we do, and time after time He saves us from our misguided desires.
Teachers: Mention if you want to
A common acronym used to remember several areas that we should pray in is ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. You can mention this to your class if you think that it would be useful for them to know.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 10: Prayer
First v.9 we are told to pray to: Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
This is where we address our prayer and focus our minds on a Holy God.
NEXT, v.10: Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
This is where you ask God to help you bring His kingdom of heaven to earth.
All prayer, first of all, willingly submits to God’s purposes, plans, and glory.
You do that by asking Him to free the Holy Spirit to control your life.
Ask Him for wisdom in making right choices.
Ask Him to help you have good integrity, discretion in your speaking and behavior, honesty and truthfulness.
Pray for knowledge and understanding.
Pray all these things not only for yourselves but also for your friends, parents, teachers, church leaders and nations leaders. Praying for all these thing help to bring glory to God and this is how we bring a little part of His kingdom to earth.
NEXT, v.11 Give us this day/today our daily bread.
Not tomorrow, not next week, month, or a years supply.
It is very clear that Jesus’ teaching instructs DAILY prayer!
This is where we ask God to meet our physical and material needs for the day and day only. “Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, `Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:8-9).
First thank Him for having met these needs daily. Then ask Him to help you be wise in your spending and saving. Remember God knows your needs but He wants you to ask Him. Also remember to ask God to help you distinguish between needs and desires. God will only give you what is in your best interest. This is your prayer request portion of prayer.
NEXT, v. 12, Forgive us our debts/sins, as we forgive those who sin against us (our debtors).
Psalm 139:23-24 “ Search me O God and know my anxious thought and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”
Ask God to reveal and unknown sin to you. Then just be silent for a moment.
As we pray for forgiveness of sin we need to be specific:
Here are a few that we all deal with: Being Judgmental, critical spirit, anger, pride, selfishness, lust of the flesh, eye, mind, jealousy, unbelief, wrong motives, fear, doubt, worry, procrastination, not seeing ourselves as a child of God, putting ourselves down, self pity.
Don’t be defeated by sin, Satan would love that.
Confess it (1 John 1:9) and claim His righteousness.
Realize God’s grace. This is your confession portion of prayer.
We also need to forgive others. Maybe someone has rubbed us the wrong way or deliberately hurt us. We need to forgive and not hold a grudge. Don’t hold onto it. Don’t keep telling the story it just keeps getting bigger. Let it go. Let God take care of it. If you truly believe God is in control you can give it to Him and never speak or think of it again. Otherwise you will be bound and not free to experience or show grace.
Here are four places where Satan tries to separate relationships
1. Through unforgiven sin.
2. Physical family
3. Friends/ School / teacher /student relationships
4.Church
Confession is sometime the area we spend the least time in, but we need the most.
Remember these 4 lessons:
1. Our debt of sin against God is greater than any debt anyone will ever owe us.
2. When we refuse to forgive someone we place that person in bondage.
3. We are to forgive at the same level that we are forgiven by God.
4. If we choose to keep a record of wrongs or bear a grudge we will live with tormenting memories and oppression until we release that person and forgive.
We have to by an act of our will forgive. It doesn’t matter if we feel like it or not!!
NEXT v.13, Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Jesus teaches us to watch and pray that we will not be led into temptation because of our own carelessness and disobedience. As children of God we do not have to learn the hard way. Remember to put on the armor of God in order to be protected from evil. See Ephesians 6:13.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.
Notice the example of prayer given by Jesus not only begins with praise but also ends with praise.
Thank Him again for who He is and for the answers to prayer you know you will receive.
We should never enter or leave the Lord’s presence without humbly bowing before Him and offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
The Doctrine of Grace
Lesson 11
Introduction
What does grace mean to you?
How would you define grace?
Free and unmerited favor from God
Teachers: This lesson will be focusing on special grace, that grace given to those who by faith trust in Christ for salvation, there is also common grace, that shown to all people, but the focus of this lesson will be on saving grace.
Discussion
Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about grace.
Someone read Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.
Now let’s break these verses down and see what they tell us about grace.
Name some things that you notice about grace from these verses.
a. Salvation comes through grace (For it is by grace you have been saved)
b. We receive grace through faith (through faith)
c. We have no part in grace (this is not of yourselves)
d. Grace is a free gift (it is the gift of God)
Romans 4:4: Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
What happens to grace if we add works to it?
Romans 11:6: And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
If any works are added to grace, it no longer is grace.
e. Grace isn’t a reward for good works, we can’t earn grace (not by works, so that no one can boast)
Now let’s look at some other facts about grace
Grace is shown in Christ:
2 Corinthians 8:9: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
The entire life of Christ was a perfect picture of grace, in His birth, life, death and resurrection we see the perfect picture of grace.
John 1:17: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Grace is unmerited favor:
An acrostic for grace is
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense
In God’s grace we find His riches (salvation, freedom from sin, peace, joy, etc.) at the expense of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, none of this is based on anything we have done, it is completely unmerited.
“Human merit is irrelevant; grace is given at God's discretion, and his gifts, once given, are not taken back (Rom. 11:29). Thus, grace strengthens and assures us that our life, salvation, and destiny do not rest on our puny abilities, but on God's omnipotent grace.”
John 10:27-28: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
Grace is not given and then taken back, once God has saved you, you are saved forever.
So What?
Why is it important to know what grace is?
We need to realize that salvation can only come through the grace of God, we cannot earn it by works, we could never hope to live a perfect life, which is what Christ did, taking the penalty for our sins that we might have eternal life.
How should this knowledge about grace impact the way we live our lives?
Grace is also the pattern for the Christian life. Our involvement with grace does not end with salvation; our entire lives should lived by grace.
Romans 5:1-2: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
“To those who ask, "how much must I do to please God?" we respond, "everything and nothing."”
Having received the free gift of God’s grace we should have an attitude of gratitude, deeply desiring to please Him in everything that we do.
Since we have grace can we do whatever we please, confident that God will forgive? Of course not!!
Romans 6:1-2: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
“Authentic grace does not simply pardon one's past sins, it transforms one's present and future actions and motives. One who claims to receive God's grace but has no change in desires and attitudes is deceived. They tried to obtain cheap grace, but it does not exist. The genuine grace of God teaches us to live holy lives (Titus 2:12).”
Titus 2:11-12: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
Teacher FYI
Lesson 11: The Doctrine of Grace
Introduction
A. God's gift of grace. It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of grace, especially in relation to the doctrine of salvation. The word "charis" is found 155 times in the NT, 100 times alone in the writings of Paul. While Scripture does teach the idea of common grace, which applies to all on the level of providence, grace normally relates to salvation and those who receive God's spiritual blessings (special grace). We may define grace in this sense as all that God does to save and restore lost sinners. We may note several aspects of grace.
Discussion
1. Grace is manifested in Christ. The clearest example of grace is seen in the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul uses the word "grace" to refer to his whole life (II Cor. 8:9). John says that Jesus came to us "full of grace," and that from that grace we have received grace upon grace (one gracious blessing after another) and contrasts Moses the law-giver with Jesus the grace-bringer (John 1:14-17). Thus, it is altogether appropriate that God's people sing of the "Wonderful Grace of Jesus," for we see grace most clearly in all that he is and has done for us.
2. Grace is the ultimate basis of salvation. While it is true to say in one sense that we are saved by faith (as the instrument of acceptance) and true in another sense to say that we are saved by Christ and his death on the cross (as the means by which we are saved), behind both of these lies the grace of God as the ultimate basis (see Rom. 3:24-25: by grace, through Christ's redemption, through faith in his blood). Apart from a gracious God, there would have been no incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. Apart from the gracious work of the Spirit in an individual's life, faith is never born. It is grace that brings salvation (Tit. 2:11). So we sing "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!"
3. Grace is also the pattern for the Christian life. Not only are we saved by grace, we must also live by grace. Rom. 5:2 tells us that we stand in grace; Heb. 4:16 instructs us to approach the throne of grace to find grace to help us in time of need; Heb. 13:9 encourages us to strengthen our hearts by grace. It is not just for salvation; we never outgrow our need for grace to live the Christian life.
4. Grace is unmerited favor. Therefore, on the one hand it humbles us and makes us recognize our true position. We have no bargaining power, no right to God's grace. We receive it as a gift, or not at all. On the other hand, because it is not based on merit, neither can we lose it, or have it revoked when God finds out how rotten we really are. Human merit is irrelevant; grace is given at God's discretion, and his gifts, once given, are not taken back (Rom. 11:29). Thus, grace strengthens and assures us that our life, salvation, and destiny do not rest on our puny abilities, but on God's omnipotent grace.
5. Grace is received solely through faith (Eph. 2:8). This was one of the themes of the Reformation, in opposition to the ideas that one could earn grace, or receive an infusion of grace automatically through the sacraments. The Reformers, and much of Protestant theology, have spoken of sacraments, along with prayer, Bible reading and other spiritual disciplines as "the means of grace," but no actions, in and of themselves, have any value, apart from faith. When done in faith, however, these can be the means of receiving sustaining grace for living the Christian life. In fact, almost all the blessings we receive from God involve receiving them in faith.
6. Grace is neither cheap, nor costly; it is free (Rev. 22:17; see also Rom. 6:23, where the "free gift" of God is charisma). Inherent in the idea of being a gift that cannot be earned is the idea of free grace.
One error people often make is concluding that because merit is irrelevant to grace, one can receive grace and live as he pleases. This is the heresy of cheap grace, which Paul had to combat as early as Rom. 6:1-2. Another version of this heresy sees faith as the price of grace; that faith earns or purchases grace; then, again, after one receives grace, he is free to live as he pleases.
The reason why free grace does not lead to cheap grace is because authentic grace does not simply pardon one's past sins, it transforms one's present and future actions and motives. One who claims to receive God's grace but has no change in desires and attitudes is deceived. They tried to obtain cheap grace, but it does not exist. The genuine grace of God teaches us to live holy lives (Titus 2:12).
Neither is grace costly grace. It cost Christ his life to turn away God's wrath, but for us it is free. There is nothing we must do to receive or continue in God's grace. It is a free gift.
Thus, to those who ask, "how much must I do to please God?" we respond, "everything and nothing." To those who want to buy grace cheaply at the price of a purely mental faith, we respond that faith involves placing all one is in the hands of another; it involves everything. To those who fear that they must clean themselves up to receive grace, and keep clean to continue in grace, we respond that God's grace is not for sale. It may be bought neither at the cheap price of a dead, purely intellectual faith, nor at the costly price of a holy, self-denying life. It cannot be bought, but only received as a life-changing gift, that inevitably leads to gratitude and a desire to express gratitude in a life of obedience. Gratitude leads to deeper commitment than fear.
(From Pastor Richard’s foundations)
1. What do our good works have to do with our salvation? (Titus 3:5) Absolutely nothing. Good works are the evidence that we have been saved. Good works demonstrate the regenerative work the Holy Spirit has accomplished in our lives.
2. What is our salvation called? (Romans 6:23)
Salvation is a free gift. How would you feel if your wife or friend tried to pay you for a gift? We feel that nothing is free in life because we have worked hard for all we have. Not only have we worked hard for all we have, but also we are proud of the work we have done. We derive self-esteem and satisfaction from what we have accomplished. Many are offended at the suggestion that we cannot earn our salvation and do not want to throw away all of their accomplishments. What do Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:10-12 have to say about how impressed God is with our effort to earn salvation by doing good works?
3. How do we receive the gift of salvation? (Ephesians 2:8)
Salvation is received by trusting in the finished work of Christ alone. Faith is the hand of a beggar reaching out to receive the gift of a king. We can never deserve nor earn our salvation because the debt is too great. God’s standard is perfection and we all fall pitifully short of that standard. If we are to be saved, then God must do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves.
4. Why is it important that we not trust in our good works to save us. (Ephesians 2:9)
Any trust in good works nullifies faith. Faith by definition is believing in something that can be obtained only by the intervention of another. Trusting in our good works would be the equivalent of boasting before God that we had something to do with Christ’s work to save us.
Who is responsible for our salvation? How do we receive that salvation? (Romans 3:23-28)
Jesus is God in human flesh reconciling us to Himself. He paid our sin debt redeeming us from the penalty and power of sin. It is received by faith alone.
1. What happens if we try to earn our salvation by adding works to our faith? (Romans 4:4)
Answer: If we add anything to faith, we cannot receive the gift of salvation. If we earnit, then it is not a gift.
2. What happens to grace if we add works to it? (Romans 11:6)
Answer: If any works are added to grace, it no longer is grace.
3. If we, by being good could earn our salvation, just how good would we have to be?
(Galations 3:10, James 2:10)
Answer: If our good works are to get us into heaven, then we must keep the law perfectly. If we fail at any point, then we cannot be saved. The standard is perfection.
4. If the standard of heaven is the perfect keeping of the law then how can we imperfect humans receive salvation? (Romans 10:3-4)
Answer: This is exactly why we cannot earn our salvation. We cannot keep the lawperfectly, but when we trust in Christ’s death for our sin, His perfect keeping of the law is credited to our lives by faith. We enter heaven on the basis of what He has done and not on the basis of what we have done.
5. Define grace.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God. An acrostic for grace is “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” He took the nails and imputed to the account of those who believe in Him His own righteousness.
The Doctrine of Humanity: Creation of Humanity
Lesson 12
Introduction
What do you know about the creation of humanity?
So what makes humans different from the rest of creation?
We are going to look at a few facts that are true of humanity.
Lecture
1. We are created beings
What should knowing this fact lead us to do?
a. We should realize that we owe our very existence to God and, therefore, have no reason for pride in ourselves; we are nothing apart from God.
Psalm 100:3: Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
b. We should also take comfort in the fact that we are created and not just the result of something like evolution.
c. A third thing we can draw from this fact is that we have responsibility; we were created for a purpose.
2. We were created to work
Genesis 2:15: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
What are some positive aspects of our work?
a. We can serve and honor Christ through our work.
Colossians 3:23-24: Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
b. Our work can be a testimony for Christ, showing others how He has affected our character.
Titus 2:7a: In everything set them an example by doing what is good.
c. Work not only provides for our needs, it also gives us something to share with others.
Ephesians 4:28: He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
3. We were created for community
What was the first thing that God said was “not good” in creation?
Genesis 2:18: The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
We are not created to be alone, we are created to live with others and develop meaningful relationships, encouraging accountability and cooperation, rather than being isolated from others.
Hebrews 10:24-25: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Community is vital within the church, as the author of Hebrews writes; we can encourage and spur one another on to good deeds while also supporting each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
4. We were created in the image of God.
Does anyone know the verses that tell us this?
Genesis 1:26-27: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Other verses:
Genesis 5:1-2: This is the written account of Adam’s line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.”
Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”
What do you think it means to be made in the image of God?
There are several ways of looking at what it means to be made in the image of God, it could mean that we are in some ways like God (communicable attributes) and that we represent Him, or it could be referencing the fact that we are able to have a relationship with God.
From these verses we can see several facts about what it means to be made in the image of God.
A) All of mankind is made in the image of God; no one is excluded from this. To be human is to be made in the image of God.
B) Because we are made in God’s image we have uniqueness and dignity. We have value and worth in God’s eyes.
James 3:9: With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
C) The image of God in humanity was affected by the sin of Adam and Eve. The image of God in man was distorted in some way, but not lost totally; it is still present in all people.
D) Christ is the perfect image of God, while we are created in the image of God.
Colossians 1:15: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
So What?
So how does knowing this information affect our lives?
We should relate to others as if they are made in the image of God, showing them respect and realizing their value.
Since we know that all humans are unique and have worth in God how are we doing in regards to our treatment of our fellow man?
We should recognize our fellow man as having equal worth and therefore should be willing to listen to him, help him, and be glad in doing these things, not self-centered.
“One cannot be fully human apart from God”
We need to realize that the things that make us special as humans are all gifts from God, everything we have we owe to Him, and without Him we are nothing.
Are we living our lives in devotion to God?
God has given us worth and gifted each of us in various ways. With these gifts comes responsibility. We are capable of good works.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So are we going to do what He has prepared for us or not?
TEACHER FYI
LESSON 12: CREATION OF HUMANITY
I. Biblical Foundations: Humanity as Created by God. We may lay a foundation for understanding humanity by noting biblical affirmations about our nature as created beings.
A. The first is simply to emphasize that we are created beings. This fact has three implications.
1. First, it excludes pride and vanity. There are no self-made men or women. We owe our existence to God. "It is He that has made us and not we ourselves" (Ps. 100:3).
2. Second, it gives us dignity. We are not a cosmic accident, or the chance product of evolution, or simply an animal that somehow gained rational powers. God deliberately chose to create us.
3. Third, it provides comfort and responsibility. On the one hand, we are not thrown into existence and told to create our own essence. We are created for a purpose. But on the other hand, we are created with the freedom and accompanying responsibility to choose to accept who we are and what we are created for.
The history of humanity is filled with illustrations of our striving to find meaning and purpose in life. This endless striving reflects the ancient truth discovered by Augustine: "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee." Or as stated in the Westminster Catechism: "What is the chief end of man? The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." We are not only created by God; we are created for God.
C. A third affirmation the Bible makes about our creation is that we were created to work (Gen. 1:28 and 2:15). It affirms that any profession, vocation, or job that has a part in filling and subduing the earth, in blessing the lives of others and thus glorifying God is part of God's call on one's life. In this sense, everyone should have a vocation from God, a way of using talents and abilities to make the world a little better place.
D. We are created for community (Gen. 2:18).
The biblical vision is that humans are created to live in community. It is still not good for anyone, man or woman, to live alone.
The Image of God
A. Creation in the image of God is affirmed for all persons, male and female alike (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1-2, 9:6, James 3:9). The universality of the image in all of humanity can be seen in the fact that it is specifically affirmed of both male and female equally in Gen. 1:26-27 and Gen. 5:1-2, in the fact that the words used for "man" in both OT and NT are universal words (adam in all the references in Genesis, and anthropos in James 3:9), and in the fact that the contexts of Gen. 9:6 and James 3:9 require a generic understanding of humans. To be human means to be an image bearer of God.
It must be something that all humans possess. It cannot be something distinctive to men alone, or Christians alone, or adults alone.
D. Even after the fall, humans are spoken of as being in the image of God (Gen. 9:6, James 3:9), so the image isn't completely lost in the fall. However, it does seem that the image was damaged in the fall, for there are verses that speak of the restoration of the divine image or conformity to the image of Christ as an ongoing process in the Christian life (Rom. 8:29, II Cor. 3:18, Eph. 4:23-24, Col. 3:10). The exact extent of the damage and how it is being restored is a matter we will discuss in more depth later. For now, the important point is that humans today still bear God's image, even if in a distorted and fallen way.
III. Systematic Formulation: Let me give you my view and how I came to it.
I believe that the image of God is the capacity of human beings to have a relationship with God. How did I arrive at that conclusion?
I can affirm that all humans have the capacity for a relationship with God, for that is determined by God's power, not by any list developed by a theologian. And I like my formulation because it is simple and gives a center and what is in my opinion a proper focus to the question of God's image in humanity.
I localize this capacity in the spiritual nature of humanity, to be specific, the human spirit. I believe God establishes His relationship with us by means of His Spirit. Union with Christ is established through the Spirit indwelling our being and establishing communion between His Spirit and the human spirit (see Rom. 8:9-11, 16). As I mentioned above, the capacities of reason, will, and others may be involved here, but not necessarily so. Only God knows what is absolutely necessary for a relationship with Him; only God knows how He deals with the spirits of the retarded, children, those with Alzheimer's, etc. We may affirm that each person has the capacity for a relationship with God because we believe God has the capacity to reach every human spirit.
Under my interpretation, the image is damaged by the fall, but not destroyed. The immediate death referred to in Gen. 2:17 as the result of sin is spiritual death, or the death of the human spirit. In the fall, it was the human spirit that died. Our bodies became mortal, but spiritually, we are dead all our lives, apart from the new birth. Thus, the image of God remains after the fall, but as a latent capacity, requiring activation by the Spirit. Conversion is in fact a rebirth of the spirit, and sanctification is the growth and development of the spirit as it becomes increasingly conformed to the image of Christ, or, we may say, as that capacity for relationship reaches increasingly all that it was created for.
IV. Summary and Application. Let me conclude our study of this crucial issue by summarizing a couple of key points and pointing out a couple of applications.
A. Being created in the image of God underscores human distinctiveness. The foundational verses in Genesis 1 stand out, and they do so by design. In distinction to the animals and universe that were created by God's fiat, humans were created with special consideration and in God's likeness and image. The creation of humanity is placed last, not only because it was last chronologically, but because humans are given prominence as the crown of creation.
B. Being created imago dei means not only that we are created by God and in some way like God, but that we are created for God, for relationship with Him and in some way, for mirroring him to others. Therefore one cannot be fully human apart from God.
C. This leads me to the conclusion that the fullest and most proper expressions of the image of God in humanity are those actions that flow from a proper relationship with God. Other aspects of human culture may reflect some human creativity and ingenuity, but in so doing they reflect the image of God only in a very limited and partial way.
It is actions flowing out of a right relationship with God that reflect full humanity and fully the image of God.
Christ is our model in his perfect humanity, not so much in doing what he did (miracles and such) but doing what we do for the same reason as he did what he did--obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus was a perfect man and the perfect image of God in living in moment by moment obedience to God. We follow him, not by doing the same things he did, but in following the same Father he followed, and seeking to fulfill His will in our lives.
Unbelievers may at some times and in some ways image or reflect God. But they do so unwittingly, often unwillingly, and always, partially. The fullest and most proper expressions of what it means to be fully human, fully imago dei, are those that flow from a proper relationship with God.
D. Finally, we see this in a corporate way in male-female relationships ordered under obedience to the Father's will. In both the home and church, rightly ordered male-female relationships image or mirror the inter-Trinitarian relationship of Father and Son in mutual love and equality alongside fatherly authority and leadership and joyful filial submission and obedience. In this context, not only do we image God individually, but in relationship to others in the home and in the body of Christ, we image the God who is not an isolated individual, but a community within His own being.
The Doctrine of Humanity: Male and Female
Lesson 13
Introduction
Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them.
As humans, we are created either male or female, but what is the significance of having these two sexes?
On the chalkboard list some similarities and differences between the sexes (besides the physical).
(Some examples of differences from Dr. Hammett’s notes:
Males tend to be aggressive and goal-oriented, while females tend to be nurturing and people-oriented.)
Be careful not to focus on the differences, different does not mean better or worse.
“It should be underlined that these are differences, not superiorities or inferiorities. Males and females can be different and still equal.”
Discussion
So what is God’s purpose in creating us male and female?
Some reasons:
A) The most obvious: For procreation
Genesis 1:28: God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
B) For Relationships
Turn to Genesis 2:18-20: The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
Remember that this was before sin entered the world.
What is unique about verse 18?
This was the first time that God said that something was not good, it was not good for Adam to be alone.
So how did God provide for this need?
Genesis 2:21-25: So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called “woman,” for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
God created woman as a companion and helper for man. Woman was made out of man and in verse 24 we see them being united again in a marriage relationship.
According to verse 24 what takes place when a man and woman are united in marriage?
What is commonly referred to as “leaving and cleaving” the man and woman leave their parents and cleave to one another, becoming one flesh and starting a new family.
In verse 25, we see that they were naked, but without shame, this is because they were united in proper marriage as God desires, bringing true intimacy and union, they were still morally innocent
Now we need to look at how males and females relate to each other as far as their roles in the home, church and world in general.
So how do men and women relate as far as their roles are concerned?
A) The Bible affirms that men and women are both equal and complementary of each other.
Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The Bible clearly teaches that men and women are equals and complement each other perfectly. We can look at Jesus’ treatment of women, such as Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene and the Samaritan woman, as proof that God sees them as having equal worth to men.
B) Men and women do typically fulfill certain roles within the home and church.
What are some examples of the typical roles of men and women? (list on board)
Men are given a position of authority, but this does not indicate being higher or lower than women, it is just the proper way of complementing each other.
Ephesians 5:22-25: Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
Ephesians 5:33: However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
SO WHAT?
Because we are created equal in God’s eyes we are all of equal value.
Do you treat each other as equals?
What are some ways that we can be Christ-like in our behavior/attitude/ actions toward each other?
We need to strive to lift each other up in all things, to edify each other, which means to encourage each other spiritually.
Don’t be afraid to be polite and helpful to each other, and when someone tries to help you, let them!!
Use the talents and abilities God has blessed you with to serve Him.
God wants us to have appropriate relationships with each other just as He wants to have a relationship with each one of us.
TEACHER FYI
LESSON 13: MALE/ FEMALE
Notes on differences between the sexes:
We do not want to overemphasize the differences between men and women. We are far more alike than different, and Scripture addresses us far more often as humans, than as male or female. Still, there are certain differences that should be recognized.
a. Physical differences. These are obvious, and for that reason are sometimes downplayed as just biological. I would argue that they serve as a basis for other differences. Indeed, the male hormone testosterone has been correlated with a number of other sex differences, especially aggressive behavior.
b. Aggressive vs. nurturing. This is seen consistently in studies of males and females. It is not absolutely universal; there are some very nurturing males and some very aggressive females, and there is nothing wrong in people being who they are. But there are strong tendencies toward aggression in males and nurturance in females. I think the greater strength of men and the fact that women carry and bear and nurse children may contribute to these differing orientations.
It can be seen in the differing ways children play with the same toys, or tend to choose different toys, or in the fact that certain vocations tend to be primarily male or female. For example, one distinction that seems to be universal among all cultures that anthropologists have encountered is that males have the primary responsibility for governance and leadership, while women have the primary responsibility for home and children. Even in countries where there have been conscious efforts toward sharing of responsibilities equally, these patterns have endured.
c. Goal-oriented vs. person-oriented. Again, a universal finding of anthropologists is that males feel more driven to achieve and accomplish goals, while females tend to be more team-oriented, valuing achievements and relationships. Males tend to be separate mind, will and emotions, while females integrate mind, will, and emotions more easily.
d. There are also numerous studies showing a tendency toward different aptitudes in the sexes. Women surpass men in verbal abilities; men do better in math and spatial relations (check how men and women differ in giving directions). Men do well is analytical focused studies; women are better able to take in a wide range of stimuli. Females seem to be better able to use their brains wholistically, while men do better in specialized use of one center or area.
This responsiveness to a wider range of stimuli is seen in the greater concern women have for beautifying their surroundings. They simply notice it more, and thus are far more likely to hang pictures, put up curtains, redecorate, etc. Even what we call women's intuition may be simply the unconscious reception and processing of subtle forms of information missed by males.
It should be underlined that these are differences, not superiorities or inferiorities. Males and females can be different and still equal.
Notes on God’s purposes:
What are God's purposes in creating us male and female?
a. First of all, there is the obvious purpose, that sexuality is God's chosen way for the propagation and continuation of humanity. The statement of creation in two sexes is immediately followed up with the command to "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:27, 28). God has constructed us such that it takes both male and female to produce another human being, and this explains the biological differentiation of male and female. The fact that humans have a strong sexual drive is God's way of indicating that He does want humanity to continue. But propagation of the species is not the only, or even the most important reason why God created us male and female.
b. Creation of two sexes is part of God's plan to push us toward relationships. The dilemma of Adam in Gen. 2:18-20 is really quite striking. Why did God create Adam with a need for someone else, with a need for a "suitable helper"? Wasn't God enough? And, if there was a need for companionship, why didn't God create another man?
I think the implication behind Gen. 2:18-25 is that God created men and women incomplete without one another (see also I Cor. 11:11). Each sex has understandings, insights, feelings, sensitivities, abilities that the other needs to be fully human. Why do we call the other sex the opposite sex? Because they are different (see the recent bestseller, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus), and those differences are complementary.
Our culture wants to insist that the equality of men and women (which the Bible teaches) requires that there be no differences between men and women, apart from the undeniable biological ones. But "equal" need not mean "identical," experience teaches that men and women are different, empirical evidence for these differences is mounting, and while Scripture does not explicitly enumerate the differences, I think the clear implication is that there are differences. If not, what was the point of creating two sexes? Surely God could have taken care of propagation of the species in another way.
This is not to say that individual men and women cannot be different. An aggressive woman or a nurturing man should not be forced to be like others. God creates diversity. But, by and large, these differences are there and are real. Rather than deny them, or fear they somehow undermine equality, rejoice in them and utilize them. Churches and individuals who have input only from one sex will be poorer for it.
This does not mean that single people are not complete people. But any male who does not have some significant relationships with females will lack what only they can provide (and vice versa). However, for the majority of people, marriage will be the context for developing that type of relationship with a person of the opposite sex. And, in that context, sex serves another purpose.
Notes on roles:
Men and Women in the Home and Church
We are entering into a complex, broad, and hotly disputed area, that of the issue of different roles for men and women in the home and church.
There are two basic positions within evangelicalism today: complementarianism and egalitarianism. Mainline and liberal theology has long ago adopted an egalitarian view, but many modern evangelicals think egalitarianism can be squared with a conservative view of Scripture, and indeed, fits overall Scriptural teaching better.
The egalitarian view argues that the overall teaching of Scripture is equality between men and women, and that limiting the roles a woman can fill, just because she is a woman, inevitably violates equality. The few verses that seem to suggest otherwise, they believe, can be explained as limited by cultural factors and were never meant to be taken as timeless principles.
The complementarian view agrees that men and women are equal, but believes equality can be maintained along with a differentiation of roles, because the roles do not involve being higher and lower, but being complementary. They see this as being taught in a number of places in Scripture. Exactly how the principles apply in specific situations can be difficult, for we have positions and roles today that did not exist in biblical times (Sunday School teacher, associate pastor, minister of music, etc.), but the key passages do require some differentiation of roles between men and women
The Doctrine of Sin
Lesson 14
Introduction
When and where did sin begin? Who were the first sinners? Why did they sin?
Look at Genesis 3:1-7 and allow for some discussion
So did God create sin?
No, He allowed His creation to make a free choice to sin, which resulted in the fall.
So what is sin?
“The essence of sin is simply failure to let God be God. It is placing something else, anything else, in the supreme place which is His.” Millard Erickson
In the Bible sin is seen as missing the mark, not doing what God desires for us, and rebelling against Him.
Discussion
True or False? Everyone is born basically good.
False: Everyone is born with a sinful nature. It is natural for humans to sin.
Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned
True or False? Things that we don’t do can be sin.
True: When we think of sin we tend to think only of sins of commission, or things that we do that are wrong, however, there are also sins of omission, or things that we don’t do, even though we know we should, making it a sin.
James 4:17: Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
Who is responsible for your sin?
You are responsible for your sins, people may want to place the blame on the devil, the culture we live in, or influences like family and friends, but in reality when we sin we only have ourselves to blame, we make the decision.
Now we are going to look at a passage that shows the way that sin progresses when we give it a foothold in our lives.
James 1:13-15: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
What are some characteristics of the process of sin that you notice in this passage?
First of all from this passage we need to note that God is not the source of any of our temptation, as we mentioned earlier, we are responsible for our sins.
We can see that sin begins with evil desire, when we allow our desires to take power in our lives and begin to give in to the temptations that accompany those desires we are headed for sin.
When we act on those desires we are sinning, we have not trusted God to strengthen us to resist temptation.
The final result of sin is death, just like we can see illustrated in the Genesis 3 account of the fall.
“Sin…brings forth physical death, separating the soul from the body; spiritual death, separating the soul from God; and eternal death, separating both body and soul from God forever.” John Macarthur
What are some other results of sin?
We suffer shame and guilt.
Our fellowship with God and others is harmed.
Are the results of sin always seen right away?
There are always consequences, and sometimes we may not even notice them until much later.
Are the results of sin always personal?
Our sin impacts not only ourselves, but those around us as well, we may hurt our witness, or influence someone negatively, or any other of multiple harmful effects.
SO WHAT?
Are you being honest with yourselves about your sin?
Is feeling guilty over sin a bad thing?
There is a healthy guilt that we all feel over our sin, this indicates that the Holy Spirit is working in us to convict us of the wrong we have done, no guilt at all would be trouble. But we should not live in guilt; we have the promises of God and the blood of Christ, which washes away all our sins.
1 John 1:8-9: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
“It’s not that we stop sinning once saved, we have less fun doing it.” Pastor Richard
When we recognize our problem with sin then we can trust Christ, He is the solution to the problem of sin.
Romans 5:17-19: For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
(Teachers: This last point is for you if anyone should happen to ask about it, or if you want to bring it up)
Is there an unforgivable sin?
Matthew 12:31-32 and several other passages speak of a sin that will not be forgiven. From the context of the passage it seems that the sin is willful rejection of the Holy Spirit over a period of time when one actually knows the truth of Christ, but chooses to reject it anyway. This is not something that one could accidentally do and not realize it, so we shouldn’t live in fear of having committed it. Its not that the sin is so horrible that Christ’s blood couldn’t cover it, but once one has so thoroughly rejected the clear work of the Spirit in their lives they have made their choice to reject forgiveness.
Teacher FYI Lesson 14
Gen. 3 and the Origin of Sin. We have very little information on the sin of Satan and his angels that led to their dismissal from heaven. More generally, we stated that the ultimate cause of sin lies in God's choice to make us free creatures capable of communion with God (the free-will defense). The corollary of this freedom is the possibility of misusing it to our eternal detriment. The gift of liberty is also a terrifying weight. We can choose hell, destruction, and separation from God and all that is good. God does allow people to make such choices. The tale of humanity is not a fairy tale, with a happy ending for all. To be a human being is an awesome responsibility, for we have the frightful gift and responsibility of freedom.
And though we agreed with some who see liberty as the factor that best explains the origin of sin, we said as well that, on the deepest level, there is no explanation for the origin of sin, for sin is deeply and profoundly inexplicable and irrational. That it should ever come to be is an enigma and mystery.
The results of the fall. There are five:
a. Guilt and shame (v. 7I think their desire for physical covering reflects the need they now have to hide physically, spiritually, and emotionally. As the devil had promised, their eyes were opened, but what they saw produced the first negative emotions in the Bible: guilt and shame.
b. Distortions in relationships (vv. 8-19). Stanley Grenz sees sin as essentially the destruction of community, and certainly that aspect is prominent here. The God/human relationship, husband/wife relationship, mother/child relationship, and human/creation relationship are all affected.
From walking with God, his creatures now hide in fear from Him. In place of love and help between husband and wife, there is recrimination and "passing the buck." She will now attempt to overturn God's order for marriage and dominate her husband (see the sense of "desire" in Gen. 4:7); he will become a dictator and oppressor (v. 16). Both man and woman will experience difficulty in their roles. Eve shared a role in dominion over creation, but now she was at enmity with part of that order. From being an occasion of joy, children will also be an occasion of pain. For the man, the environment will no longer be friendly and cooperative. It shared in the degradation caused by sin. Work will become painful toil.
I think these distortions are the central result of the fall. All the others are offshoots. Thus, restoration of those relationships should be central in the life and ministry of God's people today. We need to examine carefully what we are doing to rebuild community in our churches.
c. Knowledge of good and evil (v. 22). As we mentioned above, Adam and Eve did gain this knowledge. But they now knew evil as participants, and that did not make them like God. He had already done that in creating them in His image.
d. Death (vv. 22-24). Gen. 2:17 implies that death will be immediate, that very day. But Adam and Eve lived physically for many more years. That day, they died spiritually. Their capacity for relationship with God died, and thus they were incapable of relating to God without a gracious rebirth of the spirit. Also, their bodies became mortal and subject to eventual physical death. And, apart from salvation, they would eventually encounter eternal death, the second death (Rev. 2:11, 20:14-15).
The fall resulted in death, because it was not God's will that humans live eternally in the state of sin. That is why the way to the tree of life was guarded, and access was denied. God did not intend for us to eat and live forever in our present state. But in Rev. 22:1-2, the way to the tree is opened for the redeemed, and its leaves cure all the pains and scars of this life. Rev. 22:3 adds that the curse is now removed. Now it is safe and in the will of God to live forever.
The cure for spiritual death is regeneration, the cure for physical death is resurrection, but there is no cure for the second death.
e. The final result of the fall is the effect of the fall on the descendants of Adam and Eve, which we will discuss shortly under the heading of original sin. For now, we turn our attention to the rest of the Bible's teaching on sin, specifically the nature of sin.
1. Biblical Terms for Sin. There are a great number of terms for sin in the Bible, and a number are mentioned in Erickson. We will limit ourselves to the three most important, all of which are mentioned in Ex. 34:6-7, a verse repeated many times in the OT: sin, iniquity, and transgression.
English Hebrew Greek Central Idea
sin chata hamartia to miss the mark
iniquity avon or aval adikia act and consequence
transgression pasha parabasis to cross a forbidden line; to rebel
a. Sin (chata, hamartia). These are the most frequent and most general words for sin in the Bible, and the first words used for sin in both testaments (Gen. 4:7, Matt. 1:21). Both mean the same thing: to miss the mark. This word was used in a spiritual sense, to refer to missing the mark of God's will, which reflects God's nature, and is embodied in God's law.
We miss the mark for two reasons. At times, we try but miss, because of the power of sin and the weakness of our fallen nature. But, as Charles Ryder Smith notes in his study of sin (The Bible Doctrine of Sin and of the Ways of God with Sinners), the great majority of the time we miss God's mark because we are not aiming at that mark. We reject God's goal and purpose and shoot at another goal. The problem with sin is not basically weakness, but perverseness and enmity toward God and His purposes.
Especially is this so with a lost person. Her greatest problem is not that she wants to obey God's law but can't; it is that she cannot obey God's law because she doesn't want to, because she is at enmity with God (Rom. 8:7). For example, in Rom. 3:11, the problem is not that no one finds God, but that no one seeks Him. We miss the mark because we do not aim to hit the mark.
b. Iniquity. The Hebrew and Greek words are not exactly the same here, though all three are often translated "iniquity."
I have grouped them together because they all include an idea of sin and the consequence or result of sin. As a result of doing twisted, deformed deeds, one becomes a guilty, iniquitous personIt carries with it an implication of guilt, as a consequence of sin, and leaves us under the righteous judgment of God.
In the NT, someone who commits adikia shows that he is not in a right relationship with God, for he lacks righteousness. As a result, he is guilty. Unless there is a supply of justice or righteousness , he will surely be condemned. Acceptance of the justice of Christ results in liberation from that guilt, and a new standing before God (justification, which shares the same dike root in Greek, as does righteousness).
c. Transgression (pasha, parabasis). Though not as frequent as some of the other words, some scholars think pasha may be the strongest word for sin in the OT, for it denotes not just crossing beyond a prohibited line, but rebellion and betrayal, and the breaking of a pact. I Kings 12:19 gives an example of the literal use of this word. Is. 1:2 applies it to Israel, who had broken their covenant with God. In this sense, transgression is a violation of trust and the breaking of a relationship. God is described as a covenant-keeping God, whose “steadfast love” (hesed) endures forever, but we are a covenant-breaking people.
2. The Essence of Sin. Erickson gives a fine definition of sin: "any lack of conformity, active or passive, to the moral law of God. This may be a matter of act, of thought, or of inner disposition or state." This definition thus includes the external act and the internal attitude (see Ex. 20:14 and 17), sins of omission and commission (Matt. 23:23), the motivation behind the acts (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16), and the idea of sin as not simply isolated acts, but a state in which we live (see John 8:34 and Rom. 7:14 for sin as a slave master). Yet, while this is a good definition of sin, Erickson feels (and I agree) that it does not penetrate to the root or essence of sin.
Perhaps the most common suggestion in Christian history has been that sin is basically pride, or hubris. This is based on the first sin of Adam and Eve, seeing it as stemming from a refusal to accept their role as creatures and trying to take God's place, and perhaps as well, on the hint in I Tim. 3:6 that pride was behind the fall of the devil. But I think that, while certainly very important, pride is not at the root of all sin. In fact, some sin, such as denying and not using one's talents and gifts, comes from the very opposite of pride
Another suggestion with historical support has been egoism, or selfishness, the positioning of oneself over God. It may be expressed as the preference of one's will to God's, the preference of one's ideas to God's truth. Luther described sin as causing us to curve in upon ourselves. Many sins, especially those of omission, we omit because we are too consumed with self to see the needs of others. Yet this too does not cover all cases.
I think Stanley Grenz gets closer. He starts from the idea of failure inherent in the two most important words for sin (chata and hamartia). Sin is the failure to live out God's will and purpose for us, and that will and purpose is to be His image, living in community with God, others, and the created order.
But best of all, in my opinion, is Erickson's formulation. The most comprehensive idea of the essence of sin is that sin is what occurs when anything is allowed to take the place only God should take. That other thing may be pride or self-pity, selfishness or a cause for which you give yourself. It may be a church or a ministry. But the central fact about sin is that it is against God. The mark we fail to hit is the mark of God's will, which reflects Him. The crookedness we recognize as iniquity is seen as crooked because God is straight, and His ways are straight. The pact we break, the one against whom we rebel is God. Every idea of sin has to lead back to God, and the failure to let God be God in our lives.
Even acts that are good in themselves (such as loving one's family) can become sinful if they take God's place. They may be without pride or selfishness, but if they displace God, they are not good in relation to God; they are sin.
We find confirmation for this in both the first of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:3) and the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:36-37). As Augustine said long ago, "Love God and do as you please." For anyone who truly loves God puts God first in her life, and God's will governs her desires. The essence of sin is then idolatry, giving to anything the precedence that belongs only to God. Therefore, repentance and the Christian life must involve a constant recognition and reacceptance of God as God over all areas of one's life.
Note on the Unpardonable sin:
1. The unpardonable sin (Matt. 12:31-32). In my opinion (and there is a general consensus among evangelicals on this point), this sin must be the rejection of the witness of the Holy Spirit about Jesus (John 16:8-11), for apart from acceptance of this testimony, no one can be saved. It appears that I John 5:16 could refer to this sin as well, but this is a notoriously difficult verse to interpret, so one shouldn't build too much doctrine upon it.
The problem with this interpretation of the unpardonable sin is that many people have rejected the voice of the Spirit many times, before finally accepting the gospel. Have they already committed this sin? I think not. We must understand the rejection of the Spirit's witness to be a persistent one, to the point where one's heart becomes hardened (Heb. 3:7-8), and one is no longer able to hear the voice of the Spirit. Only God knows what that point is, but the ability to receive the witness of the Spirit shows that one has not gone past that point. Thus, this is a sin that a Christian, by definition, cannot commit.
God has the right to judge rejection of the Spirit's testimony at any time, and there are examples of God's judgment in Scripture: God hardened Pharaoh's heart in judgment of his own self-hardening (Ex. 8:15, 32, Ex. 9:12), God abandoned those who denied him (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28), God leads those who hate the truth to believe the lie (II Thess. 2:10-12). But because of His compassion and long-suffering, judgment is usually delayed. Only God knows when a sinner has passed the point of no return and is irretrievable. But it behooves all, Christian and non-Christian, to be careful never to sin against conscience, never to harden one's heart. It may be more dangerous than you guess.
One final point on this question: Some folks think that suicide is an unpardonable sin. Suicide is a tragedy, but Scripture states there is only one unpardonable sin. Actually, this idea is a holdover from Catholicism, and the idea that one must confess certain serious sins (mortal sins) or they could never be forgiven. Since suicide cannot be confessed, it is unforgivable. But this is a false idea. When a person accepts Christ, he forgives all sins--past, present, and future. Confession is necessary for unclouded fellowship with God, but the relationship never changes.
John MacArthur notes on the unforgivable sin:
MARK 3:29 he who blasphemes … never has forgiveness. Whenever someone deliberately and disrespectfully slanders the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in pointing to the Lordship and redemption of Jesus Christ, he completely negates and forfeits any possibility of present or future forgiveness of sins (see note on Matt. 12:31), because he has wholly rejected the only basis of God’s salvation.[1]
Matthew 12:31 the blasphemy against the Spirit. The sin He was confronting was the Pharisees’ deliberate rejection of that which they knew to be of God (cf. John 11:48; Acts 4:16). They could not deny the realty of what the Holy Spirit had done through Him, so they attributed to Satan a work that they knew was of God (v. 24; Mark 3:22).
12:32 it will be forgiven him. Someone never exposed to Christ’s divine power and presence might reject Him in ignorance and be forgiven—assuming the unbelief gives way to genuine repentance. Even a Pharisee such as Saul of Tarsus could be forgiven for speaking “against the Son of Man” or persecuting His followers—because his unbelief stemmed from ignorance (1 Tim. 1:13). But those who know His claims are true and reject Him anyway sin “against the Holy Spirit”—because it is the Holy Spirit who testifies of Christ and makes His truth known to us (John 15:26; 16:14, 15). No forgiveness was possible for these Pharisees who witnessed His miracles firsthand, knew the truth of His claims, and still blasphemed the Holy Spirit—because they had already rejected the fullest possible revelation. See notes on Heb. 6:4–6; 10:29.[2]
The Doctrine of Temptations
Lesson 15
Introduction
In this lesson we are going to talk about what the Bible teaches about temptation.
What is temptation?
When we desire something and to choose to do it means to choose it over God.
Is temptation sin?
No, when we are faced with temptation it is an opportunity to sin, but more positively it is an opportunity to choose not to sin.
Sources of Temptation
What are some of the sources of temptation?
1 Thessalonians 3:5: For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
Here the tempter is Satan, one source of temptation.
James 1:14: but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
This is the temptation of the flesh, our own selfish desires.
1 John 2:15: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Here we see that temptation can come from the world, a desire to be like the world around us.
Each of these sources of temptation are very real and dangerous to our spiritual walks, and each of them are results of putting something else before God in our lives. However, they are all avoidable
What to do about Temptation
Last week we noted that James 1:13-15 tells us how things develop from temptation into sin. We saw that when sin is full-grown it leads to death. So now we are going to look at some ways to make the right choice when tempted and avoid sinning.
1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
So we know that God will not let us be put in a situation where it is impossible not to sin, another good thing to remember is found in Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
What can we learn about avoiding temptation from this verse?
Here Jesus tells Peter, James and John that they must be careful to “watch and pray,” be aware and focus on God in order to avoid giving in to temptation.
For a specific example of someone handling temptation the right way lets look at the temptation of Jesus.
Read Matthew 4:1-11
What were the temptations that Jesus faced?
Satan tempted Jesus in three ways, first he tempted Him to use His power for His own needs and therefore show distrust towards the Father, secondly he tempted Jesus to put God to the test, and thirdly he tempted Jesus to renounce His Father and worship him.
How did Jesus handle these temptations?
Jesus handled these temptations by answering Satan with Scripture and showing that He had perfect trust in God.
How did His method differ from what Adam and Eve did in the garden?
Adam and Eve met their temptation with excuses and finger-pointing, they chose to distrust God and fell.
So What?
Look at how Jesus was tempted by Satan and try to identify areas in your life where you may struggle with similar temptations, things like lust, pride, power, etc.
We all need to acknowledge that we struggle, but also realize that God will provide us with a way out.
If we do mess up, what should our reaction be?
If we do stumble we must confess our sins, knowing that God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
What about when we see other Christians giving in?
When we see our brothers or sisters in Christ stumble we should practice forgiveness towards them, not look down on them, because we are subject to temptations as well. We should also encourage each other and spur one another on to good works.
Galatians 6:1: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and look at temptation as an opportunity for victory in Christ, not as an occasion for failure. We can all grow stronger in our walks by placing our trust in Christ and finding strength in Him to overcome temptation.
“It is God’s great desire to turn into victory what Satan intends for failure, to strengthen us at the very point where the adversary wants to find us weak.” John MacArthur
Teacher FYI Lesson 15
Temptation
Sources of sin and Temptation:
C. The Sources of Sin. Erickson, in his chapter on this subject, outlines a number of different ideas concerning why we sin, or the source: our animal nature with its instinct for self-preservation, the struggle against our finitude, estrangement from our essence, oppression and injustice, and individualism and competitiveness. While some of these may be involved in sin, Scripture offers some deeper suggestions.
Erickson rightly notes that the Bible rejects any suggestion that God is the source of sin, and points rather to human desires (James 1:13-15). Pursuing gratification of these desires in the wrong way or failure to submit them to God's control is what leads to sin. I agree that distortion of legitimate desires is a characteristic mark of sin, and will give a practical illustration of that later. But even this does not go far enough. Why do we pursue our desires in ungodly ways? Why do we fail to submit them to God's control? I think Scripture points to an Evil Trinity that lies behind all sin. They are listed in Eph. 2:2-3: the world, the devil, and the sinful nature (or flesh).
1. Satan. We have already discussed the devil as the being that is behind the deceiving and tempting attacks made upon humanity. Yet he cannot force us to sin. We cannot hide behind the excuse "the devil made me do it."
2. The Sinful Nature. Without that capacity called the sinful nature, or flesh, that came into being when Adam sinned and has been passed down to us, temptation would find little welcome. Our fallen nature leaves us open and attentive to the voice of temptation. Still, we cannot blame our nature for making us do what we do not want to do, for we consent to what that nature wants, and eagerly seek to gratify it. We approve of it. The heart of the problem is the human heart (Jer. 17:9). We looked at this source in our discussion of the human constitution. But we have not yet considered the world.
3. The World. The word "world" (kosmos) can mean simply this earth, or the people on this planet. In this sense, God loves the world (John 3:16). But in I John 2:15-17, we are commanded not to love the world. In Eph. 2:2, we are no longer to follow the ways of this world. In Rom. 12:2, we are not to conform to the pattern of the world. In this sense, the world is not neutral, but actively opposed to God and God's purposes (John 15:18-19). There is a power of evil at work among humans that organizes them in patterns that oppose the kingdom of God. It is this organized pattern of humanity in opposition to God that is signified by this use of the word "world."
The organizer behind the world is, of course, Satan, "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30). But there also seem to be other powers involved. They are variously referred to in Scripture as principalities and powers (Rom. 8:38-39), as rulers, authorities, powers, spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12), the basic principles of this world (Col. 2:8), powers and authorities (Col. 2:15), and weak and miserable principles (Gal. 4:9).
The Doctrine of the Person of Christ
Lesson 16
Today we are going to study the doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ. We will be looking at who Christ is.
We will start at the very beginning…
John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
According to this verse, when did Christ come into existence?
He didn’t come into existence; He has always been and is without beginning or ending.
What does this tell us about Christ?
Jesus Christ is God
Colossians 1:15-17: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven an on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Jesus is fully God. He is the second person of the trinity.
But doesn’t the Bible say no one can see God and live?
Philippians 2:5-11: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is also fully man! He chose to humble Himself and be made in human likeness.
How can Jesus be both fully man and fully God?
Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with Child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
This is a prophecy of the birth of Jesus Christ, Immanuel, which means “God with us,” this prophecy was made approximately 700 years before Jesus’ birth.
Luke 1:26-35: In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Jospeh, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and five birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” the angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
This passage describes the incarnation, which is a fancy way of saying when Christ took on human flesh, it is the fulfillment of the prophecy that we looked at in Isaiah.
This is not the moment when Christ began, He has always been, the incarnation is the moment when He was born and took on human flesh.
So, as a man, do you think Christ experienced the same things that we experience?
Hebrews 4:14-16: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
He experienced everything that we do except sin, He had emotions, joy, excitement, rejection, sorrow, pain, and death.
So What?
What does all this have to do with you?
We need to have an understanding of just what Jesus did for us; He humbled Himself to become man in order to bring glory to God and make salvation possible for us as well.
Why is it important that Jesus was fully God and fully man?
Only a holy sacrifice would do, He also had to become man in order to live a sinless, perfect life as a substitute for us.
Teacher FYI: Lesson 16
The Person of Christ
Notes on the incarnation and Christ as both God and man:
The incarnation. The very word "incarnation" means "infleshment," the union of a spiritual being with a fleshly human body. While the incarnation is assumed throughout the entire New Testament, there are two passages that speak very specifically to the nature of the incarnation.
John 1:14. John's gospel begins with the description of what he calls "the Word." He describes the Word as co-equal with God, co-eternal with God. The word he uses for "Word," logos, was a term of great status among both Jews and Greeks. Among the Greeks, it was used to refer to the very principle of reason that was the structure of the entire universe. Among the Jews, it was a reference to God's creative breath. In verse 14, John states that this exalted Word "became flesh." As we discussed last semester, John's use of the word "flesh," (sarx) is different from Paul's use. John is not saying that the word took on a sinful nature, but a fully human nature. This exalted Word was united with a human personality.
The full humanity of Christ is affirmed not only in this verse but throughout the New Testament. For example, 1 John 4:2 states that anyone who denies the humanity of Jesus is teaching false doctrine. In fact, he says that such teaching comes from the spirit of Antichrist. First Corinthians 15:21 says that since by a man came death, Adam, by a man came the resurrection from the dead. Hebrews 2:14 affirms the necessity of Jesus sharing in flesh and blood the nature of those He came to redeem. Hebrews 4:15 says that our Redeemer, our Great High Priest, had to be like us, tempted like we are, but without sin. Luke 2:52 affirms that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. John 4:6-7 says that Jesus was tired and thirsty.
All these verses simply amplify what John said succinctly in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh." It took the church more than four centuries to come to a full and final formulation of all that is involved in that statement, but the idea of full deity and full humanity are there from the beginning. The problem in formulating it came from two directions. One problem was the difficulty of Arius and others in accepting the full deity of Christ (still a problem with modern day cults). The second major problem was in defining "nature." If the Word became united with a human nature, what is involved in a nature? Does it mean that Jesus had two wills, one divine and one human? Did He have a human soul and a divine mind? Such specific questions (Greek questions) were, at times, important but are not addressed specifically by Scripture. We will trace the historical development of Christology later but, for now, we must emphasize only that it all stems from John 1:14.
b. Philippians 2:5-11. This is the second major passage explaining the idea of the incarnation. It starts with an affirmation of Christ's pre-existence in the very nature of God. It says "being in very nature God." "Being" implies that He continually existed before the incarnation. Thus, it refers to the pre-existence of Christ. He had equality with God, He was by nature divine. That word is morphe, which means "nature" or "essence." Thus, He had equality with God, but He did not hold on to it. This is the meaning of a very difficult phrase about not grasping equality with God. There seems to be a contrast here between Adam, who was a human who sought to be God, and Christ existing as God but choosing to unite Himself with humanity. What is involved in that union is described as an emptying of Himself. This is the essence of incarnation, a union of perfect humanity and undiminished deity. But of what did Christ empty Himself? How can deity and humanity be united? These are the questions raised by this passage.
The Greek word for "empty Himself" is kenoo, and, thus, this question is called the kenotic question, or the kenosis. Of what did Christ empty Himself? What happened to the second person of the Trinity in the process of the incarnation? For us, adding something means an increase, but for the Eternal Word, adding a human nature involved a process of emptying Himself. How are we to understand this? The passage is difficult, containing several words used only once in the New Testament. There are three general lines of interpretation.
In the incarnation, the eternal Word emptied Himself. In order to add a full and real humanity, He laid aside His deity, or at least part of his divine attributes. Being human necessarily involved such loss. Thus, Jesus was fully human but not fully God. The problem with this is the ample evidence of the New Testament for the deity of Christ (which we will discuss later). The deity of Christ has been attacked since the 19th century and especially recently (see John Hick, ed., The Myth of God Incarnate), but Scripture is clear and orthodox Christianity has held since the Council of Nicea that Christ is fully divine.
In the incarnation, the eternal Word "emptied Himself" in the sense that He left his exalted position. He left the glory of heaven, the company of the Father and the angels, for a dirty stable and sinful humanity. No missionary has ever experienced such culture shock.
Certainly this loss of position is part of what is involved in Jesus' self-emptying. John 17:5 states that Jesus had left the glory of the Father to come to earth. Philippians 2:5-11 traces the descent of Christ into deep humiliation: taking the form of a servant, being found in appearance as a man, humbling Himself unto obedience, even obedience unto death on a cross. Of course, the passage concludes with God responding to the Son's humiliation by exalting Him to the highest place. But is there more involved in the emptying that just a loss of position?
Luther said no. Jesus was omniscient even in the crib; omnipresent in the universe while present in Jesus of Nazareth in a special way. He continued to sustain all things while sucking on His thumb. This was one reason why Luther could hold to the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. Even after His ascension, Christ's body continued to share in the divine attribute of omnipresence (communication of properties). The ubiquity or omnipresence of Christ's body enabled Luther to claim that Christ was really present in the Lord's Supper. So, for Luther, emptying had no reference to the divine attributes or divine nature.
Calvin, as he often does, takes a middle position (see Institutes, II.13.2). The emptying involved a voluntary decision on Christ's part to veil or restrain his divinity by taking on a fully human nature and choosing to experience fully what it means to be human. Thus, Christ was able to learn, to grow in physical strength, to accept physical limitations. He never lost His divine attributes, but He chose to restrain the exercise of them. This would also seem to imply that Christ's miracles, at least at times, were not performed by His own divine power, but by the power of the Father working through Him to validate that Jesus is, indeed, His chosen and beloved Son (see Matt. 12:28).
Calvin, of course, fully believed in the deity of Christ, too, and believed that as God, he was still omnipresent in the universe while his human nature had a localized presence in Nazareth. Thus he separated the two natures of Christ and did not see the property of omnipresence communicated to the human nature. Exactly what aspects or properties of Christ existed apart from or outside of the human nature of Jesus are matters of debate among Calvin scholars, and is called the question of the extra-Calvinisticum (see Institutes, II.13.4 for the basis).
For this reason, Calvin could not agree with Luther on the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. The body Christ had accepted in the incarnation did not share in His omnipresence even after His ascension. As divine and thus spirit, Christ is omnipresent and, thus, Calvin can speak of a real spiritual presence in the Lord's Supper but not the real physical presence as Luther believed. This was the major point of division between the Lutherans and Reformed (and Zwinglians, which were basically Reformed also).
To a degree, this is a "how" question (How can deity and humanity fit together?), so we do not expect a specific Scriptural answer. Full deity and full humanity are affirmed clearly in Scripture; how they fit together is not. I take a position close to that of Calvin. I think the incarnate Christ retained all His divine attributes but chose not to exercise them, at least at times, to identify fully with us. Thus, His deity was veiled (except for the transfiguration) and restricted. The self-emptying involved humiliation (loss of position) and self-limitation (voluntary non-use of divine attributes).
Thus, we may define the incarnation as that event in history in which a full human nature was added to the eternal, divine, undiminished nature of the second person of the Trinity. The Word always was God, yet became flesh. Christ existed eternally in the essence of God; at a point in time He emptied Himself. That emptying involved the humiliation of Christ (loss of position in glory), and, in my opinion, the voluntary self-restraint or self-veiling of the divine nature for the purpose of identification with humanity.
On Jesus Experiencing Temptation:
Period of temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). There are many interesting points in these passages. There is the identification of the Spirit as the One who led or literally cast (Mark 1:12) Jesus into this situation, which shows us that testing can be divinely sent to strengthen us. There is the comparison often made between the temptations faced by Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:6), the temptations listed in 1 John 2:16, and the three temptations faced by Jesus. Actually, I think it is more accurate to see all three temptations faced by Jesus as temptations to be a spectacular Son rather than a Suffering Servant. There is also the important point to note that Jesus always responded with Scripture, and that Satan did have to flee for a time.
The Works of Christ on the Cross:
The Atonement
Lesson 17
What did Christ accomplish on the cross?
(Teachers: you will probably get several answers for this question, you can tell the students that the things they are mentioning are part of what we call the atonement.)
What is the atonement?
“The atonement is the work Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation.” Wayne Grudem
Today we are going to look as some of the things involved in the atonement.
1. Sacrifice
What does it mean to sacrifice something?
To sacrifice something is to give up something of value for something considered to be of greater worth.
During the OT period and during Christ’s life what was the purpose of the Jews’ animal sacrifices?
The Jewish animal sacrifices were made to atone for their sin.
Leviticus 17:11: For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
The animal sacrifices were made continuously to cover the people’s sin; Christ came as the final, perfect sacrifice.
Hebrews 9:11-14: When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Hebrews 9:26b: But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Christ’s sacrifice solves the problem of our sin needing a substitute.
2. Propitiation
Does anyone have any idea what this means?
In order to understand propitiation we must first know that God is holy and just, He cannot tolerate sin.
Romans 1:18: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness
Romans 2:5: But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed
.
So God’s wrath against sin had to be poured out on something; on the cross Christ took God’s wrath towards our sins on Himself.
1 John 2:1b-2 (NASB): And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
In propitiation God’s wrath was directed toward Christ instead of us.
3. Substitution
What is substitution?
Substitution is when something takes the place of something else.
How was Christ’s death on the cross a substitution?
2 Corinthians 5:21: God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written; “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.
These three verses illustrate how Christ was a substitute for us, taking the punishment that we deserve.
4. Reconciliation
What is reconciliation?
As sinners we are separated from God, Christ’s death was able to repair the relationship and allow us to come back into fellowship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19: All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Why was the relationship in need of repair?
We have broken the relationship by our sin.
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!
In His death on the cross Christ made it possible for our relationship with God to be restored.
5. Redemption
What is redemption?
Redemption is paying the price and purchasing something.
What did Christ redeem us from?
Christ redeemed us from our bondage to sin.
1Peter 1:18-19: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Romans 6:11: In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In redemption Christ’s blood purchased our freedom from the bondage of sin.
6. Victory
What did Christ’s death and resurrection win the victory over?
1 Corinthians 15:55: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ won the victory over sin and death and Satan and we should praise Him for it.
So What?
We have looked at a number of things that Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished. We don’t normally think of all these things, but now, realizing just how much Christ accomplished, how should we be impacted?
1 Peter 2:21: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
Jesus is an example for us all.
1 John 3:16: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
We should love one another as we have been loved by God.
We also need to realize that this free gift we have been given was quite costly for God, this should help us to understand just how much God loves us and desires a relationship with us.
Our sin is a big deal; Jesus had to go through all this pain and suffering because sin requires death and punishment. God loved us enough to provide us with victory over sin through Jesus if we will only receive the free gift of salvation.
Teacher FYI: Lesson 17
The Atonement
Our focal point in the study of Christ's work will be His priestly work of atonement, in which He is both priest and sacrifice. He represents God before humanity, revealing both the depth of the divine love and the blazing holiness of God. He also represents humanity before God, bearing our sins into God's presence and receiving the judgment of God upon them in his own body on the cross.
Our familiarity with the cross dulls us to its shocking and strange nature. What other religion celebrates and studies in detail the death of its founder? The explanation is that this death is like no other death in history. In Christ, the eternal immortal God, the source of all life, tasted death. And if that is so, then it is not surprising that His death carries enormous, eternal consequences.
I. Biblical Foundations.
A. Key Terms.
Sacrifice. One of the principal themes of Scripture is that of sacrifice, especially in the Pentateuch. The modern reader may find the detailed instructions about sacrifices boring, gory, and irrelevant, but God was preparing his people to understand the meaning of the Messiah's death. Jesus is recognized as the fulfillment of all the OT sacrificial system prefigured. John, Paul, and Peter all refer to him as the Lamb of God (John 1:29, I Cor. 5:6-8, I Pet. 1:18-19), and the book of Hebrews clearly sees Jesus as the fulfillment of both the sacrifices and priesthood (Heb. 9:11-14).
The scapegoat of Lev. 16:20-22 is the background for the One who carries away our sin (I Pet. 2:24: see especially the New Living Translation).
The support for the idea that atonement involves the payment of a penalty for sin (penal atonement) can be seen in what happened to the animals sacrificed. They were slaughtered; their blood (the symbol for life in the OT) was poured out. And it was the pouring out of life that made atonement (Lev. 17:11). Though much of modern theology has ridiculed the idea that God requires death as the penalty of sin, the clear teaching of the NT is that "the wages of sin is death," and the pouring out of the blood of sacrificed animals is difficult to explain apart from the idea that the animal was not only the substitute for the sinner, but was paying the penalty due to the sinner for his sin.
To atone for our sins, it was not enough for Jesus to suffer a little; he had to die, for that is the penalty we place ourselves under when we sin. Suggestions that Christ died just to show the greatness of God's love do not make sense; dying for us is a mark of love only because it would have been our fate apart from his taking our place. If the point was simply to show God's love, other ways might have sufficed. For atoning for sin, death was necessary. The whole sacrificial system taught that.
Propitiation. The word in question here is variously translated: "propitiation" is not very popular (NASB); "expiation" is more common (RSV); "atoning sacrifice" is NIV's attempt; "sacrifice to take away sins" is the most recent attempt (NLT). What is this word and what is the reason for these variations?
a. The Problem With Propitiation. Actually, there is a group of words involved, all related to the Greek verb hilaskomai. It is found in only one theologically significant text (Heb. 2:17). The noun hilasmos occurs twice (I John 2:2, 4:10), and a related word, hilasterion, occurs in a very important text, Rom. 3:25. It is these four texts that are involved in this debate. Despite the paucity of verses, this word group is central to an understanding of the atonement, for reasons which we shall soon explain.
The reasons for the variations in translations have to do with the history of the idea behind this word group. In secular Greek, these words were always used with the idea of placating or appeasing the capricious gods of Greek religion. Propitiation came to take on a somewhat negative connotation. Furthermore, the God of the NT is nothing like those gods, and some scholars, especially C. H. Dodd, flatly believe that to think God needs to be propitiated is to think unworthy thoughts of God. He advocated translating the words involved as "expiation," which involves the idea of erasing or covering sin, but not appeasing a person. Part and parcel of this view is Dodd's conviction that wrath is not a quality or attribute of God, but simply is used in Scripture to denote impersonal retribution, the idea that when one sins, bad things happen. It does not signify that God is somehow angry, it is just the way the world is.
While Dodd has been a very important and influential scholar, his work on this word group has been challenged and surpassed by that of Leon Morris (The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross). While Morris agrees that the God of Scripture is nothing like pagan gods, he argues that God's wrath is aroused by sin and that it is the satisfaction of that wrath that is in view when the hilaskomai word group is used.
Morris's conclusions can be simply stated: in the OT, atonement (kipper) involved the payment of a ransom (kopher) which turned aside divine wrath which would otherwise fall. In Exod. 30:12-16, a half-shekel ransom must be paid for every adult male counted in a census; otherwise, plagues, expressive of the divine wrath, would fall. In Exod. 32:30-32, Moses recognizes that his people lay under the wrath of God, and offers himself as a substitute for them. In Num. 25:10-13, Phineas made atonement by destroying two of those involved in sin. This passage is especially clear that God was angry at the sin of his people; that his anger was turned aside or satisfied by means of an atonement, and that he accepted the atonement in place of the people. Thus Morris demonstrates (conclusively, in the judgment of most scholars), that satisfaction of God's righteous and holy wrath by means of an acceptable substitute is involved in the OT idea of atonement.
c. Propitiation in the NT. Rom. 3:25 supports that conclusion, for in that text, it is Christ's death that allows God to justly justify sinners. Chapters 1-3 of Romans have demonstrated that all of humanity is under the righteous wrath of God (see Rom. 1:18 and Paul's conclusion in 3:19-20). But now the wrath is averted (satisfied) by the work of the Son, shedding his blood in the place of sinners.
The OT background of the book of Hebrews implies that the usage of hilaskomai in Heb. 2:17 would be consistent with OT usage, and the mention of our need for a "merciful High Priest" implies that we are unworthy. Thus our need to escape the wrath of God may be implied in this verse. And as the rest of the book of Hebrews makes clear, the sacrifice Jesus offers as High Priest is his own blood (Heb. 9:12).
The two uses of hilasmos in I John do nothing to change our view. In fact, our need for an Advocate in I John 2:1 implies that we are under the wrath of God. Our advocate pleads our case by making an offering that turns aside wrath, and that offering is the Advocate himself, our substitute.
Morris's conclusion is affirmed by John Stott and J. I. Packer. All three agree that the traditional Protestant and Reformation view of penal, substitutionary atonement finds strong support in the hilaskomai word group, in both the Old and New Testaments.
It remains to be observed that the charge of Dodd and others that the idea of propitiation is unworthy of God is not only erroneous, but misses how the biblical description of propitiation exalts God. For the very offering that God demands He also provides. In Lev. 17:11, he terms the blood offering he prescribes as his gift to them; it is his appointed means of making atonement. The graciousness of God in providing propitiation is most underscored in I John 4:10, where the propitiation that satisfies God's wrath flows from God's love, showing once again that the cross is the ultimate revelation and resolution of both God's love and God's wrath. Far from contradicting the love of God, propitiation highlights it as holy love.
Reconciliation. At first sight, the word reconciliation (katalasso) might not appear an important term for the work of Christ on the cross, for it appears in only four passages in the NT (Rom. 5:10-11, II Cor. 5:18-20, Eph. 2:11-16, Col. 1:19-22). But it is intimately connected with the idea of peace, which is a central blessing of the gospel (Paul's standard greeting: "grace and peace to you"), and signifies the end of hostility and enmity, which links it with another significant group of words (hostile, enmity, enemies). Thus, it is justly regarded as one of the central ideas for the work of Christ.
a. The meaning of reconciliation. There is a measure of agreement on the basic meaning of reconciliation. The root of the Greek word means to change or exchange, and the idea that developed around the form of the word used in the NT is clearly to exchange enmity for friendship. Thus, Today's English Version of "Be reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20) is "let God change you from enemies into his friends!"
The whole presupposition of the forty years in the wilderness, the judgment of Israel and then Judah is that God's holiness collides with human sin and causes a disruption of friendship. Rom. 5:9 links being saved from God's wrath with reconciliation, and the emphasis on making peace in Eph. 2 and Col. 1 assumes that there was hostility and warfare prior to the reconciliation. But most humans are not in fact consciously at enmity with God; it is God who regards the situation as hostile and takes offense at human sin.
As with propitiation, so too reconciliation is not at all contrary to the love of God, but a reflection of it. Morris cites a commentator who states "the more a father loves his son, the more he hates in him the drunkard, the liar, and the traitor" (p. 197).
Cranfield's commentary on Romans 5:9-10 states what I see as the correct interpretation succinctly: "The enmity which is removed in the act of reconciliation is both sinful man's hostility to God . . . and also God's hostility to sinful man" (vol. 1, p. 267).
b. The initiative in reconciliation. We should note that in all four passages the initiative for reconciliation comes from the divine side, again showing the coexistence of love and holiness. The holy enmity called forth by human sin is matched by a holy love that offers a way to resolve the enmity.
At the same time, it is also clear that reconciliation does not take place automatically, independent of response. The call of II Cor. 5:20 shows the necessity of response, of receiving and living in the good of what Christ has accomplished. c. The means of reconciliation. It is clear in all four key passages that it is the work of Christ on the cross that brings reconciliation. In Eph. and Col. there is an especially strong emphasis on what happened in and through Christ's physical, fleshly body. It was in his bearing of sin, and absorption of hostility, that reconciliation was accomplished.
d. The results of reconciliation. One's view of the results of reconciliation differs with one's interpretation of the problem to which it was addressed.
If the need was simply to demonstrate such love that humans would cease their hostility, the Christ's death must be seen in that light. But it is difficult to see how Christ's death can be a demonstration of God's love if it was not in fact necessary. The whole tenor of the passages on reconciliation cry out the fact that the death of Christ has an effect on something more than human feelings. There is an objective change in the divine-human relationship by that death. The just sentence of condemnation that hung over our heads, the wrath that burned toward our sin, the hostility of God toward the evil in us--these were the problems addressed by Christ's reconciling work, and the result of that work is an objective change in the context of our relationship with God. Now there can be peace (Eph. 2:14-17), with all the richness and well-being implied in the Hebrew concept of shalom, for the cause of enmity has been dealt with decisively.
Redemption. This idea involves a number of words related to the Greek word lutron (ransom, redeem, redeemer), six verses in which Christians are said to be bought (agorazo) and two further verses in which the word for redeem is exagorazo (Gal. 3:13, 4:4). In all of Scripture, the idea of redemption appears more than 150 times, more than a score of those times very direct NT references to the cross, including the most explicit statement about the cross that we have from the mouth of Jesus himself (Mk. 10:45, Matt. 20:28).
The basic idea behind the lutron word group is the same for the Septuagint, secular Greek, and the NT: someone (or at times, something ) enslaved is liberated by the payment of a price, usually called a ransom.
In secular Greek, the idea of redemption was very commonly used in the slave markets, when a slave's freedom was bought. There are numerous examples in manuscripts from the time of such usage. One scholar who has immersed himself in such studies, Adolf Deissman, says that a person of that epoch could not have heard the words redeem, redemption, ransom, and not think of a slave being liberated.
In the NT, the statement of Jesus that he came to give his life as "a ransom for many" (lutron anti pollon, Mk. 10:45, Mt. 20:28) has been the subject of much study, for it is the most explicit statement Jesus makes about the meaning of his death. Each word in this phrase has importance. The meaning of lutron we have already discussed, but have not yet underlined the strong substitutionary idea involved. The ransom price served as a substitute for the one freed, and this concept is strengthened by the preposition used: anti, which normally means "in exchange for" or "instead of." Finally, the word pollon is seen by many scholars as a clear clue to the fact that Jesus thought of himself in terms of the Suffering Servant of Is. 53, who would justify and bear the sin of "many" (see Is. 53:11-12). I Tim. 2:6 justifies the interpretation of "many" in the Hebrew sense of a general term for an unspecified large number, not necessarily implying a limitation.
Redemption terminology is scattered throughout Paul's letters (see Rom. 3:24, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14), including an unusual use in Gal. 3:13, where both the penal and substitutionary ideas of the atonement are strong. The idea of redemption is also mentioned by Peter (I Pet. 1:18), Luke (Lk. 2:38, 24:21), the author of Hebrews (Heb. 9:12), and John (Rev. 5:9), making it pervasive throughout the NT.
Morris (The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross) summarizes the importance of the image of redemption for the cross by highlighting three central ideas it involves:
a. The state out of which we must be redeemed. As the subjects of redemption, we are seen as helplessly enslaved, having no resources with which to free ourselves. We are under the dominion of sin and Satan (Rom. 7:14, Heb. 9:15), under the curse pronounced by the law on those who break the law (Gal. 3:10).
b. The high price of redemption. This is the point most emphasized in the NT. Redemption cost Jesus his life (Mk. 10:45); it required the precious blood of a spotless Lamb (I Pet. 1:18-19). Remember the insightful words of Psalm 49:8: "the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough." An infinite price was paid. To create the world, God simply spoke a word. To redeem the world, He gave His final Word, the living, Incarnate Word.
c. Redemption involves the idea of substitution. And because the price given as a substitute is accepted, there can be no further claim on the redeemed. He is free.
Victory. The work of Christ is seen as a victory over all of the forces of evil: over Satan (John 12:31), over death and sin (I Cor. 15:55-56); over the powers and authorities (Col. 2:15).
Salvation: Part 1
Lesson 18
Introduction
What is salvation?
Why do we need salvation?
How do you get saved?
(These are just some general questions to get some discussion started, when they think about getting saved they will probably think of something like “asking Jesus into my heart,” explain that today we are going to talk about the particulars of what actually happens in salvation.)
Salvation
1) The Work of God before Time
What did God do in regards to our salvation before time?
Ephesians 1:4-6: For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will-to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.
So even before the creation of the world God was working out our salvation.
2) The Gospel Call
What is the gospel call?
The gospel call is the proclamation of the gospel, it is made effective when the Holy Spirit uses it to bring you to a realization and understanding of your position as a sinner and need for salvation, along with a desire to respond to God’s offer of grace through faith.
John 16:7-11: But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
Take some time for the teachers and students to share their personal experience with the gospel call.
3) Conversion (Faith and Repentance)
What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
In salvation faith plays a major role, Ephesians 2:8 says that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. This faith is more than just simply acknowledging a set of facts, it includes knowledge of what Christ has done for us, but knowledge alone cannot save us, we must trust in Jesus Christ as the way the truth and the life, the only means of grace, forgiveness of sins and salvation. Jesus saves us, faith is the way that we receive the gift.
What is repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:10: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.” Wayne Grudem
Faith and repentance go hand in hand during salvation, when we turn to Christ in faith we are turning away from the sin that we were in bondage to.
4) Regeneration
What is regeneration?
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
1 Peter 1:23: For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Why do we need to be regenerated?
Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.
Regeneration is God making us a new creation in Him.
So What?
When we look at all of these things that take place during salvation we are reminded that it is all God, our salvation is due only to Him, we need to live with gratitude for what He has done for us.
Have you turned from your sins?
God has made you a new creation, have you put your old self behind you and focused on living an obedient, God-centered life?
Teacher FYI: Lesson 18
Salvation Part 1
The Ordo Salutis (order of salvation). In the history of theology, especially those who followed the Reformers, there has been a good deal of discussion of what is called the ordo salutis, or the order in which various aspects of salvation happen. The only explicit biblical base for this whole issue is Rom. 8:29-30, which gives a sequence of foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. Of course, we know this cannot be complete, for faith/repentance, regeneration, and sanctification must be fitted in along the way, but more by logic and implication than any explicit teaching.
While I do not want to dwell too much on the importance of the order of events itself, it does afford us a chance to reflect upon salvation from a broader viewpoint and glean some insights. It also brings us face to face with some of the most hotly disputed doctrines in all of theology.
A. The Work of God Before Time. We begin with three words that must clearly take first place in the order of salvation, for they lead us back to before the foundation of the world: foreknowledge, predestination, and election.
1. Biblical Foundations. We begin with the word "foreknowledge," (prognosis) which means simply to know beforehand. Despite the recent attempts to limit God's omniscience to knowledge of all past events, God's foreknowledge is firmly founded in Scripture. From the words any human is going to say to the course of human history--all is known in advance, perfectly, by God (Ps. 139:4, Dan. 2:36-45). All of predictive prophecy is evidence of God's foreknowledge.
In regard to salvation, the word foreknowledge appears in two verses pertinent to our subject. In Rom. 8:29, foreknowledge is somehow linked to predestination. In I Pet. 1:2, it is linked to election. The exact meaning of that linkage is an important question to which we will return shortly.
The second word,"predestine," (proorizo) is a stronger word. It means not just to know beforehand, but to determine beforehand (Acts 4:27-28).
In terms of the question of salvation, I would define predestination as the decision of God to glorify his name by redeeming certain sinners and conforming them to the image of his Son. It is predestination, for this is made prior to any actions of those so predestined. In this sense, its meaning is virtually equivalent to certain instances of the word "election." The three most directly relevant passages are Rom. 8:29-20, Eph. 1:5, and Eph. 1:11 (Acts 13:48 has the same idea but uses a different word). In each case, we find a link between predestination and election in the immediate context. In Rom. 8:33, the elect are the same group as the predestined (and comparing Rom. 8:29 and I Pet. 1:2, it would seem that the foreknown, predestined, and elect are all three the same group). Eph. 1:5 is preceded by Eph. 1:4, which mentions that we are elect in him (Christ). And the ideas of being chosen (elect) and being predestined are also linked in Eph. 1:11, though the word used for chosen is not the normal word.
The words foreknowledge and predestination do not occur very often, and we might be able to relegate this subject to the speculative, unimportant regions of theology, were it not for the connection of these words with election, which is an important biblical term.
While the election of Israel involved some responsibilities, their election was primarily to a special relationship with God; the responsibilities came as a result of that relationship. God's choice is not based on any quality in Israel (Deut. 7:7), but on his own gracious and sovereign decision. The point here is that those who try to limit the biblical meaning of election to "election to service, and not to salvation" are not entirely accurate. In the OT, the responsibilities Israel had came as a result of their election to be God's "special treasure."
In the NT, the picture is much the same. The verb eklegomai and the noun eklektos are each found 22 times. While there is some diversity of usage, the most frequent use is of God's elective activity. And election is not primarily to service. Most often, "the elect" are believers, the people of God (Matt. 24:22, Mk. 13:20, Lk. 18:7, Rom. 8:33, Col. 3:12, I Pet. 2:9 and others). The primary purpose for which they are elected is not service, but to receive salvation (I Cor. 1:30, Eph. 1:4, I Thess. 1:4-5, II Thess. 2:13, II Pet. 1:10-11, possibly Matt. 22:14). The idea without the word is found in John 6:37, 44.
Theological Formulation. We may draw together and summarize the central elements in a formulation of election in the form of six affirmations:
a. Election is the decision of God to redeem a certain specific group (the "those" of Rom. 8:29) and conform them to the image of Christ.
b. Election is placed "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4), and is virtually synonymous with predestination, in the area of salvation.
c. Election is unconditional. That means that it is not based on God's foreknowledge of how one will respond to Christ, but is a free and gracious decision determined by God's will alone.
d. A biblical understanding of election leads to awed worship and adoration of God's grace (as in Rom. 8:31-39 and Eph. 1:3-14), not to questioning the love or justice of God. If this is not our response, we do not yet have a biblical understanding.
e. Election is not symmetrical. By that, I mean that while election to salvation is clearly taught in Scripture, election to condemnation (reprobation) is not. Some believe that it is logically implied in the concept of election, but Scripture places the reason and responsibility for condemnation upon humans, who refuse to believe and be saved (Matt. 23:37, II Pet. 3:9). In other words, I affirm single election or predestination, not double.
f. Election is "in Christ." That is, he serves as the mirror in which one can see his election. If you are in Christ, you are elect! In this way, election does not lead to uncertainty and fear, but security and confidence.
Practical Applications of the Doctrine of Election. I add this point to underscore the fact that election should lead to more confidence in evangelism, and not to undermine in any way the necessity of proclaiming the gospel to all. George Whitefield, William Carey and C. H. Spurgeon were all convinced Calvinists on the doctrine of election, yet all were zealous evangelists, because they knew God was working and would use their preaching and teaching as the means by which he would draw some of the elect to faith in Christ.
One other practical application of election is in the area of assurance of salvation (or perseverance, to use the Calvinist term). Election is the strongest support I know of for perseverance. It affirms God's loving care, which never ends. I may doubt, but he always remains true to himself (II Tim. 2:13.)
B. The Work of God at the Moment of Salvation. Many things happen simultaneously at the moment of salvation. The individual repents and places faith in Christ; she is forgiven, justified, regenerated, baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. She is adopted by God the Father and indwelt by God the Spirit. We could consider these aspects and others.
Calling. We mention this aspect of conversion only because it is in the list in Rom. 8:29-30. This passage is the only place I know of in Scripture where "calling" is used in this sense though Christians are often spoken of as “called” (Rom. 1:6; I Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:6; and others). We often speak of the universal call of the gospel, as it calls all people to come to Christ, but the calling in Rom. 8:29-30 is an effectual call, for it results in the salvation of all those called in this manner. The same idea is present in John 6:37, but the word "calling" is not used.
I think we must interpret "calling" as a work of the Spirit that draws one to salvation. It could include conviction of sin (John 16:8-11), the sense of need for forgiveness and a Savior, and the motivation to respond to the gospel. But these are all implications; the only biblical affirmation we have is that those predestined are called; and those called are also justified.
Faith: the human response to God's grace. As grace is the most important word with respect to the divine initiative in salvation, faith is the central word for the human response (recognizing that even faith itself is also the gift of God; see Eph. 2:8, Acts 11:18).
1. The elements of faith. Because faith is used in a variety of ways, both in Scripture and in contemporary life, it is important to note the elements involved in true biblical faith. The Reformers distinguished three elements in faith: notitia (awareness of the facts of the gospel), assensus (belief that these facts were true), and fiducia (personal confidence and trust).
We may say that the first two represent faith that something is true; the last represents faith in someone. Biblical faith focuses on the latter aspect of faith. We find the phrase pisteuo eis (believe in) 49 times in the NT. It means faith is above all placing trust, confidence, reliance in the person of Jesus Christ, placing one's life, for now and forever, in his keeping.
But faith also has an intellectual element. One must understand something about this Jesus in whom one is to trust, and why one needs to trust him. This raises the important and difficult question of how much one must understand to make a valid decision to trust Christ for salvation. I do not think one necessarily needs to understand the intricacies of the Trinity or be able to articulate the hypostatic union of the divine and human natures of Christ, but neither is it enough to "believe in God," as more than 90% of Americans say they do. What must one understand?
This is, in my opinion, the gospel in a nutshell: God, the Creator and giver of life; humans, the sinners and abusers of God's gifts; Jesus, the Savior through his life, death in our place, and resurrection; whole-hearted faith in him as the necessary response.
One question needs further clarification: what type of commitment is involved in accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord? Is it possible to accept Christ as Savior, but not as Lord? This is the issue of what is called "Lordship salvation." In the late 1950's and early 60's, it was debated by John Stott and Everett Harrison. More recently, the protagonists have been Zane Hodges with some support from Charles Ryrie on one side, and John MacArthur on the other.
Both sides have an important truth to preserve. Hodges and Ryrie want to deny any tinge of works salvation, and allow for growth in a Christian's life and commitment following salvation. The latter concern certainly rings true in experience for many Christians, especially those raised in Christian homes and converted at an early age. MacArthur's concern is to reject "easy believism," seeing it, correctly, as a perversion of the gospel.
We return to the question, "Is it possible to accept Christ as Savior, but not Lord?" I think we must answer "no." The most primitive and basic Christian confession was "Jesus is Lord" (I Cor. 12:3). Even those who have no theological knowledge must recognize that one who can die in my place, can reveal God, and rise victorious over death must be more than just another man. There must be an instinctive recognition that he is Lord. And there must be at least the seed of submission to Him as Lord. It seems to me that such a seed in inherent in the nature of faith as fiducia.
Certainly we must allow for growth, for recognizing the implications of accepting Christ and following Him, and for periods of rebellion and sin (though the carnal Christian can be such for only a period, never as a permanent lifestyle). Yet, when all is said and done, when one comes to Christ, recognizing that one is lost without him, seeing in Christ one's only hope, that decision must include some recognition, incomplete and dim though it may be, that "I now belong to Him. I am no longer free to live as I please." Again, if the essence of conversion is union with Christ, one cannot unite with only one aspect of Him. He is who He is--Savior and Lord. One who wants to accept the benefits of Christ without uniting himself to Christ wants a salvation that cannot be, and should be better instructed.
No doubt part of our problem here is hasty, ill-informed evangelism, pushing for decisions before people understand what it means to be lost, and accepting as valid professions of faith the sincere but immature statements of preschoolers, who lack the mental equipment to understand adequately the statements to which they willingly give assent.
The solution to these problems is a more thorough and patient evangelism, one that resists pushing for premature, uninformed decisions, and trusts in God to do the work of conversion without our use of emotional manipulation
2. A definition of faith There is certainly a mental component in this view of faith (knowing the promise given in Christ), but the emphasis is on fiducia, the element of personal trust and confidence (in God's benevolence toward us).
A practical one was used by my pastor in college: "faith is knowing enough to act." Initially, of course, he is speaking of knowing enough about the gospel, the need for a Savior, and of Christ to act to receive him and follow him. But I think it fits the continuing need to trust Christ in specific situations. As we come to know him more and more, we should be able to trust him more and more. And at times he calls on us to trust him more and more as we mature.
3. The efficacy of faith. Though we discussed the limited sense in which it can be said that we are saved by faith, we need to make clear that we do not trust in the power of faith. It is more accurate to say that faith does not save us; Jesus does. Faith is simply the designated way to receive the gift Jesus has purchased for us. The best image I have heard for faith is that of empty hands, open to receive what Christ offers (Francis Schaeffer).
We need to be careful in our preaching. I fear that many people have faith in faith. But faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed. A great faith in faith does little; a mustard seed sized faith in Christ does much. What matters is not the size of the faith, but the strength of the object of faith.
4. The other side of faith: repentance. Repentance is inseparable from true faith, but we largely ignore it in our preaching. In the Bible, it is often stated as an indispensable requirement for salvation (Matt. 4:17, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30, II Cor. 7:8-10; II Pet. 3:9). It is true that faith is mentioned more often, but these verses would seem to suggest that perhaps repentance was assumed as the prerequisite to true faith. In order to trust Christ, one must first cease to trust in other gods (including the most often followed god in our society, self). It includes sorrow for sin, and recognition that there is no hope apart from Jesus.
That "about-face" in terms of who to trust and follow is repentance. It involves a total change: in attitudes ( about oneself, God, values, emotions (Matt. 5:4; the abundant life begins with grieving), and actions (Luke 3:8, 10-14). Not only is it requisite for salvation, it continues to have an important part in the Christian's life, in the ongoing process of sanctification (Rev. 2:5, 16; 3:3, 19).
It is obvious that if this is repentance, it must be an ongoing part of the Christian life, for our repentance will often be imperfect and need to be deepened. Luther wrote, in the first of his famous 95 theses, these words: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”
There are far too few tears of repentance in our churches today, due in part to our neglect of the importance of repentance in the preaching of the gospel and in teaching believers how to grow. If revival should break out, one of the most obvious signs will be the renewal of deep, heart-breaking, repentance.
Regeneration. The concept of regeneration presupposes that something is wrong in human nature. It presupposes that humans exist in a state of spiritual death (Eph. 2:1), a state in which they are at enmity with God (Rom. 8:7). What is needed is not a small modification, but a new birth, and a new life (John 10:10).
The Bible describes the idea of regeneration in a variety of ways. The word "regeneration" in reference to salvation appears only in Titus 3:5, but the idea of a new birth or being born again is the same concept, and it is found several times (John 3:1-10, James 1:18, I Pet. 1:3, 23). Receiving a new spirit or a new heart or being made a new creature has the same basic meaning (Ezek. 36:25-27, II Cor. 5:17). When Paul says God "made us alive in Christ" (Eph. 2:5), he is reflecting the same concept.
It would seem that regeneration is an definite act; it happens and is completed. But it is a supernatural act, and thus is the work of the Spirit (Titus 3:5), working with the word (James 1:18). This new birth will lead to a new life, one in which the new nature that has been born will war against the old nature until the consummation, and the final destruction of the old nature (Gal. 5:17-24).
Salvation: Part 2
Lesson 19
Last week we talked about some aspects of salvation, like the gospel call, faith and repentance, and regeneration, this week we are going to look at justification and adoption.
5) Justification
What does it mean to be justified?
To be justified is to be declared righteous, not because of any personal merit on our part, but only by Christ’s righteousness covering us. A good analogy is that it is like being declared not guilty before a court of law.
Romans 3:21-24: But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
So how are we justified?
We are justified through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we receive that righteousness by faith.
Is there any other way to be declared righteous?
NO!!
Romans 8:28-30: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Here we see a progression of what takes place in salvation from foreknowledge, to predestination, to calling, to justification and finally glorification. This is not a full list, but is helpful to show the fact that our salvation is not a random event, God knew what would happen before time even existed, and the fact that we can be saved is due only to Him and His good pleasure.
6) Adoption
Ephesians 1:4-5: For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.
What does it mean to be adopted?
What does it mean to be adopted into God’s family?
It is God’s pleasure to adopt us into His family, when we are saved we become His children, He is our Heavenly Father. All other Christians are our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
So What?
If you are in Christ you are justified, you have been counted righteous with Christ and found not guilty by His blood.
Does this inspire you to live like God wants you to live?
1 John 3:3: Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.
How should we be living?
As children of God how are we treating our brothers and sisters in Christ?
Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
As children of God are we showing our Father the proper respect?
Teacher FYI: Lesson 19
Salvation Part 2
Justification. Regeneration attends to our need for life; justification speaks to our need for pardon and right standing before the Judge of all the earth. We know in our hearts that we are horribly guilty. Yet the amazing news of the Bible is that God justifies the ungodly! How can this be? It is the miracle of justification.
The biblical meaning of justification. In Scripture, the words "justice," "righteous," and "justify" all come from the same stem. They are words from the legal system, and relate to one's relationship to the law, the standard of what is right and just. .
In the NT, Luke 7:29 uses the word in a declarative sense. The people did not make God just or in the right; they "acknowledged that God's way was right." Luke 16:15 is similar, but Rom. 3:24 is the key verse. Here too it is hard to see "justify" in the sense of becoming righteous. Rom. 3:24 speaks of it as an accomplished fact, and refers to acknowledged sinners as those who are justified. Rom. 4:5 even says God justifies the wicked! The only idea that fits is that justification refers to an event, in which one is declared "not guilty," or in right relationship with the court.
c. Theological summary of justification.
(1) Justify means to declare just, not to become just. It is not a process, but an act of God.
(2) The basis for justification is not our sanctity and righteousness, not our good works, not even our faith. The basis is the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us.
(3) The condition of justification is faith. It is the appointed means of receiving the righteousness of Christ.
(4) The result of justification is peace with God, both objective and subjective. This peace meant so much to Luther and others who followed him that they would die rather than live again in agony and fear. What they could not find in the sacraments, or in their best works, they found in the knowledge of justification by faith.
Sanctification and Glorification
(Salvation Part 3)
Lesson 20
Summarize justification from last week.
What does it mean to be justified?
To be justified is to be declared righteous, not because of any personal merit on our part, but only by Christ’s righteousness covering us. A good analogy is that it is like being declared not guilty before a court of law.
This week we will look at several things that occur over time in the Christian life as a result of salvation; sanctification and glorification.
7) Sanctification
What is sanctification?
Sanctification begins at salvation; it is the process of becoming holy and being transformed into the likeness of Christ.
How does sanctification fit into salvation?
Romans 6:19: I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
2 Corinthians 3:18: And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
When we are saved we are changed, we put our old ways behind us and begin to live for God.
Who does the work of sanctification?
God does the work of changing us, but we as believers play an active role as well, making right choices and choosing to glorify God.
God:
1 Thessalonians 5:23: May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Believers:
Philippians 2:12-13: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.
Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.
We have to allow God to do the work that He desires to do in each of us.
How can we encourage and help each other in the process of sanctification?
8) Glorification
What is glorification?
It is the final stage of the process of salvation, the final and complete transformation of our total being. This will occur when Jesus returns.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Philippians 3:20-21: but our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.
1 John 3:2-3: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.
So What?
Are you taking an active role in your sanctification?
Can you see yourself changing to become more like Christ?
Are you encouraging one another in your sanctification?
Remember that we are all at different points in the process of sanctification, so do not look down on younger Christians who are just beginning to be sanctified.
Teacher FYI Lesson 20
Sanctification and Glorification
Sanctification by the Trinity
The Father: 1 Thes. 5:23
Son: 1 Cor. 1:30
Holy Spirit: 2 Thes 2:13
The Work of God Throughout the Christian Life. While there are several words we could use to describe the process of growth or maturation that goes on in the Christian life, we will use sanctification as an umbrella term for the work of God throughout the Christian life.
1. The twofold sense of sanctification. In using sanctification for an ongoing process of growth, we must admit that we are using sanctification in only one of the two senses it has in Scripture. There is a positional or initial sanctification given to all believers at the moment of conversion, when they are set apart from worldly pursuits, and set apart for God's purposes (I Cor. 6:11). The root word for sanctification is holy, and the root meaning of holy is "set apart for God." Thus, the vessels of the temple in the OT were holy because they were not used for everyday purposes, but only for the service of God. In the same way, every believer at the moment of conversion is set apart from those pursuits that previously claimed their time and devotion, in order to be devoted to God's purposes. In this sense, the idea of full-time vocational ministry can be misleading, for there can be no part-time Christians. All every believer does should be done in the belief that it falls within the will of God for one’s life.
But our interest in this section is with the second sense in which sanctification is used, as experiential sanctification, the process of growth in holiness that continues throughout the Christian life (Rom. 6:19).
As in many other areas of theology, this is an example of the already/not yet tension. We are already sanctified; God has set us apart for his own purposes. But we do not yet always live that way. But the tension will not last forever. In the famous analogy of Oscar Cullman, we live between D-day and V-day. There are still many battles to fight, but the final outcome is no longer in doubt.
Models of Sanctification
The process model. It looks something like a graph of the stock market, with ups and downs, but a generally upward trend. It allows for, not just one, but many crisis experiences, in which Christian growth and maturity show a marked jump, even to a new level. But one never reaches a level from which there cannot be decline, nor from which there is no possibility of further growth. This model seems more realistic, more biblical, and healthier spiritually.
The relationship between justification and sanctification. There are two errors to avoid in relating these two aspects of salvation. The first error is to separate them completely. This error results in cheap grace, salvation without a commitment to follow Christ. In practice, this is evangelism which does not call on people to count the cost, evangelism which is satisfied with decisions rather than disciples, evangelism without taking the responsibility to follow up those who respond. But as we have already said numerous times, in the biblical idea of salvation, new birth is always followed by new life. In other terms, justification is always followed by sanctification. To separate them completely is to invite more of the nominal Christianity that already plagues our churches.
The second error is to make no distinction between justification and sanctification. This error leads to different problems in different groups.
Both these problems relate to the problem that this error most often leads to in evangelical churches. It is legalism. It is the idea, subtle or explicit, that unless you have reached this level of growth, unless you avoid this practice, unless you measure up on this checklist, you aren't really saved. This error ends up adding human requirements to the gospel requirements for salvation. It works by fear and feeds pride in one's own accomplishments, rather than focusing on what Christ has done for us.
The solution to both errors is to relate sanctification and justification in a way that adequately links them and adequately distinguishes them. We may link them by saying that though they are distinguishable in thought and may develop at different rates in different individuals, they can never be completely separated in practice. Justification always leads to a process of sanctification, beginning at the moment of justification, and sanctification always presupposes and builds upon the foundation of assured justification.
We may distinguish them in the following ways:
justification is the work of Christ for us; sanctification is the work of Christ in us. Justification is the act in which God declares us just; sanctification is the process in which God makes that declaration an experiential reality. Justification liberates us from the penalty of sin; sanctification liberates us from the power of sin. The most important distinction is the simplest: justification is an act, accomplished once and for all, that gives a foundation of assurance to the Christian life. Sanctification is a continual process, with ups and downs (but an overall upward trend), and progresses at different speeds.
Thus, we cannot add human requirements to those in Scripture, but Scripture does call us to know the reality of one's profession by the fruit, and challenges us to examine ourselves. Sanctification provides challenge and motivation in the Christian life, but without resorting to legalism or undermining legitimate assurance of salvation. And assurance of salvation, while built initially on justification, is strengthened by evidence of sanctification (see I John).
The Work of God Completed. This is glorification. It is the final, complete transformation of our total being, the end of the process of salvation, and the necessary preparation for a heavenly life. We will receive a resurrected or transformed body, like that of Jesus (I Cor. 15:52, Phil. 3:21). We will see him and immediately be changed into his likeness (I John 3:2). This will be the end of the order of salvation outlined in Rom. 8:29-30. And though it lies in the future, it is so assured, so guaranteed, that Paul describes it as an accomplished fact.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
LESSON 21
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God!!! He is one of the persons of the trinity. When we see God operating in our lives it is the Holy Spirit at work.
Matthew 28:19: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:9: You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
How does the Holy Spirit come into our lives?
Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 3:2-5: I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing? Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
So the Holy Spirit comes into our lives by faith in Jesus Christ. Not by any observance of rules or works on our part, simply through faith in Jesus Christ.
When does the Holy Spirit come into our lives?
Ephesians 1:13-14: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of His glory.
The Holy Spirit comes into our lives when we trust in Jesus Christ for salvation; it is a one time event, not something that you can lose.
What is the function of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
John 14:26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Romans 8:26: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
The Spirit comforts, guides, teaches and convicts. The Spirit motivates our heart to rejoice over Christ and compels us to share the Gospel with others.
How has the Spirit manifested (revealed) Himself in your life?
What does the Holy Spirit do in the unbeliever’s life?
John 16:8-11: When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
The Holy Spirit can open the unbeliever’s eyes to their sin and need for redemption.
After salvation what role does the Spirit play in our spiritual growth?
The Spirit continues to convict us of sin and help us through the process of sanctification to become more Christ like.
So What?
How do we know when we are living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit?
Our lives will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.
Do you know what that is?
Galatians 5:16-25: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
We need to keep in step with the Spirit, not try to go ahead on our own or lag behind and get caught up in the things of the world.
How do we remain in step with the Spirit?
Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
1 Thessalonians 5:19: Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.
Ephesians 5:18: Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
We should seek to always live in line with where the Spirit is leading us, not doing things to grieve Him or put out the fire that He stirs within us.
“We choose daily to walk in the Spirit, not minding the flesh but seeking always to be pure and to please Christ. Our devotional life is essential if we are to walk in the power of the Spirit.” Pastor Richard
How does the Holy Spirit play a part in our evangelism?
We should get not only a desire to evangelize but also boldness in our evangelism because we have confidence that the Holy Spirit will guide us in what to say.
Teacher FYI Lesson 21
The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
It is the Holy Spirit that makes God real in the experience and life of believers.
Yet the Spirit remains for most of us somewhat elusive. Christ seems more concrete, for we know he took and has a human form, but the Spirit, as Jesus told us, is something like the wind. Worse still, some still think of him as the Holy Ghost, with the mysterious implications of that word. More modern cultural ideas of God have included the Force of Star Wars, with some parallels to the idea of the Spirit, but depersonalized.
Despite the elusiveness, this doctrine demands special attention for Christian leaders in our era, for the twentieth century has been preeminently the century of the Holy Spirit in Christian theology. The Pentecostal and charismatic movements, for better or worse, have been one of the two or three most important developments of this past century, growing from nothing to a worldwide movement of millions.
Also, our world today is a highly experiential world. What is real is what is experienced. Yet experience alone and poorly interpreted can lead one astray. We need to teach accurately about the Spirit, and demonstrate in our personal lives the reality and power of the Spirit to minister effectively in this generation.
The Nature of God's Spirit. Before we proceed any further, we need to clarify that when we speak of God's Spirit, we are not speaking of an impersonal force, nor simply of an attribute of God. We are speaking of a personal, divine being.
The Spirit’s deity can be seen in three ways:
1. There are ascripitions of deity in passages like II Cor. 3:17, Acts 5:3-
4, Matt. 28:19 and John 14:16.
2. There are actions of deity where the Spirit is described as doing
things only God can do (convicting in John 16:8-11, regenerating in John 3:5 and Titus 3:5, and sanctifying in I Cor. 6:11).
3. There are attributes of deity used for the Spirit (such as “eternal,”
Heb. 9:16).
The Spirit's personality can be seen in that he can be grieved (Eph. 4:30), he has a mind (Rom. 8:27), and a will (I Cor. 12:11). He should not be thought of as "it," but as the divine person he is.
Jesus and the Sending of the Spirit. John's gospel connects the coming of the Spirit with the glorification of Jesus (John 16:7, 7:37-39). The Spirit would not be sent until Jesus had died, resurrected, and ascended. The natural question is why this sequence is necessary. There is no answer in Scripture, so we are left to conjecture. It may be that the Spirit's full presence required the actual cleansing of sin by Christ's death before he could permanently indwell them. OT believers were saved by faith in the One who was to come and make atonement, but the effecting of that atonement was future to them. We are told little of the experience of the Spirit in the lives of OT believers. Surely they experienced some conviction of sin and his work of regeneration and illumination to some degree, but it does seem something new began with Jesus, and it is connected to his death in these passages.
Alternatively, it may be that the sending of the Spirit is appropriate, not for Jesus in his state of humiliation, but as the exalted conqueror of death, to whom God has given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). Perhaps it was more fitting for the Spirit to be sent by Christ after he had accomplished his work and been exalted by God the Father. In any case, it was Jesus who sent the Spirit.
The Spirit as Paraclete. We should not leave the gospels without noting the important teaching about the Spirit as "Paraclete" in John 14-16, some of the most complete and profound teaching on the Spirit in the NT.
First, we should note the new name given to the Spirit here: the advocate, helper, teacher, comforter, defender, the "one called alongside." The title expresses the variety of ministries the Spirit performs by coming alongside us.
Second, we may observe the functions of the Spirit in these chapters. Basically, it is to continue and universalize the ministry of Jesus. He is called "another Counselor" (John 14:16). Jesus had been the first; but now he was going and the Spirit would be "another Counselor." He would continue the ministry of Jesus, but without the limitation of a physical body. He would glorify Jesus, represent Jesus, bring to their mind what Jesus had taught. The implication is that one mark of the Spirit's work is that it is Christo-centric.
Third, several verses in these chapters relate the Spirit to the production of the NT. John 14:26, 15:26, and 16:13 speak of the development of a body of teachings, brought to the minds of the apostles by the Spirit. I believe we are justified in seeing the "doctrine of the apostles" (Acts 2:42) as essentially these teachings, the result of the work of the Spirit, who is called three times in these chapters "the Spirit of truth."
Fourth and finally, we should mention that it was verses like John 14:16-18 and 14:23 that required the eventual development of the doctrine of the Trinity.
The baptism of the Spirit. As we mentioned earlier, there are only seven verses that connect the words baptism and Spirit. There is one verse in each of the four gospels, in which the promise is given that Jesus will baptize in or with the Holy Spirit. One verse in Acts (1:5) looks forward to the day of Pentecost as the fulfillment of that promise, and another verse in Acts (11:16-17) equates what happened to Cornelius and his friends (Acts 10:44-46) as another fulfillment of that promise. The final verse is I Cor. 12:13.
Baptist interpretation of this idea has been that the baptism of the Spirit is the reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit himself, who enters a believer's life, effects the union of the believer with Christ, and begins the ongoing work of sanctification and production of spiritual fruit. On the basis of I Cor. 12:13, we have affirmed that the baptism is an initial and universal work of the Spirit, in that it happens to all believers, and places them within the body of Christ. Thus, all believers have experienced this baptism, whether they know it or not. We have thus said the visible and audible signs in Acts 2 and 10 are not of the essence of the baptism, but were given to confirm the reality of the gift of the Spirit, as perhaps necessary or at least appropriate in those circumstances, but not to be expected in every instance of the baptism of the Spirit.
Other themes in the book of Acts. Though we normally think about Pentecost and the baptism of the Spirit in connection with the Spirit in Acts, there are other themes equally if not more prominent.
The filling of the Spirit is mentioned 10 times in the book of Acts (2:4, 4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55, 9:17, 11:24; 13:9, 13:52). Drawing the information from these verses together, we may say:
(1) The filling of the Spirit is not a one time event. Acts 4:8 implies a fresh filling of the Spirit ("Peter, having just been filled with the Spirit"), and yet Acts 4:31 places him among those filled with the Spirit again.
(2) Filling can be a habitual characteristic of individuals, and visible to others (so the deacons of Acts 6; Barnabas in Acts 11:24).
(3) The evidence of the Spirit's filling seems most often to be the Spirit's fruit (boldness, wisdom, good, full of faith, full of joy).
(4) The filling of the Spirit is never sought; rather, God gives it on his initiative to those shown walking in obedience, boldness, faith, and commitment.
There are also seven instances of guidance by the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts (8:29; 11:27-30; 13:2-4; 15:28; 16:6-7; 20:22-23; 21:10-11). Perhaps the most notable fact about these instances is the amazing variety of means used by the Spirit: a voice directing an individual, a prophet expressing a warning to a congregation, a worship experience, a theological debate, rational consideration of barriers, impressions and visions, a sense of compulsion, another prophetic warning. Note also that at least three (13:2-4; 15:22-29; 16:6-10) are clearly corporate guidance. God doesn't just deal with individuals.
4. The Spirit in Paul (and the rest of the NT)
a. The Spirit in conversion. Paul's trust in preaching the gospel was not in his cleverness, but the power of the Spirit to bring conviction of sin, and to produce faith in the human heart (I Cor. 2:4; 12:3; I Thess. 1:5). Apart from the Spirit, there is no conversion. Regeneration, the production of new life, is also a work of his power (Titus 3:5), and those he regenerates he also baptizes into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13).
But the most important part of the Spirit's work in conversion is making effective our union with Christ. It is the Spirit that makes our union with God and his presence in our lives more than words. Rom. 8:9-11 makes clear that Christ lives in us through His Spirit. Rom. 8:14-16 says we recognize our adoption through the Spirit. Eph. 3:16-17 teaches us that we need the empowering work of the Spirit for Christ to settle down in our hearts. And I John 3:24 and 4:13 teach us that we know we are in Christ by means of his Spirit. In all these ways and more, it is the Spirit's work that makes it all real in our experience.
b. Sanctification. In our discussion of salvation, we looked at a number of aspects of sanctification: the twofold meaning of the word (set aside and moral purity), the twofold sense of sanctification (positional and continual), differing models of sanctification (crisis vs. consistent growth), and the relationship of justification and sanctification. Here we want to relate sanctification more specifically to the work of the Spirit. I believe we may do so by considering three statements.
(1) The indwelling Holy Spirit is the source of sanctification. Certainly the Father and Son are involved in planning and providing the basis for sanctification (Christ's blood; see I John 1:7), but I think the Spirit is especially involved. He is the agent of positional sanctification, setting us apart for salvation (II Thess. 2:13, I Pet. 1:2), and imputing Christ's righteousness to us by uniting us with Christ. He must also be the source for continual sanctification. Any imparted righteousness we receive from Christ we receive via the Holy Spirit. And as he is Holy and living within us, we will be holy to the degree he has control of us.
(2) The goal of sanctification is a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Again, we should note that it is the fruit of the Spirit, not of human effort. We must cultivate the garden, and keep it free of weeds and pests, but the fruit is not produced by human effort, but by the Spirit. To have that fruit produced in abundance seems to me a pretty fair description of a Christlike life, which is our ultimate goal.
(3) The means to sanctification is walking in the fullness of the Spirit. We noted above from the book of Acts that filling is a multiple time event in the believer's life. However, Acts also reveals that walking in the fullness of the Spirit can become somewhat habitual, so that one may be described as "full of the Spirit" as a characteristic. We saw that it is evidenced by things like the fruit of the Spirit, and that it is never explicitly sought in the book of Acts. But in Paul's one mention of the filling of the Spirit, it is commanded (Eph. 5:18).
1It is curious in that it is a passive command: Let yourself be filled with the Spirit! It is no human achievement, yet we play some role. I believe our role is to obey two other commands we are given in regard to the Spirit: Eph. 4:30, where we are told not to grieve the Spirit, and I Thess. 5:19, where we are told not to quench the Spirit. I believe these are the two conditions for being filled with the Spirit, for they are inherent in the nature of the Spirit.
We must not grieve the Spirit by tolerating known sin in our lives. It is not that we must be perfect, but we must not resist the Spirit's sanctifying work, for He is a Holy Spirit and will dwell in fullness only where He is allowed to be who He is.
Further, we must not quench the Spirit by retaining some areas of our lives not yielded to his control, for He is God the Holy Spirit, and will dwell in fullness only where His sovereignty is recognized. If He is allowed to be holy and sovereign, I believe He is more than willing to fill us. So then all of us really have as much of the Holy Spirit as we really want.
These points on the role of the Spirit can help us answer some questions we often face concerning sanctification. Is it all of God, or does it depend on me? Should I let go and let God, or should I pursue sanctification (Heb. 12:14)? Is sanctification a struggle or a matter of resting in the Spirit? I think the balance and proper order is seen in Phil. 2:12-13.
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." That is, you are called to show forth the effects of salvation, to crucify the sinful nature, to fight the good fight, to keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25). We are to feed the garden of our soul with truth (John 17:17), to keep it free of those things that would grieve or quench the Spirit.
But we do so recognizing that we are able to do so, "for it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose." He is the Source, He produces the fruit, He is the power; He must initiate and complete all his good work in us (Phil. 1:6, I Thess. 5:24 and then note 23a).
Spiritual Gifts
Lesson 22
What is a spiritual gift?
A Spiritual gift is an ability given power by the Holy Spirit to be used for ministry in the church. They are used to equip the church to carry out its ministry until Christ returns.
(Teachers: Ask for some examples, list on the board, you might want to have two columns, one for spiritual gifts and one for talents and abilities)
Explain the difference between spiritual gifts and talents/abilities.
Spiritual gifts are not talents. Gods gifts everyone with talents and abilities, spiritual gifts come only after salvation.
Romans12:6-8: We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
What gifts are mentioned in this passage?
Prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing to the needs of others, leadership, and mercy.
Take a moment to get some thoughts on what the students think each of these gifts is, sometimes these lists can be overwhelming, but it is important to take the time to look at each individual item.
But aren’t we all called to some of these things?
Of course, we are called to serve, encourage, give, and so forth, but there are some who are more specially gifted in these areas than others.
Let’s look at some more spiritual gifts.
Turn to 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Read this passage and see what gifts it talks about, spend some time discussing what each of them is. Take some time to examine this passage.
(Some gifts in this passage include: wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, healing, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.)
When do believers receive spiritual gifts?
When we are saved the Holy Spirit blesses us by giving us spiritual gifts that we are to use to minister to others.
How do we receive these gifts?
The Holy Spirit lives inside us as believers, and He blesses us with spiritual gifts.
So What?
So how do we know our spiritual gifts?
Think about what you find joy in doing, how you enjoy serving. There are also tests out there to give you an idea of what your gifts are.
So why do we have spiritual gifts?
God gifts us for ministry, to fellow Christians and to spread the gospel to the lost.
1 Peter 4:10-11: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
How are some ways that we can use spiritual gifts practically?
1 Corinthians 12:12: The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
We all must use our gifts as God has blessed us, coming together to minister as the body of Christ.
What about the other areas where we aren’t as gifted?
Don’t ignore those areas just because you don’t feel gifted in them. Pray and rely on God to help you in your areas of weakness.
For anyone who is interested there is a spiritual gifts inventory on the church website under discipleship.
Teacher FYI Lesson 22
Spiritual Gifts
Principally, the Spirit empowers our service by giving us spiritual gifts. The four most important truths about spiritual gifts are all found in one verse: I Cor. 12:7.
(1) The universality of spiritual gifts: "to each one." These come with conversion, as standard equipment in every believer's life. At conversion, the Spirit baptizes believers into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13), comes to indwell believers (Rom. 8:9), and gives spiritual gifts to each one, "just as he determines" (I Cor. 12:11).
(2) The definition of spiritual gifts: "the manifestation of the Spirit." These words give the best short definition of spiritual gifts I have encountered. A spiritual gift is an ability to minister that reveals the Spirit's work in and through the believer.
They are different from the talents that are often evident in the lives of non-believers, because these talents are given by God as part of what is called common grace (blessings that are given indiscriminately to believers and non-believers, as in Matt. 5:45). Since the Spirit does not indwell non-believers, what they do cannot manifest His presence.
In the case of believers, their talents may be different from their spiritual gifts, but I believe the Spirit may take a talent and use it as a gift
(3) The nature of spiritual gifts: "is given." Spiritual gifts are given, not earned. Therefore, there is no room for boasting about gifts. They are gifts, given freely by God.
They are not earned by human effort, merited by spiritual achievement, or seized by fervent prayer. They are gifts, given by the gracious Father.
(4) The purpose of spiritual gifts: "for the common good." They are not given for our enjoyment, but for our employment; not to puff up ourselves, but to build up the body. Thus, they must be exercised in the spirit of love. It is no coincidence that I Cor. 13, the chapter on love, is found between I Cor. 12 and 14, the two lengthiest discussions of spiritual gifts.
(5) The permanence of spiritual gifts. Are they, once given, a permanent part of your person, or may they be given temporarily, for a specific time and situation, and then disappear?
I know of no clear scriptural answer (Rom. 11:28-29 is not speaking of spiritual gifts), but the idea of permanence seems to make more sense for the majority of the gifts. (6) The number of gifts. Below are the three major lists of gifts found in the NT. Together, they contain 19 or 20 gifts, depending on whether service and helps are regarded as two gifts or one. The most important factor to me is that all three lists are different. Apparently, Paul did not think it important that each church have all the gifts he listed. The reason, almost certainly, is because he never intended to give an exhaustive list. Each list is simply meant to be suggestive and illustrative of the types of gifts God gives. There are other gifts not mentioned here: music, building, cooking, hospitality, repair, intercession, and others. So use these as they are intended, and don't try to force every gift to fit one of these categories. But since you will be asked, I will give a brief description of the gifts listed.
Rom. 12:6-8 I Cor. 12:8-10, Eph. 4:11
28-30
Prophecy Message of wisdom Apostleship
Service Message of knowledge Prophecy
Teaching Faith Evangelism
Encouraging Healing Pastor-teacher
Giving Miraculous powers
Leadership Prophecy
Showing mercy Ability to distinguish between spirits
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Apostleship
Teaching
Helping
Administration
Prophecy- there are two senses of prophecy: (1) to speak God's word to a specific situation (forth-tell) and (2) to say what will happen (foretell). The OT prophets did both. The NT refers to two specific instances of foretelling (Acts 11:27-28, 21:8-11). In either case, the OT provides two tests for the authenticity of a prophet: (1) his prophecies must not contradict what God has already revealed (Deut. 13:1-3) and (2) what he prophecies must come true (Deut. 18:21-22).
Service- this is a word used for humble service, such as that done by the first deacons (diakonos). Matt. 25:44, Rom. 15:25, and II Cor. 8:4 indicate that the service is ministry to basic, physical needs, and is characteristic of the attitude of a true leader (I Cor. 16:15). Some see this gift as synonymous with the gift of helps mentioned in the list in I Cor. 12.
Teaching- the ability to present the truth in such a way that others are able to understand and profit from it.
Encouraging- also translated exhorting, comforting, urging, or even cheering up. This is the ability to come alongside others, giving them what is needed to lift their spirits and motivate them to action.
Leadership-the word used may mean either lead (as in I Thess. 5:12) or give aid.
Showing mercy-a capacity for empathy, and the ability to give emotional support to those who are hurting
Message of wisdom-taken by some to mean an obviously supernatural message given to answer a question or specific need, it may also mean an equally supernatural but not as obvious ability to give wise counsel concerning the wise, prudent, godly course of action in a given situation.
Message of knowledge-again, by some it is taken to be some information supernaturally revealed, but may mean the capacity to see what information is relevant to a given situation. Again, in the context of I Cor. it may refer to messages that demonstrate the proper use of knowledge, to build up others, not to puff up oneself.
Faith-this is more than saving faith; it is the ability that makes a person what we call visionary.
Ability to distinguish between spirits-I believe this is an unusual sensitivity to distinguish between spiritual truth and counterfeits, to discern dangers in following certain paths of thought or teaching (see I John 4:1-3).
Apostleship-though there are no apostles today in the foundational sense of those who were the authorized representatives of Jesus, the word "apostle" can also mean simply sent out. Some believe this gift applies to missionaries, or those involved in pioneer work.
Helping-see service. This is a very general word for the one who sees and meets the needs of others. It is found only this one time in the NT.
Administration-though translated administration, the word is actually that of a helmsman or guide, and has the idea more of spiritual guidance than what we call administration. I think there is such a gift as what we call administration, but it is doubtful that this word refers to it.
Evangelism-the ability to communicate the gospel with unusual effectiveness, either one-on-one or in a large group setting.
Pastor/teacher- the gift most needed in a pastor, this is the ability to guard, protect and provide for God's people, principally by teaching them the truths of God's word and applying it to their lives according to the needs of each one.
Again, these should not be seen as an exhaustive list, but they can make us aware of possibilities. On a more practical level, believers can discover their spiritual gifts by getting involved in trying to meet needs, and getting counsel and feedback on where they are having success. As well, personal enjoyment and a sense of “fit” should come from using one’s gifts. At the same time, knowledge of one’s gifts should not be used to avoid obeying commands that are common to all, but as a way of wisely focusing one’s ministry.
The miraculous gifts. I think it is valid to consider the miraculous gifts (tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing and miracles) as a separate group, for three reasons.
First, these gifts appear in only one letter of the New Testament, and appear to have been problematic in that letter. Romans, which is Paul's most systematic and complete letter, does not mention the miraculous gifts, but does mention other gifts. This is possibly an indication that these gifts are not normally a part of church life.
Second, the miraculous, or sign gifts have been absent from church life for most of the history of the church. Only in the twentieth century has there been widespread practice and interest in these gifts, especially the gift of tongues.
Among Christians today, there are at least three opinions about these gifts.
(a) The cessationist view. Some believe the miraculous gifts ceased at the end of the apostolic age. They were given to confirm the message of the apostles (Heb. 2:3-4) and with the end of the apostolic age and the completion of the New Testament revelation, these gifts ceased. This is called the cessasionist position.
Those who hold this position say that this is the reason why they are conspicuous by their absence in the history of the church. While God certainly healed and heals, and performed and performs miracles, God has not given these abilities as gifts since the apostolic age. However, there are two considerable problems with this view.
First, while Heb. 2:3-4 says confirmation of the apostles' message was one purpose of such sign gifts, it certainly does not say it was the only purpose. And the use of such gifts in Corinth does not seem connected with confirmation of the apostles' message. In other words, there is little evidence in the NT that would lead us to expect the end of these gifts.
Second, what are we to make of the millions who believe they are receiving these gifts, especially the gift of tongues, today? Those who believe the miraculous gifts have ceased say that these people are deceived. Either they have been deceived by Satan, or they have deceived themselves. They note, correctly, that tongue-speaking is an emotional experience, that it is present in religions other than Christianity, and that it can therefore be the product of human emotions. They also note that the gift most emphasized among those who uphold the validity of these gifts is tongue-speaking, the gift most easily counterfeited or produced by human emotion. Healing and miracles are much easier to validate objectively.
I have no doubt that some people, especially those in churches that stress tongue-speaking as an essential element of a real Christian's experience, have worked themselves up to such an emotional state that they have spoken in tongues, but it has been the result of human emotions, not the Holy Spirit. The difficulty is in claiming this is the case for all those who have experienced these gifts.
(b) The normative view. A second position is that these miraculous sign gifts are or should be a normative, essential part of every church's life. Some would even say speaking in tongues should be a part of every Christian's life, and is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Those who hold this position offer as evidence the Scriptural testimony in Acts and I Corinthians and God's obvious and evident blessing on the Pentecostal and charismatic movements. How could these churches be so vital, win so many people, produce such transformed lives, if they are deceived about these sign gifts? But there are at least three serious problems with this view.
First, the biblical evidence is not at all clearly in their favor. The material in Acts is quite different. There, at least in Acts 2, those speaking tongues spoke actual languages. This is not the case in I Cor. 12 or in tongue speaking as it is practiced today. This has been confirmed by several linguistic studies of tongue speaking. Moreover, the purpose of tongues in Acts 2, 11, and 19 is different. It is not a part of the church's worship, or of the individual's private prayer life, but does seem to be for the purpose of confirming the reception of salvation and the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, it confirmed the outpouring of the Spirit on all the disciples, men and women, young and old. In Acts 10, it confirmed God's acceptance of even non-Jews among His people. And in Acts 19, it confirmed the spread of the gospel beyond Judea and Samaria. There is also no evidence that these instances of tongue-speaking represent a gift; they seem more to be initial instances and not an ongoing pattern. So we are left with I Cor. 12, a slender and problematic basis for the claim that the sign gifts are normative. Why are they absent from the lists in Romans and Ephesians? I have heard or read no good explanation of this from those who hold this position.
A second problem is with the insistence that these gifts are for every church or every Christian. I Cor. 12 is the chapter that teaches most emphatically the necessity of diversity in the body. I Cor. 12:30 asks rhetorically, "do all speak in tongues?" expecting clearly a negative answer. And, in any case, gifts are given by God's determination, not our choice (I Cor. 12:11).
The claim that tongue-speaking is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit is also lacking in biblical foundation. The clearest verse about the baptism of the Spirit is I Cor. 12:13, which emphasizes the universality of the baptism of the Spirit--all believers have received the baptism of the Spirit, because it happens at the moment of conversion, at the moment of entering the one body of Christ.
A third problem with the claim that the sign gifts are a normative part of the life of the church is their absence in the history of the church. Clearly, they are not necessary to the health of the church. In fact, while the blessing of God is evidently upon the Pentecostal and charismatic movement, it may be in spite of and not because of their emphasis on the miraculous gifts. God's blessing may be on them because of their openness to receiving the empowering of the Spirit, because of their emphasis on praise, because of their study of the Bible, because of their use of laypeople, because of their zeal in sharing the gospel. These factors may be claimed as normative elements of vital churches throughout history. Any church that has these emphases will be vital, regardless of whether or not they practice miraculous gifts.
(c) “Seek not, forbid not.” Seeing problems with both the position that these gifts ceased with the end of the apostles and the position that they are a normative part of the life of the church, I take a third position. It was first formulated in 1907 by A. B. Simpson when confronted by an outbreak of the sign gifts, principally tongue-speaking, in a seminary of his denomination, the Christian and Missionary Alliance. His response, based in I Cor. 14:12 and 39, is "seek not . . . forbid not."
We should not seek miraculous gifts, tongues in particular. If we seek gifts at all, it should be the speaking gifts, such as prophesy, for they are more useful in edifying the church. The gift of tongues is hedged with restrictions as no other gift, and apparently caused problems at Corinth as it has at other churches. Therefore, in direct opposition to what is encouraged in many Pentecostal churches, we are not to seek the sign gifts.
But neither are we to forbid them. The Holy Spirit is a free and sovereign Spirit, and may be doing a new thing in this century among the Pentecostals and Charismatics. I find it very hard to believe that all those who speak in tongues have fooled themselves. Similarly, I know there are many charlatans and frauds who claim to have gifts of healing, and I do not know personally anyone who has this gift, but I do not see a basis for denying the possibility that God can give this gift. Seek not, but forbid not.
Some Pentecostals and Charismatics have begun to realize the difficulties with the claims that tongue-speaking is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, and that tongue-speaking is for all churches or all Christians. They claim only that miraculous gifts are given, and that they may be received and practiced for the blessing and edification of the body. This is close to the view that I am advocating, and I am hopeful that as the Pentecostal and charismatic movements mature, there may be less fear and suspicion between those in the different groups, and more openness to learning from one another as brothers and sisters, fellow members in the one body of Christ.
The Church
Lesson 23
What is the church?
The church is the community of all believers throughout history.
We also can look at the church in two ways, as the local and universal church.
Does anyone know what these two mean?
The local church would be the body of believers that you worship with, in our case Faith Baptist Church.
The universal church would be the collection of all believers, past, present and future.
So who is a part of the church?
Anyone who is truly a believer is a part of the church.
Now we will look at the local and universal church and some characteristics of each.
| |Universal |Local |
|Head |Christ (Colossians 1:18) |(FBC) Pastor Richard/Elders (under Christ) |
|Made up of |The body of believers (Eph. 1:22-23) |Church members |
The Purpose/Mission of the Church
What is our (local) church’s mission statement?
Let’s look at a few Scriptures that lay out the mission of the church in general.
Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
What is the mission of the church that we can see in this passage?
Go and make disciples!! Jesus said to go to all nations, which means our own homes, our schools, our jobs, and out into the world on missions as well.
What does it mean to make disciples?
To evangelize and share the gospel so that some will come to be saved, but it doesn’t end there. Faith’s mission statement says to find and feed fully, that means that if we lead someone to the Lord we don’t just forget about them, we also have a responsibility to lead them into discipleship as well, to see them grow in their faith.
What two other things does Jesus mention in this passage that should be done with new disciples?
Baptizing and teaching, believer’s baptism is an important way for a new believer to publicly show their inner faith. Like we talked about earlier teaching is also important, to feed a new believer on the Word of God.
Here’s another passage with some good information of the church:
Acts 2:42-47: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers where together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This passage gives a good picture of how the early church operated, meeting together, giving of themselves, worshipping and fellowshipping. The body of believers really acted as a community and the results are clear, like verse 47 says, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Hebrews 10:24-25: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
This passage reminds us of the importance not only of meeting together, but of encouraging one another and leading each other into good deeds.
Now let’s look at a few descriptive pictures of the relationship between God and the church that we find in Scripture.
The Flock and the Shepherd
1 Peter 5:2,4: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you , but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
(You can also read John 10:1-18 if you want, it is a lengthier example of Jesus calling Himself the Good Shepherd.)
The relationship between God and the church is pictured as a shepherd leading a flock of sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep.
The Bride
Matthew 9:15: Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
Revelation 19:7: Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.
Revelation 21:9: One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
The church is like a beautiful virgin bride, purified and made righteous through the blood of Christ, prepared for Christ, the bridegroom.
So What?
What is our part if we are members of the church as a body of believers?
We are to be active in working to accomplish the purposes that Jesus said were ours. We should be contributing to the body through service and making disciples of all nations.
How should we relate to each other as the body of Christ?
Ephesians 4:1-6: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called-one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
We should treat each other with respect and love, while living each day to the glory of God.
Can you think of any ways that you could begin today to live out the purposes we have talked about?
Teacher FYI Lesson 23
The Church
Ecclesiology deserves the serious study of all believers, for it is the church that Jesus loves and died for (Eph. 5:25); it is the building of the church that is Jesus's great goal (Matt. 16:18); and it is the church that shows God's wisdom in the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10). All those who love Christ must also love his body, the church.
A. Defining the church.
1. The word ekklesia. We need to begin with the word for church, ekklesia. It comes from two Greek words, meaning "called out" and was originally used in the Greek city-states for an assembly of citizens called out to conduct the business of the city.
a. Local and Universal. By far the dominant idea is that of a local assembly or assemblies (Acts 20:17, 28; Rom. 16:1, I Cor. 4:17, Gal. 1:22, and many others). A secondary but important usage is in a universal sense, to refer to all the redeemed (I Cor. 10:32, Matt. 16:18, Eph. 1:22, 5:23-32, Col. 1:18, 24).
The two basic ideas are of actual, local assemblies (considered collectively or individually) and the universal church (often called the body of Christ).
How the two are related. It seems that local churches are not just parts of the body of Christ. I Cor. 12:27 says that the local assembly is the body of Christ. And the visible/invisible distinction weakens the idea of actual assembly that is the normal idea behind ekklesia. I like Robert Banks's proposal: all Christians belong to a heavenly church which gathers around Christ; and all Christians should belong to local, tangible expressions of that heavenly church. And in the NT, the focus is on local expressions of the church.
4. What the church is not.
a. The church is not a building, but people assembled. The earliest churches seem to have met in homes (Rom. 16:5, Col. 4:15); church buildings did not arrive until several centuries later (3rd-4th century).
b. The church is not determined by geographical or political lines, but by relationship to God and Christ. By this I mean to contrast the idea of the territorial church, which assumes that every member of the state is also a member of the church, and the idea of the gathered church, which states that the church should be composed only of those who choose to follow Christ and are regenerate. The former idea was characteristic of the church from shortly after Constantine to the time of the Reformation. It crumbled then due to the insistence of Anabaptists and Baptists that the church must be gathered, and that church and state should be separate, ideas for which they were violently persecuted when they began.
c. The church is not a denomination. Churches in the NT work together and share a sense of commonality, but there is no attempt nor perceived need to organize in a formal way. This is not to deny the legitimacy of denominations. They are valid ways to express our belief in the larger body of Christ and our need to manifest our unity with that larger body. But while the denomination may be composed of churches, Baptists have almost always clearly differentiated the association or denomination from a church. They have different roles, responsibilities and powers.
d. The church is not the kingdom. "Kingdom" refers primarily to God's kingly rule and only secondarily to the sphere in which that reign is exercised. The church is a fellowship of people; the kingdom is a divine activity. Thus, the kingdom cannot be equated with the church.
e. The church is not a parachurch organization. Though we have not yet mentioned it, we will show that the church has a certain structure (leaders), certain constituent purposes, and must have no age, race or sex restrictions. These characteristics are sufficient to distinguish the church from a college fellowship group which exists for them only, or from a mission agency whose only purpose is missions, or from any of the other of thousands of parachurch groups.
Sometimes small groups of independent Christians get tired of the old, dead institutional church and think they can be the body of Christ for themselves. But if they do seek to be the church, they eventually find the need for a structure, leaders, and, if they seek to meet the needs of whole families, they will find themselves becoming quite like the churches they left. The reason why many parachurch groups seem more alive than churches is they have the luxury of ministering to one type of person or focussing on one aspect of ministry. The church has to minister to all types on all levels. The wonder is that it does as well as it does.
B. The nature of the church. The NT teaches us about the nature of the church primarily through metaphors.
1. The people of God. This metaphor reminds us that the church becomes the church by God's initiative. His purpose has always been to create a people, not just isolated individuals. One of the key promises of God, echoed throughout the Bible, is "I will be your God, and you will be my people" (See Gen. 17:7-7, Ex. 6:7, Jer. 31:33, Ezek. 36:28, II Cor. 6:16, Heb. 8:10. Rev. 21:3, 7--at least 23 times in Scripture). It is in fulfillment of this eternal purpose that God creates the church.
This metaphor thus lies behind the description of the church as the elect (Rom. 8:33, I Pet. 1:2, 2:9), the called ones (I Cor. 1:24), those set apart by God (saints: I Cor. 1:2). Thus, the church consists of those chosen, called, and set apart by God. For their part, they respond by trusting him, accepting his call, following his will. The church is composed of believers (Acts 2:44, 47), or disciples (Acts 11:26). There can be no restrictions of race or class or age or sex (Gal. 3:28), but there is one restriction: the church is to be composed of regenerate persons only.
2. The body of Christ. There is development of the concept within Paul's writings. In Romans and I Corinthians, the body is used to stress the essential unity despite diversity in gifts (Rom. 12:4-5, I Cor. 12:12-27), and the resulting mutuality of love and concern that should result. Little attention is given to the idea of Christ as head (I Cor. 12 mentions members as being eyes, ears, and nose). It is in Ephesians and Colossians that the headship of Christ is emphasized (Eph. 1:22, 4:15, 5:23; Col. 1:18, 2:9-10). In these two books, the connection between Christ and his body is highlighted. He is the final authority over all areas of the church's life (Eph. 1:22). Thus, the church's government must always seek to be a Christocracy, whatever human form it takes. Christ is the source of the body's unity and the goal of their growth (Eph. 4:15); He is her Savior and the source of her life (Eph. 5:23-29).
3. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Some use the image of the temple of the Holy Spirit, but I like fellowship because it points us to the importance of Pentecost for the church. I think it very significant that the gospel writers never use the word koinonia (fellowship). It first appears in Acts 2 with the coming of the Spirit and is almost the first word used to characterize the first church (Acts 2:42). The Spirit is the creator of fellowship, for He is the one who unites all believers to Jesus, who baptizes all of us into the same body (I Cor. 12:13). He creates fellowship because he awakens us to all we have in common--most centrally, Christ. Thus, the Spirit serves as the cement in the church, making us a true temple rather than a disconnected pile of stones.
One final fact we should notice about these three metaphors--they are all corporate images. There are no individuals of God, no independent parts of Christ's body, no one who has fellowship with himself.
The Church, Part II
Lesson 24
Last week we talked about the church, in general, local and universal, and the purposes of the church as a body of believers.
This week we will focus more on our local church and its role in the church as a whole.
Review the mission statement of our local church.
So how does that line up with the purpose of the church as a whole which we talked about last week?
(To go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them (Matt. 28) and to worship and fellowship together in community (Acts 2))
Now that we have looked at what our church is doing, how can/are you a part of purpose and mission of our church?
Are you using the spiritual gifts that God has blessed you with?
Find out where you can use your gifts, what type of service you are skilled in and find joy in doing.
Why is it important that we, as a local body of believers remain unified behind the purpose and mission of both the local and universal church?
All members need to be serving the head, not themselves!
1 Corinthians 12:12: The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the savior.
We all need to be serving the head of the body-Christ.
Why do we need unity?
1. Because it is Christ’s desire.
John 17:20-23: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as We are one; I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
2. It is commanded.
Ephesians 4:3-6: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called-one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The local church is like your family, Faith has a slogan, “Faith feels like family”
So when you join a church, it’s not a small commitment, you are saying that this is your church family, who you will worship, serve and grow spiritually with.
So if the church is such a unified thing then why are there so many different denominations?
Really it just boils down to beliefs, both major and minor, denominations are important because they help to maintain unity, you are able to worship with other believers with similar beliefs.
So what is our church’s denomination?
Southern Baptist
What distinguishes southern Baptists from other denominations?
Baptists in general are distinguished by our belief in believer’s baptism, which we will discuss more next week. Southern Baptists are also distinguished by our belief in the inerrancy of Scripture, that the Bible is literally the word of God given to man. These issues are not necessarily vital to one’s salvation, and the fact that other denominations may not agree exactly with us doesn’t mean that they aren’t saved. As long as they agree that salvation comes only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
We should be able to work together with other denominations cooperatively.
Some examples of this include: See You at the Pole, FCA, and Samaritan’s Purse (Operation Christmas Child).
So What?
How are you taking part in the mission statement of the church?
Have you noticed any of these areas that could use some more help?
Are you making the church more or less unified? Are you taking full advantage of being a part of our church family?
If you move away or go off to college how would you choose a new church family? What factors would you look for first? Music style? Friends? Teaching? Community?
Teacher FYI: Lesson 24
The Church Part II
On the Church and Community
Community. Focusing on the body as God's people, who need each other could help us recover and develop community in our churches. Robert Wuthnow, a Baptist and respected sociologist of religion, notes that TV can provide better preaching and music than a local church. If the local church is to thrive in the 21st century, she must learn how to provide community, a place where people belong, where memories are created, identity is conferred, and values are transmitted. This is something mass media cannot do. Right now, our individualism and consumer mentality stands in the way of community developing.
On The Baptist Church
The Baptist Mark: Regenerate church membership. Most Baptist distinctives are found in our ecclesiology: believer’s baptism, congregational government, local church autonomy, and the priesthood of all believers are a few examples. But all of these are linked to a more fundamental idea of what the church should be.
Leon McBeth says, “Perhaps the origin of Baptists is best explained as a search for a pure church” (the Baptist Heritage, p. 75). I believe McBeth is right, and that the idea of a pure church explains not only the origin of Baptists but is the center for our ecclesiological distinctives. For example, believer’s baptism is important for Baptists because believer’s baptism is the way that we ensure that the church remains pure. Congregational government is possible because the church is pure, composed of only regenerate believers. The idea of the pure church, therefore, leads to the Baptist mark of the church, which I express as regenerate church membership. In 1905 at the first Baptist World Congress in London, J.D. Freeman said “the principle of regenerate church membership more than anything else, marks our distinctiveness in the world today.”
The concern to maintain regenerate membership can be seen in Baptist life historically in 2 primary ways.
1. The first is in the concern shown in Baptist confessions of faith that those baptized, and received as church members, are genuine believers, or as they often call it, “visible saints”, living a separated life, different from the world, giving evidence of the faith they profess.
2. The second way Baptists showed their zeal for regenerate church membership was in their emphasis on church discipline. From the early Anabaptists through most Baptists of the 19th century, church discipline was prominently practiced among Baptists. The underlying basis for this practice was not meanness or a judgmental spirit, but a concern that the church be the Church, people who live like followers of Christ.
A recent study has confirmed the seriousness of conversion among Baptists and other evangelicals in the 18th and 19th centuries (see Christine L. Heryman), Southern Cross: The Beginnings of the Bible Belt. In the wake of the Great Awakening, conversion was seen to be so radical, so counter-cultural, so demanding, that many Southerners were hesitant to commit to church membership, for which conversion was mandatory. It was typical for Baptist churches to have 2 or 3 adult adherents for every member: non active members were unheard of and would have been a matter for church discipline. As late as 1810, no more than 20% of Southerners were members of any evangelical church. About this time (1810-1830), Southern evangelicals, including Baptists, began to change their teachings and practices to be more accommodating to the culture, to present less obstacles to church membership, and membership began to rise, leading to what became in later years the Bible Belt.
Of course all of this is light years from our practice today. Modern day Southern Baptist life makes a mockery of the principle of regenerate church membership. In 1998, out of a total of 15,729,350 Southern Baptists, average Sunday morning worship attendance was 5,398,692, or about 33 percent. In round numbers in a church of about 400 members, 132 are present on any given Sunday morning. This means that only 1/3 of our supposedly regenerate members can be troubled to attend their church’s major worship service. You don’t even know where a large number of members are, or if they are alive or dead.
In such a situation, the traditional Baptist mark of regenerate church membership is obviously missing in Southern Baptist life, with disastrous consequences. To be a member of a Southern Baptist church means nothing, and our corporate witness shows a lot indistinguishable from that of the world. Even the practice of congregational government becomes difficult when unregenerate church members are a significant part of the church. Most important, we may have millions of church members trusting in their church membership to get them into heaven who are, by all appearances, unregenerate. To recover the mark of regenerate church membership both theological and practical renewal will be imperative.
The Church: Ordinances
Lesson 25
What is an ordinance?
An ordinance is a ceremony that has been established by Jesus for the church to observe as continuing symbols of the Lord’s presence.
Can you think of any examples of these?
Why does the church have these?
We have them because we believe the Bible teaches that Jesus instituted them and that the church should practice them.
Today we will look at the Baptist ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
1. Believer’s Baptism:
What is this?
Believer’s baptism is when, after receiving the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, a new believer is immersed in water, and then rises out as an outward sign of his new life in Christ.
Where and how should baptism be observed?
Ideally baptism should occur before the church, so that the members can rejoice together with the person being baptized. We also believe that baptism should be by immersion, which means that the person being baptized is submerged in water and then lifted back out.
Why do we practice baptism by immersion?
We practice baptism by immersion because we believe that it is a picture of being buried with Christ and raised again to new life.
Colossians 2:12: Having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
What is the purpose of baptism?
Baptism is a way of publicly displaying and identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that you have been saved and walk in new life.
Romans 6:3-4: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
(Teachers: If you want to read or talk about an example of someone getting baptized a good example would be Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40.)
2. The Lord’s Supper:
What is this?
What does it symbolize?
The bread symbolizes the body of Christ, while the pouring out of the cup symbolizes His blood.
Matthew 26:26-28: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Why do we observe the Lord’s Supper?
Participating in the Lord’s Supper has several purposes, it serves to remind us of the death of Christ, we also identify with His death and the salvation that we have through it, and it also shows the unity of believers in partaking of it.
1 Corinthians 11:25-26: In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
1 Corinthians 10:17: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is to be taken by believers who have examined themselves and understand the meaning and importance of what they are doing.
1 Corinthians 11:27-29: Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Are there any reasons why a Christian should not take the Lord’s Supper?
As we discussed earlier, it is important to understand the importance and meaning of the Lord’s Supper, to have the proper attitude and to be right with your fellow Christians before taking the Lord’s Supper.
So What?
Do you think that this is important?
(Teachers: Try and get some discussion about these ordinances and why they are important for the church, try and get to the heart of them, looking past any tendency to see them as just a routine)
Have you been baptized by immersion?
(The students can think about this. If they are saved and haven’t been baptized, encourage them to consider it.)
Do you take the Lord’s Supper and if so, did you understand the purpose of it?
(Again, just try to emphasize that these things mean something)
Have you done these things with proper understanding, respect, and realization of their importance?
Teacher FYI Lesson 25
The Church: Ordinances
The Ordinances of the Church.
1. The problem of terminology. "Sacrament" is the word used by most churches, but Baptists and many others have rejected it due to its association with a Catholic view. The word originally referred to the oath a Roman soldier made to be loyal to his commander unto death, but was defined by Augustine as "the visible form of an invisible grace" and was interpreted as conferring grace on the recipient automatically (ex opere operato). "Ordinance" refers to something ordained or commanded, but neither it nor sacrament are biblical terms for these ceremonies. "Traditions" is the biblical word (I Cor. 11:23: "what I passed on to you"), but that too has problematic connotations, so Baptists have generally stuck with "ordinances."
2. The number of ordinances. Catholics since Lombard and Aquinas have affirmed seven sacraments. Protestants have limited to two, seeing only those as specifically instituted by Christ and exhibiting in an visual way the central ideas of the gospel. Some have added foot-washing, but it has never been widely accepted.
3. Defining the ordinances. There is no explicit definition given in Scripture, so the definition often depends on how many ordinances/sacraments one accepts and how one interprets them. In the case of baptism and Lord's Supper, they are symbolic rites, instituted directly by Christ (Matt. 28:19, I Cor. 11:23); they seem to be related to the central facts of the gospel; and they are for all believers.
4. The purpose of the ordinances. For the Catholics, sacraments infuse grace, and are thus indispensable for salvation. Baptism places the infant on the road to salvation, cleanses her from original sin and gives her grace to keep her until she is old enough to partake of other sacraments and receive more grace.
Most Protestants view the sacraments as "means of grace" when received with faith. They encourage, sustain and bless believers, because God has ordained them as signs and seals of his grace. We see his promises enacted and are encouraged; we sense Christ's presence in a special way and are nourished.
Baptists have tended to view these ceremonies more as something we do to testify to grace already received, rather than as something God does in or for us. In baptism, we profess our faith; at the Supper, we proclaim the Lord's death and do it in remembrance of Him. This seems to be the biggest difference between Baptists and others. Others believe God acts and does something for us when we celebrate the ordinances. We usually see them as what we do, in response to what God has already done in the cross and resurrection of Christ. We celebrate the ordinances, not in order to receive grace, but because we have already received grace.
At the same time, I think we may have reacted too much. If Christ is present where two or three are gathered in his name; if Christ has commanded us to be baptized, I think we may expect His presence at the Lord's Table; we may expect him to be pleased when we obey him. I think we may regard the ordinances as places where God pledges to meet faithful hearts in a special way. God always blesses obedience; Christ loves to meet with his people. Why should we not expect a response from God when we celebrate what he has commanded us to do? It may well be that many Baptists experience less from these ordinances than they should because we simply expect no more, and take these ceremonies as no more than dry, empty rituals.
Baptism.
1. The meaning of baptism. Christian baptism takes on a new meaning in the light of Christ and the New Testament teaching. There are two principal ideas involved.
a. The central idea is that of identification with Christ, because we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3, Gal. 3:27), and become identified with his death, burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:4). This implies that baptism is for those who choose to follow Christ. Further study confirms this. The NT indicates that baptism should follow profession of faith. In the Great Commission, baptism falls between the preaching of the gospel (making disciples) and the growth of believers (teaching them to observe all). Acts 2:41 is even clearer. The sequence is: receiving the Word, baptism, being added to the church. Thus we affirm that the proper subjects for baptism are believers, those who can affirm faith in Christ.
b. As they identify with Christ, they also identify with his church. Acts 2:41 indicates that baptism led to church membership. As Spirit baptism places one in the universal church, water baptism identifies one with a local church. Thus, Baptists, in keeping with most Christian traditions, have regarded baptism as the door to church membership. The difference with Baptists has been in who they baptized.
c. This means we deny all ideas of baptismal regeneration. It has no power to accomplish anything; it is rather a testimony to what has happened. The NT everywhere assumes believers will be baptized, but not in order to be saved. The thief on the cross is sufficient to show that baptism is not necessary for salvation.
2. The proper subjects of baptism. We affirm that baptism, by its nature, can only be appropriate for those who have made a personal faith commitment to Christ.
3. The proper time for baptism. While the time for baptism in the book of Acts was normally immediately after conversion (Acts 2:38-41, 8:36-38), such practice is not commanded nor always followed (Acts 4:4).
Since faith is clearly required for baptism, I advocate waiting for a period of weeks after profession of faith to allow the convert to confirm his decision, understand more fully the meaning of baptism and show evidence of his conversion. There is no command about the timing of baptism, while the necessity of faith is paramount.
4. The proper mode of baptism. While sprinkling and affusion are practiced in some communions, the word baptizo means immerse, the NT descriptions of baptism fit immersion, and the symbolic meaning of baptism is portrayed only in immersion.
5. The proper administrator of baptism. While this has normally been assigned to pastors, there is no biblical reason for limiting it to them. Ordination is certainly not required, and since baptism is baptism into Christ and his church, the local church should be seen as the baptizing agent, and free to assign anyone they choose to perform the baptism.
The Lord's Supper. Baptism is a one time initiatory rite; the Lord's Supper is a continuing rite, signifying and deepening our fellowship with the Lord and his body. It is the only act of worship for which we are given specific instructions, and thus should be given more attention than Baptists usually give.
1. Terms used for this rite: the Lord's Table (I Cor. 10:21), Communion (I Cor. 10:16), the Lord's Supper (I Cor. 11:20; the word used is for a real meal), the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42), the thanksgiving or Eucharist (I Cor. 11:24), the blessing (I Cor. 10:16).
2. The institution (Matt. 2617-30, Mk. 14:12-26, Lk. 22:7-30, I Cor. 11:17-34; see also Acts 2:42, 20:7, I Cor. 10:14-22; but not John 6:32-59). Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in the midst of his observance of Passover with his disciples. Thus we should probably see it as a covenant meal (Lk. 22:20: "This cup is the new covenant"),
and note that there is no record of the disciples observing Passover after this, for Christ is now "our paschal lamb" (I Cor. 5:7).
The words of institution, "This is my body," have occasioned as much controversy as any in Scripture. We should note four interpretations of this phrase.
a. Literal (Catholic view of transubstantiation). This view developed gradually.
According to this view, when a properly ordained priest lifts the host (the elements) and repeats the words of institution, a miracle occurs. While the accidents remain the same, the substance of the elements is transformed (transubstantiated) into Christ. He is wholly present in each wafer, in each drop of wine. The celebration of the mass thus involves a recrucifixion of Christ. This sacrifice effects forgiveness of venial sins, an increase of grace, preservation from mortal sin, and gives us hope of salvation.
This position is defective philosophically (uses Aristotelian categories foreign to Scriptural thought), exegetically (the literal interpretation is forced and unnatural, for it overlooks the difficulty of Jesus distributing his own body), theologically (contradicts the once-for-allness of Christ's sacrifice, limits its effect to venial sins, and confers grace automatically, rather than through faith), and ecclesiologically (it bases the effectiveness of the Supper on the power conferred on the priest in ordination, rather than on Christ blessing those who partake in faith).
b. Literal (Lutheran view of consubstantiation). While Luther denied the sacrificial nature of the mass, and the sacerdotal power that effects transformation, and held that faith was necessary for the recipient to be blessed, he did affirm the real, bodily presence of Christ "in, with, and under" the elements. There is no change effected by the priest's words and acts, but a presence effected by Christ's power in accordance with his promise.
This still involves philosophical conceptions foreign to Scripture, but the major problem is exegetical. Luther simply could not accept an interpretation of the words of institution that was less than literal. I frankly think it was a part of his Catholic heritage that was so dear to him he could not divorce himself from it completely. His view of the communicatio idiomatum gave him a convenient way to affirm bodily presence and he clung to it.
c. Spiritual (Calvin's view). "This is my body" is interpreted to mean that Christ promises his spiritual presence at the Supper, but not his bodily presence in the elements. The elements are important, in that they are God's ordained sign, but they are to be distinguished from what they signify.
At times Calvin seemed to emphasize the reality of the presence and at times the spirituality of the presence as he sought to reconcile the Lutherans and Zwinglians. Thus at times, his position is little different from that of Zwingli.
d. Memorial (Zwinglian view, characteristic of most Baptists). The words of institution are understood simply as "this signifies my body." While Zwingli believed Christ was spiritually present with believers when they gather in his name, some who followed Zwingli were so concerned to deny bodily presence they left little room for spiritual presence. It rightly emphasizes the memorial aspect ("in remembrance") but neglects the present communion aspect. I blend some of the last two views in my interpretation of the meaning of the Supper.
3. The meaning. I think we should see at least three aspects of significance in the Lord's Supper.
a. Look back in remembrance. Commemorate is, I think, too weak a word. Biblical remembrance is calling to mind the past in such a dynamic way that the past becomes a present reality, affecting present experience. The Supper proclaims the Lord's death in a vivid, visual way. We look back with thanksgiving (eucharist), humility, and awe.
b. Look around in fellowship. The Lord's Table is for the Lord's body, the church. In it we symbolize and reaffirm our unity (I Cor. 10:17) and communion (I Cor. 10:16). As our Passover, it is the occasion for renewing the covenant vows which bind us to the Lord and one another (Baptist churches in the past often used to recite their church covenant prior to partaking of the Supper). Paul's horror at the way the Corinthians observed the Supper was based on the fact that it revealed their divisions and lack of concern for each other, when it should bind us together.
Thus, the Supper should not be observed by individuals or families or loosely formed groups, but by the body of Christ, as an expression of their unity and their commitment to be the body of Christ in their relationship to one another. For this reason, the exercise of church discipline usually involved restriction of the Supper from those out of fellowship with the church.
c. Look ahead in expectation. The Lord's Supper is a kind of rehearsal and foretaste of the Messianic banquet to come at the marriage feast of the Lamb (Lk. 14:15-24, Rev. 19:9). There is a time limitation on the Supper: "until he comes." Then faith will become sight, and remembrance will become reality. Until then, we live faithfully and expectantly.
4. The proper participants.
a. Believers. Certainly, the meaning of the Lord's Supper restricts it to believers. Every instance in the book of Acts and I Corinthians has only believers in view as participants.
b. Self-examined believers (I Cor. 11:28). Individuals are to examine themselves, before they participate. What does such examination involve?
I like the conditions laid down by Anglicans in their liturgy for participation in the Lord's Supper. First, believers are called to hear God's word and in its light confess their sins, repent of them, and intend by God's grace to live in obedience. Then, on the basis of the gospel promises, believers are to renew their faith in Christ as their only hope for forgiveness and life. Third, believers are called to reconciliation and renewal of their love for one another. I have structured observance of the Lord's Supper around these three conditions and have found it very helpful. I think they correspond roughly to the three aspects of the meaning of communion outlined above.
Whatever method we use, we must make time in our observance for self-examination. A sinless state of perfection is not required, but a recognition of sinfulness, a grateful recognition of the Lord's body broken for you, and reconciliation with members of the Lord's body (the church) does seem to be involved. Unbelievers and those too young to understand the significance of the Supper, those walking in direct disobedience who intend on continuing to do so, and those out of fellowship with members of the local body should refrain. To participate unworthily is to court judgment, including the possibility of sickness and even death (I Cor. 11:30).
5. The proper elements. Bread and wine cannot be absolutely required, for in some cultures they are not available. Nor are the elements important in and of themselves. They convey the idea of nourishment, and they visually represent being broken and being poured out. Any common food and drink that can be broken and poured out is thus acceptable. In any case, the focus should not be the elements, but what they signify.
6. The proper administrator. In Catholic theology, an ordained priest, who has special power by virtue of his ordination, is required to perform transubstantiation. But for Protestants, who believe we are all believer-priests, and that ordination confers no special power, insistence that the Supper can only be celebrated by ordained pastors lacks basis and can only be justified as an unconscious retention of Catholic ideas. As the church's celebration, the church can designate who leads in its celebration. Pastors are certainly appropriate leaders, but not by any means the only legitimate administrators.
7. Frequency. There is no command here, though there is some evidence in Scripture and early church history of weekly observance (Acts 20:7, Didache 14:1). Calvin, Wesley and Spurgeon all preferred weekly observance. Most Baptists observe it only quarterly, claiming that more frequent observance would make it a meaningless ritual (but we preach and sing and take up an offering every week). I prefer a monthly observance, alternating between morning and evening services, and observing it carefully and reverently, rather than tacking it to the end of an unrelated service.
Church Government and Discipline
Lesson 26
What do we mean by government in the church?
We are talking about how the church is organized and governed. There is a clear and recognized leadership in the church as a local body.
What are some of the offices found in church government?
Deacons:
Acts 6:1-4: In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
What is the role of the deacon in the church?
The word translated “deacon” is diakonos, which means “servant.” As this passage from Acts clearly shows, the original deacons were chosen to fill roles of service within the church. Just as with the early church in Acts, the church still votes on who will become deacons.
Elders:
1 Peter 5:1-3: To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
What is the role of the elders?
Elders are to ensure that the church is grounded in sound doctrine.
Titus 1:9: He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Elders are to teach the Word.
1 Timothy 3:2: Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
This verse also shows an extensive list of other qualifications and requirements for elders.
Pastor:
What is the role of the pastor?
What we call the pastor and the elders have the same responsibilities, with the senior pastor being responsible for shepherding the flock of the local church.
Acts 20:28: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
What role does the congregation play in governing the church?
The congregation is active in appointing and supporting the leaders of the church. The church is able to properly function because the members put their spiritual gifts to good use in service.
Acts 6:5-6: This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Here we see the church body choosing the first deacons
Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
The congregation should also realize that the people in authority are there for a reason and should submit to their leadership.
What is church discipline?
Church discipline is the way that the church keeps itself pure by encouraging each of its members to lead Godly lives. And if someone in the congregation is struggling with sin, biblical church discipline calls for that person’s fellow Christians to approach him in love with a desire to see change.
Many churches have incorporated Jesus’ teaching on an offending brother as church discipline::
Matthew 18:15: If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens, you have won your brother over.
According to this verse, what is the first step in church discipline?
The first step in church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18 calls for each member of the congregation to keep each other accountable. If there is evident sin in a brother or sister’s life we must be willing to speak the truth in love to one another. On the other hand we also must be willing to humbly accept a Godly rebuke as a way that God can get our attention concerning our own sin.
Galatians 6:1: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
What does this verse say about church discipline?
This verse expands on the principles of church discipline, it is important to remember to approach each other in love, not spitefully or vengefully. Also, this is not a license to talk maliciously with others about someone’s sin; approach your brother or sister in private. Pray about the situation, don’t accuse, but make it clear that you desire to see them get right with God. And always remember to watch yourself that you don’t fall into temptation.
Matthew 18:16: But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
What happens in this step in church discipline?
This is the next step in the process of church discipline, if there is no acknowledgment of sin or desire to change after the first step then Jesus says that you should approach your brother with someone else; this may include the youth pastor, parents, or the youth council.
Matthew 18:17: If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, treat his as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Finally if the first two attempts don’t work the matter should be brought before the church, and if there is still no repentance or desire to change the brother or sister must be asked to leave the church until they are willing to repent, rather than continue to plant seeds of dissent and wickedness in the congregation.
This whole concept can be pretty sobering and scary to think of a situation getting this bad, but if step one is used and works like it should then it will never get to this point. That is why we must be diligent to encourage each other in striving for Godliness, and why we must also be able to set our pride aside and admit when we are wrong.
So What?
1. Can you see why the different church offices exist?
2. Do you remember to thank the pastors and teachers for all that they do?
3. How would you approach a brother or sister involved in sin? (Leaders stress the importance of love and pure motives, in other words, coming to them with the desire of seeing them get right with God.)
4. How would you react if someone approached you about sin in your life?
5. Are you doing anything in your life that someone needs to call you on? (Leaders: make it clear that this question is for reflection and that if there is something remember that if we confess God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9))
Teacher FYI: Lesson 26
Church Government and Discipline
The Government of the Church. While some groups (Quakers, Plymouth Brethren) have tried to minimize the need for any government in the church, Scripture gives ample evidence that the early church did adopt an organizational framework with recognized leadership (Acts 13:1, 14:23, 20:17, Phil. 1:1, I Tim. 3, Titus 1), enough of an idea of membership to recognize those within and without (I Cor. 5:12-13), regular meetings (Acts 20:7, I Cor. 16:2), some means of enforcing order (Matt. 18:15-17, I Cor. 5:4-5, II Thess. 3:6-15) and making decisions (Acts 6:3, 14:23 implies election of elders).
1. Major types of church government.
a. Episcopalianism: government by the bishop (Greek: episkopos, overseer). In this system, the ultimate power of government rests in the hands of the bishop(s). The basis for this power is the idea that the bishop was ordained by another bishop ordained by another bishop back to the apostles who were ordained by Christ. Thus, their power is based on ordination that goes back in succession to Christ.
This type of government is hierarchical and clerical, with a sharp lay/clergy distinction. It is found in the clearest form in Catholicism, in a milder form in Anglicanism and Episcopalianism, and in a modified form in Methodism.
The objections against this form are: (1) the examples cited are really not very supportive of their position, (2) the idea of apostolic succession is not a NT idea; indeed, Acts 1:21-22 and the foundational role of the apostles argues for the unique non-transmittable nature of their authority and office, and (3) the priesthood of all believers argues against the understanding of ordination as conferring a special power and against the whole idea of clergy and laity. In short, this system has very little Scriptural basis and involves some serious theological problems.
b. Presbyterianism: government by elders (Greek: presbuteros). This involves a succession of bodies. The local church is governed by a session (elders elected by the congregation, sometimes called ruling elders and teaching elders, with the latter being the pastor and, at times, other members of the ministerial staff); the sessions send representatives (usually ministers and one ruling or lay elder from each session) to the Presbytery of their district. Each Presbytery sends representatives to the Synod, which is over a larger area, and they send representatives to the General Assembly, usually a national body. Usually these bodies are divided between ministers and laity (teaching and ruling elders).
This form of government is most thoroughly practiced by Presbyterians, though many independent churches have elder rule on a local level. There is a trend among some Baptist churches of incorporating the local aspect of elder rule into their polity, though they do not have the levels of presbytery or synod.
There is some Scriptural support for the idea of elders. The Jewish synagogue was ruled by elders (see Lk. 7:3, among many references in the gospels), and the church originated out of an initially Jewish context. Acts 14:23 says Paul and Barnabas either appointed elders or had them elected (the Greek verb cheirotoneo can be translated "appoint" or "elect by raising hands;" see also II Cor. 8:9). Acts 20:17, Tit. 1:5, and James 5:14 speak specifically of church elders, and when it is recognized that bishops and elders are used interchangeable in Scripture (compare Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7), we may add verses like Phil. 1:1 and I Tim. 3:1-7.
While there is a valid role for leaders within the church and a need to manifest the larger body of Christ, I believe such requirements can best be met within congregational government, which preserves the principle of the priesthood of all believers and the autonomy of the local church in a way that the first two forms do not.
c. Congregationalism: (government by congregation). In this form, all the members of the local congregation are the final human authority for the church. They may elect leaders who have certain responsibilities, based on divinely given gifts and callings, but their authority is that of servant-leaders, exercised under that of the congregation. These leaders are most often called pastors and deacons, though some congregations function with a board of elders under ultimate congregational authority.
This model also involves local church autonomy (also called non-connectional church government). There is no body higher than the local church that can interfere with its internal workings. Its cooperation with other larger associations and conventions, while theologically more important than modern Baptists realize, is voluntary and non-coercive.
The basis for this can be seen in both individual passages of Scripture and in two larger Scriptural themes. Individual verses like Acts 6:1-7, 11:22, 11:29-30, 13:1-3, 15:1-3, I Cor. 5:4-7, I Cor. 14:26-40, and 16:1-2 show local congregations acting to govern themselves and order their affairs.
Congregationalism also rests upon the belief in the priesthood of all believers (I Pet. 2:9), in which all believers possess the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17), and thus can receive the guidance of the Lord. In a world where all believers are fallen and fallible, advocates of Congregationalism believe the likeliest way for a church to hear God's voice and follow His leading is for all the believer-priests of that church to seek the Spirit's guidance and share what they hear from the Lord. From that process, a consensus should emerge that can enable the church to go forward in unity and confidence.
We may acknowledge that there is no blueprint laid down in the NT for church government. God has seen fit to bless churches using all three forms of government down through history. The key seems to be more the character of those exercising leadership than the framework in which they work. Still, I prefer working within a congregational framework. I think it best allows for a valid role for called and gifted leaders, while preserving the equality and priesthood of all believers within the body, and the liberty of the local body to follow the Lordship of Jesus in their congregational life.
2. Church leaders. Here we will look at how church leaders are seen within a congregational framework. We should begin by emphasizing the fact that these leaders are not clergy, as opposed to laity. That distinction is a Catholic idea, it is non-Scriptural, and continues to be a curse to the church. Leaders are leaders because they have gifts that equip them to serve in those areas, just as encouragers encourage because they have that gift, and prayer warriors pray because they have that gift. Leadership must be gift-based, not status based, for we all have the same status: believer-priests.
Having said that, let me also say that leadership is also incredibly important, as your own observation and experience and every study of vibrant churches affirms. Baptists and most other congregationalists have generally recognized two types of official church leaders: pastors and deacons.
a. Pastors. We could use the term elder or even bishop for this office, since the three terms are used interchangeably. Acts 20 is the clearest example. In v. 17, he sends for the elders. In v. 28, he tells them the Holy Spirit has made them overseers (the word is bishop), and that their job is to pastor (be shepherds) God's church. The noun "pastor" occurs only in Eph. 4:11, in conjunction with teacher. Baptists in the past used the more prevalent term "elder" but "pastor," which describes one of the functions of the office, is almost universal today. I have no problem with any of these three; I oppose using minister, for it implies that the rest of the congregation are not ministers, which is untrue.
(1) Their functions. Gathering together all the verses that refer to elders/overseers/pastors, along with verses that refer to leaders without using any of these terms, we offer the following as a list of Scriptures relevant to the job of a pastor: Acts 20:28-31, Rom. 12:8, Eph. 4:11-16, I Thess. 5:12, I Tim. 3:1-7, I Tim. 5:17, Titus 1:5-9, Heb. 13:7, 17, I Pet. 5:1-4. From these, every prospective pastor would do well to construct his own job description. I see four primary responsibilities:
(a) Preaching and teaching the word of God. This is why all elders must be "able to teach" (I Tim. 3:2), why the gifts of pastor and teacher are joined in Eph. 4:11, why leaders are those "who spoke the word of God to you" (Heb. 13:7). Pastoral ministry must be the ministry of the word. Thus, every pastor should feel he has some gifts in the areas of communicating God's word (whether it is called preaching, teaching, prophecy, exhortation or anything else).
(b) Giving leadership to the church. This extends to every area: administrative leadership, leading in vision, in spirituality, in overall ministry. I think this is what is referred to in I Tim. 5:17 as "directing the affairs of the church;" I think it is implied in the gift listed in Rom. 12:8; I think it is implied in the requirement that an elder be able to manage his own family well (I Tim. 3:4-5); it is implied in the very word overseer (episkopos, one who looks over).
I conclude that the authority of the congregation is ultimately above that of the pastor. At heart, his true authority is that earned by service, sacrifice, and example.
(c) Pastoring the flock of God. While this includes feeding them on the word and leading them, it also involves more personal ministry: individual counseling and training, ministry in times of grief and crisis, visitation for encouragement and admonition (Acts 20:28-31, I Thess. 5:12, I Pet. 5:2).
(d) Being an example of Christian character. The list of qualifications in I Tim. 3 and Titus 1 are largely matters of character, and are qualities every Christian is commanded to seek. But leaders are to be those who have made some progress in these areas, who have a level of spiritual maturity. They will not be perfect, but they must be examples (I Pet. 5:3).
b. Deacons.
(1) Their origin. Most look to Acts 6. The word diakonos is not found there, but the verb diakoneo and noun diakonia are, and we are probably justified in seeing this passage as the origin.
(2) Their functions or responsibilities. In Acts 6, it was to assist those responsible for leadership and the ministry of the Word. In that situation, it was the apostles. Today, those who lead and preach are the pastors or elders. In the absence of any clearer indication in Scripture, that example, along with the fact that diakonos simply means servant, should point us to the idea that deacons serve the pastors/elders, by taking on responsibilities that would otherwise consume their time. Often, it involves benevolences, grounds and property, and anything else delegated to them by the pastor or elders. Scripture seems to leave it flexible, to meet the needs of the individual church and pastor.
(3) Their qualifications (I Tim. 3:8-13). They are to be similarly men of exemplary character, including their marriage and family life. They too should have some skill in management, but no gift of teaching or leadership is required, for none are needed to fulfill the deacon's responsibilities. It would seem that the requirement that they "must first be tested" parallels the requirement for pastors that they not be recent converts.
(4) Their selection. Acts 6 seems to give the clearest guidance here, and that guidance seems to point to congregational choice. Again, this is rendered difficult today because we have so many unregenerate or woefully immature church members.
Church Discipline
There is abundant biblical basis for church discipline. Matt. 18:15-18 and I Cor. 5:1-12 are the classic examples, but the subject is also raised in Gal. 6:1, II Cor. 2:5-11, II Thess. 3:6, I Tim. 1:20, and Titus 3:10.
In church history, the Catholic church lost the practice, but the Reformers asserted it as one of the marks of the true church. Anabaptists were characterized by very strict discipline, including the practice of the ban, or shunning. Among early Baptists, shunning was generally not practiced, but discipline was common for both moral violations and doctrinal deviation. However, Stephen Haines (see “Southern Baptist Church Discipline: 1880-1939") in Baptist History and Heritage 20 (1985), 14-27), notes a variety of changes in society and in the churches that led to the decline of church discipline, among Southern Baptists in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. Several factors may be noted:
1. The growing individualism in American society, which eroded the authority and competency of the church in the name of soul competence.
2. The decline of Calvinistic theology, with its theology of depravity replaced by a more optimistic view of human nature as not needing discipline.
3. A general secularizing of values, as churches made peace with the culture and adopted the methods of business, including an emphasis on the bottom line of numerical growth.
4. A revulsion toward church discipline that was found to be harsh, legalistic, punitive and unredemptive, when it was practiced.
By the beginning of the 20th century, discipline in Baptists churches in America had become uncommon; today it is very rare.
The pastor seeking to renew a biblical practice of church discipline should proceed slowly and carefully, building a foundation of theological and biblical understanding through his preaching, demonstrating the historic Baptist practice of church discipline, the contemporary need, and, most important, teaching carefully the purpose of discipline (restoration, not punishment). Only then should he lead the church in considering some of the following suggestions:
a. The church may want to approve and insert in its by-laws a brief statement describing its understanding of church discipline. Such a statement should emphasize that the purpose of church discipline is not punitive, but restorative (for the individual) and protective (of the church and its purity and witness), and that what calls for church discipline is not sin, even grave sin, but sin that the sinner refuses to admit and repent of. Discipline is not for the weak one who falls, but for the rebellious one who denies that he has sinned, or refuses to repent.
Further it should be emphasized that discipline is a last option, only exercised after there have been repeated attempts to win the offender, and after prayer for him and love to him have been extended. Discipline should never be entered into hastily, but only after the pattern of Matt. 18 has been exhausted, and should never be pronounced as final, but always open and hopeful that repentance will come, and the offender can be welcomed back.
b. Discipline for sins of commission is more difficult. Which sins should be a matter for church discipline? The only guideline in Scripture is sin that one refuses to acknowledge as sin. I believe it would be wise to further limit church discipline to matters that affect the church, either its reputation in the community (sins that are a matter of public knowledge) or its unity (sins that have disrupted fellowship between two or more members of the church) or its doctrine (a member teaching or advocating unscriptural doctrine). And again, the matter need come to church discipline only when repeated attempts to resolve the situation in other ways have failed.
Perhaps divorce will be the most common situation. When one spouse has left the other, the church’s responsibility is to support the partner deserted, and to seek the one who left, and urge them to seek reconciliation. If the party persists and pursues divorce without a sufficient reason (unfaithfulness, severe abuse), suspension or exclusion may be necessary, and that status should be reflected in responses for a letter to another church.
In general, sin that damages the church’s witness and flouts central Christian moral or theological standards are the sorts of sin that merit church discipline, in my opinion.
Renewing church discipline will be very difficult, and should not be undertaken by a new pastor. A high level of trust and a foundation of biblical teaching and preaching should precede opening this subject. It has been abused in the past and could be abused in the present. It could expose the church even to suits and legal problems, as happened not too many years ago. Is it worth the difficulties? Every pastor and leader will have to answer that question for himself or herself, but in terms of Baptist heritage, the answer is clear: it was the quest for a pure church that brought Baptists into existence.
Death and Resurrection (Humanity)
Lesson 27
It is appointed for man to do what according to Hebrews 9:27?
To die once.
Hebrews 9:27 (NASB): And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.
So what is death?
Death is the end of our physical, earthly life.
Matthew 10:28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
How did death enter into our world?
Genesis 3:19: By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken for dust you are and to dust you will return.
This verse shows the penalty placed on Adam after he sinned in the garden; death began at the fall.
What happens after death?
-Do we go to heaven or hell?
-Are we buried and that’s it?
-Do we wait for the rapture?
2 Corinthians 5:8: We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 12:7: And the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
The Bible tells us that at death our soul goes to heaven or hell, according to the decision we have made concerning Jesus Christ.
What about 1 Thessalonians 4:16? (For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.)
Does this mean that after death we have to wait for Christ’s return before going to heaven?
No…This refers to the glorified body, when our spirits will be reunited with out bodies in a glorified state at Christ’s return.
What does it mean to have a glorified body?
A glorified body is the perfect resurrected body that we will have in eternity.
We will have bodies; we aren’t going to become angels.
Why do we believe in the resurrection of the body?
The following verses talk extensively about the resurrection of the body.
1 Corinthians 15:35-39, 40-44 (2 readers)
But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body there is also a spiritual body.
Now let’s look at these verses more in-depth.
What do you think Paul is talking about in verses 35-41?
Here Paul is explaining resurrection by drawing several different comparisons. He compares the earthly body to a seed that is planted and then grows into something different, just as our bodies will be raised glorified. In the other verses he explains how just as the bodies of men and animals or earthly and heavenly bodies are different, so our earthly and heavenly bodies will be completely different.
What is he talking about in verses 42-44?
Here Paul is explaining that although the earthly body is perishable, dishonorable and natural, it will be raised imperishable, with power, and spiritual. In other words, the glorified resurrection body will be entirely different than the earthly body, made by God for eternal life. We will not become angels, but will have new, perfect bodies.
So What?
Talk about the comfort that comes with being able to know what will happen after death, as opposed to having no idea.
Do you have the assurance that at death you will join God in heaven?
What do you think of when you think of heaven?
What about your friends and family?
Teacher FYI Lesson 27
Death and Resurrection
Death:
The origin of death. The first mention we find of death in the OT is Gen. 2:16-17, where it is seen as the certain consequence of sin. However, since Adam did not die physically on the day he ate of the fruit, some have said that the penalty of sin was spiritual death, and that Adam was mortal and would have eventually died physically anyway. But this seems very unlikely to me. Physical death was associated with the curse following the fall (Gen. 3:19), and while I think it is likely that spiritual death was the immediate result of the fall, I also think physical mortality began at the fall, though physical death came years later.
The universality and uniqueness of death. By the first word we mean that death comes to all. Josh. 23:14 describes death as going "the way of all the earth." It is not that God does not have power over death; Enoch and Elijah are sufficient to show that. But from Gen. 3:22 onward, it was clear that God did not intend for humans to live forever in our present fallen condition. That death was the transition point into a newer and fuller life was a truth brought to full light later. But for now, death comes to all.
Intermediate State
1. We may say that the state of the just after death is happiness in the presence of Christ. Nonetheless, there is the desire and expectation for the final act, the return of Christ, when they will be reclothed (II Cor. 5:1-4) at the resurrection of the body. It is possible that we will receive a provisional body until the resurrection, but the evidence seems to point against it (Heb. 12:23, Rev. 6:9).
2. Concerning the unjust, we have little definite information, but Lk. 16 paints a very dark and sad picture of their torment. The bodies of all go to Sheol, the grave, but the souls of the wicked continue to exist in Hades, awaiting judgement and condemnation. There is no evidence of a second chance for a change in one's spiritual condition after death. Death seems to fix one's choice
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.
We should note that the resurrection of the body is one of the doctrines that distinguish Christianity from other religions. Only Christianity has a continuing value for the body after death. Some teach the annihilation of the body, that the body becomes a ghost, that the body decays and the soul is immortal, that the body is reincarnated in another form, or that it dissolves into the cosmic consciousness. Christianity is insistent that God did not make a mistake in creating us with bodies, and that his final plan for us includes embodied existence. For the present, the gradual corruption of the body is a reminder of the horrible destructiveness of sin, but can also be used by God to wean us from this world. As this body decays, this world loses its hold on us and we long for heaven, and the body fit to inhabit it.
The NT does bring the doctrine of resurrection into full light, especially through the resurrection of Christ. We may accent four points of teaching concerning the resurrection of the body from the NT:
1. The guarantee and pattern of our resurrection is the resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 15:20-22, Phil. 3:20-21). Our resurrection body is to be like his resurrected and glorified body.
2. The time of the resurrection of believers is the return of Christ (John 6:40, I Thess. 4:16-17, I Cor. 15:52), and will include the transformation of those still living at that time.
3. The nature of this resurrection will be bodily, yet the resurrected body will be spiritual and thus definitely different (I Cor. 15:35-49). Even Paul finds it difficult to describe the nature of this body. He compares our present body to a seed, and that body to the full grown plant. Thus there will be continuity with our present identity, which is linked to a physical form, and discontinuity, for that physical form will be of a different nature.
Peter Kreeft has noted that the disciples recognized Jesus after the resurrection by his words and actions more than by his appearance. His actions perfectly reflected his identity. Soul and body were unified. Since our body will be like his (Phil. 3:20-21), we may assume that we will no longer experience frustration and corruption from our body. Rather, it will perfectly work with the soul, and provide a way of expression and a means of meeting.
4. The subjects of the resurrection will be everyone. There is more emphasis given to the resurrection of the just, but the unjust will be raised too, to face judgment (Dan. 12:2, John 5:28-29, Acts 24:14-15).
The importance of the resurrection of the body.
1. It confirms our understanding of human nature as essentially a unity. We are created embodied spirits, and though the nature of the body we will possess in heaven will be different than the body we possess now, we will eternally be embodied spirits.
2. Every thing created by God is good and capable of being redeemed. The body is not a cesspool of iniquity, neither is it an illusion. It is part of God's good creation.
3. Our redemption is incomplete apart from the resurrection (Rom. 8:20-23). As Gregory Nazianzus taught, all that Christ assumed, he healed, including the body. Some healing may happen in this life, but the ultimate healing will come when we see Him and the curse placed upon us at the fall is removed, with the resurrection and marvelous transformation of the body Rev. 22:3, Phil. 3:21).
4. Finally, resurrection, especially for unbelievers, is the necessary prelude to judgment (John 5:29). Those who live an evil life and enjoy wicked pleasures do not escape God's judgment by death; they will be raised to face judgment.
The Doctrine of Judgment
Lesson 28
Who will experience final judgment?
Both believers and non-believers will be judged.
Who is the judge?
Jesus Christ is the judge.
Acts 10:42: He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
2 Timothy 4:1: In the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…
Judgment of non-believers
Revelation 20:11-15: Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
1. Where are dead non-believers now?
2. How are they judged?
Revelation 20:12b:The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
They are judged for what they have done, no amount of good works is good enough, their reaction to the gospel during their lives will decide their judgment.
3. What is the lake of fire?
Revelation 20: 14-15: Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
4. What happens to those condemned to hell?
Revelation 20:10: And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Judgment of believers:
Romans 14:10-12: You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ “As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.”” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Give an account of what?
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Receive what?
We are promised an eternity with Christ…crowns…rewards
1 Corinthians 9:25: Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will last forever.
James 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
What will heaven be like?
(Teachers: Get the students’ thoughts on this)
We don’t become angels!!
Look at Revelation 21:1-7
Include some characteristics of heaven found in this passage.
So What?
What about your non-believing friends?
Do they understand eternity?
What is our motivation for serving Christ?
Talk about the desire to glorify a holy God rather than any personal gain.
How do you feel about the fact that all of our deeds done in private will be revealed before God at the judgment?
Teacher FYI Lesson 28
Judgment
JUDGMENT.
While we prefer to talk about the mercy and grace of God, they are not inconsistent with the justice and judgment of God. Because God is the holy judge of sin, He must either judge and punish sinners or find a way to justly forgive sinners, thus revealing justice and mercy. That's why the cross is the sign of judgment as well as mercy.
One of the first and most fundamental activities of God in Scripture is judging (Gen. 3:14-19; 18:25).
A. Divine and Human Judging. God is recognized as Judge of all the earth in both OT and NT (Gen. 18:25, II Tim. 4:8, Heb. 12:23). That God will judge the earth was axiomatic for Paul, required by the demands of His own just nature (Rom. 3:3-6).
Within the Trinity, the Father has given judgment to the Son (John 5:22, Acts 10:42, II Cor. 5:10), and it appears that the saints will be involved in judging angels (presumably fallen ones: I Cor. 6:2-3). As co-heirs with Christ, it appears that judging is part of our inheritance (Matt. 19:28, Rev. 20:4).
B. The Last Judgment or Judgments. According to Leon Morris, judgment in the Bible is the process through which someone distinguishes between right and wrong and acts on the basis of that distinction. God, whose own nature is the basis for what is right, is the one who acts to uphold and vindicate what is right.
In the NT, judgment in the form of abandonment fell on those who turned away from God (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28; see also II Thess. 2:11-12). Physical illness or even death is seen as God's judgment on some in the church at Corinth who participated unworthily in the Lord's Supper (I Cor. 11:30-32). It seems that some sort of temporal judgment is implied in I Cor. 5:5 and I Tim. 1:20, but these references are too brief to give a basis for a dogmatic answer. The most decisive judgment in the NT is that inflicted on Satan at the cross (John 12:31, 16:11). Though the full effects are not yet seen, the cross was the decisive act. Satan has been convicted, but the sentence has not yet been executed.
Thoughtful individuals in both the OT and NT realized that justice is not always served in this world (Ps. 73:1-12, Eccles. 8:14, 9:11). Therefore, they looked to a final, future judgment (Ps. 73:17, Eccles 12:14), sometimes called the "day of the Lord" (Is. 2:12-21). The NT amplifies on that future judgment and mentions it in several contexts (Matt. 25:31-46, II Cor. 5:10, Rev. 20:11-15), but historically, Christian theology, until about 150 years ago, tended to view all these differing contexts as referring to one great last judgment, following the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead. At that one, great, final judgment, all would appear: believers, unbelievers, and angels. In the language of the early creeds, Christ will return to judge the quick (the living) and the dead.
I see a millennial kingdom intervening between the resurrection of believers and unbelievers, a prior judgment of believers makes very good sense, and fits better with the language of Rev. 20, which seems to refer only to lost persons. At the same time, I have to acknowledge that nothing in Matt. 25 or I Cor. 3 or II Cor. 5 nails down a time for other judgments such as to exclude the possibility that they do not coincide with it. I Cor. 3 only mentions "the Day," II Cor. 5:10 gives no time reference, and Matt. 25:31 says that the judgment of sheep and goats will take place "when the Son of Man comes in his glory," but may not mean immediately when He comes, but could mean anytime after He comes.
While I see most dispensational accounts of multiple judgments as going beyond the evidence and motivated by theological concerns I do not share, it does seem that there are at least two acts of judgment. One act is associated with Christ's return (Matt. 25:31), when believers are resurrected (I Thess. 4:16), and presumably judged (I Cor. 3:12-15, II Cor. 5:10, II Tim. 4:8), though in Matt. 25, some unbelievers, perhaps those living at the time of Christ's return, are also judged. Rev. 20:11-15 seems a later and final act of judgment. While it has no specific statement as to whether it was for the lost only or not, the language explicitly mentions lost only, and thus is probably not a universal judgment.
C. Basis of Judgment. The basis for judgment seems to me to be on two levels. One is reflected by the idea of the book of life (Rev. 20:15). Having one's name written in the book of life assures that one escapes eternal punishment in the lake of fire, and seems to be a blessing enjoyed by all true believers (Phil. 4:3).
But far more frequently, it is asserted that the basis for judgment of a believer or non-believer is "according to what he has done" (Matt. 16:27, John 5:29, II Cor. 5:10). Matt. 25 specifies that it is our compassion and service to "the least of these my brethren" (which I believe is far broader than 144,000 Jewish evangelists during the Tribulation); Matt. 12:36 mentions judgment for every careless word. I think the idea behind all these is that judgment includes one's whole life, all deeds done, words said, even the secrets of one's heart (Rom. 2:16).
The importance of these deeds are two-fold. On the one hand, they demonstrate the reality of saving faith, and thus testify that they have in fact had their names written in the book of life. But I think we also have an instinctive sense that it is not right that all believers receive exactly the same reward (or all sinners the same punishment). The parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-15) teaches God's generosity and the fact that He loves all His children equally, but there can be an equal gift of salvation and still be rewards beyond salvation. That is what I Cor. 3:12-15 seems to indicate.
It is possible to be saved, perhaps late in life, or dying shortly after salvation, or living with a low level of devotion. Such persons may be truly saved, but be left with little reward, because the fire of judgment will reveal the poor quality of their accomplishments. Others, who build on the foundation of salvation by grace with a life of faithful service, will receive a reward. This will surely be a case where many judged first in the judgment of the world will be last in the judgment of God, while the last will be first.
These may be the crowns we lay before the throne (Rev. 4:10). Beyond that, I think the best idea of the reward for serving Christ is a greater capacity to enjoy heaven. Everyone there will be filled with joy; but some will have a greater capacity, and that capacity is developed in walking with Christ and serving Him here. I have no text that says that, but it seems fitting.
It appears that a further basis of judgment, especially for unbelievers, is the amount of revelation, or "light" that one receives during life. The Gentiles, who did not have the law of Moses, will be judged based on the moral law all people have written on their hearts (Rom. 2:14-15; possibly Lk. 12:47-48 as well). Jesus specifically said some cities would receive stricter judgment than others because of the revelatory miracles he performed in them (Matt. 11:20-24). And teachers will be judged more strictly too (James 3:1); presumably, God grants some understanding of divine things to them, and with that privilege comes the responsibility for rightly using it.
The Importance of Judgment. This doctrine is by no means inconsequential or inessential. It is necessary for two reasons.
First, it gives dignity to our actions. Someone is watching, noticing, evaluating, and will judge. This Judge sees us as morally responsible creatures, not determined by genes, or parents, or environment. Every deed of kindness is noticed by God, and has eternal consequences. The Christian view of life is not that of a fairy tale, but that of a high, holy, serious, even terrifying thing (see Heb. 10:26-31).
Second, judgment manifests God's justice and satisfies our instinctive desire for fair play. It is not right that monstrous evil should go unpunished. The doctrine of judgment assures us that it will not. In the end, the God of justice will execute justice, upholding what is right and punishing what is wrong.
The Doctrine of The End Times
Lesson 29
What are the end times?
(Get some answers and write them down on the board)
Today we are going to talk about a few things that are involved with the end times, the rapture and the tribulation.
The Rapture
The biblical teaching on the rapture can be very confusing, so we will focus on the things that we know about it.
So what do you know about the rapture?
(Get some answers)
First of all, we know that there will be a rapture.
What is rapture?
The word “Rapture” is not used in Scripture, the word means “snatched”, or “caught up,” and is used to describe how Jesus will call believers into heaven at his return.
Who will experience the rapture?
All believers will.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Where will the rapture occur?
It will be worldwide
Revelation 1:7: Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be!
When will the rapture occur?
This is an issue that has been argued about for a long time, so we will focus on the certainties. First of all, it will occur in the future, of course. Other than that all we know is that it could happen at any moment.
Matthew 25:13: Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Matthew 24:38-39: For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
The Great Tribulation
What is the great tribulation?
The great tribulation is an event described in the book of Revelation in which God’s wrath will be poured out onto the Earth.
Matthew 24:21: For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.
Who will experience the tribulation?
There are 3 major views as to who will experience the tribulation; they are all tied in with the differing opinions concerning the rapture.
1. Pre-tribulation rapture: This view holds that the rapture will occur before the tribulation, meaning that believers will not experience it.
2. Mid-tribulation rapture: This view holds that the rapture will occur 3 and a half years into the seven-year tribulation, meaning that believers will experience the first half of it, but not the second.
3. Post-tribulation rapture: This view holds that the rapture will occur following the tribulation, meaning that both believers and unbelievers will experience it.
We don’t have time to go in-depth on each of these views, so the best thing for you to do is examine each of these views biblically and see which one makes the most sense.
So What?
Do you have a sense of urgency regarding your friends and where they will spend eternity, knowing that these things could happen at any time?
What do you think about what Mark 13:35-37 says about what our attitudes should be like regarding the future?
Mark 13:35-37: “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!””
Teacher FYI Lesson 29
The End Times
The Rapture
The Time of the Rapture. The issue here is when the rapture occurs in relationship to the tribulation.
It concerns the event of the rapture and especially its relationship to the tribulation. The word "rapture" does not occur in Scripture, but is taken from the Latin translation of the word for being "caught up" in I Thess. 4:17 (rapiemur; the noun form is raptum). It refers to the event of believers being caught up in the skies to meet the Lord in the air. There are two intertwined questions concerning this rapture: is it a separate event from the second coming? and is it before, during, or after the tribulation? Since all acknowledge that some passages describing the second coming are after the tribulation, those who hold to a pre- or mid-tribulational position see the rapture as distinct from the second coming; the post-tribulation position sees the two as the same event. We are raptured to meet him in the air but then escort him to the earth as he returns.
1. The Pre-Tribulation View.
Clearer and fairer is the defense offered by Paul Feinberg (in R. Reiter, et al, The Rapture). He offers four main arguments in support of the pre-tribulation position. They are:
(1) Exemption from divine wrath. According to I Thess. 1:10, 5:9 and other verses, the church is exempt from divine wrath. Since the tribulation is the time of the outpouring of God's wrath, the church must be removed.
Feinberg acknowledges that post-tribulationists say the church could be exempted by being protected in the midst of the wrath, rather than removal from the wrath, so he does not spend much time on this argument.
(2) Feinberg extends the first argument by saying that not only is the church exempt from divine wrath, but the church is also exempt from the time of wrath. Here he cites Rev. 3:10 and gives an extensive analysis of it to show that the common response of post-tribulationists (that God protects the church in the midst of wrath) is incorrect. Rev. 3:10 requires that they be moved out of the time of divine wrath.
Both mid- and post-tribulationists devote a considerable amount of time to this single verse, time which is, in my oopinion, unnecessary. I think applying Rev. 3:10 to the whole issue of the tribulation and rapture is not valid. The verse is embedded in a message to a local first century church. Certainly it has implications for us, but I think we have to recognize some historical uniqueness as well. The only way to get these verses to refer to the end-time at all is to take these churches as representing historical eras, with Philadelphia the church of the age leading up to the rapture and tribulation. But there is no indication of such an identification in the text.
(3) Feinberg's third argument is that there must be an interval between the rapture and second coming "so that some saints can be saved to go into the Millennium with nonglorified bodies." (p. 72) The point here is that descriptions of millennial life still include death, though at much older ages than contemporary conditions (Is. 65:20), and that requires nonglorified bodies. But if all the righteous are glorified at Christ's rapture, and all the wicked are judged and sent away (Matt. 25:41), who is left to enter the kingdom in a non-glorified state?
Moo responds that perhaps not all the evil are immediately sent away at Christ's return. The scene in Matt. 25 is set at the return of the Son of Man, but it does not say immediately. So some of the wicked may enter the earthly kingdom. Further, some see a widespread conversion of Jews, not during the tribulation, but at the moment of the Parousia. Thus, both nonglorified wicked people and newly converted Jewish people may enter the millennium in nonglorified bodies.
I would add that I am not sure we have a clear basis to insist that nonglorified people will be necessary in the millennium. I think the number of verses clearly describing millennial life is so small that we cannot clearly say what millennial life will and will not require.
(4) A fourth argument offered by Feinberg is a number of differences between "rapture" passages and "second coming" passages. One type of passages includes signs; the other doesn't. One breathes a tone of judgment; the other doesn't. These differences show that the writers are talking about different events; the rapture and return are not the same event.
But this is an unsound argument, for on what basis does Feinberg classify some as rapture passages and others as return passages?
c. A third way of arguing for the pre-tribulation rapture may be developing among those who are called "progressive dispensationalists
One difference between traditional and progressive dispensationalists has been a less rigid distinction between Israel and the church in the latter. Yet they still do insist on a distinction between Israel and the church, and that God has promises that He will fulfill to Israel in the millenniumprogressive dispensationalism is a movement that seems to be gaining strength and it may affect how pre-tribulationalists argue for their view in the future.
As of now, however, I must conclude that the basis for the pre-tribulational view is surprisingly weak, despite its wide popular appeal. And even their strongest points can be explained with other equally likely or superior interpretations.
I once made this observation to S. Lewis Johnson, former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. He acknowledged that the exegetical base is not very secure, but the view is nonetheless tenaciously held, because the idea that we will escape wrath is deeply ingrained in many as part of the blessed hope. I wonder sometimes if it is not also a very American hope.
2. The Mid-tribulation View. This view is the least popular of the three major views. As argued by Gleason Archer, it has three major points.
First, the rapture will precede the second advent (and thus the post-tribulationists are wrong). Second, certain signs will precede the rapture (and thus the pre-tribulationists are wrong). Third, the emphasis on 3 1\2 years, 1260 days, or 42 months in various eschatological passages points to the rapture as occurring halfway through Daniel's seventieth week, at the mid-point of the seven year tribulation.
a. To substantiate his first point, Archer uses the "exemption from divine wrath" and "need for nonglorified bodies in the millennium" arguments of Feinberg, to which we responded above. Surprisingly, he adds that the imminent attitude of expectation in the NT fits better with waiting through only three and a half years of the last week rather than the full seven. I would say that, after waiting 2000 years, what's another three and a half? If I were impressed by the imminence argument, I'd be a pre-, rather than a mid-tribulationist. Archer also argues that I Thess. 4 and 5 present a sequence of rapture then return. The problem is the lack of a clear signal of time sequence in I Thess. 5:1. Paul continues with a different aspect of the same subject. Finally, Archer argues that the white-clothed saints who return with Christ in Rev. 19 had to have time to get dressed, and thus had to be raptured prior to Christ's return. But when people's very natures are being changed in a moment, I don't think clothes would be an insuperable problem, especially when it may be a symbolic description anyway.
b. To substantiate his second point negating the pre-tribulation rapture, he gives a number of points. Some are directed to aspects of dispensational thought that are not absolutely essential to a pre-tribulation position (the radical disjunction of the church and Israel, the idea of the Spirit being removed at the beginning of the tribulation as the restrainer of II Thess. 2:6-7 [Dale Moody sees the Restrainer as the archangel Michael!], the absence of ekklesia in Rev. 4-18 [Walvoord himself says that Rev. 4:1 should not be interpreted as the rapture]) and so are noted only briefly.
More directly, he notes that Matt. 24:4-14 and II Thess. 2:1-4 clearly say that signs will precede the rapture. He says the fact that the NT gives predictions of events such as Peter's death, Paul's witness in Rome, and the destruction of Jerusalem argue that an "any moment" rapture could not have been prior to those events.
c. For his third point, Archer does show that the mid-point of Daniel's seventieth week is mentioned at several points, but as both Moo and Feinberg note, there is little in the way of positive evidence that the significance of the mid-point is that it is the time of the rapture. And most of Archer's presentation was devoted to perceived weaknesses in the post- and pre-tribulation positions. I conclude it deserves being the least supported position.
3. The Post-Tribulation View.
a. Moo begins his presentation of the post-tribulational view with two preliminary points, one negative and one positive.
Negatively, he argues that there is nothing that would prevent the church from remaining on earth during the tribulation. He states that all the passages dealing with the tribulation point to Satanic agents as the source of distress for believers; God's wrath falls selectively on unbelievers (see Is. 26:20-21, Rev. 9:4, 16:2). The tribulation is not a time of the wrath of God upon His people. The tribulation that believers may suffer during that time will be from their enemies, and may difer in degree but not in kind from the tribulation believers in many parts of the world suffer today.
Positively, there is good reason to presume a post-tribulational rapture apart from clear evidence otherwise. All three terms used for Christ's clearly post-tribulational return (parousia-II Thess. 2:8; Matt. 24:3, apokalupsis- II Thess. 1:7; epiphaneia- II Thess. 2:8) are also stated as the object of our hope (respectively I Thess. 2:19, I Cor. 1:7, and Tit. 2:13). Parousia is also the word used for the Lord's Coming in I Thess. 4:15, the central rapture passage. There is no basis in the terms used or the expectancy expressed for a two-stage return.
b. But the heart of Moo's argument is an exegesis of the major disputed passages.
First, he looks at the major so called "rapture" passages: John 14:1-3, I Cor. 15:51-52, I Thess. 4:13-18.
The claim for John 14:3 is that Jesus seems to promise His followers that He will come to take them to His Father's house, or heaven. The post-tribulation rapture has Jesus coming to take His followers into the millennial kingdom. Moo answers that the verse doesn't say they will go to heaven immediately, but that they will be with Jesus
As for I Thess. 4:13-18, the classic passage for the rapture, Moo see four pointers to the post-tribulation position:
(1) he lists numerous parallels between I Thess. 4 and the Olivet Discourse, which is commonly agreed to describe the post-tribulation return of Christ, (2) the trumpet imagery points to Israel's inclusion, as in I Cor. 15, (3) there are numerous parallels to Dan. 12:1-2, a clearly post-tribulation text, and (4) the word apantesis suggests that when we meet the Lord in the air we will escort him back to earth to establish his kingdom (see the parallel use in Acts 28:15).
Next he turns to three other passages that are generally agreed to be post-tribulational. Moo argues that they make sense only if there is no pre-tribulation rapture.
The point of I Thess. 5:1-11 is that they should live in faithfulness to Christ, not in the hopes of escaping the day of the Lord, but escaping the judgment and destruction that will fall on those walking in darkness. But why should any exhortation be needed about living in faithfulness if they won't be present at that time? I think a pre-tribulationist would answer that the living in faithfulness is for the time leading up to the rapture; thus, I don't think this is Moo's strongest argument. I don't think I Thess. 5:1-11 proves anything for either side.
Similarly, I don't think II Thess. 1 is a a big help. Moo thinks that the promise of relief to believers (v. 7) in what is a post-tribulation passage shows that relief is not given via a pre-tribulation rapture but at the post-tribulation return. But I think Feinberg responded effectively that the revelation spoken of in v. 7 could be broad enough to encompass all the events of a seven year period, especially when it is linked with the fairly broad category of "the day" (v. 10).
But II Thess. 2 is a different story. In my opinion, it is the strongest evidence for a post-tribulation return, and, indeed, for the tribulation itself
Here I think the link with I Thess. 4 becomes important. If I Thess. 4 teaches a pre-tribulation rapture, the teaching in II Thess. 2 becomes meaningless. They will never see the arising of the man of lawlessness, because his evil only becomes apparent halfway through the tribulation period. So why would Paul bring it up? But if the rapture described in I Thess. 4 is post-tribulational, the passages fit together and make sense. They could not have missed the rapture because it will only come after the man of lawlessness is revealed.
Finally, Moo draws parallels between Matt. 24, I Thess, 4-5 and II Thess. 1-2. The parallels imply that the rapture described in I Thess. 4 is the same event as the return described in Matt. 24, and that the same group (the church) is addressed in I, II Thess., and Matt. 24.
(c) Moo closes his presentation with a couple of ideas for resolving a couple of thorny problems. He proposes that the distinction we should make regarding Israel and the church is between Israel as a nation, which has a real but limited future role, and Israel as the people of God, which includes the church. Second, he suggests that we understand "imminent" to mean any time, rather than any moment.
The Great Tribulation
I. Tribulation and the Great Tribulation.
A. The meaning of thlipsis. The normal NT word for "tribulation" is thlipsis, though it is also translated as distress, persecution, and affliction. Though it may be sent from Satan to destroy us, tribulation is used by God to develop perseverance, character and hope (Rom. 5:3-5), and thus is not to be viewed with horror, but endured with faith. Paul even says we are to rejoice in it. Christ says tribulation is to be expected as characteristic of our life in this world (John 16:33).
B. The Great Tribulation. Beyond the tribulations that are characteristic of life in this world, Scripture does mention on occasion a time of eschatological "great tribulation" (Dan. 12:1, Matt. 24:21, and Rev. 7:14). Our interest here is with that tribulation.
The traditional dispensational view is by far the most detailed view of the tribulation. It includes many facets:
1. The tribulation is seen as a seven year period, the seventieth week of Daniel 9:24-27, reflected as well in Rev. 4-19. It is preceded by the rapture of the church and ended with the second advent of Christ.
Further, the seventieth week of Daniel is divided into two parts of 3 1\2 years each. The first half ends when, according to Dan. 9:27, a certain ruler abolishes sacrifice and sets up "an abomination that causes desolation." The two halves of the tribulation are seen in many places in Revelation. For example, there are 42 months in which the Gentiles trample on the holy city (Rev. 10:2), or the same period for the power of the beast over the saints (13:5-7). 1260 days is given as the period of the ministry of the two witnesses (10:3). And the phrase "time, times, and half a time" (Rev. 12:15) is also seen as 3 1\2 years.
Sometimes the first half of the tribulation is seen as a relatively calmer, gentler time. The second half is usually seen as much more the time of the real outpouring of the wrath of God and the activity of the forces of Satan (the beast and false prophet) in persecuting the saints.
2. It is part of a larger complex of events, called "the day of the Lord," which includes the tribulation, second advent, millennial kingdom and final judgment. Thus dispensationalists see many OT verses that speak of "the day of the Lord," or "that day," as providing information about the tribulation period.
The second major purpose of the tribulation is judgment. God will pour out judgment and wrath on the unbelieving world during the tribulation. While Satan, cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:9) is active in wrath during the second half of the tribulation, dispensationalists emphasize that the major actor in the judgment and wrath unleashed during the tribulation is God. Even what Satan does is under the permissive will of God (notice the use of the word "given" in Rev. 13:5, 7, 15). The judgments of God are seen in the seals, trumpets, and bowls of Revelation, seen as successively more intense series of judgments.
The political developments lead to military conflict in what is usually seen as the battle of Armageddon, though Pentecost sees it as a 3 1\2 year campaign. It is first mentioned in Rev. 16:14, 16, but is concluded only in Rev. 19:11-21, with the second advent of Christ, who defeats the beast, false prophet, opposing kings and armies and ends the time of tribulation.
The Doctrine of the End Times
Part 2
Lesson 30
Quickly Review last week’s lesson, remind the students about the rapture and the tribulation. This week we will talk about two more aspects of the end times, Christ’s return and the Millennium.
Christ’s Return
Why is Jesus going to return?
Get some thoughts.
We will look at several reasons for Jesus’ return.
1. To complete salvation.
This doesn’t mean that we aren’t already saved, what it means is that at His return Jesus will complete our salvation, we will be glorified.
2. To reveal Himself.
Philippians 2:10-11: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Revelation 1:7: Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples or the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
3. To Judge the world.
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body whether good or bad.
1 Corinthians 4:5: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
Revelation 20:11-15: Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Is your name written in the book of life?
4. To begin the millennial kingdom.
We will look at the millennial kingdom a little bit more in depth.
The Millennium
What is the millennium kingdom?
This refers to a thousand year period following Christ’s return, during which He will reign on earth. There are many debates and views concerning this issue, so we will look at the applicable passages and try to draw some conclusions from them.
Revelation 20:1-6: And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw the thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
This passage clearly indicates that there will be a thousand year period during which Christ will reign on earth; when this will occur is up for debate. Verses 7-10 tell of Satan’s return and final defeat. So the main thing to draw from this passage is that Christ will be victorious and Satan will be defeated once and for all
What happens after Christ’s return, the millennium and Satan’s defeat?
Revelation 21 and 22 tell of the new heavens, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem being established where believers will dwell with Christ for eternity.
Revelation 22:3-4: No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face and His name will on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will five them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
(Teachers, feel free to read any of chapters 21 and 22 that you think would contribute to this lesson.)
So What?
Do you look forward to Christ’s return?
Are you serving Christ in this life?
What do these facts tell us about our heavenly father?
(Mention His love for us, his justice and plan that includes us in unfailing promises.)
Teacher FYI Lesson 30
The End Times Part 2
Christ’s Return
The Purposes of Christ's Return. We can offer at least three reasons why Christ will return.
A. To consummate our salvation (see Heb. 9:28). While the atonement and resurrection inaugurated our experience of salvation, there is more we will experience at the consummation:
1. We will be saved completely from the power of sin in glorification (I John 3:2). I believe when we see Jesus, the final crucifixion of the old nature will occur, and it will be gone forever.
2. We will be saved from the corruption and mortality of this body, and resurrected in a body fit for eternity.
3. We will be saved from the presence of sin, for our new home is the place "where righteousness dwells" (II Pet. 3:13).
B. To reveal Christ. He will return as King, to be acknowledged as such by everyone (Phil. 2:10-11, II Thess. 1:10). This is why the word apokalupsis is a fit term for the return of Christ. It will involve a revelation of his true nature. Parousia is fitting, for the one coming is a king. And epiphaneia is appropriate, for the one who comes to us is Emmanuel, God with us.
C. To judge the world. That function is entrusted to the Son and must be done to show that, in the end, justice prevails (I Cor. 4:5; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15).
D. To inaugurate the millennial kingdom. The nature and time of this kingdom will be the topic for our next lecture.
What Should we Do? The NT places such emphasis on the return of Christ that we know it is important, but how should it affect our lives now?
A. We should rejoice in our sure and certain hope. In all situations and circumstances, we can rejoice in the sure knowledge that he will return for us (I Pet. 1:8, I Thess. 4:18), and that in heaven we will see those whose lives we touched for the kingdom (I Thess. 2:19).
B. We should live in such a way that we speed the coming of that day. II Pet. 3:12 links the living of holy and godly lives with speeding the coming of the day of the Lord (see also I Thess. 3:13, 5:23-24). Thus, the effect of thinking on Christ's return would not be giddiness or fanaticism, but looking wholly to him to empower us to live sober, obedient lives (I Pet. 1:13-14).
It would also seem that supporting the mission of the church to all nations should be part of speeding the coming of that day. I think Matt. 24:14 is not yet fulfilled, and at least one reason why God may be waiting is to grant us more time to fulfill our task and more time for more people to come to repentance (II Pet. 3:9). As the angels said to the disciples long ago, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?" He will return soon enough. We must be about his business until he does.
The Millennium
Premillennialism. This is the view that the binding of Satan is a future event that will occur at Christ's return, that Christ will return before (pre) the millennium, that the millennium will be an earthly reign of Christ, in which at least some dead believers will be raised and rule with Christ. During this time human history will continue, but it will be a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity. After the millennium, Satan will be released, will lead unregenerate humans in a final rebellion, which Christ will crush and which will lead to the final judgment.
How do premillennialists support their view? As Blaising notes, Rev. 20 is central. Some do not see OT prophecies as supporting an intermediate kingdom and rely on Rev. 20 alone as their basis. They acknowledge that it is the only explicit text that teaches a millennium, but maintain that it is consonant with other biblical teaching and it difficult to interpret in a non-premillennial way. Others see more relevance for the OT prophecies. Even if there is a partial, initial fulfillment in the church, that does not mean that is the only fulfillment. Numerous OT prophecies are seen as having multiple referents. Prophecies of the kingdom, it is claimed, may refer both to the church or heaven, and an earthly millennium. Those who see the relevance of OT prophecy tend to emphasize the Jewish character of the millennium (and tend to be dispensational).
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[1]John F. MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible, (Dallas: Word Publishing) 1997.
[2]John F. MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible, (Dallas: Word Publishing) 1997.
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