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Contents
LESSON 1
THE OLD TESTAMENT MADE EASY……………………...………..3
LESSON 2
THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE EASY………..…………………....16
LESSON 3
LET THE CHURCH BE THE CHURCH (PART 1)…………………...30
The Early Church and The Middle Ages
LESSON 4
LET THE CHURCH BE THE CHURCH (PART 2)…………………...40
The Reformation, Great Awakenings, Contemporary Times
LESSON 5
WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WHY WE BELIEVE IT…………….….…52
(PART 1) The Bible, God the Father, Jesus, The Holy Spirit
LESSON 6
WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WHY WE BELIEVE IT……………..…....60
(PART 2) Humanity, Salvation, Christ’s Return and The Last Days
LESSON 7
KEEPING OUR SPIRITUAL BALANCE (PART 1)…………….…….70
Prosperity, Generational Curses, Tongues, Prophecy
LESSON 8
KEEPING OUR SPIRITUAL BALANCE (PART 2)………….…….…80
Healing, Demons, Law & Grace, Suffering
Copyright ©2012. David C. Cooper. All rights of reproduction reserved.
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The Old Testament is a room that is richly furnished but dimly lit. The light of the New
Testament reveals all the spiritual riches of the Old Testament. Jesus, the Messiah, fulfilled
the Law and the Prophets. While the Christian faith starts and ends with Jesus, the Old
Testament plays a key role in the foundation of our faith in Jesus. We need the Old Testament for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training” (2 Tim 3:16, 17), for encouragement (Rom 15:4) and for the assurance of our faith in Jesus (2 Pt 1:19-21).
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WHY THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN
~To reveal who God is as our Creator and Father.
~To teach that we are made in the image of God and managers of the earth.
~To show us the problem of sin and the salvation God has provided.
~To record the history of Israel through whom the Messiah came.
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HOW THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN
~The Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph) preserved their history orally
and by written records (Ex 40:20).
~Moses wrote the history of Israel from creation until the time of his death as recorded in the Pentateuch.
~Joshua, Samuel, the prophets, the priests and the kings recorded Israel's history until the time of Jesus. Ezra and the scribes kept the accurate copying of scrolls to preserve the Old Testament writings.
~Before the time of Jesus the Old Testament was completed as it appears today in
our Bible. The 39 books were reconfirmed by the Jewish council at Jamnia in A.D.
90.
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FOUR CATEGORIES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS
~The Law, also called Torah or Pentateuch, meaning the five books of
Moses consisting of Genesis through Deuteronomy.
~History: Joshua though Esther
1. The Theocracy (Joshua, Judges, Ruth).
2. The Monarchy (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles).
3. The Post-Exilic Period after the Babylonian captivity
(Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther).
~Poetry or Wisdom Books: Job through Song of Solomon.
~Prophecy: Isaiah through Malachi
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1. Major Prophets: Isaiah through Daniel
2. Minor Prophets: Hosea through Malachi
List the four categories of the Old Testament books.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What do you think is the main purpose of Proverbs?
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HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
~ Early History (Genesis 1-11; undated events)
1. The Creation of the world
2. The Flood of Noah’s Time
3. The Tower of Babel and the migration of nations
What three major events are recorded in Genesis chapters 1-11?
1.
2.
3.
~
Patriarchs of Israel (Genesis 12-50)
1. Abraham (2,000 B.C.). Called out of Ur of the Chaldees (Northwest
Mesopotamia) and traveled to the land of Canaan. He received the
promise of a land, a name and a great nation with the coming of the
Messiah who would bless all nations (Gen 12:1-3).
2. Isaac: the promised son of Abraham and heir of the covenant
3. Jacob: the younger son of Isaac who inherited the blessing from his
brother Esau by the sovereign will of God. He had 12 sons, the names of
which make up the 12 tribes of Israel.
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4. Joseph (1,800 B.C.). He was the favored son of Jacob who was sold into
slavery by his brothers out of their envy. He was imprisoned in Egypt on
false charges for 12 years. He eventually became second in command to
Pharaoh as the administrator of Egypt. Joseph later moved his family to
Egypt during a famine to save them. This is how the Hebrews got to
Egypt. The word Hebrew simply means wanderer because they moved
around.in Canaan.
~
Moses and the Desert Years
(Exodus - Deuteronomy)
1. Pharaoh feared the Hebrews’ growth in Egypt and put them into servitude. They were slaves in Egypt for 400 years.
2. God raised up Moses, whose name means “drawn out of water,” who was
adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter as a baby. He grew up in the palace of
Egypt as a royal grandson of Pharaoh. He got into a fight with an Egyptian
soldier who was beating a slave and killed the man. He then fled Egypt as
a fugitive. He lived in the desert for 40 years as a shepherd. God called
him at the burning bush. He returned to Egypt with a word from God to
Pharaoh to let the slaves go. Pharaoh refused so God brought 10 judgments against Egypt, which forced Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go
( c. 1450 B.C.)
2. The exodus led them across the Red Sea into the desert. At Mount Sinai
Moses received the Law of God (the 10 commandments engraved on
stone.)
List the 10 commandments (Ex 20:1-17):
1.You shall not…
6.
2.
7.
3.
8.
4.
9.
5.
10.
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4. After the 12 spies surveyed Canaan, the people were afraid of the “giants
in the land.” They refused to take the Promised Land so they spent 40
years in the desert.
5. God gave Moses the 10 Commandments (Ex 20:1-17) and the civil and
ceremonial laws for Israel at Mount Sinai.
6. Moses lived to be 120 years old. Toward the end of his life he taught Israel
how to live when they went into the Promised Land. His final messages
are recorded in Deuteronomy, which means, “second law,” or “repetition
of the law.” Moses died alone at Mount Nebo overlooking Canaan and was
buried by an angel. The people never knew where he was buried.
~
Joshua and the conquest of Canaan
(1400 B.C.)
1. Joshua followed Moses as the new leader
of Israel. He led Israel into Canaan as Who followed Moses as the
their military and spiritual leader. The next leader of Israel and
desert years prepared them for the what did he accomplish?
Promised Land.
2. Israel was an instrument of God's judgment against Canaan (Gen 15:16). After
the conquest, the 12 tribes settled in Name the first battle the
Hebrews fought in the land
their respective area.
3. The new nation of Israel was located at of Canaan.
the crossroads of the world for the purpose of being God’s witness in a world
of paganism and idolatry.
4. Jericho was the first battle Israel fought. God brought down the impregnable walls of the city by an earthquake when the people marched around
the city for seven days.
~
Judges of Israel (1380-1050 B.C.)
1. Joshua built the sanctuary at Shechem as a central place of worship for the
12 tribes.
2. After his death, 12 different judges (leaders) provided spiritual and military leadership for the nation for 330 years. The most famous mentioned
are Gideon, Deborah and Samson.
3. Deborah was both a judge and a prophetess.
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4. Samson’s anointing of exceptional strength was his long hair woven into
seven braids. These seven braids symbolized the anointing of the Holy
Spirit on his life.
5. Samuel was the last judge of Israel, a prophet and a priest who anointed
Saul as Israel’s first king.
How many Judges are recorded in the book of Judges?
Which Judge had long hair in seven braids as a sign of his anointing?
Which Judge was also a prophetess?
~
Kings of Israel
1. The United Kingdom was ruled by only three kings: Saul (1053 B.C.);
David (1013 B.C.); Solomon (970 B.C.) – a tall man, a short man, and a
wise man respectively. Saul was a man who was taller than anyone else yet
very humble. His position as king made him prideful and that became his
downfall. David was a shepherd and a musician who gave us most of the
Psalms. He was known as a man after God’s own heart. He is known for
defeating the giant Goliath with only a slingshot. David also made Jerusalem the capital city. Solomon was David’s son by Bathsheba, with whom
he had an affair, and the king who gave us most of Proverbs.
2. The Divided Kingdom (Civil War)
The Northern Kingdoms of Israel. Consisted of 10 tribes. Jeroboam was
the first king. (The nation never had a godly king.) The capital was
Samaria. Jeroboam erected two golden calves at Bethel and Dan
(one in each city) as centers for corporate worship to keep the
people from going back to Jerusalem.
The Southern Kingdom of Judah. Consisted of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. The capital was Jerusalem. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, was
the first king of Judah. Every king of Judah was a descendant of
King David. There was a mixture of godly and ungodly kings during their history. They had five great spiritual revivals during this
time.
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Who was the first king of Israel? (Clue: he was very tall)
What king of Israel was known for killing Goliath in battle, writing songs of praise
and making Jerusalem the capital city?
What Israeli king was known for his wisdom?
~
The Fall of Israel and Judah
1. The fall of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17:1-23). The people
were exiled to several surrounding nations. Samaria was repopulated with
other nationalities (2 Kings 17:24-41). Intermarrying of Gentile men with
Hebrew women destroyed the Hebrew lineage in Israel. They were later
called Samaritans. There was ethnic tension between Jews and Samaritans
in Jesus' time (see John 4). The last Israeli king was Hoshea.
2. The fall of Judah and Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 B.C. The city was overthrown completely by Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar after a twoyear siege between 588-586 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). The city wall of
Jerusalem was destroyed along with Solomon's temple. They were exiled
to Babylon for 70 years. The last Judean king was Zedekiah.
~
The Prophets of Israel
Israel had a number of prophets, the most well known are the literary prophets
whose messages are recorded in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The
age of the prophets ended with John the Baptist, who announced the coming of
Jesus to the world as the lamb of God. There are about 300 Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah from Isaiah and David.
~
Going Home (539 B.C.)
1. Persia, under King Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon in 539. The Holy
Spirit moved on his heart to let the Jews return home. He helped rebuild
Jerusalem and the temple (2 Chron 36:22,23). Three Jewish leaders
helped rebuild Jerusalem: Zerubbabel (governor), Ezra (priest) and Nehemiah (politician).
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2. Zerubbabel, a descendant of David was appointed governor by the Persians. He led the first group of 50,000 Jews to Jerusalem and rebuilt the
temple in 516 B.C. He was assisted by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
3. Ezra, a scribe and priest, led the second group of exiles and led a spiritual
revival in 458 B.C. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls around Jerusalem. The
prophet Malachi followed him and made spiritual reforms.
NAME THAT KINGDOM! (Choose One)
1. Consisted of 10 tribes: Judah or Israel
2. Conquered by the Assyrians: Judah or Israel
3. All the kings of this kingdom were descendants of David: Judah or Israel
4. They had two golden calves for worship: Judah or Israel
5. Carried into exile to Babylon: Judah or Israel
6. Jerusalem was the capital city of this nation: Judah or Israel
7. They had five righteous kings who led a spiritual revival: Judah or Israel
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TIME BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS (400 B.C. - John the Baptist).
This time is also called the Silent Years because the prophetic voice was replaced by
the Rabbinical teaching.
~ Political Developments
1. Greece conquered Persia under Alexander the Great (323 B.C.). After
Alexander's death, Greece was divided under four of his generals.
2. The Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.) tried to destroy
the Jews and attacked Israel (168-165 B.C.). The Maccabean Revolt
against Antiochus defeated him in 165 B.C. The temple was dedicated on
Kislev (December) 25, 165 and the victory is celebrated every year as
Hanukkah also called The Festival of Dedication or Festival of Lights (John
10:22).
3. Rome came to power in 63 B.C. and once again Israel lost her independence when Pompey of Rome subdued Israel. Herod was appointed king
of Israel by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C.
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~
Literary Developments
1. Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament was com-
Which victory does Hanukkah celebrate in Israel history? (Also called the Feast of Dedication or Festival of Lights)
How many years are there between Malachi and the time of Jesus? (circle one)
1. 200 years 2. 300 years 3. 400 years 4. 500 years
How many Old Testament prophecies are there about the Messiah?
1. 100
2. 200
3. 300
4. 400
pleted by 132 B.C. originally commissioned by the Egyptian King Ptolemy
II for Philo of Alexandria and 70 or 72 Jewish Elders to complete the Pentateuch.
2. Apocryphal ("hidden") books were written during this period, except 2
Esdras (A.D. 90). These books contain Jewish history during the Silent
Years and Hebrew wisdom but were not inspired or included in the Hebrew or Christian Bibles.
3. Dead Sea Scrolls were written (i.e. those relating to this period).
These scrolls were found in 1948 in the desert of Israel.
~
Spiritual Developments
1. Pharisees: means separated ones was the party of the synagogue that
taught strict legalism and belief in the resurrection, angels, demons and
the apocalyptic coming of the kingdom of God.
2. Sadducees: the temple party that held to the Torah and refuted oral tradition; controlled the high priesthood; rejected supernatural phenomena;
collaborated with the political powers of Rome which controlled Israel.
3. Essenes: a strict, separatist sect; withdrew from society to become "the
chosen people.” They maintained an ascetic life-style; regarded themselves
as the true Israel; comprised the Qumran Community that was responsible for preserving and maintaining the documents now known as the Dead
Sea Scrolls.
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4. Synagogues: local houses of
worship in towns and villages
where weekly worship services were held on the Sabbath. They focused on teaching the scripture rather than
the ritualism of the Temple.
There were also used for
schools during the week. Jesus and later the apostles
preached the gospel in the
synagogues.
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What is the Septuagint and when
was it written?
What are the theological differences between the Pharisees and
the Sadducees?
What are synagogues?
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS IN ORDER OF HISTORY
~ The Patriarchs - Genesis, Job
~ Moses, the Law and Wilderness - Exodus through Deuteronomy
~ Entering the Promised Land - Joshua
~ Period of the Judges who led the 12 tribes - Judges
~ The Kings and Prophets - Samuel, Kings, Chronicles
1. Kingdom of Israel (North) Prophets: Elijah, Obadiah, Elisha, Amos,
Jonah, Hosea
2. Kingdom of Judah (South Kingdom) Prophets: Joel, Amos, Isaiah,
Micah, Zephaniah, Jeremiah (Lamentations) Nahum, Habakkuk
~ Babylonian Exile for 70 years - Ezekiel, Daniel
~ Going Home after the Exile - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai,
Zechariah, Malachi
13
14
Israel’s
National Reestablishment
Jerusalem &
Temple Destroyed
by Rome
Birth of Christ
Antiochus Epiphanes
(Syrian)
Maccabean Revolt
David
1000 B.C.
168 - 165 B.C.
Period of Judges
1948
Persian Conquest
of Babylon:
Judah Returns Home
Under Ezra, Nehemiah
539 B.C.
Joshua
Conquest of
Moses
Exodus:
Wilderness
Journey
1380-1050 B.C.
A.D. 70
Babylonian
Captivity of Judah
586 B.C.
Abraham
1400 B.C.
1450 B.C.
4 B.C.
Assyrian Invasion
of Israel
722 B.C.
Creation
2000 B.C.
OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY
Rome
63 B.C.
Divided Kingdom:
Israel (North)
Judah (South)
930 B.C.
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Identify the Old Testament events or key persons by the following dates:
1. 2,000 B.C.
2. 1,450 B.C.
3. 1,400 B.C.
4. 1,000 B.C.
5.
400 B.C.
6.
165 B.C.
Name the young man in Babylon who served in both the Babylon government and
later the Persian government. (Clue: he spent the night with lions)
Who is known as the “prince of the Old Testament literary prophets” who also
described the Messiah’s suffering with the famous phrase, “by his stripes we are
healed?”
How long were the Jews in Babylonian captivity? (circle one)
1. 10 years 2. 70 years 3. 150 years 4. 400 years
Give the names of two men who led the Jews home from Babylon who have Old
Testament books named after them.
1.
2.
What did Nehemiah accomplish for the city of Jerusalem?
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NOTES
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After Jesus ascended to heaven, the newly born, Spirit-empowered church went into
the world to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). The gospel was preached. Cities
were evangelized. Churches were established.
The story of Jesus and his gospel of salvation was taught at first by word only. The
Apostles wrote letters to the churches to teach them how to live for Jesus, to answer their
questions and to protect them from false teachings. The Holy Spirit inspired them to give us
the life of Jesus in the Gospels. Today these original 27 books, simply called the New Testament, remain intact through the sovereign preservation of God as our ultimate authority for
faith and life.
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WHY THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN. The New Testament was written
in Greek between A.D. 45 and 90 for four primary reasons:
1. To preserve the teachings of Jesus against false records and stories being circulated. These are published today in what is called the Lost Gospels, which were
ruled out of the canon by the early church fathers because of the erroneous content.
2. To guard the church against false doctrines, pagan philosophy and the secular culture that wars against our faith.
3. To record their early history and the development of the church. The Book of
Acts and the apostolic letters map out the early missionary work and the spread
of the gospel around the world in the first century.
4. To give us an authoritative book by which to judge theology, philosophy and morality.
Give three reasons why the Gospels were written:
1.
2.
3.
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HOW THE NEW TESTAMENT IS ORGANIZED. The 27 books of the
New Testament is organized in four categories:
~
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
~
The Acts of the Apostles (written by Luke)
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~
The Letters


~
Letters of Paul the apostle (Romans through Titus)

Church letters (Romans, Corinthians, Thessalonians, Galatians

Prison letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon

Pastoral letters (Timothy, Titus)
General letters (Hebrews, James, Peter, Letters of John, Jude)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Apocalypse, written by John, unveils the
future outcome of human history when God makes a new heaven and new
earth and Jesus returns to the world crowned King of kings.
List the four categories of the New Testament books:
1.
3.
2.
4.
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HOW THE BOOKS WERE CHOSEN. The first completed list of the 27 books appeared in a letter written by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria in A.D. 367. The most decisive council to canonize the New Testament was the Council at Carthage (A.D. 367). The
canon was reconfirmed by the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 419). Four questions formed the
basic tests of determining the authenticity of the New Testament books:
~Was the book written by an apostle or an associate of an apostle? For example,
Mark assisted the apostle Peter and Luke accompanied Paul. Paul was confirmed as
an apostle to the Gentiles by the Twelve apostles.
~Was the book valued highly by the early church and was it read in the churches for
public worship?
~Was the book cited in the early writings of church fathers who personally knew the
apostles of Jesus?
~Does the content of the book reflect the teachings of Jesus and the apostles?
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THE GOSPELS: MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN
~The Gospels (meaning “good news”) give us the life of Jesus and the Twelve apostles he chose to entrust his ministry to after his ascension into heaven. "These are
the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother
Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew;
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him" (Matt 10:2-4). The Gospels
give us the account of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Nearly one-half of the
content of the Gospels deal with the last week of Jesus’ life and his crucifixion.
~The Synoptic Gospels agree in language, material and order of events. The word
synoptic means "seeing together." They view the events and timing of Jesus’ ministry in a similar fashion, although each has a unique perspective on Jesus. The Gospel
of Mark is the primary gospel: 91 percent of Mark’s content is contained in Matthew and 53 percent in Luke. There was the oral tradition of Jesus’ ministry passed
down by the apostles, which each writer used.
~The Gospel of John: the Apostle John, one of the 12, called "the disciple whom
Jesus loved" (John 13:23; 19:26). It was written around A.D. 50, probably independent of the Synoptic Gospels, and is regarded as the deepest and most spiritual
book in the Bible. The purpose of his gospel is stated in John 20:31: "But these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." The key words used repeatedly are life, believe and signs. It contains no parables and only eight miracles, six of which are
unique to this Gospel.
~John the Baptist: He was the cousin of Jesus whose father was a Levitical priest in
the line of Aaron the first high priest. This made John a priest as well. He was also a
prophet who announced the coming of the Messiah Jesus into the world. He called
Jesus “the lamb of God” because Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins (John
1:29). He fulfilled the last Old Testament prophecy about a man who would come
in the spirit and power of Elijah to announce the Lord’s coming (Mal 4:1-5). He
dressed like Elijah with a coat of camel hair and big leather belt. He also baptized
those who repented of their sins.
~The ministry of Jesus: The Gospels were written to tell us who Jesus is and why
he came to this earth. In the Gospels we learn the following about him:
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What does the term “synoptic” gospels mean?
Who was John the Baptist?
Why did John the Baptist call Jesus the lamb of God?
1. Jesus is the divine, sinless, son of
God (Matt 1:23; John 1:1-14)
What are parables and why did
2. Jesus is the highest authority of Jesus use them?
truth (John 5:29; John 8:31-34)
Jesus used parables to teach people because parables are simple
stories that reveal great spiritual
truths.
3. Jesus broke religious traditions
and called people back to the
truth of Scripture and the law of
love found in the Old Testament
(Matt 15:1-8)
4. Jesus loved everyone equally and
unconditionally (Luke 19:10)
5. Jesus cared for the poor and oppressed (Luke 4:18-19)
What is the only Commission of
Jesus to the church?
What are the two Great Commandments Jesus said fulfilled
the Old Testament law?
1.
6. Jesus came to provide salvation
for our sins through his death on
2.
the cross where he took the judgment of our sins (Mark 1:21;
Matt 26:36; John 3:16-17; John
10:28-29; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:4648).
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7. He chose 12 apostles (meaning messengers) who he trained to carry on
his ministry after his resurrection. He also selected 70 other disciples
(Luke 10:1,17) and had a number of women who assisted him in his ministry such as Mary Magdalene (who was delivered from seven demons),
Joanna, Susanna and many others (Luke 8:1-3).
Name six of the Twelve Apostles: (Mark 3:16-19)
1.
4.
2.
5.
3.
6.
8. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament law and prophets and has given us a
New Covenant (Matthew 26:36; Matthew 5:17). Jesus summed up all
the law and the prophets in two commands from the Old Testament – to
love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). The two commandments are found in the Old Testament (Deut 6:4-5; Lev 19:18).
9. Jesus brought the kingdom of God as a here and now reality that we enter through faith in him and learn to live our lives by the law of his kingdom and follow him as Lord (Matt 4:17; Luke 17:20-21).
10. Jesus rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven as Lord and High
Priest and will come again at the end of this age (Matt 24:29-31; Acts 1:9
-11).
11. Jesus gave us the only commission to go into the entire world and make
disciples of all nations and he gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us in
our ministry until he returns (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
Which apostle made the historic confession to Jesus: “You are the Christ, the son
of the Living God?”
Name the woman who was delivered of seven demons who became a part of the
disciples.
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THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Luke tells us how the gospel was preached to
the whole world in the first century by the apostles and the church.
~The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit with
the sign of speaking in tongues. This sign caught the attention of worshippers in the
temple courts. Peter preached the gospel of Jesus and used Old Testament passages
to prove Jesus as Messiah. 3,000 people put their faith in Jesus as Lord and were
baptized that day.
~The persecution of the disciples (Acts 8). As the church grew in such rapid size,
they were persecuted and driven out of the synagogues, which started with the
martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr, followed by the efforts of Saul to remove
Christians from synagogues and also putting some in prison. Until that time Jewish
Christians were regarded as a sect of Judaism called “the Way” (Acts 9:2).
~The salvation of Paul (Acts 9). Saul met Jesus face to face in a vision while going
to Damascus to arrest Christians! He was blinded by the vision. A man name Ananias in Damascus prayed for his healing and baptized him as a disciple of Jesus. Three
days later Saul, later called Paul, starts preaching the gospel of Jesus in the synagogues using Old Testament passages to prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
He became the object of religious persecution from that moment on to the rest of
his life, yet he made the single greatest impact on the church and the world with his
missionary work and giving us over half the New Testament.
Who wrote the books of Acts and what is it about?
What happened on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2?
Who started the persecution of Jewish Christians and wanted to expel them
from the synagogues?
Who was the first Christian martyr?
~Peter carries the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10). He preached the gospel to Cor24
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nelius, a Roman centurion, and to his family and friends. The Holy Spirit was
poured out the exact same way as the Day of Pentecost and the commission of Jesus to reach all nations was now a reality.
~Paul’s three missionary trips (Acts, Chapters 13-28).
1. Paul and Barnabas traveled to Cyprus and Asia Minor (Turkey).
2. Paul and Silas visited churches in Asia and then traveled to Greece
(Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth).
3. Paul and Silas traveled to central Asia Minor (Ephesus).
~Paul’s trials and imprisonments: A series of trials that eventually take him to
Rome to appeal before Caesar are recorded in Acts. The book ends with Paul’s first
Roman imprisonment for two years under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31). During
this time Paul wrote six of the letters we have in the New Testament. Paul was released from prison in A.D. 62. Some evidence suggests that he visited Spain along
with Crete, Malta, Colosse, Ephesus, Philippi, Necropolis and southern France. He
was later imprisoned again in Rome, which led to his execution by Nero around
A.D. 68.
~Early church history records the ministries of the early apostles and leaders after
the ascension of Jesus to heaven:
1. Bartholomew went to Armenia.
2. Thomas traveled to Persia and India.
3. Matthew went to Ethiopia.
4. James the Less preached in Egypt.
5. Jude went to Assyria and Persia.
6. Mark (not an apostle) went to Alexandria, Egypt.
To what city was Saul of Tarsus going when he met Jesus face to face in a vision?
Who first intentionally preached the gospel to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius?
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7. Peter, known for his confession, “You are the Christ, the son of the living
God” (Matt 16:17), went to Rome.
8. The apostle John was the only apostle not martyred and lived the longest
of the apostles dying around A.D. 100 in the city of Ephesus where he
lived. He also cared for Mary the mother of Jesus in the city of Ephesus
where there is a monument to her honor to this day.
†
THE LETTERS OF THE APOSTLES
~ General Letters
1. Hebrews: The purpose of Hebrews was to explain how Jesus fulfilled the
Old Testament sacrifices. The Old Covenant has been replaced with the
New Covenant. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus. The
single focus of Hebrews is for us to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Jesus is sufficient and supreme. Hebrews Chapter 11 is called “the faith chapter” with
its repetitive phrase “by faith.”
2. James: He was the half-brother of Jesus, and leader of the early church.
This letter is summed up in one word – wisdom. He teaches how to live
with wisdom, to speak with wisdom and to handle the adversities of life
with a faith that perseveres under trial. The two highlights are joy under
trial (Jas 1:2) and the power of the tongue (Jas 3).
3. Peter: This letter is summed up in one word – grow! Peter as on older
apostle is concerned that Christians grow strong in their faith so they are
not carried away by spiritual error of false teachers. He emphasizes the
priesthood of all believers (1 Pt 2). He also gives a magnificent picture of
What is the basic theme of the letter of James?
Where is the “faith chapter” found in the New Testament?
Why was the letter of Hebrews written?
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the return of Jesus (2 Pt 3). The key word is suffering and he tells us to
endure suffering for Christ and use it to grow stronger in our faith.
4. John’s letters: These three letters are written to warn Christians of the
deception of what he calls the spirit of antichrist that is already in the
world. He also teaches us that the real proof of our faith is whether or not
we love one another. John puts constant emphasis on truth and being
truthful with others and in our walk with God. He says his greatest joy is
that we walk in truth (3 John 4).
5. Jude: He was the brother of James and the half brother of Jesus (Mark
6:3; Gal 1:19). The letter tells Christians to "contend for the faith that
was once for all delivered to the people of God" against false doctrine.
Jude’s description of false prophets in the last days is quoted by Peter in
his second letter (compare Jude verses 8-13 and 2 Peter chapter 2). This
brief letter ends with a promise of assurance: “To Him who is able to keep
you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without
fault and with great joy” (Jude 24).
~
Church Letters of Paul
1. Romans: Teaches justification by faith alone What two questions does
in Christ. It is divided in two sections that the letter of Romans ananswers the questions: How does a person swer?
become righteousness? (Chs. 1-11). How 1.
does a righteous person (Christian) live?
(Chs. 12-16)
2. 1 Corinthians: Paul deals with the spiritual 2.
immaturity of the Corinthian believers.
They were a church of Jews and Gentiles
coming from different cultures. He taught them how to live in unity, to
rise above cultural differences and to worship with order. Three great
chapters mark this letter: The love chapter (13), the spiritual gifts chapter
(12) and the resurrection chapter (15).
Where is the “love chapter” found in the New Testament?
Where is the “resurrection chapter” found in the New Testament?
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3. 2 Corinthians: A personal letter where Paul defends his apostolic authority which was being challenged. He recounts all he suffered in his ministry
and speaks of his “thorn in my flesh” to keep him from pride (2 Cor 12:710).
4. Galatians: This letter is summed in one word – freedom! We are taught to
stand firm in the spiritual freedom Jesus has given us from two forms of
bondage – religious legalism and sin (Gal 5:1). Jewish leaders who were
now Christians were telling believers they had to observe Jewish laws,
customs and traditions to be saved. Legalism is the adding of good works
or self-righteousness to grace. We are saved by grace and kept by grace.
5. 1 and 2 Thessalonians: Paul commends this church for their spiritual
growth in faith, hope and love and for the way that they openly accepted
the gospel and the word of God. The key theme of these letters is the second coming of Jesus, which is mentioned in every chapter of these two
letters.
~
Prison Letters of Paul
1. Ephesians: Paul describes the meaning and ministry of the church as the
body of Christ and teaches us to live in unity. Ephesians was a letter that
was copied and sent to other churches. A comparison is made between
marriage and the relationship of Christ and the church.
2. Philippians: A personal letter with one theme – joy. We learn how to keep
our joy in every circumstance of life. Two key statements are: “For to me
to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21) and “I can do all things
through Christ who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13).
3. Colossians: This letter focuses on the supremacy of Christ as the image of
the invisible God who created the universe. It also teaches us the im-
List three of Paul’s prison letters:
1.
2.
3.
Why are they called “prison letters?”
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portance of continuing to grow in our relationship with Christ so that we
are “rooted and built up in him” (Col 2:6-7).
4. Philemon: A personal appeal to Philemon to receive a runaway slave back
as a free brother in Christ whose name was Onesimus. The letter condemns slavery, which was rampant in the Roman Empire.
~
Pastoral Letters of Paul
1. 1 Timothy: Paul gives Timothy guidelines for elders in the church and addresses false teachings and tells him to stick to the Scripture as the inspired word of God and to the gospel of Jesus Christ in his preaching and
teaching (1 Timothy 4:13).
2. 2 Timothy: Paul’s last letter encouraging Timothy to stay true to his calling
and to be courageous as a leader: “for God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power, love and self-discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). These are his final
words: “I fought a good fight, I have finished the course and I have kept the
faith” (2 Tim 4:7). He was martyred by beheading by Nero shortly after
writing this letter.
Name the two pastors who have letters named after them that were
written by the apostle Paul:
1.
2.
3. Titus: A young pastor on the island of Crete to whom he gives directions
for elders, guidelines for godly living for both youth and adults and an
emphasis on good works that accompany our salvation.
† THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. Also called, The Apocalypse, this letter
gives us a view of the future of the church from the birth of the church until Christ’s second coming. It is written to encourage believers in times of persecution to be faithful to
Jesus and to our mission because God is sovereign and Christ is returning when God will
make a new heaven and a new earth.
~The theme is God is sovereign! He is in control of the world and will guide history on
its course to the return of his son Jesus as Lord of all. The most frequent symbol is the
throne of God appearing 45 times to describe the sovereignty of God. “The Lord has
established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all” (Ps 103:19).
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~The purpose of Revelation is to encourage God’s people to be faithful in times of
suffering and persecution because God is sovereign and he will reward us with eternal
life. If we suffer with him now, we will reign with him then!
~Revelation gives us a beautiful picture of that day when God recreates the earth and
restores it to the original condition as it was in the Garden of Eden (Revelation Chs.
21 & 22).
Name the two men who have letters named after them who were half-brothers
of Jesus:
1.
2.
What is the basic theme of the book of Revelation:
What symbol appears most frequently in the Revelation?
What is the main purpose of the Revelation?
What will God to do the earth after Jesus returns?
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NOTES
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The cry of the Reformation was, let the church be the church! We know about the
early church from reading the New Testament but what went on in the church from the
days of the early church until now? Let’s fill in the gap and know our history.
†
THE CHURCH FATHERS (A.D. 100-500)
~ Four Groups of Church Fathers
 Early Fathers: They were direct students of the apostles. They taught Christianity as a practical way of life by such leaders as Clement of Rome who
wrote letters to the Corinthian church, Hermas in Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, whose letters to churches which were widely quoted by the early leaders, and Polycarp in Turkey. Papias, the bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor
was “a man of long ago and the disciple of one 'John' and a companion of
Polycarp," according to Irenaeus.
 Apologists (cultural error) and Polemicists (church error): Defended Christianity
theology and practice from cultural paganism and false doctrines within the
church.
•Justin Martyr, who became a Christian in 130, was a philosopher who
had studied many religions in search of the truth. He was an apologist and taught that the seeds of truth (logos) could be found in all
religions but that only Christianity taught the whole truth.
•Marcion (144) was excommunicated for rejecting the Old Testament,
rejecting most of the New Testament, and teaching that Jesus only
appeared to be human (an error called Docetism). This made the
church realize the need to canonize the New Testament.
•Clement of Alexandria. He used Plato to support Christianity in an
effort to reach the Gnostics by showing that only the Christian had
real "gnosis" – a Greek word which means knowledge. He developed the allegorical approach to interpreting Scripture.
•Tertullian objected to Justin’s use of philosophy saying, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” He later wrote Against Praxeas, which
helped the church understand the Trinity.
•Origen, a student of Clement of Alexandria, further developed the allegorical method. He wrote On First Principles the first systematic
theology.
•Irenaeus reported that Polycarp had communication with John the
Apostle and “others who had seen the Lord.” Ireneaus wrote Against
Heresies, a treatise against the Gnostics.
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
•Athanasius defended orthodox Christian faith against the Arian controversy of the fourth century.
Theologians: They developed Christian theology along with methods of biblical
interpretation and textual criticism. Major theologians were Clement, Origen, Jerome, Ambrose “the Churchman.” Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, called the Latin Vulgate in A.D. 400, Augustine, who wrote Confessions, and
Chrysostom, known as “golden-mouth” because of his oratorical ability. Eusebius of Caesarea was the first church historian. Many works of the early
church survive only as fragments in Eusebius's writings. Augustine was saved
in a garden in Milan after hearing a child saying "Take up and read!" He took
up Romans 13:13-14 and read it and received Jesus as his savior. Augustine
was baptized by Ambrose in A.D. 387. His mother Monica had prayed for him
for years. He later wrote the classic book Confessions.
What was the relationship of the early church fathers to the Apostles?
What did the apologists and polemicists do for the early church?
What famous book did Augustine write?
~
Persecution and Politics
1. Severe persecution and martyrdom broke out
against the church during the reigns of ten
What Roman emperor
Caesar's (Nero A.D. 64 - Diocletian A.D.
started the Roman
305). The reasons for persecution included:
Political suspicion due to their allegiance to persecution of ChrisJesus as Lord. They threatened the existing tians in the year A.D.
union of religion and the state in Rome. They 64 after the great fire
refused to comply with Caesar worship. They of Rome?
taught against immorality of Rome and refused participation in much of public life. Revivals caused people to no longer support pagan religions. The great fire of Rome (A.D. 64) was a turning point. Nero
blamed the Christians for the fire and used this as a basis for his persecutions. His reign ended in A.D. 68. He martyred both Paul and Peter.
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2. Emperor Constantine (A.D. 313) in western Rome gave full sanction to
Christianity. When he became the sole ruler of Rome in A.D. 324 he
made it a legal religion and favored it in many ways. This ended the season of pressure and persecution against the church.
3. Emperor Theodosius (A.D. 392) made Christianity the official religion
of Rome and persecution of paganism began. This led to the corruption
of the church now governed by the Emperor. Christianity was blended
with paganism of Rome. Christianity remained the state religion of the
Roman Empire after its fall. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire
the church preserved classical civilization, built monasteries and sent
missionaries to northern Europe as far as Ireland. In the East, the Byzantine Empire preserved Orthodoxy long after the Muslim raids of the 7 th
century when they destroyed three major centers of church leadership
in Jerusalem, Alexandria and later Antioch in the 8th century.
Why did Rome persecute the church during the period of the Apostles and Church Fathers (A.D. 40 – A.D. 300)?
Which Roman emperor (A.D. 313) ended the persecutions and granted full sanction to the Christian religion? (Circle one)
a. Diocletian
b. Constantine
c. Nero
Which Roman emperor made Christianity (A.D. 392) the state religion of Rome and persecuted unbelievers? (Circle one)
a. Caligula
b. Constantine
c. Theodosius
~
False Teachings

Judaizers: They taught we are saved by grace, kept by works. Required Jewish custom for Christians like circumcision, diet and Sabbath
regulations. The letter of Galatians refutes them. It took the form of
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Ebionism in the second century.

Gnosticism ("knowledge"). Early Gnostics are confronted in Colossians
and 1 John addresses them. They blended Judaism, Christianity, Greek
philosophy and oriental mysticism. They taught that matter was evil and
spirit was good. They denied Christ's incarnate flesh and necessity of
atonement. They believe that knowledge brings salvation not faith in Jesus. Today, the myths and fables are preserved in the Gnostic Gospels and
have been popularized in The Da Vinci Code. The Gnostic Gospels were
written more than 200 years after Jesus and do not agree with Christian
teachings. They often use apostles’ name, like The Gospel of Thomas, but
were not written by the apostles. These books were rejected by the
church as false writings because they lead people away from following
Jesus. The 27 books of the New Testament were confirmed by early
Christian leaders to protect believers from being misled by these false
gospels and false writings.

Motanist Error. Montanus claimed to be the manifestation of the Holy
Spirit, the Paraclete. He said the end of the world was at hand and he was
introducing the age of the Holy Spirit. He stressed special revelations,
spiritual gifts, apocalyptic visions and strict asceticism. The church overreacted by saying that biblical revelation was complete and spiritual gifts
were no longer valid. Pentecostalism and the renewal movements today
have been criticized as being similar to the error of Motanism, although
these movements exalt the Scripture as our sole authority and no one
makes an absurd claim as being the Holy Spirit.

Arianism is the theological teachings of Arius (A.D. 250-336) an early
Christian leader from Alexandria, Egypt concerning the Trinity. He
taught that God the Son was subordinate to the Father. He was deemed a
heretic and his teachings dismissed by the church. Specifically, he taught
that Jesus the Son did not always exist but was created by God. Arianism
is opposed to orthodox Christian tradition on the Trinity. The modern
errors of Mormonism and Jehovah’s witnesses hold to this inferior view
of Jesus Christ.
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Who were the Judaizers and what did they teach?
What is Gnosticism and what did the Gnostics teach about flesh and spirit?
What was the false teaching of Montanus?
What is the false teaching of Arianism?
What did the early church teach about the deity of Christ to counter the error
of Arianism?
~ The Canon of Scripture

The Canon of Scripture. The word canon means a standard measurement, much like a yardstick. New Testament books were written during
the last half of the first century between A.D. 47-70, unless the gospels
were written earlier. They were written by an apostle or an associate of an
apostle, which the church fathers confirmed. In A.D. 367 a letter of Athanasius named the 66 books of the entire biblical canon.

The Selection of the 27 Books. Irenaeus (A.D. 175) confirmed the
books we have today. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 200) confirmed the 27
books. Origen (A.D. 25) divided the books into categories. Disputes existed over several books including Hebrews, 2 Peter, James, Jude, 2 and 3
John for reasons such as no author's name attached, writing styles and use
of the title "servant" instead of "apostle." Jerome (A.D. 382) accepted the
current 27 books and encouraged Synod of Rome to take the same position. He translated the Bible into Latin. The councils of Carthage in A.D.
397 and again in A.D. 419 confirmed the 27 books. The ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451 did the same.
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When was the New Testament canonized? (Circle one)
a. A.D. 100 approximately
b. A.D. 750 approximately
c. A.D. 400 approximately
How many books are in the New Testament? (Circle one)
a. 27
b. 39
c. 66
Who translated the Bible into Latin around the year 400?
†
THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE AGES (A.D. 500-1500)
~ The Roman Catholic Church and the Papacy: The middle ages were a
time of spiritual decline. Religious traditions, formalism and ritualism replaced passionate evangelism, personal faith and joyful worship. The church merged with Roman politics because of Constantine’s influence. Church and state, religion and politics became one, which led to the corruption of power took the church away from
the Great Commission of Jesus. Instead of advancing the kingdom of God the church
began to advance the kingdom of man. The authority of Scripture slowly became
secondary to the rule of church regulations and traditions. The Roman Empire split
between the east and the west. The Western Roman
Empire grew weak while the east, with its capital in
Where did the Roman
Constantinople (Istanbul today), remained strong.
Catholic Church come
Leo I, Bishop of Rome (A.D. 440-461) expanded the
power of the papacy (the office of the Pope) requiring from?
people to submit to the Pope at Rome. Western Europe was then organized under the Roman Catholic
Church oversight with dioceses and parishes. During
the Middle Ages, western Europe knew nothing else
but Catholicism. This was passed on to the colonies in
Latin America, the Philippines and segments of Africa.
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~ The Spread of Islam. Mohammed (A.D. 622) pioneered his new religion of Islam combining elements of Judaism, Christianity and Arabian spirituality. His armies
invaded the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe. Muslim armies also conquered most of Egypt and the Eastern Roman empire in what is now known as the Arab
States. The Muslim armies advanced to Spain, France and into India.
~ Church and State Alliance and the Crusades (A.D. 800). Pope Leo III
crowned Charlemagne "Emperor of the Romans." This led to the concept of the Holy
Roman Empire. The next 200 years were marked by political and religious struggles for
power. In 1073 Hildebrand assumed the papacy under the title Gregory VII. He believed in the supremacy of the Pope. In 1095 the Crusades started where Rome invaded
countries for economic and political reasons. The Crusaders fought the Turks and Muslims in an effort to recapture Jerusalem, Egypt and other Arab lands. They also fought
the Crusades to stop the Muslim armies from invading Europe. The Crusades lasted until 1244 and ended in failure. Jerusalem remained in Muslim hands until 1917 (the end
of World War I).
~ The Great Schism in 1054. The Roman Church was divided in the Eastern
(Greek) and Western (Latin) branches. The Eastern Church is known as Greek Orthodox Church and the west is called the Roman Catholic Church. They divided over politics and theology. One major conflict was the Pope’s claim to universal jurisdiction,
which was rejected by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Greek Orthodox Church believed Constantinople was the city where the church leadership should be based, while
the Catholic Church chose Rome as the place of church authority. The political power
of the Roman Catholic Church/State Alliance declined by the time of the Great Reformation (A.D. 1300-1500). The Pope lost political power. The Papacy split resulting in
two popes. An effort to depose the two Popes and establish one Pope backfired and for
a time there were three popes, each excommunicating the others! Finally, the Council
of Constance deposed the three and set up one in Rome.
~ The Renaissance and its Impact on the Church. The Renaissance in Europe
ended “the dark ages,” a time of educational, cultural and economic deterioration. The
people resisted the Inquisitions who no longer tolerated the church ruling over them.
The Renaissance was a time of rediscovering the arts, music, literature and philosophy,
much like ancient Greek culture under Alexander the Great. The church became more
secular as a result of the Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were key figures during the Renaissance.
~ Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformers opposed papal authority,
church traditions and ritualism that were contrary to Scripture and to the simple gospel
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tory called The Protestant Reformation which began in the late 1300’s under the leadership of John Wycliffe and others and ended in the 1500s with Martin Luther and
others we will discuss in our next lesson.
During what time period did Mohammed pioneer his new religion of Islam
and later invade surrounding countries in the Arab raids in a conflict against
the Roman empire?
1. 500s
2. 600s
3. 700s
What were the Crusades?
What was the major city the Romans and Muslims fought over to possess?
What was the Great Schism in the Roman Catholic Church in the year 1054?
What led to the decline of the Roman church at the end of the middle ages?
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†
THE GREAT REFORMATION (1300 - 1650)
~The Reformers. The leaders of the protestant reformation opposed papal authority and stressed individual faith in Jesus Christ. They returned to preaching the simple
gospel once again and taught the New Testament instead of church traditions. The
Church of England (Anglican Church also called the Episcopal Church) pulled away
from the Catholic Church in 1529.
 John Wycliffe stressed Scripture as the only authority for the believer. He
was called “the morning star” of the Reformation. He produced the first
English Bible (1380). The reformers translated, printed and distributed
copies of the Bible in the language of the people so people could read,
study and think for themselves. Up to that time the main Bible was written in Latin and copies were only found in churches where they were
read and interpreted for the people by the priests. Wycliffe was killed as a
heretic for translating the Bible into English. Today the Wycliffe Bible
Translation Society continues to provide the Bible in every known language in the world.
 William Tyndale was also tried and killed in 1536 for heresy for translating
the Bible into English. His version is called the Tyndale Bible.
 John Hus and others brought reformation to Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and other surrounding countries. Other major reformers include Ulrich Zwingli (Switzerland), John Calvin (France, Switzerland) and John Knox (Scotland).
 Martin Luther led the Reformation in Germany. He nailed his 95 Theses
on the door of the Wittenberg Church on October 31, 1517. The 95 Theses were 95 errors in Catholic theology, ministry, and practices, which he
identified in an effort to reform the church. At his religious trial at the
Diet of Wurms he refused to denounce his teachings and said, “Here I
stand. God help me. I cannot do otherwise.” He translated the New Testament into the German language.
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What is the name of the church that separated from the Roman Catholic Church
in 1529?
Who gave us the first English translation of the Bible in the year 1380?
Who was Martin Luther and what was his 95 Theses?
What did he do with his 95 Theses that was so controversial?
~
†
The Reformers emphasized the following truths:
1. Salvation is by grace through faith in
Jesus Christ alone apart from any spir- What did the Reformers
teach about salvation?
itual works (Eph 2:8-9).
2. The Bible is our highest authority over
What did the Reformers
every tradition (2 Tim 3:16-17).
3. Every Christian is a priest in the teach about the authority
“priesthood of all believers” and can go of Scripture versus church
to God directly in prayer through Jesus tradition?
our great high priest (Heb 4:14; 1 Pt
What is the priesthood of
2:9-10).
4. Christians are called to a life of holiness all believers? (1 Pt 2:9-10;
and good works (Titus 2:10-14) and to Rev 1:5)
actively proclaim the gospel to every
person (Matt 28:19).
THE GREAT AWAKENINGS (1700-1800)
~Formalism and Rationalism. The seventeenth century was one of religious formalism lacking passion and conviction. This brought a reaction of rationalism, biblical
revivalism and mysticism. The 18th century (Age of Enlightenment) was one of rationalism. Emphasis was placed upon reason over emotion and an intellectual approach to faith emerged focused on blending theology and philosophy.
~First Great Awakening. This led to a counter attack by the Moravians and Methodists, which focused on missionary activity, personal holiness and social justice. Puritans and Anglicans founded Harvard and Yale to educate ministers of the gospel.
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Great revivals began among the American colonies in 1720 touching groups such as
the Dutch Reformed, Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Jonathan Edwards
(c. 1750) led a great revival in Massachusetts. He delivered an historic sermon that
sparked a great revival entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” George
Whitefield, associate of the Wesley's, began preaching tours in the United States in
1739 with tremendous success. David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards and others
preached to the Indians and African Americans. John and Charles Wesley touched Europe with their preaching and hymns of worship with the Methodist revival (17031791). John Newton wrote the classic “Amazing Grace” and used his pastoral influence to abolish slavery in England.
~Second Great Awakening. The 19th century saw both the dawn of the age of
science with Darwin’s theory of evolution and great spiritual revivals. Reason gave
way to romanticism stressing feeling, faith, individualism and personal communion
with God. The Sunday School movement began in England along with mid-week
prayer services. The modern world missions movement began with David Livingstone in Africa and William Carey to India. William Carey is known as the father of
the modern world missions. Citywide crusades began. Charles G. Finney brought
revival to New York State in 1824. Dwight L. Moody was the most powerful evangelist of the century preaching always on “the
love of God.” Moody founded the Chicago
Evangelization School in Chicago (1886). To- What were the two Great Awakday there is Moody Bible College and Moody enings about?
Radio that shows his continued influence. Social reform issues (1800's) were addressed
including abolition of slavery, prohibition of
alcohol and women's rights.
Charles
Spurgeon, known as the prince of preachers,
pastored one of the first mega-churches in
London, published sermons prolifically, cared
for orphans and opposed slavery. He is still
regarded as one of the greatest preachers in
the history of the church. Ministers still study his sermons, which remain widely
published.
~Amazing Grace and Revival Singing. John Newton became a minister in the
Church of England in 1764 with his congregation in Olney. He began writing poems
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gregations to sing and poems to chant. "Amazing Grace" was written to illustrate a
sermon on New Year's Day of 1773 based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 which records
David’s response to the prophet Nathan’s promise from God that David’s lineage
would endure forever, referring to Jesus the Messiah. It is unknown if there was any
music accompanying the verses, and it may have been chanted by the congregation
without music. It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton and Cowper's Olney Hymns, but
was soon forgotten not appearing in other hymnals in England. Over 60 of Newton
and Cowper’s hymns were published in British hymnals and magazines but “Amazing
Grace” was only published once in a 1780 hymnal. The song was basically unknown
and was not considered to be a good example of Newton’s best work. In America it
became popular during the Second Great Awakening and has been sung with over 20
different melodies. In 1835 it was joined to a tune named "New Britain" to which it is
most frequently sung today. It the most popular folk song, the most recorded song of
modern times and originally was sung in revivals using “shape notes.” Shape note singing was a form of teaching music to illiterate people in the 1800s. It uses four sounds
to symbolize the major scale: fa-sol-la-fa-sol-la-mi-fa. Each sound was accompanied by
a shape (triangle, circle, square, diamond). Communities would come together for all
day singings. Communities that could not afford musical instruments, or out of a Calvinistic sense of simplicity did not use instruments, sang the songs a cappella.
~Creation Versus Evolution. Charles Darwin published An Origin of Species
(originally titled, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation
of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life) in 1859. He introduced the theory that populations evolve from simple to complex life forms over millions of years through natural
selection. There were other theories of evolution being considered at this time, but
Darwin’s book was written for the non-scientific community (even though he was a
scientist) and attracted a lot of interest. The evidence he presented stirred widespread
discussion within theology, philosophy, sociology and science. The debate over Darwin’s book led Thomas Huxley and the X Club to launch a campaign to secularize science by promoting natural selection. Although later evolutionary theories became
more popular and plausible than Darwin’s theory, his ideas remain a connecting theme
among those various theories to this day. Most importantly, Darwinism caused a great
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Who was John Wesley and what church organization did he start?
Who was Dwight L. Moody and what is the continued impact of his ministry
today?
What city did Charles Spurgeon pastor in during the 1800s?
What is Charles Spurgeon known for even to this day?
What were two of the social issues preached against by the preachers of the
Great Awakenings?
1.
2.
What is the most famous gospel/folk song written during the first Great
Awakening, which remains the most popular song sung and recorded to this
day?
What English pastor was instrumental in influencing Parliament to pass legislation to abolish slavery in England?
†
divide among science and the Bible challenging the belief that humanity is unique
from the animals as made in the image of God.
What is the Pentecostal reCONTEMPORARY TIMES
vival of the late 1800s and
~The Pentecostal Revival (1900-1950). A early 1900s in America?
reenactment of Pentecost in prayer meetings
and revival services swept America with the
Azuza Street revival in Los Angeles and on the
east coast in Tennessee and North Carolina.
Denominations like the Church of God, As-
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semblies of God, Church of God in Christ and the
Foursquare Church, along with others, came Who is the most famous
and influential evangelist of
from these revivals.
th
~The World Mission Movement and Evan- the 20 century?
gelicalism. Evangelist Billy Sunday preached
passionate sermons in his revivals in the early 20th Where did Mother Theresa
century. Dr. Billy Graham emerged as one of the spend her life in ministry?
most influential evangelists of all time. Greater
emphasis was placed on missionary organizations
to send missionaries all over the world. One of
the most prominent missionaries of the 20th century was Mother Theresa who devoted her life to caring for orphaned children in
India.
~Liberal Theology and Textual Criticism. Biblical preaching and evangelism
were countered with such theologians as Karl Barth (1886-1968), Richard Bultmann (1884-1976) and Paul Tillich (1886-1965) who took a more liberal view rather than literal view of the Bible. Liberal theology challenges the legitimacy of
some biblical passages such as the books of Moses were not all written by Moses, the
miracles were not real life miracles but only stories to teach life lessons and pointed
out contradictions in the Bible.
~Liberation Theology. Liberation theology interprets Jesus’ teachings as liberation from unjust political, economic and social conditions. It began in the Catholic
Church in Latin America in the 1950s and 1960s but has grown internationally and
interdenominationally. It arose as a moral reaction to poverty caused by social injustice. Its influence diminished after being criticized for using Marxist concepts. Paradoxically communism is an oppressive and unjust system in itself.
~Mormonism. In the 1800s Joseph Smith claimed to have a special revelation
from God found in golden tablets that were revealed to him by the angel Moroni.
He was given special glasses to wear so he could read the tablets written in Egyptian
hieroglyphics, which he called reformed Egyptian. As he worked on the translation,
he claimed that John the Baptist was sent by Peter, James and John to visit him and
that John ordained him into the ministry. When the translation work was complete,
with the assistance of Oliver Cowdery, an itinerant school teacher and Erma Hale,
his first and only legal wife, Smith claimed he returned the plates to the angel Moroni. The Book of Mormon was the result of the translation work, which was published in
1830. The subtitle, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” The Book of Mormon claims to
be equal with the Bible as the “sealed book” referenced in Isaiah 29:11. The Book of
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Mormon is filled with verbatim quotes from the King James Version of the Bible (dated
A.D. 1611), although Smith claimed it had been written many centuries before. Mormons revere the teachings of Joseph Smith over those of Jesus Christ. Mormonism
teaches that Christians (called Gentiles) were misguided by an inadequate Gospel and
an inferior body of Scripture. He is called the first Prophet, Apostle and Restorer. His
prophecies and teachings, however, are marked by serious theological error, fictional
history, and erroneous prophecies. They deny the deity of Jesus saying that he is a created being and that one day we will become gods like Jesus became a god after his
resurrection. Brigham Young succeeded Joseph Smith after his death and moved the
group to Utah before the group split. He wrote: "Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it and see if it will stand the test," (Brigham Young,
May 18, 1873, Journal of Discourses, vol. 16, p. 46.) When compared to the Bible, Mormonism and other Mormon publications it is revealed to be false: it claims that God
was once a man like us who became a god (Nu 23:19); that God has a physical body
like us and is not a spirit, contrary to what Jesus taught (John 4:24); that the Trinity
What does Mormonism teach about the person of Jesus Christ?
What spiritual error does Mormonism share with the false teaching of Arianism of the early church?
What does Mormonism teach about eternal salvation that is contrary to the
gospel of Christ?
What did Liberal Theologians do to undermine the doctrine of the inspiration
and infallibility of Scripture in what is known as textual criticism?
What is Liberation Theology and what economic philosophy does it support?
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consists of three separate gods each with a physical body (Deut 6:4); that Jesus was
not born of a virgin (Matt 1:23); that Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer, a created
being; that personal forgiveness is based on obedience to laws and ordinances; and
that the Bible is only the word of God as it is accurately translated. There are many
more errors of Mormonism from the Christian faith.
~Jehovah’s Witnesses was started by Charles Taze Russell in 1879. They claim to
be the 144,000 witnesses of Revelation who will usher in the kingdom of God when
Christ returns at Armageddon. Their main leader is considered a prophet whose word
is on par with Scripture. There exists a documented history of their leaders predicting
the date of the return of Christ, which have proven false. They rewrote the Bible to fit
their teaching that denies the deity of Jesus Christ in their New World Translation. Their
people are taught by their publication the Watch Tower with all congregations hearing
the same teaching every week. Their church buildings are called Kingdom Halls and
do not have any windows. Some of their main theological errors from Christianity
are: the Bible can only be interpreted by the Watchtower not the individual; the Trinity is an evil-doctrine; salvation is by good works not faith in Christ; Jesus was Michael
the Archangel before becoming man and after his resurrection he returned to that
identity; Jesus is “a god” less than Jehovah; there are two classes of Christians – the
“little flock” of true born-again Christians who will go to heaven (also known as the
144,000) and the “other sheep” who will go to Paradise but not to heaven; we will be
gods in heaven; and Christ has already returned to earth in 1914 and started setting
up his kingdom (World War I was the sign of his coming). Other practices include:
they cannot salute the flag or engage in politics and do not celebrate birthdays or any
holidays since they are pagan and they do not receive blood transfusions, because the
Bible teaches against digesting blood.
~Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King and others condemned racism
on the basis of the Christian gospel to “love your neighbor.” The Civil Rights Movement is best understood as a true revival as opposed to a political movement. He lived
out James’ admonition that “faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:17). Segregation was
abolished and voting rights were affirmed and protected with the Civil Rights Act of
What pastor from Atlanta, Georgia led the civil rights movement in the 1960s?
What Act was passed by Congress in 1964 as a result of the civil rights movement?
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1964. This Act reaffirmed the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 that protected the rights of
African-Americans in the wake of the Civil War and also the rights granted under the
14th Amendment.
~The Charismatic Renewal (1950-1980). The Charismatic Renewal (from the
Greek word, charisma, for the gifts of the Spirit), is a spiritual movement marked by
people receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the gift of speaking in tongues,
and spiritual gifts along with healing, miracles and prophecy as seen in the experience of the early church recorded in Acts. The Charismatic Renewal was an outgrowth of the Pentecostal Revival that started in the Episcopal Church with a priest
named Dennis Bennett in 1960 when he announced from his pulpit that he had been
baptized with the Holy Spirit. He and his wife Rita went to form Christian Renewal
Association and later the Acts 29 ministry. The renewal then spread to the Catholic
Church and then across denominational lines. It shifted into what was called the
“Third-wave" revival in the 1990s with centers of revival where people attended in
masses in various cities. The “prosperity movement” is also a part of the Charismatic
revival with an emphasis on financial prosperity and physical healing. Renewal movements continue in various forms today.
~Christian Television, Radio and the Internet. Early Christian radio began in
the 1950s with such personalities as Rex Humbard, Oral Roberts and Billy Graham
followed by such worldwide outreaches as TBN and CBN. The Internet, YouTube and
Facebook have made global communication available for everyone and has become
the pathway to global preaching of the gospel. Technology fulfilled Jesus’ last days
prophecy into reality: “This gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness for
all nations and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14).
~The Church Growth Movement (1980s). A systematic approach to church
growth, expansion and marketing began which resulted in a plethora of megachurches (2,000 plus members) emerging in America and around the world. The
largest congregations in the world today are in Seoul, Korea. Churches broke from
tradition models of ministry to find cutting-edge, relevant ways of reaching the culture for Christ.
~The Seeker-Sensitive Movement. Pioneered by Pastor Bill Hybels in Chicago
offered a non-traditional approach to worship, church life, architecture and evangelism that shows sensitivity to “unchurched” people who are unfamiliar with Christian
symbols and terminology. The seeker-sensitive movement brought renewal to Evangelical churches with its all appeal to youth and the unchurched. After 30 years of
ministry, however, research revealed that the program-driven approach to discipleship had not worked that well and that discipleship is more the product of Christians
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feeding themselves the word of God and a matter of their personal relationship with
Jesus than the involvement in church programs. The thinking that measuring levels of
people’s involvement in church programs and services will equate to their discipleship
was proven false. Hybels called this shocking research the wake-up call of his adult life
and has led to a refocusing of his ministry.
~Worship Movement and Christian Publications. Contemporary Christian
music and the worship revival emerged as one of the most popular and influential
forms of music in the world with an ever-growing audience. The Bible is the bestselling book in the world. A number of Christian books have reached the New York
How has modern technology changed the way we do world missions and
evangelism? (Matt 24:14)
What is the Seeker-Sensitive movement and how has it changed the modern
church?
What is the modern worship movement and how is it influencing the
church today?
What changes do you see coming to the church in the near future in order
for it to be relevant?
What do you think are the biggest threats facing the church in America today?
Times best-selling list with Christian books and bookstores still occupying a large
market.
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Pollster, George Gallup Jr. said, "The problem is not that Americans don't believe,
it’s that they believe everything. Thus, we find in the extreme cases the weekly churchgoer who believes in everything from channeling, and the born-again Christian who believes in ghosts and witches. The question is how can churches help people discern what
is of God and what is not?"
The apostle Jude exhorts us to "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to
the saints" (Jude 3). The term “the faith” refers to teachings by Jesus Christ and provided
in the Bible. Our personal faith is based on “the faith” of the Christian gospel and the
word of God.
We need to get a grip on what we believe and to know why we believe it. "Always
be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope
that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).
†
THE APOSTLES CREED (A.D. 750)
We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus
Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He
descended into hades; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into
heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He will
come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy
Christian church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE
~ Inspiration, Inerrancy and Authority
 The word inspiration means, “God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16-17). This
means the Scripture is alive and imparts spiritual life to those who receive God’s word by faith (Heb 4:12).
 Inerrancy means the Bible is without error or flaw because its writing
and preservation is the work of God (Matt 25:35; 2 Pt 1:20, 21; Prov
30:5)
 The Bible is our highest authority for belief and life (John 17:7; Psalm
119:89)
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~
†
Evidence of Inspiration
1. Its power to transform our lives
2. Testimony of Jesus who validated
the Old Testament
3. Unity of its content fitting
together as one cohesive book
4. Central theme of salvation
5. Its indestructibility
6. Its archaeological and historical
accuracy
7. Evidence of fulfilled prophecy
8. Superiority of its teachings
What does the term the inspiration of Scripture mean?
(2 Tim 3:16)
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT GOD
~ The Trinity (Deut 6:4; Matt 28:19). There is one God who exists in three
persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The trinity can be illustrated with water.
Water is one substance but takes three forms of liquid, steam and ice.
~ Attributes of God
 Eternal (Genesis 1:1; Ps 90:2). God has always existed and will always
be having no beginning or ending.
 Transcendent (Acts 17:24-31). He is above his creation as one who is
omnipresent (he is everywhere), omniscient (knowing all things) and
omnipotent (having all power).
What does the omnipotence of God mean? (Ps 62:11)
What is the omnipresence of God and what does it mean to you personally? (Ps 139:1-8)
Because God knows all things (omniscience) does that mean that God
causes all things?
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



Self-existent. God told Moses, “I Am” (Ex 3:14). He exists within himself
and has no need of anything. Everything that exists comes from him and
exists for his glory and purpose.
Personality (Eph 4:6). God has the
marks of personality such as thought, What is the one character
feeling and choice, traits that we have quality of God that puts all
because we are made in his image. the other attributes of God
God’s essential nature is love (1 John into perspective?
(1 John 4:8)
4:8).
Creator. The first truth we learn about
God in the Bible is that He created the
universe (Gen 1:1). He is our Father in that He has created us and gives
us life. “In him we live, and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Sovereignty. God watches over the world and is in ultimate control of the
course of human history. Sovereignty means that God rules the world as
our eternal King (Ps 103:19; Dan 4:1-4, 44-45; Rev 11:15). However,
this does not mean that God causes all things. He has given humanity
the freedom of choice but He also set limits of our choice that cannot
violate his ultimate will (Eph 1:9-11).
What does the sovereignty of God mean? (Ps 103:19; Dan 4:1-4, 3435; Rev 11:15)
In your opinion, how is the wisdom and knowledge of God different
from our understanding and ways? (Isa 55:8-9; Rom 11:33-36)
What is the first fact we learn from the Bible about God? (Gen 1:1)
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†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS
~ The Person of Jesus
 His Deity: Jesus is God, the second person of the Triune God who is
equal with the Father (Matt1:23; John 1:1-4; Micah 5:2).
 His Preexistence: As God, Jesus existed with the Father in eternity before
the creation began (John 17:5; Col 1:15-20; Heb 1:1-3).
 His Sinless Nature: Jesus was tempted just like we are but he never sinned
(2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26).
 His Birth. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary through the miracle power
of the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18; Luke 2:26-27, 34-35).
 His Names: The name Jesus means savior and title Christ means Messiah,
the anointed one (Matt 1:21; Matt 16:17).
~
The Ministry of Jesus
 His Miracles confirmed the message he preached and proved him to be
the Messiah (Matt 4:23; Acts 10:38).
 His Teaching: As the word of God who became flesh (John 1:14), he also
spoke the very word of God (Matt 24:35; John 6:63; John 8:31-32).
His primary way of teaching was parables.
 His Death: He paid the penalty of our sins as our redeemer (Isa 53:5).
He suffered in our place as a substitution and took the judgment for sin
we deserved (2 Cor 5:21). As a result, God has pardoned us from sin
(Rom 1:18; 5:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10). The atonement of Jesus was ordained
for us before God created the world (Eph 1:4; 1 Pt 1:18-20).
When did God ordain the plan of our salvation through Jesus his son?
(1 Pt 1:18-19; Eph 1:4-5)

His Resurrection: He actually rose from the dead physically (1 Cor 15:124). His resurrection was confirmed by eyewitnesses and by Roman
and Jewish authorities that said the tomb was empty on the third day
even though it was guarded by Roman soldiers. The resurrection is also
proved by the apostles who were martyred for their testimony about
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

his resurrection. His resurrection guarantees our resurrection and the
promise of eternal life (John 14:9; 1 John 2:25).
His Ascension (Acts 1:9-11). After spending forty days with his disciples
after his resurrection, he returned to heaven as Lord (Phil 2:9-11) and
as our high priest who intercedes for us (Heb 4:14-16).
His Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). He is coming again to restore all things as they were in the Garden of Eden (Ephesians 1:9-10).
His second coming will be actual, not symbolic (Acts 1:9-11). His return will also be visible. Everyone will see him (Rev 1:7). He will
overcome evil at the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-16). His return
is imminent, which means he could return at any moment (Matt
24:44).
What does the deity (or divinity) of Jesus mean? (Matt 1:23; John
1:1-4; 10:30; 14:8-9; 17:24)
Why did Jesus perform miracles? (John 10:31, 37-38)
What was Jesus’ primary way of teaching? (Mark 4:2)
Give three historical proofs of Jesus’ resurrection.
1.
2.
3
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†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
~ The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead co-existent with the
Father and the Son.
~ Indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Salvation: the Spirit of God lives in us
and remains with us as our helper, teacher, guide and intercessor when we are
saved (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Cor 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20; Eph1:13; 4:30).
~ Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said we needed to be baptized or filled
with the Spirit for power (Acts 1:8). We can also receive fresh infillings of the
Spirit (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:1-6; Eph 5:18).
~ Fruit and Gifts: The Holy Spirit works to transform us into the image of
Christ so that we produce the nine fruits of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18; Gal 5:2223). The Spirit also gives us spiritual gifts to enable us to minister to others
(Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:7-11; Eph 4:11).
Who is the Holy Spirit? (Gen 1:2; Job 33:4; John 14:16-17)
Why did Jesus say we need the Holy Spirit? (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8)
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:4; 13:52; Eph
5:18).
What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit and why do we need them? (1 Cor
12:11; Heb 2:3-4)
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Our faith shapes our lives. How we believe determines how we live. We will face
challenges to our faith. So we need to know what we believe and why we believe it as
Christians so we can effectively share our faith with others. We cannot share what we do
not know. We cannot defend what we cannot explain. Let’s continue our review of core
Christian beliefs given to us in the New Testament on the subjects of humanity, salvation
and the second coming of Jesus.
†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT HUMANITY
~ Creation
 The doctrine of creation is the first truth taught in the Bible that is the
foundation of our faith (Gen 1:1; Heb 11:3). God is our creator, first
and foremost. He created the universe, the earth and humanity in his
own image. This means that we are made with intention not by chance;
with divine purpose not evolutionary accident. God used time and process
in creation as is taught in Genesis – one fact that creationism and evolution agree on. The main purpose of the creation narrative is not to provide all the scientific facts of how God brought everything into being but
to reveal that he did create everything and that he did it with a purpose.
~ Creation of Humanity (Gen 1:26, 27).
 The image of God: We are made in the mental image (the ability to
think, feel and choose); the spiritual image: (the desire to have relationship with God); the moral image (the ability to know right and wrong);
and the social image (the need for relationships) of God.
Why is the doctrine of divine creation important to our faith? (Gen 1:13; Heb 11:3)
What do you think “the image of God” means? (Gen 1:26-27)

Human nature (1 Thess 5:23): We have a spirit (our awareness of God),
a mind (to think, feel and choose) and a body (to experience the world
around us).
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
~
Human authority and stewardship: God blessed us with the ability and
responsibility to rule the earth and the animals and to manage the
world as good stewards (Gen 1:28). (The word steward means manager.) God commissioned Adam and Eve to have children and to rule the
world, a commission also given to each person.
Fall of Humanity into Sin (Gen 3:1-24). The Genesis story is one of
both creation and salvation. God always saves what he creates.
 Temptation and sin: Satan appeared in Eden and deceived Adam and
Eve to disobey God with the lie that they would be like God and equal
to him (Gen 3:1-5; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:9). Their sin is called “original
sin.”
 Here are the results of their original sin:
a. They were separated from God (Eph 2:1-3)
b. The world/earth was flawed (Rom 8:18-23)
c. They experienced fear and guilt (Gen 3:10)
d. Death entered the world (Rom 5:12)
e. The ground was cursed (Gen 3:17; Rev 21:1-5)
f. The sin nature was transferred to all generations (Rom 3:23; 5:12)
h. Atonement (which means a covering) and forgiveness was
provided by God’s grace because he loved them (Gen 3:21;
Heb 9:14; 1 John 1:9)
i. God remained with them when they left Eden and continued to
bless them (Gen 4:1)
 The image of God in us is marred by sin. We are a mixture of good and
bad. We are made in God’s image but we also have a sinful nature that
is in rebellion toward God. Jesus came to deliver us from sin and its
effects and to restore in us the image of God (Rom 8:29; Col 3:10).
Spiritual growth is described in Scripture as being conformed to the
image of God in Christ.
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What was God’s commission to Adam and Eve that also applies to
every person? (Gen 1:28-29)
What was the original sin of Adam and Eve? (Choose one)
1. Eating an apple
2. Walking around naked
3. Disobeying the commandment of God
What emotion did Adam and Eve feel when they first sinned? (Gen
3:10)
What did God do when they first sinned and what does that teach
us about the nature of God? (Gen 3:8-9)
Since Adam and Eve did not drop over dead when they disobeyed
God, what do you think it means that God warned them they
would die if they sinned?
What is sin and what are the effects of sin? (Rom 6:23; 1 John 3:4)
†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT SALVATION
~ What Happens at our Salvation. When we receive Jesus as our Savior by
faith several powerful spiritual changes occur. We are…
 Saved (sozo, Greek), which means to be made whole, to be set free, to
be delivered and to be make complete (Rom 1:16).
 Born Again and have eternal life (John 3:3; Titus 3:5; 1 Pt 1:23).
 Justified, which means to be pardoned and acquitted of our guilt (Rom
3:24; 5:1,9; 2 Cor 5:21).
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




Sanctified, which means to be made holy, to be special and to be set
apart for God’s purpose (Acts 26:18; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pt 1:2; 2 Cor 7:1;
1 Thess 4:16-18; Heb 12:14; 1 John 3:2).
Reconciled, which means to restore the broken relationship between God
and us because of our sin and to be at peace with God (Eph 2:11-22;
Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18-20; Col 1:20).
Adopted, which means we have the full rights of our spiritual inheritance
as sons and daughters of God as we are blessed with every spiritual
blessing (Eph 1:3-5; Rom 8:14-23; Gal 4:4-6).
Redeemed, which means to be delivered from the slavery of sin and to
regain something valuable that was lost (Rom 8:14-30; Gal 3:13-14; 1
Pt 1:18-20).
Glorified, which means we are now being changed with ever-increasing
glory in the image of Jesus (Rom 8:18, 29-31).
What does justification mean? (Rom 1:17; 5:1)
What is sanctification?
~
How Salvation Happens (Eph 2:8, 9; Acts 16:30-31; Rom 10:9-10)
 We are saved by God’s grace. “For by grace are you saved through
faith” (Eph 2:8). Since salvation is a gift from God it cannot be a work
of man. We don’t work to get to heaven. We receive salvation as a free
gift from God based on his love, mercy and grace (the word grace actually means to give freely underscoring this truth).
 We receive God’s gift of salvation by faith in Jesus as our savior and
Lord. “For by grace are you saved through faith” (Eph 2:8). Faith means
to believe Jesus is the son of God and to receive him as your savior
knowing that his death on the cross fully atoned for your sins and that
he took your judgment so that you might go free.
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What two things are necessary for a person to be saved from their
sins? (Rom 10:9-10)
1.
2.
What two things does God promise to do when we confess our sins
to him? (1 John 1:9)
1.
2.


What role does baptism plays in salvation? Water baptism is closely connected to the salvation experience in the New Testament. When people
confessed Jesus as their savior they were baptized shortly thereafter.
However, because two events happen at the same time does not mean
one causes the other. Baptism does not result in salvation. We are saved
only “by grace through faith.” Baptism is a public declaration of one’s
faith in Jesus. The act of being dipped in the water and then coming out
of the water reenacts Jesus going into the grave and then coming out on
the third day by his resurrection. We too have died to sin and it has lost
its power in our lives so that we now live a new life (Rom 6:4). Baptism
is an important sign of our salvation but it is not part of being saved
which occurs only by God’s grace. Jesus commanded us to be baptized
so we are to follow him in obedience. In one sense of the word, baptism
is the first act of obedience to Jesus as a new believer (Matt 28:19).
Good works neither save us nor do they make us more saved. We are
saved by grace and kept by grace. Legalism and works falsely teaches
that we are saved by grace and kept by works. In Galatians Paul calls
such legalism a “yoke of bondage” and tells us to “stand fast in the liberty
with which Christ has made you free” (Gal 5:1). Good works come as a
result of being saved and of being a new person with a desire to share
the good news of salvation with others (Eph 2:10).
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What is God’s grace and what does it mean to be saved by grace?
(Eph 2:8-9)
What does the Holy Spirit do the moment a person is born again?
(1 Cor 6:19)
Why is water baptism important for a new believer? (Matt 28:19;
Rom 6:4)
What is the purpose of good works in a Christian’s life? (Matt
5:14)
Read 2 Peter 3:18 and identify two things necessary in a Christian’s life to grow spiritually?
What does it mean for God to conform us to the image of Christ
and in what ways is that similar to us being made in the image of
God? (Gen 1:26; Rom 8:29; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10)
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†
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE RETURN OF CHRIST.
What does the Bible tell about the future of the world? While much of the future is
shrouded in mystery, we do know certain things will happen in the future. Jesus
promised to actually return so this is not a spiritual metaphor (Matt 24:24). When
he comes, the whole world will witness his return for “every eye will see him” (Rev
1:7).
 Jesus will rapture, which means to catch away suddenly, his people (1 Thess
4:16-18). Scholars differ on when the rapture will take place, but the
prophecy is clear that we will meet the Lord in the clouds of the air. Some
think this will take place at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period
when the Antichrist appears while others believe the rapture occurs at the
same time that Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation period at the Battle of Armageddon.
 There will be a time of Great Tribulation (Matt 24:15). It is a time of the
rise of the antichrist, the mark of the beast (666), God’s judgments on the
earth, and the persecution of believers (Rev Chs. 6-19). The Tribulation is
believed to last for seven years based on Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 9:24-27).
The antichrist is a man who tries to be a world-dictator, inspired by Satan
and will try to control the whole world and turn people away from the living God (2 Thess 2:1-10; Rev 13:1-10).
 The Tribulation will end with the return of Jesus at the Battle of Armageddon (Zech 14; Rev 19:11-20). The antichrist will be defeated and Satan will
be bound.
 Jesus Christ will reign as Lord over the earth for the Millennium, a time of
peace, prosperity and righteousness (Isa 9:6-7; Rev 11:15; 20:1-10). At the
end of this time, the Final Judgment of all things will take place and Satan
will be destroyed forever (Rev 20:11-15).
 God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth where we will live forever
in a world very much like the Garden of Eden (Revelation Chs. 21-22). In
response to these visions of the end of this age, John the Revelator exclaimed, "Even so, come. Lord Jesus." Literally, this phrase means, “be
coming, Lord Jesus.” "Carry out your plan in history in view of your coming!”
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Did Jesus actually promise to return to this earth or is the biblical prophecy of
his second coming just a spiritual metaphor? (Matt 24:27; Acts 1:9-11)
When Jesus returns how many people on the earth will see him? (Rev 1:7)
What is the “Great Tribulation”? (Matt 24:15)
Who is the antichrist and what will he seek to accomplish? (2 Thess 2:1-10)
What is the rapture of the church? (1 Thess 4:16-18)
What is the battle of Armageddon and what will take place at that battle? (Rev
19:11-20)
Read Rev 22:20 and state the last promise of Jesus given in the Bible.
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NOTES
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When Jesus gave prophetic signs of his return, he cautioned us three times about
false prophets and spiritual deception. “Watch out that no one deceives you” (Matt 24:4,
11, 24). Paul told us, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy (Col 2:8).
The apostle Paul gives us an important challenge: “But I am afraid that just as Eve
was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from
your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a
Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough” (2 Cor 11:3-4).
We need to keep our spiritual balance and not be swayed by false teachings or excessive teachings that exaggerate a biblical truth. Truth is based on the total Scripture
not taking selected portions of Scripture out of context. We must interpret and apply
Scripture by the following guidelines:
 History: what did this passage mean when it was first written?

Grammar: know the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words used in a passage.

Context: know the full passage in which a statement appears.

Comparison: compare other Scripture on the same subject especially note
the first time that concept appears in the Bible.

Simplicity: take the most obvious meaning of Scripture and don’t overanalyze
it or read into it something that’s not there.
When we grow up spiritually we will not be “blown back and forth by every wind
of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful schemes” (Eph
4:14) but we will “hold firmly to the faith we profess” (Heb 4:14). Peter tells us, “be on
your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from
your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ” (2 Pt 3:17-18).
What are some of the false teachings and excessive biblical teachings we need to
be on guard against today?
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Explain briefly these five rules for accurate interpretation and application
of Scripture:
1.
History
2.
Original words
3.
Context
4.
Comparison
5.
Simplicity
Why do we need to know the real Christian faith Jesus gave us and be on
our guard against false teachings that often appear in the church?
†
PROSPERITY
God created us to be productive in every area of life including our finances. God gives us
“the ability to produce wealth” (Deut 8:18). Of the righteous person we read, “whatever
he does prospers” (Ps 1:3). The apostle John wrote, “I would pray above all things that
you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).
 On the other hand, we are cautioned against having the wrong attitudes toward wealth. Jesus said “the worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth and the
desires for other things” choke our lives spiritually (Mark 4:18). He also told
us, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A man’s life does not consist in
the abundance of his possession” (Luke 12:15). “The love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil” (1 Tim 6:10). Money is
not the root of evil, but the love of it is.
What is the root of all kinds of
The love of money means the addiction to
evil? (1 Tim 6:10)
money, the worship of money, the arrogance of money that makes us feel better
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

than other people, and idolatry of money where we think the only thing that’s
important in life is the bottom line of profit.
Christians are to practice generous giving to support the ministry of the gospel
in the local church:
 Priority giving (Prov 3:9-10). We give our “first fruits” not leftovers.
The first fruit means the first portion of our earned income. Financial
giving of our tithes and offerings shows that we are free from the fear of
poverty and the love of money and that we are seeking first the kingdom of God (Matt 6:33).
 Proportionate giving. In proportion to our income based on what we
decide in our hearts to give. The proportion needs to be generous. The
tithe is one-tenth (2 Cor 9:6-7).

Punctual giving: “ On the first day of the week” (1 Cor 16:2). We are to
give when we gather for worship.

Praiseful giving: “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be
generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result
in thanksgiving to God (2 Cor 9:11). We give with gratitude to God
recognizing that everything we enjoy is a gift from him. Giving keeps us
from taking things for granted.

Purposeful giving. We give to give; we don’t give to get. We give to support the work of the gospel and to provide for the building of the kingdom of God and the church.
Real prosperity means we experience the provision of the Lord for our basic
needs in life. Materialism is a preoccupation with wealth as the only measurement of success and the false belief that money equals happiness. As Christians
we put the main emphasis of our lives on the spiritual not the material. As we
seek God’s will first in our lives he provides everything else we need. “Seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be given to you as well” (Matt 6:33).
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What does God’s promise of prosperity in Scripture mean?
What do you think is the difference between prosperity and materialism?
Why is financial giving commanded and beneficial to believers?
†
GENERATIONAL CURSES
 The term “generational curse” never appears in the Bible. The passage in Exodus 20:4-6 is misunderstood. God says he will punish “the sin” (not sins) of
idolatry to the third and fourth generations. Notice that it only appears in reference to the second commandment – “you shall not make for yourself an
idol in the form of anything…you shall not bow down or worship them for I
am a jealous God punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third
and fourth generation of those who hate me but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

It is the sin of idolatry God says he will punish for generations. Notice the
word curse does not appear in this passage but rather the word punish. God’s
punishments are acts of love to bring us back to him (see Heb 12:5-11). We
can stop that punishment in any generation when we turn from sin and back
to God (see 2 Chron 7:14). God punishes like a parent does to discipline,
correct and train.

Breaking an imaginary generational curse is not a quick fix to deep-seated
problems in our lives. We overcome these issues as we grow spiritually in the
image of Christ and learn to put off the old self and put on the new self (Eph
4:22-24).

The Bible uses the word curse to mean the consequences of sin (Gen 3:1419). The Mosaic Law contains both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Deut 28-29). It does not speak of a curse in the sense of a voodoo
curse or demonic powers being transferred to generations in families. Specific
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sins aren’t passed down generationally. Jesus dispelled this myth (John 9:1-3).
The disciples of Jesus thought in these terms. When he met a blind man they
asked him who sinned, this man or his parents? Jesus said neither but that it
was an opportunity for the glory of God. Consequences of sin come from
choice not a mystical curse. We reap what we sow (Gal 6:7-9). There is no
such thing as a generational curse of some sinful behavior or demonic spirit
being passed down from generation to generation.
Does the Bible use the phrase generational curse?
What does the biblical word “curse” mean? For example, “I have set before you
blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your descendants may
live” (Deut 30:19).
What is the one sin God says he will punish to the third and fourth generation?
(Ex 20:4-6)

How do we explain the repetitive nature of sins in families, groups and societies? We grow up in a social setting beginning with our family, then school and
friends and the world at large, which all shape and influence our development. Most behaviors are learned behaviors because they are modeled before
us as children. But we always have the power to choose whether we want to
imitate that behavior or choose to be different.

We can pass on generational attitudes, biases, negative and sinful behaviors to
other generations by modeling for them. Racism is a classic example of passing on prejudice. We tend to copy what we learn when we are young. We
must decide we are not going to blindly follow the prejudices, traditions or
dysfunctional ways of the previous generation.

We also are shaped by genetic predisposition. People may have certain genetic
predispositions to certain problems. Women, for example, suffer depression
twice as much as men do because of their biological make-up not because of a
generational curse.

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nation of the law. We are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). We are blessed not
cursed (Eph 1:3). You cannot curse what God has blessed (Nu 23:20-23).
God’s grace gives each generation a new beginning so that no generation has
to repeat what a previous generation did (Rom 5:20).

We must take responsibility for our lives and not blame past generations for
our present struggles (Ezek 18:1-23; Jer 31:30). Ezekiel confronted this false
idea of generational curses and let Israel know that the person who sins is the
one who suffers the consequences not future generations.You decide the quality of your life and your generation and it is up to you to decide. So “forget the
former things,” God says, “I am doing a new thing!” (Isa 43:18). If the mercies
of the Lord are new every morning (Lam 3:23) they are certainly new every
generation.
Why does God punish us as his children? (Heb 12:5-12)
What does Ezekiel say about what generation gets punished for the sins of fathers? (see Ezek 18:14-20).
†
THE GIFT OF TONGUES
 Speaking in tongues is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Cor
12:1-11. The word tongues means languages and it is a language inspired by
the Holy Spirit. The language can either be earthly or heavenly (Acts 2:4; 1
Cor 13:1). The gift of tongues first appeared on the Day of Pentecost as a sign
of the new covenant (Acts 2:1-4).
 The purpose for the gift of tongues is for personal prayer (1 Cor 14:1-5; Rom
8:26, 27) and in a public worship service, along with an interpretation, as a
sign of God’s presence to encourage and build up the people of God (1 Cor
14:5, 26-28).

Guidelines for worship are to be followed when exercising this gift in public (1
Cor 14:26-40).

The gift of interpretation of tongues is not a word for word translation but ra88
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ther an interpretation of the meaning of the message to those present in worship so that everyone will be encouraged by the message.
What does the word “tongues” mean and why does God use this gift in the
church?” (1 Cor 14:22).
What are the spiritual benefits of praying in tongues in private? (1 Cor 14:2-4).
†
THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
 Prophecy, is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and is a message from the Holy Spirit to
God’s people when they are gathered in worship. It can be a part of the
preaching of the gospel or a specific word from the Lord. It can provide guidance and direction. Prophecy reveals the mind, heart and will of God for His
people.

Prophecy is primarily a gift for the church in worship for the purpose of
strengthening, encouraging, comforting, instructing and convicting (1 Cor
14). Prophecy accompanied tongues as a sign of God’s power when the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house became Christians under the preaching of the apostle
Peter (Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6).

It can also take the form of a personal prophecy for an individual (1 Tim 1:18;
Acts 21:10, 11). Personal prophecy can be abused when someone thinks he is
prophesying when, in reality, they are speaking their opinion, venting their
emotions or trying to control other people.

Prophecy is imperfect and is not equal to Scripture (1 Cor 13:9). Prophecies
are subject to Scripture as our highest authority.

The following guidelines should be followed to avoid false prophecy:

Who gave you the prophecy? Are they a reliable source?

Prophecies are not every day occurrences.

Submit the prophecy to your pastor for review.
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
Prophecy should confirm what God is already saying to us not direct our
lives (Acts 21:10-11).

Use common sense. Does it make sense to you? Is the message clear or
ambiguous? Do you feel at peace about following the prophecy?

The current prophecy movement, where a "prophet" gives everyone present in
the meeting a personal word from the Lord, is in great error and should be
avoided. It appeals to our emotions through sensationalism yet leaves behind the
fruit of confusion, bondage and immaturity.

Our main sense of direction is hearing from God through the Scripture and
prayer. The gifts confirm the word of God; they do not substitute nor transcend
it (Heb 2:3, 4).

The gift of prophecy is to be distinguished from the office of the prophet. Not
everyone who gives a prophecy is a prophet. The office of the prophet is one of
the five ministry gifts (Eph 4:11). Every believer can be led by the Holy Spirit
to give a prophecy (1 Cor 12:11).

We should desire the gift of prophecy in our worship services and we should
honor and respect prophecies; but we are told to test them to make sure they
are of God and they line up with Scripture (1 Cor 14:1; 1 Thess 5:20-23).
What is the gift of prophecy and why does God use it in the church? (1 Cor
14:3).
What are some of the ways personal prophecy can be misused?
What guidelines can we follow to know whether a prophecy is really from the
Lord?
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NOTES
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Let’s consider more areas of biblical teaching and spiritual life where clear understanding is needed.
†
HEALING
 Sickness resulted from original sin as an effect of death entering the world
(Gen 3:1-24; Rom 5:12).

Jesus saved us from sin and its effects, including sickness, through his atoning
work (Isa 53; Matt 8:17; Heb 2:14-17; 1 John 3:8; 1 Pt 2:24). Today redemption is accomplished but will not be fully applied until God recreates this
world under the eternal reign of Jesus as Lord.

Our souls are redeemed but not our bodies. The perfection of our physical
bodies remains a future hope (Rom 8:18-25; 1 Pt 3:13; Phil 3:21; 1 Cor
15:50-57; Rev 21-22).

Everyone will die a natural death except those believers caught up in the rapture of the Church (Ecc 3:2; Heb 9:27; 1 Thess 4:16-18).

Sickness, sin and faith are not always related. Job's comforters made the mistake of thinking that they always are related. For example: Jesus taught that
sickness is not always related to personal sin (John 9:1ff). Jesus healed at times
when no faith was present (Luke 22:51). Jesus was hindered by skepticism and
unbelief (Mark 6:5,6). Jesus rewarded faith with healing (Mark 5:34). Christians have at times been sick even though surrounded by an atmosphere of
faith (Acts 9:37; 2 Tim 4:20). Sickness can come from personal sin (Matt 9:26; 1 Cor 11:29, 30; Deut 28:15, 21; John 5:14). It is not our place to judge
the causes of sickness (Matt 7:1-2).

Healing comes through both medical assistance and the power of God. In Acts
28:1-10 there are two different Greeks words used for healing. The first word,
iaomai, means an instantaneous healing while the word, therapeuo, means healing that occurs over time. We also see the combination of medicine and faith
in these passages: 2 Chron 16:12; 1 Tim 5:23; John 9:6; Mark 7:33; 8:23;
6:13.

The Bible puts more emphasis on living healthy than it does on being healed
(Ex 15:26; 1 Thess 5:23; 3 John 2).

Pray in faith for healing but leave the results to God (James 5:13-16).

Healing and miracles are two different things. All healings are not miracles (1
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tions of God’s power. No healing or miracles are permanent but are rather
signs of God’s power to confirm the gospel (Heb 2:3-4). Everyone Jesus
healed eventually died but the healings proved that he is Messiah.
Why does sickness exist?
When will our physical bodies be redeemed? (Phil 3:20-21)
Why did Jesus heal the sick? What ultimately happened to all the people Jesus
healed?
What is the difference between healing and miracles?
†
DEMONS AND DELIVERANCE
 Satan and demon spirits interfere with human life (Luke 10:17; Eph 2:2;
6:12).

The new birth is deliverance from the dominion of darkness, which frees the
believer from demonic control and Satan's rule (Col 1:13). Salvation frees us
from sin and brings us into the kingdom of God (Acts 26:16-18).

Christians cannot be possessed by demons because the Holy Spirit lives in us
(1 Cor 6:19, 20). There is no biblical record where Jesus or his disciples "cast
out" demons from believers. Christians are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit which
means that we belong to God (Eph 1:13; 4:30).

Christians can be influenced by demonic powers if they yield to sin and walk
in disobedience to God (Matt 16:20; Eph 6:10-13; 2 Cor 2:10, 11). We can be
tempted, oppressed and deceived by evil spirits.

Christians have authority over demons (Luke 10:19; James 4:4; 1 Pt 5:8, 9).

A preoccupation with demonic activity leads to exaggerating biblical teachings
about evil, fear of demons, thinking that all problems are caused by the devil,
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and deliverance specialists who offer quick fixes to spiritual problems.

Believers are to deliver the demonized in the authority of Jesus’ name but
such ministry must function under the authority of the Scripture and the
church. This ministry should be in line with the deliverance ministry of Jesus
and the apostles.

The focus of faith is Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life, not the realm
of the demonic (Luke 10:17-23).
When does deliverance from demonic power first happen in a person’s life?
(Col 1:13-14)
Give three reasons why Christians cannot be demon possessed. (Eph 1:1314; 1 Cor 6:19-20; Luke 10:19).
1.
2.
3.
In what ways can demons influence believers?
†
LAW AND GRACE. Grace and law are two sides of the same coin. There is no
conflict or contradiction between law and grace. The only covenant God has with the
world is the covenant of grace that came after the sin of Adam and Eve. Grace is a word
that describes who God is – a God of unconditional love who freely gives us the gift of
eternal life as he saves us from our sins. Let’s put law and grace into perspective.

The law of God is written on our consciences (Rom 2:14-15).
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

Moses wrote the law in stone for the people in the Ten Commandments or literally, ten words (Ex 20:1-17).
The Ten Commandments are moral absolutes and are fulfilled in the law to love
God and to love our neighbor (Matt 22:34-40; Rom 13:8-10; Gal 5:14).

Moses also gave Israel judicial laws for their nation. The penalties of breaking
these laws were not absolute. Cases were judged individually with a balance of
justice and mercy (James 2:13). Our laws are rooted in the judicial system of
the Jews.

Israel also had ceremonial laws for their holy festivals such as Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. We are not obligated to observe these traditions because
they are fulfilled in Jesus (Col 2:16-17; 1 Cor 5:7).

We are not obligated to keep the Sabbath as the Jews did because Christ is our
Sabbath rest (Matt 11:28-30; 12:1-6; Col 2:16-17; Rom 14:5-6; Heb 4:9-10).

“Christ is the end of the law” (Rom 10:4). The Old Covenant has been fulfilled
and replaced by the New Covenant (Heb 8:7-13).

We are not bound by dietary Jewish regulations; however, there are health benefits from a kosher diet (Acts 10: Rom 14:2-3, 17).

Jesus kept the law, fulfilled the Law (Matt 5:17) and redeemed us from the
curse of the law, which is its condemnation of our sin (Gal 3:13-14).

The law cannot save us from sin nor can we become righteous by keeping the
law (Rom 3:20; Gal 3:11). When we break one of the Ten Commandments we
are guilty of breaking the whole law (James 2:10-11). The purpose of the law is
to give us a standard of righteousness, to reveal our sin and failure of keeping
the law and to lead us to Jesus as our savior (Gal 3:19, 24).

We are saved by grace through faith alone and not by works or by keeping the
law, which is true in both the Old and New Testaments (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:1-2;
Eph 2:8-9; Gal 3:1-6; Phil 3:7-11).
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Why was the law of God given to us? (Rom 3:20; Gal 3:24-25)
What does Paul mean by saying, “Christ is the end of the law?” (Rom 10:4;
Heb 10:1).
Were people in the Old Testament saved by keeping the law? (If you say,
yes, provide a Scripture to support your conclusion). If they were not saved
by the law, how were they saved and made righteous before God? (Gen
15:6; Ps 51:10-12, 17-18; Isa 1:18; Rom 3:21-25).
Are we bound by the Old Testament laws, sacrifices, Sabbath and religious
festivals today? (Matt 5:17; Heb 10:1; Col 2:16-17; Rom 14:1-4).
†
SUFFERING


Why is there suffering in the world? Suffering exists because the fallen condition of the world
(Rom 8:18-21), human sin (Mark 7:20-23), evil
influences of Satanic power (Gen 3:1; Eph 6:12),
personal choices (Gal 6:7-9) and the choices of
others that affect us.
Does God cause suffering? No, suffering comes
from living in a broken world. Life happens on its
own. God told Adam and Eve that if they sinned
certain negative results would happen. There are
consequences to choices. The world is imperfect
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and we feel the effects of it. We are influenced by life's own conditions, the
choices of others and also our own choices. There are times when God uses
circumstances or even shapes them but nothing in Scripture says God directly
causes all things to happen because he gave us the power of choice.

Does God use suffering? God works in all things (Rom 8:28) but that does not
mean that he causes all things. Because God knows all things doesn’t mean he
causes all things. The apostle James does not say that God causes the trials only
that when they do come, from whatever the source, we are to rejoice because
"the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2). Notice carefully
that the name of God does not appear in this passage. He later says we should
ask God for wisdom when facing difficulty (James 1:5-8).
In what ways do the choices of others and of ourselves cause suffering?
What is the difference between God causing suffering (which He does not
do) and God working in our suffering? (Rom 8:28)

God does test us and he uses circumstances to test us but that does not mean
he causes suffering or difficulty. God tested Abraham’s faith (Gen 22:1). But
God does not afflict his people personally to teach them or to make them
grow spiritually. We can grow though any circumstance and we should but that
is up to us how we respond to suffering. God’s plans are to prosper us and not
to harm us (Jer 29:11). The disciples of Jesus learned from him but Jesus never afflicted them so that they would learn. Suffering exists because of the effects of sin in our world. When Christ returns and makes a new earth then
there will be “no more death, or mourning, or crying or pain for the old order
of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4).

We choose how suffering and difficulty will affect us. We decide to become
better or bitter. We choose to be optimistic or pessimistic. Suffering does not
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make us better people neither does it build character. People can allow suffering to destroy their faith. It’s what we do that determines how suffering affects us. We build our own character by deciding how to respond to suffering.
In what ways do you think God works all things together for our good?
What is the best attitude a Christian can have in suffering according to James
1:2-4?
Why do you think that rejoicing in suffering is beneficial to a Christian?
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NOTES
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