Lesson 15 - God the Holy Spirit: His Advent

Under the Mosaic Law the Holy Spirit indwelt and empowered only a few believers such as Artisans (Ex. 31:1-5), Judges (Num. 11:25-29; Jud. 3:9-10), Prophets (Ezek. 2:2), and Kings (1 Sam. 10:6; 16:13). Also, the Holy Spirit could be taken from a believer as an act of discipline (1 Sam. 16:14-16; cf. Ps. 51:11).
The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
During the ministry of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was promised to come into the world in a special way (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7). The Holy Spirit began His special ministry in the world on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4).
The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of unbelievers to convict them concerning their unbelief in Jesus as Savior, that Jesus is righteous and has been accepted by the Father, and that Satan has been judged and condemned (John 16:8-11; cf. John 3:18). The Holy Spirit also restrains sin and evil in the world (2 Thess. 2:7).
The Holy Spirit works in the life of the believer
At salvation:
Regeneration (John 3:3-6; cf. 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 2:13).
Indwelling each believer (John 14:16-17; Rom. 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Baptizing into union with Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; 3:27).
Sealing each believer with Himself ( 4:30).
Blessing with every spiritual blessing ( 1:3).
Providing spiritual gifts for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 12:4-11).
After salvation:
Teaching through the Word and glorifying Jesus (John 16:12-15).
Recalling Scripture to mind (John 14:26; 16:13).
Filling (empowering and guiding) ( 5:18).
Sustaining a spiritual walk ( 5:16, 25).
Illuminating the mind and making Scripture understandable (1 Cor. 2:11-13).

Lesson 14 - God the Holy Spirit: His Personality

The Personality of the Holy Spirit in Scripture
"The Spirit is said to do that which is possible only for a person to do. a) He reproves the world (John 16:8), b) He teaches (John 14:26), c) the Spirit speaks (Gal. 4:6), d) the Spirit intercedes (Rom. 8:26), e) the Spirit leads (Gal. 5:18), f) the Spirit appoints men to specific service (Acts 13:2; cf. Acts 20:28), g) the Spirit is Himself subject to appointment (John 15:26), h) the Spirit ministers: He regenerates (John 3:6), He seals (Eph. 4:30), He baptizes (1 Cor. 12:13), He fills (Eph. 5:18). He is affected as a person by other beings. a) The Father sends Him into the world (John 14:16, 26), and the Son sends Him into the world (John 16:7). b) Men may vex the Spirit (Isa. 63:10), they may grieve Him (Eph. 4:30), they may quench (resist) Him (1 Thess. 5:19), they may blaspheme Him (Matt. 12:31), they may lie to Him (Acts 5:3), they may disrespect Him (Heb. 10:29), they may speak against Him (Matt. 12:32). All Bible terms related to the Spirit imply His personality. a) He is called “another Comforter” (Advocate), which indicates that He is as much a person as Christ (John 14:16-17; 26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1-2), b) He is called a Spirit in the same personal sense as God is called a Spirit (John 4:24), c) the pronouns used of the Spirit imply His personality. In the Greek language the word “spirit” is a neuter noun which would naturally call for a neuter pronoun, and in a few instances the neuter pronoun is used (Rom. 8:16, 26); but often the masculine form of the pronoun is used, thus emphasizing the fact of the personality of the Spirit (John 14:16-17; 16:7-15)."[1]
God the Holy Spirit Is Co-equal with the Father and the Son
He is called God. This fact will be seen by comparing Isaiah 6:8-9 with Acts 28:25-26; Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17. (Note also 2 Cor. 3:18 ASV, and Acts 5:3, 4—“Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?… thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”.)
He has the attributes of God (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; 1 Cor. 2:9-11; Heb. 9:14).
The Holy Spirit performs the works of God (Ps. 104:30; Luke 12:11-12; Acts 1:5; 20:28; 1 Cor. 6:11; 2:8-11; 2 Pet. 1:21).
The Holy Spirit is presented in Scripture as a personal object of faith (Ps. 51:11; Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:19-21). As an object of faith, He is also One to be obeyed. The believer in Christ, walking in fellowship with the Spirit, experiences His power, His guidance, His instruction, and His sufficiency, and confirms experientially the great doctrines concerning the personality of the Spirit which are revealed in Scripture.[2]
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 88-89.
[2] Ibid., 89-90.

Lesson 13 - God the Son: His Coming with His Saints

The Second Coming of Christ to establish His kingdom on earth (Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14; 2 Sam. 7:16; Ps. 89:3-4, 34-37; Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-6; Luke 1:31-33; cf. Matt. 6:9-10; 19:28; 25:31; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:4-6) is distinguished from the Rapture of the Church where He takes Christians to heaven (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; cf. 1 Cor. 15:51-53).
Important Events Preceding the Second Coming of Christ
A period of preparation will follow the rapture in which ten nations will be formed into a confederacy in a revival of the ancient Roman Empire. Out of this will emerge a dictator who will control first three then all ten of the nations.
A period of peace will be brought about by the dictator in the Mediterranean area, beginning with a covenant with Israel planned for seven years (Dan. 9:27).
A time of persecution for Israel and for all believers in Christ will be brought about when the dictator breaks his covenant after the first three and one half years.[1]
Vital Facts Related to the Second Coming
The Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth (Zech. 14:4), personally (Matt. 25:31; Rev. 19:11-16), and on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7). According to all biblical passages, it will be a glorious event which the entire world will see (Rev. 1:7).
According to the revelation given by Christ Himself recorded in Matthew 24:26-29, His glorious appearing will be like lightning shining from the East to the West.
In His second coming to the earth, Christ is accompanied by saints and angels in a dramatic procession (Rev. 19:11-16).
At His coming, Christ will first judge the armies of the world deployed in battle (Rev. 19:15-21). As He sets up His kingdom, He will regather Israel and judge them (Ezek. 20:34-38) relative to their worthiness to enter the millennial kingdom. In a similar way He will gather the Gentiles or “the nations” and judge them (Matt. 25:31-46).[2]
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 82.
[2] Ibid., 83-84.

Lesson 12 - God the Son: His Coming for His Saints

     There is Bible prophecy concerning Jesus’ return to earth. However, a distinction must be drawn between Jesus coming for His saints at the Rapture, and Jesus coming with His saints at His Second Coming to reign for a thousand years (Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 19:28; 25:31; Rev. 19:11-21). Jesus is now in heaven preparing a place for us to be with Him there (John 14:1-3). Paul describes Jesus’ return for the church in which we shall be caught up (Grk. ἁρπάζω harpazo; Lat. Rapturo - to seize, catch up) to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Paul explains to the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 15:51-53) that the changing of our bodies at the Lord’s return is a mystery (μυστήριον musterion – something not revealed in the OT, but is revealed here for the first time). Below are the various views on the rapture of the church:
Pre-Tribulation Rapture: The church is taken out of the world before the Tribulation begins (1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10).
Partial Rapture: Only believers who faithfully watch for the Lord’s return will be raptured out of the world before the Tribulation (Matt. 24:40-44). This view confuses the Second Coming of Christ with the Rapture of the Church.
Mid-Tribulation Rapture: The church is taken out of the world in the middle of the Tribulation (Rev. 11:1-15). This view—and the Pre-Wrath Rapture view— ignores the biblical passages that teach God will spare the church from wrath and tribulation (1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10).
Pre-Wrath Rapture: The church is taken out of the world just before God’s wrath is greatest (Rev. 14:10; 16:1).
Post-Tribulation Rapture: The church is raptured up as Christ is returning to earth at His Second Coming (John 16:33). This view seeks to merge the rapture of the church with the Second Coming of Christ.
 

Lesson 11 - God the Son: His Ascension and Priestly Ministry

     After His resurrection, Jesus ascended bodily to heaven (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11). The biblical record is that Jesus is now in heaven (Acts 2:32-35; 7:55-56; Eph. 1:20-22; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 4:16). Jesus went up to heaven bodily and will return the same way when He comes back to establish His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:11-21).
     The ascension of Jesus into heaven signaled the end of His ministry on earth. Jesus had come to earth to offer the Davidic kingdom to Israel (2 Sam. 7:12-13; Ps. 89:3-4, 34-36; Luke 1:30-33; Matt. 4:17; 10:5-7), but after they rejected Him, the Davidic kingdom was postponed until His Second Coming (read pages 71-72). The prominent work of Christ in heaven is that of High Priest in which He accomplishes the following:
As High Priest over the true tabernacle on high, the Lord Jesus Christ has entered into heaven itself there to minister as Priest in behalf of those who are His own in the world (Heb. 8:1-6).[1]
As our High Priest Christ is the bestower of spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:7-11).
The ascended Christ as Priest ever lives to make intercession for His own (Heb. 7:25).
Christ now appears for His own in the presence of God (Heb. 9:24; 1 John 2:1).
     Jesus Christ is currently at work on earth both with and in believers (Matt. 28:18-20; John 14:20; Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27). He is the One who imparts life to those who believe in Him (John 10:10; 1 John 5:12). He also strengthens us to do His will (Eph. 6:10; Phil. 4:13).
[1] These four points are taken directly from Major Bible Themes, pages 72-74.

Lesson 10 - God the Son: His Resurrection

     The Bible speaks of a general resurrection (Job 19:25-27; Dan. 12:2), as well as the resurrection of Christ (Ps. 16:9-10; cf. Acts 2:24-31; 13:34-37). Jesus predicts both His own death and His resurrection (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:12, 28-29, 31-32; Mark 9:30-32; 14:28; Luke 9:22; 18:31-34; John 2:19-22; 10:17-18).
     Jesus’ resurrection is an essential part of the gospel message (1 Cor. 15:3-4).  If Jesus is not raised from the dead, then His death on the cross was not effective, and we have believed in a false Messiah (1 Cor. 15:17).  However, the Scriptural testimony is very clear: Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion and forty days later ascended to heaven.  Here are several biblical facts about Jesus resurrection:
It was predicted by Jesus (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19).
It showed Jesus overcame death (Acts 2:23-24).
It was central to the gospel message (Acts 26:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).
It had many eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:5-8).
It was argued as true against those who disbelieved (1 Cor. 15:12-19).
It reveals Jesus as the first among many to be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20).
It reveals Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 1:3-4).
It is the basis for our new life (1 Pet. 1:3).
Resurrected believers will not know the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:6).
     Jesus’ resurrection from the dead guarantees our future. His life is our life, and His victory is our victory. We will be raised because He has been raised. In the resurrection, our new bodies will be like Jesus’ new body, which will never know sin or decay (Phil. 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2).

Lesson 9 - God the Son: His Substitutionary Death

     The death of Jesus is an important doctrine in Scripture. At a point in time, God the Son came into the world and added humanity to himself, becoming fully God and man at the same time (John 1:1, 14). Scripture reveals Jesus was born under the Mosaic Law (Gal. 4:4), fulfilled the Law perfectly (Matt. 5:17-19), and committed no sin during His life on earth (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 John 3:5). His sinless life qualified Him to die a substitutionary death in our place, “the just for [ὑπὲρ huper] the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18; cf. Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Jesus died to redeem us who are marked by sin and death (Mark 10:45), for “In Him we have redemption [ἀπολύτρωσις apolutrosis – the payment that frees a captive] through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7; cf. Col. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). His death on the cross forever satisfied [ἱλαστήριον hilasterion – an acceptable sacrifice that satisfies] every righteous demand God had toward our sin (Rom. 3:24-25; Heb. 10:10-14; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), and is the basis for forgiveness [ἄφεσις aphesis – forgiveness, dismissal, release] and reconciliation [καταλλάσσω katallasso – to reconcile ] to God (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Col. 1:13-14; 20-22). The death of Christ was sufficient for everyone (Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), but is effectual only for those who believe (John 3:16, 20:31; Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:7).
     Salvation is a work of God alone. It is never accomplished by what we do for God, but rather, what God has accomplished for us through the Person and work of Jesus Christ who died for our sins (John 3:16), and who freely gives us eternal life and the gift of righteousness (John 10:28; Phil. 3:9).

Lesson 8 - God the Son: His Incarnation

God the Son: His Incarnation
"When considering the Incarnation, two important truths should be realized: (1) Christ became at the same time and in the absolute sense very God and very man, and (2) in becoming flesh He, though laying aside His glory, in no sense laid aside His deity. In His incarnation He retained every essential attribute of deity. His full deity and complete humanity are essential to His work on the cross. If He were not man, He could not die; if He were not God, His death would not have had infinite value."[1]
The Son, Who was with God and is God, took upon Himself humanity (John 1:1; 14; Phil. 2:6-7; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3, 8).
The Fact of Christ’s Humanity
The humanity of Christ was purposed before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-7; 3:11; Rev. 13:8).[2]
Every type of prophecy of the Old Testament concerning Christ was an anticipation of the incarnate Son of God (i.e. Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:21-23 & Isa. 53:6; John 1:29 & Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:1-5).
The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in His annunciation and birth (Luke 1:31-35).
His life on earth revealed His humanity. “(1) by His human names: “The Son of man,” “The man Christ Jesus,” “The Son of David,” and the like; (2) by His human parentage: He is mentioned as “the fruit of the loins,” “her firstborn,” “of this man’s seed,” “seed of David,” “seed of Abraham,” “made of a woman,” “sprang from Judah”; (3) by the fact that He possessed a human body, soul, and spirit (Matt. 26: 38; John 13: 21; 1 John 4: 2, 9); and (4) by His self-imposed human limitations.”[3]
The humanity of Christ is seen in His death and resurrection. It was His humanity that suffered and died on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), and resurrected bodily from the grave (Luke 24:39; John 20:27).
The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in that He ascended to heaven and is now, in His human glorified body, ministering for His own (Acts 1:9; Heb. 7:25).
When He comes again it will be the “same Jesus” coming as He went, in the same body (though glorified) in which He became incarnate (Acts 1:11).
Reasons for the Incarnation
He came to reveal God to men (Matt. 11:27; John 1:18; 14:9; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 3:16). By the incarnation the incomprehensible God is translated into terms of human understanding.[4]
He came to reveal man. He is God’s ideal man and as such is an example to believers (1 Pet. 2:21); but He is never an example to the unsaved, since God is not now seeking to reform the unsaved, but rather to save them.
He came to provide a sacrifice for sin. For this reason He is seen thanking God for His human body and this in relation to true sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:1-10).
He came in the flesh that He might destroy the works of the Devil (John 12:31; 16:11; Col. 2:13-15; Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8).
He came into the world that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God (Heb. 2:16-17; 8:1; 9: 11-12, 24).
He came in the flesh that He might fulfill the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:16; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 2:30, 31, 36; Rom. 15:8). In His glorified human body He will appear and reign as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,” and will sit on the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32; Rev. 19:16).
As incarnate, He becomes Head over all things to the church, which is the new creation, the new humanity (Eph. 1:22).
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 56.
[2] These seven points are taken directly from pages 57-8.
[3] Ibid., 58.
[4] These seven points are taken directly from pages 58-59.

Lesson 7 - God the Son: His Deity and Eternity

Direct Statements of the Eternity and Deity of the Son of God
God the Son exists eternally (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Micah 5:2; John 1:1-2; 5:18; 8:58; 10:33; 17:5; 20:28; Phil. 2:5-7; Heb. 1:1-3, 8; 13:8).
Implications that the Son of God is Eternal
The works of creation are ascribed to Jesus (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). He must, therefore, exist before all creation.
Jesus is the Angel of Jehovah that appears in the Old Testament. “Though He appears at times as an angel or even as a man, He bears the unmistakable marks of deity. He appeared to Hagar (Gen. 16:7), to Abraham (Gen. 18:1; 22:11-12; 11-12; note John 8:58), to Jacob (Gen. 48:15-16; note also Gen. 31:11-13; 32:24-32), to Moses (Exod. 3:2, 14), to Joshua (Josh. 5:13-14), and to Manoah (Judg. 13:19-22). He it is who fights for, and defends, His own (2 Kings 19:35; 1 Chron. 21:15-16; Ps. 34:7; Zech. 14:1-4).”[1]
Jesus holds titles of deity. “The titles of the Lord Jesus Christ indicate His eternal being. He is precisely what His names imply. He is ‘The Son of God,’ ‘The Only Begotten Son,’ ‘The First and the Last,’ ‘The Alpha and Omega,’ ‘The Lord,’ ‘Lord of All,’ ‘Lord of Glory,’ ‘The Christ,’ ‘Wonderful,’ ‘Counsellor,’ ‘The Mighty God,’ ‘The Father of Eternity,’ ‘God,’ ‘God With Us,’ ‘Our Great God.’ These titles relate Him to the Old Testament revelation of Jehovah-God (cp. Matt. 1:23 with Isa. 7:14; Matt. 4:7 with Deut. 6:16; Mark 5:19 with Ps. 66:16; and Matt. 22:42-45; with Ps. 110:1).”[2]
Jesus possesses the attributes of God. “The preexistence and eternity of the Son of God are implied in the fact that He has the attributes of God— life (John 1:4), self-existence (John 5:26), immutability (Heb. 13:8), truth (John 14:6), love (1 John 3:16), holiness (Heb. 7:26), eternity (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:11), omnipresence (Matt. 28:20), omniscience (1 Cor. 4:5; Col. 2:3), and omnipotence (Matt. 28:18; Rev. 1:8).”[3]
Jesus is worshipped as God. “In like manner the preexistence and eternity of Christ are implied in the fact that He is worshiped as God (John 20:28; Acts 7:59-60; Heb. 1:6). It follows that since the Lord Jesus Christ is God, He is from everlasting to everlasting.”[4]
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 54.
[2] Ibid., 54.
[3] Ibid., 54-55.
[4] Ibid., 55.

Lesson 6 - God the Father

The Trinity is observed in the Old Testament, and clearly seen in the New Testament. God the Father is presented as the first Person among the members of the Trinity. Each Person is observed in Scripture as having certain characteristics and activities. “The Father is presented as electing, loving, and bestowing. The Son is presented as suffering, redeeming, and upholding the universe. The Holy Spirit is presented as regenerating, indwelling, baptizing, energizing, and sanctifying.”[1]
In a general sense, the first Person of the Godhead is the Father of all creation ( 2:10; Acts 17:24-29; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:14-15; Heb. 12:9). This is not to be confused with universal salvation, which teaches that everyone goes to heaven.
The first Person of the Godhead is Father by intimate relationship ( 4:22; 2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 103:13).
The first Person of the Godhead is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ( 9:6; Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 1:14; 3:16; 17:1; Eph. 1:3). “Obviously the terms “father” and “son” are used of God to describe the intimate relationship of the First and Second Persons without necessarily fulfilling all the aspects that would be true in a human relationship of father and son. This is especially evident in the fact that both the Father and the Son are eternal.”[2]
The Father of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (John 1:12-13; Gal. 3:26). In contrast, those who are not children of God belong to Satan (Matt. 13:38; John 8:44).
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 45.
[2] Ibid., 47.

Lesson 5 - The Trinity

     The doctrine of the Trinity simply teaches that there is one God, who exists as three Persons who are co-equal (they share the same attributes), co-infinite (not bound by time or space), and co-eternal (have eternally existed).  The Bible does not teach tritheism (three absolutely separate gods), nor does it teach modalism (that there is one person who manifests himself in three forms as Father, Son, and Spirit).  Though there are difficulties in understanding the Trinity, the Biblical evidence is clear that God exists as thee distinct Persons.
     The three Persons of the God-head are one in essence (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:6-8; John 10:30; 17:11). The use of the Hebrew numeral dx’(a, echad reveals, in some contexts, the idea of a complex one (cf. Gen. 2:24; Ezra 3:1; Ezek. 37:17). There is one God who exists as three distinct Persons within the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2): God the Father (Gal. 1:1; Eph. 6:23; Phil. 2:11), God the Son (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1, 8:58; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; 2 Cor. 13:14).
     The primary names of God are: Yahweh (hw

Lesson 4 - The Bible as Divine Revelation

Forms of Divine Revelation
The revelation of God in creation (Ps. 19:1-2; Rom. 1:18-20).
Revelation in Christ (John 1:18; 14:9). Jesus is a revelation of the Father to mankind; yet, we know about Jesus only from Scripture.
Revelation in the written Word (1 Thess. 2:13; cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
Special Revelation
God the Holy Spirit illumines the Christian mind to know the Bible (1 Cor. 2:10-13).
The natural man (i.e. the unbeliever) cannot know the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).
Interpretation of the Bible
Individual passages of Scripture must be viewed within the context of the whole Bible, within the context of the book in which it appears, and within the immediate context of chapter and paragraph.
Each passage must be interpreted according to the person(s) to whom it was written. Primary and secondary application must be considered.
Because God is the divine Author behind each human author, there will be theological continuity in Scripture. This means that when we interpret a passage, we must seek to do so in light of other theological statements in Scripture.
Knowledge of the original languages of Scripture (Hebrew and Greek) helps shed light on the meaning of words and phrases. Where such knowledge is lacking, the student must rely on lexicons and commentaries for help. “In addition to determining the actual meaning of the words, proper interpretation assumes that each word has its normal literal meaning unless there are good reasons for regarding it as a figure of speech.”[1]
The Christian must guard against prejudice. “While it is proper for any interpreter of Scripture to approach a passage with theological convictions arising from a study of the entire Bible, care should be taken not to twist a text into what it does not say in order to harmonize it with preconceived ideas. Each text should be allowed to speak for itself even if it leaves temporarily some unresolved problems of harmonization with other Scripture.”[2]
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 35.
[2] Ibid., 35.

Lesson 3 - The Subject and Purpose of the Bible

Jesus Christ as the Subject
Jesus Christ as the Creator (Gen. 1:1; John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17).
Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world. It is the Father’s will that every knee shall bow in submission to Jesus (Phil. 2:9-11). Jesus Christ will establish His kingdom on earth (Dan. 7:13-14; Luke 1:31-33) when He returns at His second coming (Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-6). Jesus is also the sovereign head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23). As supreme ruler, Jesus Christ is the judge of all men (John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:30-31; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 4:5).
Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 1:3).
Jesus Christ as Savior (Gen. 3:15; John 3:16; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12).
The Purpose of the Bible
"According to the written Word of God, one supreme purpose is revealed in all that God has done or will do, from the beginning of creation to the farthest reaches of eternity. This supreme purpose is the manifestation of the glory of God. For this one purpose angels were created, the material universe was designed to reflect that glory, and man was created in the image and likeness of God. In the inscrutable wisdom of God, even sin was permitted and redemption was provided with a view toward the realization of this supreme purpose."[1]
God’s creation glorifies Him (Ps. 19:1).
The nation of Israel is for the glory of God (Isa. 60:21; Jer. 13:11).
Salvation is unto the glory of God (Rom. 9:22-23).
All service should be unto the glory of God (Matt. 5:16; John 15:8; 17:1, 5). “The Bible itself is God’s instrument by which He prepares the man of God unto every good work (2 Tim. 3: 16-17).”[2]
The Christian’s new passion is that God may be glorified (Rom. 5:2).
Even the believer’s death glorifies God (John 21:19).
The saved one is appointed to share in the glory of Christ (John 17:22; Col. 3:4).
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 28.
[2] Ibid., 29.

Lesson 2 - The Inspiration of Scripture

     Major views of inspiration: 1) The dictation view which says the entire Bible was dictated directly from God to man.  2) The neo-orthodox view which teaches the Bible contains errors, but can still be used by God to reveal Himself and Jesus.  3) The concept theory which holds the concepts of the Bible are inspired but not the very words.  4) The partial inspiration view which argues that only parts of the Bible are inspired, but contains errors concerning history, geography and science.  5) The naturalistic inspiration view which says the Bible is just a human book with nothing divine in it.  6) The verbal plenary inspiration view which teaches every word of the Bible is divinely inspired and without error.
     Verbal plenary inspiration is the evangelical view.  Though the Bible was written by fallible men, each was superintended by God the Holy Spirit, Who guided them in such a way that what they wrote, without compromising their personal choices of words and literary style, penned God’s inerrant Word.  There is a parallel between the written Word and the Living Word.  Just as God took a sinful woman, Mary, and supernaturally produced a sinless and perfect Person, Jesus; so God took sinful men and used them to produce a perfect book that accurately reflects His thoughts and will for mankind.  The human authors—without forfeiting their personal literary style—wrote under the direction and superintending care of God the Holy Spirit (Ex. 17:14; 34:27; Isa. 30:8; Jer. 30:2; Luke 1:3; 1 Cor. 14:37; Rev. 1:11), so that what is written is the inerrant and infallible “word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13; cf. Ps. 12:6-7; Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20).  Some of the various literary styles include historical narrative, law, poetry, psalms, proverbs, parables, and symbolism.  The Bible is a dual authorship.
"By the term Dual Authorship, two facts are indicated, namely, that, on the divine side, the Scriptures are the Word of God in the sense that they originate with Him and are the expression of His mind alone; and, on the human side, certain men have been chosen of God for the high honor and responsibility of receiving God’s Word and transcribing it into written form. Granting that it is God’s purpose to place His Word in written form into the hands of men, the method He has employed to do this is the natural way in which it would be done."[1]
     The Bible is God’s Word penned by men who wrote under the inspiration and superintending guidance of God the Holy Spirit.  The end result is that the Bible is perfect in all it reveals about God, nature, mankind, history, prophecy, and our most excellent salvation provided by our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer, “Bibliology” Bibliotheca Sacra, 94 (1937): 398-399.

Lesson 1 - The Bible as the Word of God

     The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word βίβλος biblos which means scroll or book. The Bible is a library of sixty six books, composed by approximately forty human authors spanning nearly fifteen hundred years.  “The purpose of God in providing the Bible is that man, to whom the Bible is addressed, may be possessed of dependable information regarding things tangible and intangible, temporal and eternal, visible and invisible, earthly and heavenly.”[1] 
     Internally, the Bible claims to be the word of God (Ex. 17:14; 34:27; Dan. 7:1; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25).  Paul equated the writings of Moses and Luke as Scripture (1 Tim. 5:18), as Peter did the writings of Paul (2 Pet. 3:15-16).  It reveals there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons within the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2): God the Father (Gal. 1:1; Eph. 6:23; Phil. 2:11), God the Son (John 1:1, 14, 18; 8:58; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; 2 Cor. 13:14).  All three are co-equal, co-infinite, co-eternal, and worthy of all praise and service.  The Bible also reveals the origins of the universe (Gen. 1:1), mankind (Gen. 1:26-27), sin (Gen. 3:1-8), salvation (John 3:16), and the future (Rev. 21-22), just to name a few.  The Bible does not reveal all there is to know about God or His plans and actions, but only what He deems important (Deut. 29:29; cf. John 21:25). 
     Externally, the Bible has a wealth of manuscript evidence (13,000 manuscript copies & portions of texts), has been translated into more languages than any other book, has perfect continuity regarding what it reveals about God and creation (Job 26:7; Isa. 40:22), has transformed countless lives, and served as a basis for law and morality. 
     In Summary, the Bible is God’s Word to man, revealing what He deems important, and those who are positive to God accept and live by it.
 
[1]Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Mich. Kregel Publication, 1993), 105.

What it Means to Follow Jesus

     To follow Jesus means we follow Him for who He is and not who we want Him to be. There is a biblical Jesus and a worldly Jesus. The worldly Jesus is the one the world sets forth. He is the ecumenical Jesus who never judges, never offends, never stands up for truth, never divides, embraces other religions, wants to improve the world rather than convert the heart, and lets everyone into heaven. There are many moral people who follow this Jesus, and the world loves them for it. In the end, this is a Jesus of their making who fits their agendas. It’s a Jesus who serves them.
     But what does the Bible reveal about Jesus? The Bible reveals Jesus is God who added humanity to Himself (John 1:1, 14; 5:18; 10:33; 20:28), and that He is worthy of worship (Matt. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9). He lived a sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 John 3:5), willingly went to the cross and died in our place (John 3:16; 10:14-18), and was buried and rose again on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Concerning salvation, Jesus is the only Savior (John 14:6), and it is only by grace through faith in Him that one is eternally saved (Eph. 2:8-9). There is no salvation apart from Jesus (Acts 4:12).
     During His incarnation, there was a time when Jesus was popular with the masses because He fed them (John 6:1-14), but when they wanted to take Him by force and make Him king, He withdrew from them (John 6:15). The same crowd later pursued Jesus, not because they embraced Him or His teaching, but because they wanted another free meal (John 6:24-26) and He corrected their selfish motives (John 6:27). Jesus was kind to the sick and helpless (Matt. 8:1-3; 20:34; Luke 5:13), yet He did not hesitate to condemn the religious and powerful (Matt. 23:13-36). For the most part, Jesus was rejected by the majority of those who heard and saw Him (John 3:19; 12:37; 15:24). At times He caused division (John 7:43; 9:16; 10:19), even among His own disciples (John 6:66), as well as members of a family in the same household (Luke 12:51-53).
     Jesus called men to follow Him (Matt. 4:18-19; 9:9; John 1:43), and He had many female followers as well, several of whom funded His earthly ministry (Luke 8:1-3). To follow Jesus means to learn His teaching, obey His commands and model our life after Him. Followers of Jesus were to share the gospel (Matt. 4:19), not be bound by the world’s values (Matt. 8:19-22), treasure Jesus above one’s profession (Matt. 9:9), be committed to Jesus above family (Matt. 10:34-38; cf. Mark 1:20), and deny self and take up one’s cross daily (Matt. 16:24; cf. Luke 9:23). There is no place for personal glory or selfishness in serving the Lord, as one’s life is given for His glory and the benefit of others (1 Cor. 10:32-33; Phil. 2:3-4). To follow Jesus is a lifelong pursuit.

Biblical Facts About the Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus’ resurrection is an essential part of the gospel.  If Jesus is not raised from the dead, then His death on the cross was not effective, and we have believed in a false Messiah.  However, the Scriptural testimony is very clear: Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion and forty days later ascended to heaven.  Here are several biblical facts about Jesus resurrection:
 
It was predicted by Jesus (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19).
It showed Jesus overcame death (Acts 2:23-24).
It was central to the gospel message (Acts 26:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).
It had many eyewitnesses, including: Mary Magdalene and other women (John 20:10-18; Matt. 28:8-9), two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), the disciples without Thomas (John 20:19-25), the disciples with Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23), Peter, James, and more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor. 15:5-7), Stephen (Acts 7:56), Paul (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:8), the disciples at Jerusalem before His ascension (Acts 1:3-9), and John on the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9-18).
It was argued as true against those who disbelieved (1 Cor. 15:12-19).
It reveals Jesus as the first among many to be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20).
It reveals Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 1:3-4).
It is the basis for our new life (1 Pet. 1:3).
Those who are raised with Christ will not know the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:5-6).

The Biblical Foundation for Christian Faith

John’s Gospel is a written deposition concerning the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  It is written with a bias to persuade the unsaved person to believe (πιστεύω pisteuo) in Jesus as Savior (John 19:35; cf. 20:30-31).  The Greek word πιστεύω pisteuo is a transitive verb, which means it takes a direct object, which is Jesus Christ.  If one accepts John’s report as true concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the logical result is to look to Jesus as our Savior and reap the benefit of eternal life (John 3:16; cf. John 10:28).  It is important that we realize our faith is based on objective truth and not subjective experiences or feelings.  Paul, when sharing the gospel, based his message on the historical reality of Jesus and the eye witnesses of those who knew Him (1 Cor. 15:3-8).  For us, as Christians living long after the events of the cross, we accept the biblical testimony as true, believing Jesus died for our sins, was buried in a grave and was resurrected on the third day.  More so, we understand that salvation is by grace (we don’t deserve it), through faith (a rational response to the gospel), in Jesus Christ (the One who saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life; see John 3:16; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5).  Once saved, we continue to live by faith in God and His Word (Rom. 10:17; Heb. 4:2), applying it to our lives (Rom. 14:23; James 1:22), and realizing it is the only thing that pleases God (Heb. 11:6). 

The Benefits of the Cross

The death of Jesus was an atoning sacrifice that paid the price for our sin (Mark 10:45; Rom. 3:24; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).  This means our sin, which offends God, is actually removed from us (i.e. expiated) and put on Christ (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:26), and He was judged in our place, the innocent for the guilty (Rom. 5:6-8; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18).  The death of Christ was a voluntary act of love, as Jesus gave His life for us (John 10:14-18).  As a result, the Father is forever satisfied (i.e. propitiated) because Jesus paid for our sin (Rom. 3:24-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2), and the Christian will never be condemned (Rom. 8:1).  The blood of Christ is the coin of the heavenly realm that pays our sin-debt and forever satisfies God’s righteous demands for sin.  In addition, the death of Christ removes God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9), reconciles us to the Father (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19), produces lasting peace (Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20), forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), a life of purpose in serving Him (Col. 3:23-24), and a future in heaven (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). 

Dealing with Injustice

God the Father was in complete control of the circumstances surrounding the trials and crucifixion of Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).  Though unjustly attacked, Jesus knew He was doing the Father’s will (John 6:38; 10:14-18; 12:27; 18:11) and did not retaliate against His attackers (1 Pet. 2:21-23).  Unlike Jesus, Christians are capable of sin (Eccl. 7:20; 1 Pet. 4:15), and we should accept our punishment when we do wrong (Acts 25:11).  But like Jesus, there are times when we will experience unjust persecution (1 Pet. 3:14-17; 4:12-19).  We must start with the realization that there are times when God sovereignly permits His people to suffer or die (see Acts 5:40-41; 7:54-60), and other times allows them to escape (Acts 9:23-25).  If possible, the believer can avoid unjust suffering such as when Jesus walked away from His attackers (John 8:59; 10:31, 39), or when Paul avoided stoning (Acts 14:5-6) or an unjust trial (Acts 25:1-12).  However, when there is no escape, the Christian must bear up under such hardships with an attitude of faith, trusting the Lord sees what’s happening and will act as He determines best.  Stephen is a good example of a believer who trusted God when being violently attacked (Acts 7:58-60).  Certainly God will avenge the innocent (2 Thess. 1:6-7); however, there may be times when He surprises us by showing grace and mercy to those don’t deserve it, such as the grace shown to Paul when he was persecuting the church (Acts 9:1-6; Gal. 1:15-16).  By faith, the Christian who suffers unjustly is not to retaliate (Rom. 12:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:21-23), but is called to love and pray for his enemies (Luke 6:27-29), and to bless them (Rom. 12:14; 1 Pet. 3:8-9), if perhaps God may grant them saving grace (2 Tim. 2:24-26). 

Jesus: The King and His Kingdom

God is sovereign over the affairs of mankind and He rules over His creation (Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 2:21; 4:34-35).  God promised David that he would have a son who would rule over an earthly kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16; Ps. 89:3-4, 35-37), and that son would rule in righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:14-15).  God revealed that Jesus is the son of David who will rule (Luke 1:30-33).  Jesus offered the kingdom to Israel (Matt. 4:17; 10:1-7), but the majority rejected both Jesus and His offer, so Jesus began to denounce them because of their rejection (Matt. 11:20), and eventually pronounced judgment upon the nation (Matt. 23:37-39).  Though the kingdom was rejected, the Davidic promise still stands, and Jesus will bring in the kingdom at His second coming (Matt. 19:28; 25:31; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:4).  The millennial kingdom will become an eternal kingdom (1 Cor. 15:24-25; 2 Pet. 3:13).

Our motivation for obedience to God

Jesus loved the Father (John 14:31) and submitted Himself to do the Father’s will (Matt. 26:39-44; cf. Rom. 5:19; Phil. 2:5-8), which included enduring the illegal trials of His accusers, as well as the eventual beatings and crucifixion.  It was prophesied in Scripture that Jesus would suffer and die (Gen. 3:15; Ps. 22:16-18; Isa. 50:4-7; 52:14; 53:3-12; Matt. 26:67; Mark 10:32-34).  As Christians, we are called to a life of obedience to God; which means learning and living His Word (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2). Obedience marks the life of the one who claims to know and love God (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-5).  Obedience to God also means embracing unjust suffering, just as Christ did (1 Pet. 1:19-24; 3:14-17; 4:19).

The Doctrine of Sanctification

To be sanctified (Heb. קָדָשׁ qadash Grk. ἁγιάζω hagiazo) means to be set apart.  God’s essential nature is holy; therefore, He is set apart as righteous (Lev. 11:44-45).  In God’s creation, sanctification has the idea of being set apart for special purpose.  In the OT, sanctification included certain days (Gen. 2:3; cf. Ex. 20:8), people and animals (Ex. 13:2), the nation of Israel (Ex. 19:6), and everything associated with worship, including the altar, its utensils, the laver for washing, and those who executed the priestly ceremonies (Ex. 40:10-13).  In the NT, we are said to be positionally sanctified in union with Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10, 14), experientially sanctified because of our obedience to God’s Word (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:14-16), and will be eternally sanctified when we leave this world and enter heaven (1 John 3:1-3; Rom. 8:29-30; Jude 24-25). 
 
Positional and eternal sanctification are accomplished entirely by God (monergism).  However, experiential sanctification is a collaboration (synergism) in which God directs and empowers us to be set apart from the world to do His will (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:14-16).  The means of experiential sanctification is by learning and living God’s Word (John 17:17; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 4:1, 11-14; Col. 3:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), and walking in dependence on the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:16, 25).  The place where sanctification occurs is in Satan’s world (John 17:14-16; cf. 15:19). 
 
Believers live in a world that is currently under Satan’s control.  Like Joseph in Egypt, or Daniel in Babylon, we serve as God’s ambassadors to a fallen world that is hostile toward us.  Some Christians seek to avoid worldly conflict by withdrawing from it, pursuing monasticism; whereas others avoid conflict by embracing the world and its values.  Biblically, we are to be in the world, in regular contact with unbelievers, graciously lovingly and living God’s will in opposition to the world’s values, and sharing Christ with those who will listen.  We cannot change the world, but we can avoid being forced into its mold by learning and living God’s Word, and sharing the Gospel message that others might be saved out of it.  God Himself will eventually destroy Satan and his world-system and will create a new universe.  Until then, “according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13). 

John 12:21 - The Doctrine of Providence

"Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Ps. 145:9 cf. Mt. 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Ps. 107; Jb. 1:12; 2:6; Gn. 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph. 1:9–12)."[1]
God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His elect.  People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls.  The Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).  God is good and “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11; cf. Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 4:35), and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).  By His sovereign will God created all things in heaven and earth, and sustains and directs them as He desires.  God “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).  The Lord knows all things at all times.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29), and the ever-changing number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30).  He knows our thoughts before we think them (Ps. 139:2), and our words before we speak them (Ps. 139:4).  He knows our wickedness (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-22), and chooses to love us by grace, in spite of our sinfulness (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-9).  Some He elects to purpose, even from the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).  Because God is righteous, all His actions are just.  Because He is loving and good, He directs all things for the benefit of His elect.  The wicked are also under God’s sovereign control, and He uses them for His own ends (Prov. 16:4).  God’s sovereignty, expressed through His providential control, produces confidence in those who know He is directing all things after the counsel of His will.  The growing believer knows “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Where the Bible is silent, the believer seeks to discern God’s will through His providential direction as He guides people circumstantially.  The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His providential plan.
 
 
[1] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979.

God's Love to Us

God is love (1 John 4:8), and He demonstrated His love for us through His Son, Jesus, who humbled Himself to do the Father’s will (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:5-8).  God loved us and gave His Son to die for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10).  He loved us while we were helpless sinners who were in a state of hostility toward Him (Rom. 5:6-10).  He loved us while we were dead in our sins, under wrath, and living in disobedience (Eph. 2:1-3).  The benefits of God’s love for those who believe include: forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), justification before God (Rom. 3:24-28; 8:33-34), peace with God (Rom. 5:1), spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), union with the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 1:13), deliverance from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13), citizenship in heaven (Philip. 3:20), a future resurrection body (1 Cor. 15:50-58), and a future home in heaven (John 14:1-3).  The more we understand and accept His love for us, the more our lives will respond in thankful-obedience to Him (John 14:15, 21, 23-24, 31; 1 John 2:3; 5:3), and will manifest love to others (1 John 4:11, 19-21), even our enemies (Matt. 5:44-45; Luke 6:27-28; 35). 

Dealing with Adversity and Stress

The events leading up to the cross—and Jesus’ words about leaving them—had shaken the disciples and Jesus knew it.  Their souls had become troubled and Jesus sought to stabilize them by strengthening their faith.  The word troubled translates the Greek verb ταράσσω tarasso, which means “to cause inward turmoil, stir up, disturb, unsettle, throw into confusion.”[1]  The passive form of the verb means they had received troubling circumstances into their souls.  The pressures of life are inevitable and none of us are completely impervious to them.  Even Jesus—in His humanity—was troubled when facing the cross (John 12:27; 13:21); however, He was sustained by keeping focus on the Father’s will (John 4:34; 5:30; John 6:38; cf. Matt. 26:39), and there was joy in the midst of the trial (Heb. 12:2).  Each believer is responsible for what he/she allows to enter their heart (Prov. 4:23).  Adversity is unavoidable, but how we handle it is optional.  The believer cannot always control negative circumstances, but neither does he/she have to be controlled by them.  God’s Word—applied by faith—provides a shield for the soul that can stabilize the believer in times of adversity (Eph. 6:16; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; 1 John 5:4). Mental and emotional stability is obtained when the believer looks to God (Prov. 3:5-6; Isa. 26:3-4; Jer. 17:7-8), learns His Word (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), walks in dependence on the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16, 25), lives by faith (Heb. 10:38; 11:1, 6), becomes thankful for adversity (Rom. 5:3-5; Eph. 5:20; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; Jam. 1:2-4), develops a discipline of prayer (Col. 4:2; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:17), and learns to focus on God in everything (2 Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:1-2).
 
[1] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 990.

The Believer's Identity in Christ

     To be in Christ is to be identified with Him in a real and personal way. The Christian who is advancing spiritually must, at some point, learn to live in the reality of his new position in Christ. By faith, his life experience should grow to reflect the reality of his position in Christ and in the family of God. Truth, love, mercy, grace, righteousness, sacrifice, and other Christian virtues should become increasingly evident as the believer engages in his daily pursuit of God, as he seeks to lay hold of the One who in love laid hold of him and by grace saved him and displayed His wonderful riches upon him. Here are just a few the blessings for the believer:
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3).
We are children of God (John 3:6; Gal. 3:26; 1 Pet. 1:23; Tit. 3:5).
We are given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28; 20:31).
We are made ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
We are transferred to the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12).
We are all saints in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:18-19; 2:19).
We are made kings and priests to God (Rev. 1:6).
We are indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 1:13).
We are guaranteed a new home in heaven (John 14:1-3).
We have special access to His throne of grace (Heb. 4:16).
The larger list of blessings are here: http://wp.me/p3bc4W-4Y 

To Love Like Christ

Love is an act of the will that obeys God and seeks His best in others.  God commanded the Israelites to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5) and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18).  Jesus provided a new commandment to love as He loves (John 13:34-35; 15:12).  Jesus’ love modeled obedience to the Father (John 14:31), commitment to His disciples (John 13:1), and humility and sacrifice for the undeserving (John 13:1-17; 1 John 3:16).  Christian love is modeled on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:44-47; Luke 6:32-35; John 13:34; 14:15; 15:12; 1 Cor. 13:4-8a; Eph. 5:1-2; 1 John 3:23; 4:10-11).

Christian Humility

Jesus’ object lesson of washing feet is a picture of forgiveness and humble service to the undeserving.  Jesus stated to His disciples, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).  Here, the Lord instructed His disciples to forgive and humbly serve each other (cf. Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12-13; 1 Pet. 5:5).  In relation to God, Christian humility is not a sense of worthlessness, but unworthiness of the Lord’s love and blessings (Eph. 2:8-9).  In relation to others, humility is not thinking less of self, but more of others (Philip. 2:3-4).  True Christian humility is voluntary—or self-imposed—as the believer surrenders his personal desires in loving service to others for their spiritual and material benefit.  Humility has the notion of child-like dependence, as Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 18:3-4).  The greatest display of humility is found in God the Son who left His glory in heaven (Phi. 2:5-8; cf. John 17:5), became a man (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 10:5), became the servant of others (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17), and ultimately “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phi. 2:8).  The glory of humility is seen at the cross (John 12:23, 32-33), where Jesus gave His life as an atoning substitutionary sacrifice for others (Rom. 5:6-10; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:18).

When Believers Hide

Because of persecution, there have been times, and are times, when God’s people hide (κρύπτω krupto – to hide) themselves, or are hidden by others.  There appear to be both just and sinful reasons for hiding.  By faith, Moses’ parents hid him from Pharaoh (Heb. 11:23).  Obadiah hid one hundred prophets of the Lord and provided food and water for them (1 Kings 18:1-4).  These were true prophets, for a false prophet would not have been afraid of the public hostility of Ahab and Jezebel.  It is recorded that Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto) from an attack by the Jewish leadership (John 8:59).  Certainly there was no sin in Jesus’ action.  In contrast, it appears Elijah, in a state of irrational fear, ran for his life and hid in a cave (1 Kings 19:1-10).  He thought he was the last prophet in Israel and was unaware of 7000 faithful Israelites who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).  It would seem these 7000 believers were concealing their faith for fear of persecution; otherwise, Elijah would have known about them and not thought he was the last of God’s prophets (1 Ki. 19:10).  Some of the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day had “believed in Him” (John 12:42a); however, “because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (Joh 12:42b).  These believers chose to hide their faith for sinful reasons, because “they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43).  One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt. 26:33-35, 69-75).  Scripture reveals Joseph of Arimathea was “a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one (κρύπτω krupto) for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38).  However, after the crucifixion, he exposed his faith for all to see, and apparently did not fear oppression.  Spiritual maturity and strong faith leads the believer to overcome fear and to live confidently in God’s will, seeking God’s glory over personal protection. Full article: https://thinkingonscripture.com/2017/02/04/when-believers-hide/ 

The Doctrine of Providence

"Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Ps. 145:9 cf. Mt. 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Ps. 107; Jb. 1:12; 2:6; Gn. 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph. 1:9–12)."[1]
 
God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His elect.  People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls.  The Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).  God is good and “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11; cf. Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 4:35), and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).  By His sovereign will God created all things in heaven and earth, and sustains and directs them as He desires.  God “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).  The Lord knows all things at all times.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29), and the ever-changing number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30).  He knows our thoughts before we think them (Ps. 139:2), and our words before we speak them (Ps. 139:4).  He knows our wickedness (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-22), and chooses to love us by grace, in spite of our sinfulness (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-9).  Some He elects to purpose, even from the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).  Because God is righteous, all His actions are just.  Because He is loving and good, He directs all things for the benefit of His elect.  The wicked are also under God’s sovereign control, and He uses them for His own ends (Prov. 16:4).  God’s sovereignty, expressed through His providential control, produces confidence in those who know He is directing all things after the counsel of His will.  The growing believer knows “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Where the Bible is silent, the believer seeks to discern God’s will through His providential direction as He guides people circumstantially.  The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His providential plan.
 
[1] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979.

The Divine Perspective

God is sovereign (Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Isa. 46:9-10; Dan. 4:35), controlling kings and nations to do His will (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21).  Though God never creates evil, He can does control those who do (John 6:70-71; 19:10-11; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28).  In sovereignty, the Father has elected some to salvation (John 6: 64-65; Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5), illuminating them to the Gospel (Acts 16:14; cf. Luke 24:45-46), and providing forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21), and eternal life (John 10:28).

Women in the Life and Ministry of Christ

The Gospels give prominence to certain women in Jesus’ life and ministry.  There are unnamed women that Jesus healed: Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31), a widow who had lost her son (Luke 7:11-15), a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years (Luke 13:10-17), and a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years (Mark 5:22-29).  There are unnamed women who were impressed with Jesus: the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), a woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50), those who traveled with Jesus and funded His ministry (some are named and others not; Matt. 27:55-56; Luke 8:1-3), and those who followed Him after His arrest (Luke 23:27).  Those specifically named include: Mary, Jesus’ mother (John 2:1-11; 19:25-27), Joanna and Susanna (Luke 8:3), Mary and Martha of Bethany (Luke 10:38-39; John 11:1-44; 12:1-8), and Mary Magdalene who was the first to see the risen Lord and report His resurrection to others (John 20:1-17).  

Resuscitation or Resurrection

The Bible reveals both resuscitation and resurrection.  Resuscitation means a person who has died is brought back to life but will die again (see Matt. 27:50-53; Luke 7:15; 8:53-55; John 11:43-44; 12:9-11).  Resurrection means a person will be brought back to life with a new body and will never again experience death.  Jesus was the first Person to be resurrected (John 20:1-18; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rev. 1:5).  In the future, Jesus will resurrect Christians at the time of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:14-17), OT saints (Job 19:25-27; Ezek. 37:21-25; Dan. 12:1-2; Matt. 19:28), saints who were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4), and finally all unbelievers at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:5).  What happens between death and resurrection?  Some teach that when a person dies, the soul enters into a state of unconscious sleep, unaware of anything, until the time of future resurrection.  However, the Bible teaches that the soul separates from the body at death (Eccl. 12:7), and continues in a state of consciousness.  Examples include Lazarus and the Rich man (Luke 16:19-31), and Moses and Elijah who appeared alive at Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:1-4).  Further, when talking to the thief on the cross, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).  Since the thief was going to die physically, Jesus must have been referring to his soul, which has consciousness after physical death.  This reality is promoted by Paul, who preferred to be absent from his body in order to be present with Christ (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23).

Pastor Teachers

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as the Shepherd who leads, feeds, and protects His people (Isa. 40:11; Ps. 23:1-6; 80:1; 100:1-3; Ezek. 34:10-16).  Under the Mosaic Law, God appointed human leaders who shared His values and modeled His behavior, to lead His people (2 Sam. 5:1-3; cf. 1 Sam. 17:34-37; Jer. 3:15).  However, throughout Israel’s history there have been many false shepherds who devoured God’s people and gave nothing in return (Isa. 56:9-12; Jer. 23:1-4; Ezek. 34:1-10).  In the midst of such poor leadership, God promised He would raise David to shepherd Israel in the future (Ezek. 34:23-25; 37:24-28).  In the New Testament, Jesus is called the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), who provides (John 10:7-9, 11, 14, 16-17) and instructs His people (Mark 6:34).  In the Church age, God has appointed under-shepherds (i.e. pastors) to lead, feed and protect His people (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28-32; Eph. 4:11-14, 1 Pet. 5:1-2).  Pastors are appointed by God (Acts 20:28; cf. Eph. 4:11).  They are referred to as elders, bishops, and overseers (Acts 20:17, 28; Tit. 1:5-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-5), who work within the church, and with the church, serving as examples, and not “lording” their authority over others (1 Pet. 5:3).  Pastors are servants, doing God’s will and serving others in truth.

Eternal Security and the Life of Faith

When one believes in Jesus as Savior, he/she is born again and given eternal life (John 3:16-18; 10:28). Eternal life is a gift, given by the Lord Jesus Christ, to those who trust Him as Savior (Rom. 4:1-5; 5:6-10; Eph. 2:8-9).  Eternal life means we are eternally secure in our salvation, since it rests entirely in God’s ability to save and keep us saved.  “Eternal security is the work of God that guarantees that the gift of salvation, once received, is forever and cannot be lost. The concept of eternal security emphasizes God’s activity in guaranteeing the eternal possession of the gift of eternal life." (Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology, 379)  Believers may sin (1 John 2:1), and though they may suffer severe punishment (Heb. 12:5-13), even to the point of death (1 John 5:16-17), their salvation is never in jeopardy (John 10:28; Rom. 8:1; 38-39).  Those who are given eternal life are called to a life of righteousness (Tit. 2:11-14), in conformity to God’s word (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18-21).

Sin and Forgiveness

Jesus reveals that sin keeps one out of heaven (John 8:21, 24); specifically the sin of unbelief that He is the promised Messiah (cf. John 16:8-9). When one comes to faith in Christ, he/she is forgiven of all their sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14), past, present, and future (Heb. 10:10-14).  Forgiveness is first judicial, removing the penalty of sin (John 3:18; 5:24; Rom. 8:1; 8:33-34).  Forgiveness is also familial, restoring fellowship with God after we’ve sinned (1 John 1:5-10; cf. Ps. 32:1-5). 

Basic Ministries of God the Holy Spirit

During His discourse in John chapter 7, Jesus spoke of the future ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; cf. John 15:26; 16:7), which would occur after His resurrection and ascension on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit was active in the lives of OT saints such as Artisans (Ex. 31:1-5), Judges (Num. 11:25-29; Jud. 3:9-10), Prophets (Ezek. 2:2), and Kings (1 Sam. 10:6; 16:13); however He did not indwell every believer, and could be removed as an act of divine discipline (1 Sam. 16:14-16; Ps. 51:11).  After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s ministry includes regeneration (John 3:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:3; 23), indwelling (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19), baptizing (1 Cor. 12:13), sealing (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), gifting (1 Cor. 12:4-7), filling (Eph. 5:18), equipping (Eph. 4:11-16), and sustaining each believer (Gal. 5:16, 25).  The work of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to spiritual maturity so that we may be effective in our ministries to others. 

The Doctrine of Division

Biblically, there are legitimate and illegitimate reasons for divisions/separations. God causes some divisions and He calls His people to do the same.
Sin causes universal separation from God (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:23).
Fleshly quarrels cause divisions (1 Cor. 1:10-13); though such quarrels are necessary to distinguish the spiritual from the immature (1 Cor. 11:18-19).
Unbelievers cause division in the church (Jude 1:17-19).
God divided rebellious men at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9).
God separated Israel out from Egypt during the exodus (Ex. 3:1-14:31).
Jesus’ teaching caused division (Luke 12:51-53; John 6:66; 7:40-43; 9:16; 10:14-19).
God separates believers from Satan’s kingdom of darkness and transfers them to His kingdom (Col. 1:13-14).
Christians should not be bound with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
Believers should separate from false teachers (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 1:7-11), and those who live in gross immorality (1 Cor. 5:1-2, 9-11; 2 Tim. 3:1-5).
Jesus will separate people at His Second Coming (Matt. 25:31-33).
Jesus will separate unbelievers to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15).

Revelation, Illumination, and Application

Jesus explained that knowing/accepting God’s word is predicated on a desire to do (ποιέω poieo – to do, make) God’s will (John 7:17). Those who are set against God cannot know/accept His word, because they desire to follow Satan and do his will (John 8:42-44; cf. 1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 3:14-16).  Godly desire leads to biblical learning (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2), and biblical learning leads to divine illumination (Ps. 119:18, 97-99, 130; John 16:12-13; Luke 24:44-45; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Eph. 1:17-18), and illumination leads to spiritual growth (Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) and practical application (Matt. 7:24-27; Jam. 1:22).  The growing Christian who learns and applies God’s word will seek the interests of others over self (Phil. 2:3-4), will love others (1 Cor. 13:4-8a; 1 Thess. 3:11-12; 4:9; 1 John 4:7-11), pray for others (Jam. 5:16), encourage others (1 Thess. 5:11), edify others (Rom. 15:1-2; Eph. 4:29), be kind and forgiving (Eph. 4:32), serve others (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:10), and do good works (Eph. 2:10; Tit. 2:11-14).  

The Doctrine of Testing

It is God’s will to test (Heb. נָסָה nasah & בָּחַן bachan, Grk. πειράζω peirazo & δοκιμάζω dokimazo) us with various trials—blessings or adversity—in order to advance us spiritually. Tests by themselves do not automatically produce growth; rather, it’s our faith response to them that brings spiritual advancement.  Biblical reasons for testing:
To see whether we will follow God’s commands (Gen. 22:1-12; cf. Ex. 16:1-5, 16-20, 26-28; Deut. 8:2; Judg. 2:18-22; 3:4; 2 Cor. 2:9).
To reveal what’s in our hearts and whether we love God or not (Deut. 13:1-4; cf. 2 Chron. 32:30-31; Rev. 3:10).
To produce a healthy fear of God (Ex. 20:18-20).
To produce humility for our good (Deut. 8:16-18).
To prove Jesus’ divinity (Matt. 4:1-11).
To educate the believer concerning God’s ability to provide (John 6:5-13).
To produce godly character (Jam. 1:2-4).
To prove the quality of our faith (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
That we may share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
The humble believer welcomes God’s tests (Ps. 26:1-3; 139:23-24).

Future Judgments of Jesus

Jesus’ future judgments include: 1) rewards for believers at the Bema seat (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), 2) the judgment of the Antichrist, false prophet, and hostile nations at Jesus’ Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21), 3) judgment of Gentile believers and unbelievers at the end of the Tribulation (Matt. 25:31-46), 4) the temporary judgment of Satan who is cast in the abyss (Rev. 20:1-3), 5) rewards for believers who were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4), 6) the eternal judgment of Satan and demons who are cast into the Lake of Fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10), 7) the judgment and punishment of all unbelievers at the Great White Throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).

The Wrath of God

The biblical teaching of the wrath of God means that God hates sin (see Ex. 32:9-10; Deut. 9:7-8; 2 Kings 22:13). God judges and condemns that which He hates.  The Biblical teaching of the love of God reveals that God satisfied every demand of His righteousness by judging our sin in the substitute of His Son, Jesus, who bore the wrath that rightfully belongs to us (Isa. 53:6-12; Mark 10:45; Rom. 5:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; 3:18).  God is completely propitiated by the blood of Christ (Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).  Those who reject Christ as Savior continue under God’s wrath (John 3:36; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Thess. 2:14-16; 5:9-10).  Those who trust Jesus as their Savior receive:
Forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14).
The imputation of God’s righteousness (Rom. 5:17-18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).
No condemnation (Rom. 8:1, 31-39).
Reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19).
Peace with God (Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20).
Immunity from the wrath to come (Rom. 5:8-9; Eph. 2:1-7; 5:1-10; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9-10).
A command not to retaliate when attacked, but to pray for others and leave them to God’s judgment (Rom. 12:17-21; 2 Thess. 1:5-7).

The Tribulation and the Corruption of Men's Hearts

During the seven year tribulation, men will behave poorly and run from God. The corruption of men's hearts will be evident as they refuse to turn to God and continue to worship idols.  Men will seek death rather than turn to the Lord.  

Spiritual Sacrifices of the Christian

Just as the Jewish Priest under the Mosaic Law was to
commit himself to a life of service for the benefit of others, so every
Christian has a specific calling by the Lord to do the same.  Under the Mosaic Law the priesthood was open
only men (Num. 18:21; Deut. 21:5), from the Tribe of Levi (Num. 3:6-9; Deut. 18:1), who had no physical defects (Lev. 21:17-23), and met the age requirements (Num. 8:24-25).  Today, however,
every Christian is a priest to God belonging to “a holy priesthood” and “a
royal priesthood” and has the responsibility “to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).  The “spiritual sacrifices” of every Christian
include:
 
1.    The giving of one’s body for service
to the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2).
2.    The sacrifice of praise for
worship (Heb. 13:15).
3.    The doing of good works and
sharing with others (Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:16).
4.    The sacrifice of one’s life for
the benefit of others (Phil 1:21-26; 2:17).
5.    To walk in sacrificial love (Eph.
5:1-2).

The Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of
Jesus is mentioned numerous times in Acts (Acts 1:22; 2:24, 31-32; 3:14-15; 4:1-2,
10, 33; 5:30; 10:39-40; 13:26-39; 17:18, 30-32; 26:22-23). The word resurrection translates the Greek anastasis (Matt 22: 30-32; Luke
20:33-38; John 11:21-25; 1 Cor. 15:12-26; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; Heb. 6:1-3; 1 Pet.
1:3-5; Rev. 20:5-6). The word raised
translates the Greek egeiro, and
often refers to resurrection (Acts 2:24, 32; 10:40; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). The
“the first resurrection” occurs in stages
starting with Christ, and involves only believers. These believers will live
with Christ during His reign and for all eternity (Rev. 20:5-6).  The final resurrection is for unbelievers
only who will be cast into the Lake of Fire, after the millennial reign of
Christ.  

Expositional Preaching

Biblical Expository Preaching is a verse by verse system of communication
that carefully works through a book of the Bible explaining what each word,
sentence, and paragraph meant to the original audience, explaining linguistic,
historical, and cultural issues as they arise, and then bridging the text and
its theological significance to the current listening audience.  After the sermon, the hearers should better
understand what the passage of Scripture meant to the original audience, and
how to apply it to their own lives.  In Biblical Expository Preaching the
message is driven by the text itself, thus liberating the preacher from any
personal agendas he might be tempted to follow. 
The sermon is authoritative only to the degree that it accurately
communicates the biblical text.  

Overview of Bible Prophecy Part 1

Biblical
prophecy is the pronouncement that God will bring certain events to pass,
primarily in connection with His covenants to Israel.  The biblical covenants rest on the integrity
of God and power of God.  Because they
have never been completely fulfilled and God cannot lie or fail with regard to
His promises (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18), their future fulfillments are certain to
come to pass.

Overview of Bible Prophecy Part 2

Biblical
prophecy is the pronouncement that God will bring certain events to pass,
primarily in connection with His covenants to Israel.  The biblical covenants rest on the integrity
of God and power of God.  Because they
have never been completely fulfilled and God cannot lie or fail with regard to
His promises (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18), their future fulfillments are certain to
come to pass.

Biblical Prayer Part 1

Prayer
is most often an appeal to God to change a difficult or helpless situation.  The Lord sovereignly answers our requests as
His wisdom, righteousness and love dictate; sometimes He answers yes and sometimes no.  The Lord has His reasons
and they always glorify Him.  Sometimes
God changes our situations as we request (i.e. concerning employment, health,
finances, etc.), and sometimes He leaves the situation and seeks to change our
attitude (e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh,
2 Cor. 12:7-10).  When God does not
remove a difficult situation as we request, then He intends for us to deal with
it.  God uses difficult situations to
remove pride (Dan. 4:37; 2 Cor. 12:7-10), or to develop godliness (Jam.
1:2-4).  It’s almost always the case that
we prefer God change our circumstances rather than our attitude; and yet, it
seems both biblically and experientially that God prefers to do the
opposite.  Though the Lord is concerned
about our difficult situations, He’s more concerned Christian character than
comfort.