laying the foundation - complete outline

8/14/2019 Laying the Foundation - Complete Outline

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The Inspiration of Scripturea.

The reliability of Scriptureb.

The

canon

of

Scripturec. Dating problems and discrepanciesd.

The Bible:1.

The attributes of God (Who is God?)a.

The Trinityb.

Free will?c.

God:2.

The incarnation (fully God and fully Man?)a.

The resurrectionb.

The ascensionc.

Jesus Christ:3.

Sin and the Old Testament (atonement)a.

Christ as our substitute in deathb.

How do we have assurance?c.

Christ's death:4.

What is man?a.

Adam ‐ represented us when he sinned?b.

Why are we held responsible for what he did?c.

Man & Sin:5.

Who is he in the trinity?a.

Who is

he

to

us?b.

Filled with the Spirit?c.

The Fruit of the Spiritd.

The Holy Spirit:6.

What is the church?a.

When did it start?b.

The

church

through

the

agesc.

The Church:7.

What are angels?a.

Angelic beingsb.

Demonic beingsc.

A devil by any other named.

Demon possessione.

Angels and Demons (without Tom Hanks):8.

Repentancea.

Faithb.

Regenerationc.

Electiond.

Predestination & Foreknowledgee.

Justificationf.

Glorificationg.

Salvation9.

What You Believe: OverviewJanuary‐12‐10

7:48 PM

Laying the Foundation



This is one of the most difficult questions for Christians to answer.The “problem of pain,” as the well-known Christian scholar, C.S. Lewis, once called it, isatheism's most potent weapon against the Christian faith.

There is really no such thing as the “innocent” suffering.Since "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), there is noone who has the right to freedom from God's wrath on the basis of his own innocence.As far as babies are concerned, and others who may be incompetent mentally todistinguish right and wrong, it is clear from both Scripture and universal experience thatthey are sinners by nature and thus will inevitably become sinners by choice as soon asthey are able to do so.The world is now under God's Curse (Genesis 3:17) because of man's rebellion againstGod's Word.This “bondage of corruption,” with the "whole world groaning and travailing together inpain" (Romans 8:21, 22), is universal, affecting all men and women and children

everywhere. God did not create the world this way, and one day will set all things rightagain. In that day, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be nomore death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain"(Revelation 21:4).The Lord Jesus Christ, who was the only truly “innocent” and “righteous” man in allhistory, nevertheless has suffered more than anyone else who ever lived.“Regretfully, we humans suffer from a religious version of Tallest Pygmy Syndrome (TPS). TPS is what causes a full-grown pygmy man who is only 4' 9" tall to boast that he is so much taller than everyone else. He prides himself on his soaring physical stature, but he can do this only because he is comparing himself to a room full of other pygmies—all of whom are shorter than him. His boasting is almost comical: far from being tall, he is actually quite short. He is only the tallest pygmy! We sinners display

something like TPS when we assess ourselves and think that we are good. Far from being good, we are only good in a world full of moral and spiritual pygmies. We are actually quite bad.”

-Robert G. Spinney

For additional reading visit: http://www.hartsvillereformedbaptist.com/badthings.pdf

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Why do bad things happen to good people?January‐13‐10

6:56 PM




A "DaVinci Code view of the Bible"○

Read pg 139 ‐ Bringing your faith to work

The Bible originated in the mind of God, not the mind of man. a.

In Luke 24:27,44; John 5:39; and Hebrews 10:7, Jesus says that what was written about him in the Old

Testament would come to pass.

Plenary "ALL" ‐ Means that all of scripture is inspired, not just parti.

Verbal ‐ Means that inspiration extends to the words of scripture, not just the ideasii.

Two types of inspirationb.

Consider This: God

is

the

source

of

the

Bible

in

that

he

inspired

real

people

to

write

it,

yet

when we read the Bible, the circumstances and character of the writers remain evident; we

are planted into the texture and detail of history rather than being catapulted into a realm

simply of ideas.

Were the authors simply "machines" with which the bible was written?c.

Read Page 16 ‐ The complete book of bible answersd.

The Inspiration of Scripture1.

"Peter, Paul, and John all claimed to be eyewitnesses, and Luke and the writer of Hebrews

claim to have been informed by eyewitnesses. No hearsay evidence was presented, and

these witnesses could (and did) tell where they were when the resurrection happened and

what they were doing"

i.

Eyewitness Evidencea.

There are over 24,000 partial & complete copies of the New Testamenti.

There are more [New Testament] manuscripts copied with greater accuracy andearlier dating than for any secular classic from antiquity.

ii.

No other book is even a close second to the Bible on either the number or earlydating of the copies. The average secular work from antiquity survives on only ahandful of manuscripts; the New Testament boasts thousands.

iii.

The average gap between the original composition and the earliest copy is over1,000 years for other books.

The New Testament, however, has a fragment within one generation from its original

composition, whole books within about 100 years from the time of the autograph[original manuscript], most of the New Testament in less than 200 years, and theentire New Testament within 250 years from the date of its completion.

The degree of accuracy of the copies is greater for the New Testament than for otherbooks that can be compared. Most books do not survive with enough manuscriptsthat make comparison possible.

Documentary Evidenceb.

The harmony of the gospel, separate authors and dates, but they confirm each otherc.

The Bible is a book of prophecy. It is a book where God speaks to man and tells him

what will happen. In the Bible God proves that He truly is God by His ability to know

the future. Many details concerning the Jewish people were told by God hundreds of

The Bible is trustworthy because of the thousands of accurate prophecies it contains.d.

The Reliability of Scripture2.

Laying the

Foundatio...

The BibleJanuary‐19‐10

7:03 PM




years before they happened, the coming of Jesus was told in advance, the details of

His life were prophesied, and there is even a glimpse into the future return of Jesus.

No other religious book makes the same claims that the Bible makes, and no other

book is as consistently accurate as the Bible.

For a book that was written by over 40 people, over the course of 2000years, the Bible

is internally coherent. The message, meaning, and purpose of the Bible do not change

from

book

to

book,

or

from

section

to

section.

The

Bible

is

able

to

achieve

a

level

of

internal consistency unlike any other religious writing. The Old Testament jives with

the New Testament. The story remains the same.

The Bible’s reliability is seen in its remarkable consistency.e.

This is an important one. The Bible is not just a religious book, it is also a history book.

It chronicles the history of the Jewish people as they came into contact with

Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, and many other cultures. So we not only

have the account of the Jewish people from the Bible, but we also have written

records and accounts from these others civilizations.

So far historical research and archaeology have served to confirm the accuracy of the

Bible. The Bible’s accuracy as a history book helps us see that the claims that it makes

about itself can be trusted. The Bible wasn’t just written by some dude in his garage in

the middle

ages.

The accuracy of the Bible is supported by significant historical evidence.f.

"Cannon" comes from the Greek word meaning "measuring stick"a.

Was the book written or backed by a prophet or apostle of God?i.

Is the book authoritative?ii.

Does the book tell the truth about God as it is already known by previous revelation?iii.

Does the book give evidence of having the power of God?iv.

Was the book accepted by the people of God?v.

5 Tests used:b.

Read paragraphs 2‐4 on page 90 of Case for Christc.

The Cannon of Scripture3.

This may seem like a staggering figure to the uninformed mind.

But to those who study the issue, the numbers are not so damning as it may initiallyappear.

Indeed, a look at the hard evidence shows that the New Testament manuscripts areamazingly accurate and trustworthy.

In the many thousands of manuscript copies we possess of the New Testament, scholarshave discovered that there are some 150,000 "variants."

Many of these variants simply involve a missing letter in a word; some involvereversing the order of two words (such as "Christ Jesus" instead of "Jesus Christ");

some may involve the absence of one or more insignificant words.

Really, when all the facts are put on the table, only about 50 of the variants have anyreal significance - and even then, no doctrine of the Christian faith or any moralcommandment is effected by them.

For more than ninety-nine percent of the cases the original text can be reconstructedto a practical certainty.

Even in the few cases where some perplexity remains, this does not impinge on themeaning of Scripture to the point of clouding a tenet of the faith or a mandate of life.

To begin, we must emphasize that out of these 150,000 variants, 99 percent hold virtuallyno significance whatsoever.

Thus, in the Bible as we have it (and as it is conveyed to us through faithful translations)

Discrepancies4.




we do have for practical purposes the very Word of God, inasmuch as the manuscripts doconvey to us the complete vital truth of the originals.

Manuscript #1: Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole worl.Manuscript #2: Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world.Manuscript #3: Jesus Christ s the Savior of the whole world.Manuscript #4: Jesus Christ is th Savior of the whle world.Manuscript #5: Jesus Christ is the Savor of the whole wrld.

Let us suppose we have five manuscript copies of an original document that nolonger exists. Each of the manuscript copies are different. Our goal is to compare themanuscript copies and ascertain what the original must have said. Here are the five

copies:

By practicing the science of textual criticism - comparing all the available manuscripts witheach other - we can come to an assurance regarding what the original document musthave said.

http://calvarywoodland.blogspot.coma.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/Manuscript.htmlb.

Know what you believe ‐ Paul Littlec.

Complete book

of

bible

answers

‐Ron

Littled.

The case for Christ ‐ Lee Strobele.

Bringing your faith to work with you ‐ Norman Geisler, Randy Douglasf.

Sources:5.




Exploring God's

Attributes

To understand it is best to examine the logic behind his existence. To do so we will examine Norman

Geisler's argument for the existence of God.

It is undeniable that some things exist. To deny one’s own existence cannot be done without

affirming it.

Some things undeniably exist1.

Impossiblei.

Possibleii.

Necessaryiii.

So, my existence is not impossible.

What exists only proves that its existence is possible. Only impossible things can not exist.

My existence is not necessary. A necessary existence is on that cannot not exist. If there is a

necessary being, then it must exist necessarily.

3 logical categories of existence:a.

If it had potentiality, it would be possible for it not to exist, but this is precisely what a

necessary existence cannot do.

1)

Actuality is the state of actually existing, pure actuality is the state of existing without

being able

to

exist

in

any

other

way

2)

A necessary existence would be pure actuality with no potentialityi.

Whatever changes must have the ability to change, but since a necessary existence

has not possibility (potential) it cannot have the possibility to change.

1)

A necessary existence would be changelessii.

Space and time involve change of position and moment. A necessary existence cannot

involve either of these.

1)

A necessary existence would have to be a nontemporal and nonspatial existenceiii.

If it ever did not exist, then it would be a possible existence.1)

It has no possibility of non‐existence2)

A necessary existence would have to be eternal iv.

What is pure actuality must be one since there is no way for one thing to differ from

another in

its

being

unless

there

is

real

potentiality

for

differentiation.

1)

There can be only one necessary existencev.

There is no principle of differentiation in it, all is simply one1)

A necessary existence would have to be simple and undivided. vi.

A necessary existence would have to be infinite in whatever attributes it possessesvii.

If it is caused, it can not be necessary & 1)

It is impossible to be self ‐caused, 2)

Therefore it must be uncaused. 3)

A necessary existence would have to be an uncaused beingviii.

How do I know that I am not a necessary being?b.

My nonexistence is possible2.

The existence of a potential existent is either;

Whatever has the possibility not to exist is currently caused to exist by another3.

Laying the

foundatio...

Laying the

Foundatio...Who Made God?January‐25‐10

7:46 PM




Self Caused (which is impossible)a.

Caused by anotherb.

Uncausedc.

Only a necessary Being can cause the existence of a contingent being. Therefore, the very first

being causing the existence of a contingent being must be a necessary being.

a.

There cannot be an infinite regress of current causes of existence4.

If I undeniably exist and if my nonexistence is possible, then I must have a cause that actualizes my

existence.

a.Therefore,

a

first

uncaused

cause

of

my

existence

exists5.

By power we mean what can effect a change in another or what can cause something else

to be or not to be in some way.

i.

This uncaused cause is infinite in its beingii.

Hence, it has non‐limited causal power to do anything that is possible to do, though it

cannot do what is impossible to do

iii.

All‐Powerfula.

Knowing beings

existi.

I am a knowing beingii.

I cause my own becoming, but not my being1)

Whatever I am, I have been caused to beiii.

Hence, the actual ability to know is caused to beiv.

The cause cannot give what it does not have to givev.

his uncaused cause is infinite in its beingvi.

Hence, it has non‐limited ability to know anything it is possible to know, and it must know

simply, eternally and in an unchanging way.

vii.

All‐Knowingb.

This uncaused cause must be infinite, unchanging, all powerful, all‐knowing and all‐perfect6.

By "God" we mean what is worthy of worshipa.

If the foregoing arguments are sound we have good reason to believe that an ultimate value

worthy of our worship or ultimate commitment does indeed exist. For what is infinately good,

and is the ground and creator of all finite goods and persons is certainly worthy of worship.

Nothing has more intrinsic value than the ultimate ground and source of all value. Hence, nothing

is more worthy of worship than the infinitely perfect uncaused cause of all that exists. It is

appropriate to call this cause "God"

b.

This infinitely perfect Being is appropriately called "God"7.

Therefore, God exists8.

What in religion is known as the ultimate object of worship or commitment is by reason know to exist.

The God the heart needs, the head has good reason to believe really exists

Eternal (Col 1:16; Heb. 1:2)i.

Changeless (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 6:18)ii.

Infinite (I Kings 8:27; Isa 66:1)iii.

All‐Loving (John 3:16; I John 4:16)iv.

All‐Powerful (Heb. 1:3; Matt. 19:26)v.

The God described in the Bible is said to be;This

God

who

exists

is

identical

to

the

God

described

in

the

Christian

Scriptures9.

Therefore, the God described in the Bible exists10.




The Incarnation ‐ How does ALL God & ALLMan work?1.

Jesus is God in human flesh. He is not half God and half man. He is fully divine and fully man. That is,

Jesus has

two

distinct

natures:

divine

and

human.

Jesus

is

the

Word

who

was

God

and

was

with

God

and was made flesh, (John 1:1,14). This means that in the single person of Jesus is both a human and

divine nature. The divine nature was not changed. It was not altered. He is not merely a man who "had

God within Him" nor is he a man who "manifested the God principle." He is God, second person of the

Trinity. "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all

things by his powerful word," (Heb. 1:3, NIV). Jesus' two natures are not "mixed together," nor are they

combined into a new God‐man nature. They are separate yet act as a unit in the one person of

Jesus. This is called the Hypostatic Union.

The following chart should help you see the two natures of Jesus "in action":

The following chart should help you see the two natures of Jesus "in action":

GOD MAN

He is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33). He worshiped the Father (John 17).

He was called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8) He was called man (Mark 15:39; John 19:5).

He was called Son of God (Mark 1:1) He was called Son of Man (John 9:35‐37)

He is prayed to (Acts 7:59). He prayed to the Father (John 17).

He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15). He was tempted (Matt. 4:1).

He knows all things (John 21:17). He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52).

He gives eternal life (John 10:28). He died (Rom. 5:8).

All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9). He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

His perfect obedience was rendered to God, unlike Adam's disobediencei.

He was qualified to be a Mediator for his people. ii.

What changed in how we approach the Father?iii.

He was sacrificed for our sins? He was qualified to sacrifice himself for the sins of mana.

In the resurrection of Jesus Christ we see the clear demonstration of the power of the

true God.

1.

Ephesians 1:19‐21 tells us that it is the power of our heavenly Father that raised Jesus

Christ from the dead.

The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is God. 2.

That is

exactly

what

God

the

Father

wanted

to

communicate

to

us,

as

we

read

in

Romans 1:4. The Jews crucified Jesus Christ because, to them, he was blaspheming

when he said that he was the Son of God, equal to the Father. The resurrection of

Jesus Christ demonstrates the truth that he is who he said he was.

Our salvation depends on our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 3.

In Romans 10:9, we are told how to be saved. It says that "if you confess with your

mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you

will be saved." This means that you cannot be a Christian unless you believe in the

resurrection of Jesus Christ. This should tell us that even if some people are in

churches, if they reject the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they are not Christians.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates to us that all the teachings of Jesus 4.

What is the significance of this?i.

He was raised from the deadb.

Why Do

We

Believe

(What

about

Jesus

inspires

our

belief)?2.

Jesus ChristFebruary‐07‐10

9:01 PM




Christ are true.

Everything Jesus taught was true, including his great promise in John 6:40, "Everyone

who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up

on the last day." Jesus' teachings concerning his person, his work, heaven, hell, and

the future judgment are all true.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ secured our justification.5.

"Christ died for our sins and he was raised for our justification," Paul says in Romans

4:25.

Our

own

resurrection

depends

completely

on

the

resurrection

of

Jesus

Christ.

6. 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 2 Corinthians 4:14

The power for our Christian life in the present is the power of his resurrection. 7.

Ephesians 1:19‐21 Romans 6:4.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that this Jesus Christ is going to be the

appointed judge of all the wicked people in the world.

8.

Acts 17:31 "'For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man

he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.'"

John 5:22 "Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the

Son."

John 5:27‐29 "And he has given him authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man.

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will

hear his

voice

and

come

out

‐‐those

who

have

done

good

will

rise

to

live,

and

those

who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that he will raise up everyone who ever lived‐‐

some to eternal life and some to eternal damnation‐‐and Jesus Christ will be the judge

of the wicked. All who have trusted in their fallen reason and rejected the claims of

Jesus Christ will be raised up from the dead by Jesus Christ himself. He will judge and

condemn them.

He ascended to Heavenc.

Please note the progression:

First there is Christ’s descent to earth‐‐God becoming man, the incarnation.

This is followed by Christ’s death and resurrection as the God‐Man Savior.

But for God’s purposes to be fulfilled and our need supplied, there must also be

Christ’s ascent into heaven as the God‐Man Savior and King of His people.

It is important to remember that the New Testament was written by men who were

thoroughly convinced that Jesus was at the right hand of the Father, and that through the

ministry of the Holy Spirit they were in union with this ascended Lord and were, by His

commission and through His ascended authority and power, left here to continue the work

which He began.

The ascension completes the resurrection. Without the resurrection Christ’s death would be

meaningless as far as the great issues of life are concerned. And without the ascension, the

resurrection would also be incomplete and meaningless. We would have a resurrected person, but

not one who was now at God’s right hand in the place of authority.

d.




Sources:http://www.carm.org/jesus-two-natureshttp://bible.org/article/ascension-jesus-christKnow what you believe: Paul Little




What is

man?

We reason (intellect), i.

We feel (emotion),ii.

We choose (will)iii.

We are created in God’s image, we reflect God in personality. a.

If man evolved as a product of chance (as evolutionists teach), then the ideas of sin and

salvation really make no sense. If there was no supernatural origin, then why would there be

a supernatural destiny (salvation in heaven)? (If random fate caused a man to be, then

random fate must determine a person’s character.) In fact, an eternal destiny for man after

death would be no more likely that dogs or dandelions living eternally if evolution were

true. Only

if man

was

uniquely

created

by

God

and

in

God’s

image

does

it

make

sense

that

man is accountable (sin) and has a destiny (salvation or judgment). The real motive behind

the evolutionary theory, it seems, is to eliminate the need for God and His revelation about

sin and salvation.

The Importance of Special Creation:b.

Man is a created being;1.

We are born into sin and our only hope to escape the fate that waits is through God. We are

dependent on him, but he is worthy of that dependence as he paid the price to give us the very

Salvation that we are so dependent on.

•

Man is a dependent being;2.

God created us with the ability to understand who we are, who he is and to relate to him on a

personal level, this is the product of intellect

•

Man is an intelligent being;3.

We are

the

only

being

on

earth

created

with

a sense

of

morality

and

the

ability

for

moral

reasoning.

a.

We are all created with an internal moral compass. The “magnetic north” that guides that

compass must be God.

b.

The absolute standard for morality is God Himself, and every moral action must be judged in the

light of His nature.

c.

Scripture is accepted as morally authoritative, the Word of God, being derived from God.d.

Man is a moral being;4.

We were created to be loved by God ‐ Jer. 31:3a.

We were created to love God – Matt. 22:37b.

We were created to love others – Matt 22:39, 1 John 3:11c.

Man is a love being;5.

Body: Where our senses dwella.

Soul: Where self dwellsb.

Spirit: Where God dwellsc.

Man

is

triune

being;

Gen

2:76.

God's Purpose for man

God the Father wanted a family of children to share life with and know in a personal way•

Relationship1.

Reproduce God’s character. God wants us to look like him on the inside•

Character 2.

Function3.

Laying the

foundatio...

Man & SinFebruary‐16‐10

8:27 PM




Share God’s function in ruling the universe•

Share God’s creative power•

Reproduction4.

Sin

Sin is lawlessness ‐ 1 John 3:4

Sin is any violation of the perfect holiness of Goda.

We have all sinned – Romans 3:23b.

What is sin?1.

The event;a.

The Fall of Man (the entrance of sin into humanity) was a specific historical event. Adam and Eve

were real people (Matt.19:3‐5). They committed a particular sin (Genesis 3) That sin affected all of

mankind (Rom.5:12‐21).

○

The fall of man2.

The test. a.

Adam and Eve were clearly told the privileges of their home in the Garden of Eden and the

prohibition: they were not to eat of one certain tree. There was no other temptation in the

garden. There was simply a single choice to obey or disobey God.

The temptation.b.

Satan chose

to

appear

in

an

animal

form

– a

serpent

(Even

today

he

usually

does

not

want

to

be

seen or known as he really is.). His approach was to first question God’s goodness (“Has God said,

you shall not eat…” – 3:1). Then he blatantly denied God’s justice – that there were consequences

for sin (“You surely shall not die” – 3:4).

The sin. c.

When Eve had listened to the serpent and doubted God’s words, she saw and desired the fruit and

ate it. She then furthered Satan’s temptation by giving Adam the fruit. He also listened, doubted,

saw, desired and then ate. This sin was unique in that they sinned without having a sin nature.

They sinned only by choice. The rest of mankind is now sinful by nature and by choice.

The process;3.

The serpent was condemned to crawl (3:14). All the animal kingdom in fact was affected by

the Fall

(Rom.8:20).

i.

On the Serpent (3:14). a.

Satan’s kingdom would forever be opposed (“enmity”) by Eve’s godly descendants

(believers).

i.

Christ (a descendant of Eve) would deal the death blow to Satan (“head”) on the cross,

although Satan was allowed to cause Christ to suffer (“heel”). This verse is the first

revelation of the gospel in the Bible.

ii.

On Satan (3:15). b.

always have pain in childbirth, 1.

Be under the rule of the husband2.

On Eve and women. Women would;c.

The ground was cursed so that sustaining life would require difficult and painful labor. 1.

Adam and

Eve

were

expelled

from

the

garden.2.

On Adam and men. d.

Man would now die 1.

Mankind experienced a sense of guilt (“made a covering” and a loss of fellowship with God

(“hid themselves” .

2.

Sin also brought death upon the race – both physical and spiritual (Eph.2:3; Rom.5:12).3.

On the human race. e.

The Results;4.




Who is the Holy Spirit?

The third person of the trinity, as much a part of the Godhead as the Father and the Son1.

Perhaps the

least

understood

or

unknown

person

of

the

Trinity2.

"The Holy Spirit is the third divine person of the eternal Godhead, co‐equal, co‐eternal, and co‐

existent with the Father and the son. It is His ministry to convict and convert man as well as to

reveal the Son and the Father to the believer. Since the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, the

Holy Spirit in all His glorious operations is working through all who believe on the Father through

the Son. This is why the present era is known as the age of the Holy Spirit "

‐Kevin Conner

The person of the Trinity who the most personally and intimately involved in the conversion, birth and

ongoing development of the Christian

3.

The Personality of The Holy Spirit

Thee Holy Spirit is God, but He is a Person, not a forcea.

We cannot focus on the Holy Spirit too much. Why? What is the Holy Spirit’s mission? To reveal

Jesus. What is Jesus mission…to reveal the Father. What about the Father…to send Jesus and the

Holy Spirit so we can come to Him. Perfect Harmony. They never had a crisis management

meeting in Heaven. They never tried to sit down and work things out. They never had a power

struggle amongst themselves.

b.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts for use in ministry and empowers effective ministryc.

The Holy Spirit is a distinct Person within the Godhead, not a force, a thing, or an "it"d.

Four important principles to remember1.

The Holy Spirit has intellect. 1 Corinthians 2:10 a.

The Holy Spirit has knowledge. 1 Corinthians 2:11 b.

The Holy Spirit has emotions. Ephesians 4:30 c.

The Holy Spirit d.

The Holy Spirit Loves. Romans 15:30 e.

Qualities that a person has…(a force or thing does not) 2.

He teaches you things about God and yourself. John 14:26 a.

He tells the truth. John 15:26 b.

He guides. John 16:13 c.

He convinces. John 16:8 d.

He prays for you. Romans 8:26‐27 e.

He commands. Acts 13:2 f.

Things only a person would do (a force or thing does not) 3.

Genesis

1:1

In

the

beginning

God

(elohiym

el ‐

o‐

heem')

created

the

heaven

and

the

earth.i. Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of

the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

ii.

Genesis 1:27 So God (elohiym again) created man in his own image, in the image of God

created he him; male and female created he them.

iii.

He moved upon the face of the waters and was the active agent in creation. Jesus was the Word,

the Holy Spirit moved.

a.

The Holy Spirit was on the scene long before the day of Pentecost4.

The Holy Spirit gave us the Word of God. 2 Peter 1:20‐21 5.

In fact, the Holy Spirit has always worked hand‐in‐hand with Jesus Christa.

His Birth ‐ Matthew 1:20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child

within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

b.

The Holy Spirit regenerates our spirit when we accept Jesus Christ into our life. John 3:6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

6.

Laying the

foundatio...

The Holy SpiritFebruary‐23‐10

6:53 PM




The life and ministry of Jesus ‐ Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan

River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness AND… Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

c.

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that

captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free

His death and offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice‐ Hebrews 9:14 Just think how much more

the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds[ a ] so that we can worship the living

God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for

our sins.

d.

Father‐

Ephesians 1:19

‐20 I

also

pray

that

you

will

understand

the

incredible

greatness

of

God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from

the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

i.

Son (He had the power to take His own life up again) ‐ John 10:18 No one can take my life

from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and

also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

ii.

Holy Ghost ‐ Romans 1:4 and he was shown to bethe Son of God when he was raised from

the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.

iii.

In fact, the main purpose of the Holy Spirit is to tell us about Jesus and Glorify Him. John

16:13‐14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak

on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring

me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

iv.

The resurrection of Jesus – Actually all 3 members of the Godhead had a part in the resurrection!e.

Jesus said it was imperative that He go or the Spirit would not be senta.

Jesus felt it important enough for them to wait until the Spirit came to empower themb.

Jesus own mother needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness.c.

What All

Happened

on

the

Day

of

Pentecost?

7.




The Greek word for church is ekklesia , which is simply the word for an "assembly" of citizens in the Classical period•

The term ‘Christian’ was first used in Antioch in Syria around 35-40 AD to designate a new religious community

there which included both Jewish and non-Jewish adherents and was marked out by it attachment to ‘Christos’, aGreek translation of the Hebrew title ‘Messiah’, used by Jews to designate their expected national savior. In thiscase it was applied to the prophet-teacher Jesus of Nazareth, executed in Judea, where the movement hadoriginated, a few years earlier

•

Ecclesiology: Doctrine of the Church

The church began on the day of Pentecost, with the coming of the Holy Spirit in its new work of sealing andpermanently indwelling believers.

a.

(Matthew 16:17-19)•

The church is built by Jesus Christ; it is not a purely human organization.b.

The Church is the body of Christ; it belongs to him and is an intimate part of him.c.

Origin1.

(Matthew 28:18-20)•

(Acts 1:8)•

The purpose of the church is clear, from the Jesus himself: Evangelism & Discipleshipa.Purpose2.

CENTRALIZED (Episcopal) form of church government is where a central council has much authority overthe running and ordinances of the local congregation. This is typical of denominational mainline churcheswhere the pastor is appointed and regulated by the directions and rules of the central council. This kind isusually one with a long history and has established branches.

a.

The pastor may or may not be a member of this board. This kind of church may be denominational orindependent.

•

PRESBYTERIAN form of church government is where the local church is governed by a board of elderswhich has final authority over every aspect of the church, including the appointment and work of the pastor.

b.

CONGREGATIONAL form is where the majority rules, the democracy style of government where the peoplevote to elect their pastor and the church board to administer the affairs of the church. It is usually anindependent church.

c.

PASTORAL form of government is where one is in authority, with the board or elders or deacons in theadvisory and co-laboring capacity. The pastor is directly accountable to the eldership of his church, and heruns the ministry according to his depth and knowledge in God. It is usually an independent church. Theperson may not be a pastor in his primary call, but it is considered as pastoral in that the pastoral function hasa more dominant role and the vision is more localized, called to raise a church in a particular place and time.

d.

Church Government3.

Church History4.

Laying the

foundatio...

The ChurchMarch‐02‐10

6:24 PM




Early Church(Apostolic Age)

33 – 313 AD

Holy Catholic Church

313 AD Constantine declares Christianity “Official” (state) religion of the Roman Empire

Eastern Orthodox

Protestant Roman Catholic

Lutherans(mainly Germany

though it did spread)

Reformed & Presbyterian(Switzerland, Holland

& Great Britain)

Anglicans(Originally Great

Britain)

Anabaptists(Germany, England &

Holland)

Many new "denominations" are formed as various truths are restored to the church & Christianity is spread

4 main groups developed through the Reformation

The Medieval Church Age

The

"Modern"

church

age

: As the various groups settled in North America further divisions

resulted in many independent denominations‐ over 900

estimated in the U.S. alone.

1050: THE GREAT SCHISMSplit due to papal declaration of supreme authority

The “Holy Roman Empire” begins with the crowningOf Otto I in 962 – separation of the church from the

Roman Empire

5.

The “Flavors of Christianity:6.




In Ps. 148:1‐5 angels are among the things exhorted to praise the Lord on the ground that

"he commanded

and

they

were

created."

That

angels

are

created

beings

is

also

proved

by

Col. 1:16, which reads: " for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and

on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones,

kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him

and for him."

They Are Created Beings.a.

The nature of angels is spirit unmixed with materiality. Angels do not possess bodies as a

part of their being; even though they may assume bodies for the execution of certain

purposes of God, as in Gen. 19. We affirm that angels are pure spirits because in Heb. 1:14

they are called spirits. Man is never thus unqualifiedly designated. Christ said "a spirit hath

not flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39).

They Are Pure Spirits.b.

Of man it is said that he was "made a little lower than the angel" (Heb. 2:7). Angels are said

to be greater than man in might (2 Pet. 2:11). Their superior power is also implied in Matt.

26:53; 28:2; 2 Thess. 1:7. Yet angels are ministering servants to believers (Heb. 1:14), and

shall be judged by them (1 Cor. 6:3). This last fact would seem to indicate that man, though

now inferior in nature to angels, shall in his glorified state, as a trophy of God’s redeeming

grace, be exalted with Christ far above angels (Eph. 1:20,21; Phil 2:6‐9).

They Constitute an Order of Creatures Higher than Man.c.

Matt. 22:30 declares that angels do not marry, which implies them sexless. "Sons of God" in

Gen. 6:2 are not angels, but descendants of Seth: the true worshippers of God, as

distinguished from the descendants of Cain.

They are Sexless.d.

Luke 20:36

declares

that

angels

cannot

die,

which

means

they

cannot

cease

to

exist.

They are Deathless.e.

THE NATURE OF ANGELS1.

1 Tim. 5:21 ``I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy

angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.``

i.

2 Pet. 2:4 ``For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell,in

gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.` ̀

ii.

Jude 6iii.

The elect angels are those whom God chose to preserve in holiness. The others He

permitted to fall and for them no redemption or possibility of escape has been provided.

iv.

The angels consist of the elect angels and the fallen angels. The following Scriptures allude to and

distinguish these two classes:

a.

CLASSES OF ANGELS2.

In Jude

9 we

have

Michael

mentioned

as

an

archangel.

See

also

1 Thess.

4:16.

Archangel

means

the chief of angels. Gabriel seems also to occupy a relatively high place among the angels. See

Dan. 8:16; 9:16,21; Luke 1:19.

a.

The mention of thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers among the invisible things in Col.

1:16 implies rank and organization among the angels. And in Eph. 1:21 and 3:10 we have the

mention of rule, authority, power, and dominion in the heavenly places.

b.

ORGANIZATIONS, ORDERS, AND RANKS AMONG ANGELS3.

The only winged beings mentioned in Scripture are cherubim and seraphim (singular ‐ cherub and

seraph). We do not have a great deal of information about either. Neither are ever specifically

referred to as angels.

a.

Cherubim: God stationed cherubim at the east entrance of the Garden of Eden with a flaming b.

CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM4.

Angels & DemonsMarch‐07‐10

5:34 PM




In Ezekiel`s vision (Ezekiel chapters 1 & 10) cherubim are called `living creatures``.

Each cherub is described as having four faces ‐ of man, lion, ox and eagle. Each has

four wings; tow are stretched upward and two downward to cover his body.

1)

sword to guard the tree of life (Gen 3:24)

Seraphim: are mentioned in Isaiah`s vision of heavenly temple. They have six wings and can fly

(Isaiah 6:2‐6). These beings seem to be human in form, apart from their wings.

c.

"And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me

these

things.

And

he

saith

unto

me,

See

thou

do

it

not:

I

am

a

fellow‐

servant

with

thee

and

with

thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book" (Rev. 22:9).

a.

This is also condemned in Col. 2:18b.

ANGELS ARE NOT TO BE WORSHIPPED5.

Ps. 103:20; 148:2.

They praise the lord and do His commandments.a.

They rejoice in the salvation of men. Luke 15:7,10.b.

Heb. 1:14; 1 Kings 19:5‐8; Dan. 6:22; Ps. 84:7; 91:11,12; Acts 12:8‐11.

They minister to the heirs of salvation.c.

Gen. 19:1‐13; Num. 22:22‐35; Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19, 20; Luke 1:11‐13, 19; Acts 8:26; 10:3‐6;

27:23, 24.

They are messengers of God to men.d.

2 Sam. 24:16; 2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chron. 32:21; Ps. 35:5,6; Matt. 13:41; 13:49,50; 24:31; Acts

12:23; Rev. 7:1,2; 9:15; 15:1.

They execute

God’s

purposes.e.

Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2.

They gave the law.f.

Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43.

They ministered to Christ.g.

Matt. 25:81,32; 2 Thess. 1:7,8

They will accompany Christ at His second coming.h.

1 Cor. 11:10.

They are present when we worship.i.

1 Pet. 1: 12; Eph. 3:10

They take a great interest in divine truth and learn through the church. j.

There is nothing in the above to show that there is a constant intervention of angels between God

and man. They are not in any sense regularly constituted mediators between God and man. Their

intervention is occasional and exceptional. And their activity is subject to the command and

permission of God.

k.

THE WORK OF ANGELS6.

SATAN: A FALLEN ANGEL.7.

He is of the Same Nature as Angels.a.

The works ascribed to the devil make it impossible for us to conceive of him as being other than

incorporeal. If he were material he would be limited by space; and therefore, could not carry on

the universal works of wickedness ascribed to him in the Bible.

He is

the

Leader

of

Certain

Angels.b.

In Matt. 25:41 Christ uses the expression, "the devil and his angels."

A Common Destiny Awaits Satan and These Angels.c.

We conclude that these angels of which Satan is the leader and whose punishment he shall

share are the fallen angels mentioned by Peter and Jude. It seems clear, then, that Satan

himself is a fallen angel.

i.

The statement in John 3:44 to the effect that the devil "was a murderer from the beginning"

need not be taken as standing in necessary conflict with the foregoing. The expression "from

the beginning" need not be taken as referring to the beginning of the devil’s existence. It

ii.

In the passage just referred to Christ tells us that hell was prepared for both the devil and his

angels.

We affirm this for the three following reasons:




may, and we think does, refer to the beginning of human history.

ACCOUNTS OF SATAN’S FALL.8.

The first of these passages was addressed to the King of Tyre. The second one was addressed to

the King of Babylon. In both of them, but more especially in the first, some of the language is too

strong to apply to any man. We believe that these passages, like much other prophecy, have a

double reference. This is true of some of the prophecies concerning the regathering of Israel. Their

immediate

reference

is

to

the

return

of

Israel

after

the

seventy

years

of

captivity

in

Babylon.

But

they have also a clear ultimate reference to the final regathering of dispersed Israel at the end of

this age. In Matt. 24:4‐51 we have a double reference marvelously wrought together. The reason

for this double reference is that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. was a type of the final

siege of Jerusalem just preceding the second advent of Christ to the earth to judge the world and

set up His millennial reign. And, no doubt, the reason for the double reference in the passages we

are considering from Ezekiel and Isaiah is that the kings of Tyre and Babylon were taken as types

of "the man of sin" (2 Thess 2:3,4), the "beast" of Revelation (Rev. 13 and 17), who will be but a

tool in the hands of Satan. Therefore the words of the prophets look beyond these kings to the

dominating power back of them; thus addressing Satan through his representatives. We have

other instances where Satan is thus addressed. In Gen. 3:15 Satan is addressed through the

serpent, his tool. And in Matt. 16:22, 23 Satan is addressed through Peter in whom Christ sensed

the spirit

of

Satan.

a.

(Ezek. 28‐12‐15).

References to Satan in His Unfallen Condition.b.

(Ezek 28:16‐18).i.

Isa. 14‐12‐17).ii.

(Prov. 16:18).1)

From these two accounts it seems clear that Satan fell through pride. This is also in harmony

with the following Scriptures:

iii.

"The bishop therefore must be without reproach . . . not a novice, lest being puffed up he

fall into the condemnation of the devil" (1 Tim. 3:2,6).

iv.

From Ezekiel we understand that Satan held a very high place among the angels in his

unfallen state. (Ex. 37:9). This seems to indicate that the devil was the leader of angelic

worship.

v.

References to the Fall of Satan.c.

We believe we have in the Scripture two fragmentary accounts of Satan’s fall. We refer to Ezek.

28:12‐18 and Isa. 14:12‐17.

ORIGINATED SIN IN THE UNIVERSE.a.

The foregoing Scriptures, which give a veiled account of Satan’s fall, point us to the earliest

account of sin that we have in the Bible. We know that Satan fell before man did, for Satan

solicited man to sin. "Sin was not a creation but an origination. It came into existence by the aid of

that which had prior existence, namely, personality and the power of free choice. God created this

being not as the Devil, but as a holy angel, who originated sin through disobedience and

transformed himself into the wicked devil which he is today" (Bancroft, Elemental Theology).

INTRODUCED SIN INTO THE HUMAN FAMILY.b.

Gen. 3:1

‐16.

There

is

a close

connection

between

what

we

have

noted

from

Isaiah

concerning

the

devil and his method of seducing Eve. Satan was cast out of Heaven because he said, "I will make

myself like the Most High." He deceived Eve by telling her that instead of dying as result of eating

the forbidden fruit, she would become "as God, knowing good and evil"

POSSESSES AND CONTROLS THE WORLD.c.

Job 9:24; Matt. 4:8,9; John 12:31; 14:80; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:8,4; Eph. 6:12. God owns the world (Psa.

24:1), but, as we read in Job 9:24, the world has been "given into the hand" of Satan temporarily;

and Satan dominates it, subject to such limitations as God is pleased to impose. See Psa. 76:10.

ACCUSES GOD’S PEOPLE.d.

"Job 1:6,9; 2:3‐5; Rev. 12:9,10. "Devil" means "accuser" or "slanderer."

ALSO TESTS, HINDERS, RESISTS, AND BUFFETS THEM.e.

THE WORK OF SATAN9.




Luke 22:31; 1 Thess. 2:18; Zech. 3:1; 2 Cor. 12:7.

SEEKS TO OPPOSE AND HINDER THE WORK OF GOD.f.

Matt. 13:39; Mark 4:15; 2 Cor. 11:14,15; 2 Thess. 2:9,10; Rev. 2:10; 3:9.

TEMPTS, ENSNARES, AND LEADS MEN INTO EVIL.g.

1 Chron. 21:1; Matt. 4:1‐9; John 13:2,27; Acts 5:3.

CONTROLS AND BLINDS THE LOST.h.

John 8:44; 12:37‐40; Acts 26:18; 2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Tim. 2:26. The blinding in 2 Cor. 4:4 and that in John

12:37‐40 are the same. Its immediate cause is the depravity of the carnal nature. The devil is said

to

be

the

author

of

this

blindness

because

he

is

the

author

of

sin.

In

the

latter

passage

it

is

ascribed to God because it is by God’s permissive will that the devil was allowed to bring sin into

the world. For a further discussion of this blinding see chapter on the free agency of man.

CAUSES SICKNESS.i.

Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38.

HAS THE POWER OF DEATH. j.

Heb. 2:14.

But, thanks be unto God, all the work of Satan is overruled by the omnipotence and omniscience

of God and made to work ultimately for God’s glory and the good of the saints. See Psa. 76:10;

Rom. 15:31; 2 Cor. 12:7; Eph. 1:11.

k.

In Peter’s fall we have an excellent example of how God is glorified and the saints benefited even

through the temptations of the devil that actually produce sin in the lives of saints. Peter’s

experience in

denying

Christ

made

a different

man

out

of

him.

At

the

trial

of

Jesus

he

cowered

before a little maiden. But on Pentecost he faced the multitude of the crucifiers of Christ with

burning words of condemnation. Peter’s fall took away his self ‐confidence. Thus, Satan, seeking

the complete downfall of Peter, as he had that of Job, but sifted out the chaff and left the wheat.

We can see also that Satan’s afflictions brought greater blessings to Job in the end.

l.

We have already noted that hell has been prepared for the devil and his angels. In the

following Scripture we have the account of how he will be cast into hell:

i.

"Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur,

joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever

and ever ." (Rev. 20:10).

ii.

The common notion that Satan is now in hell is not correct. The same is true of the idea that Satan

shall ever be in hell as the one who inflicts torment on others. He will be cast into hell to be

tormented. He now inhabits the heavenlies (Eph. 6:11,12), has access to God (Job 1:6), and is

active upon the earth (Job 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:8). But finally Satan will be cast into hell.

a.

THE DESTINY OF SATAN10.




The essence of the Christianity is that God, in his infinite love and goodness, has provided

for

us

the

gift

of

eternal

salvation

through

the

sacrificial

death

of

his

Son

– Jesus

Christ.

This gift is to provide a way for us to spend eternity in his presence free of the

consequences of sin which we allowed into the human race. Salvation does not come

through knowing or understanding the words or message of Jesus Christ, but rather

through accepting the gift of Salvation which he provided.

a.

What is Christianity?1.

"The word used in the Old Testament for repentance means to turn or

return. It implies a personal decision to turn away from sin and to

God. In the New Testament, the terms "repent" and "repentance" that

apply to man's relationship to sin and God have the basic meaning of a

change of mind. They imply a change of mind about sin, and a turning to

God"

a)

‐Paul Little ‐ "Know what you believe"

Repentance is the first aspect of Salvation – Mark 1:15 reads “The time

promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God

is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

b)

What is it?a.

Matt.3:1‐3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness

and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to

God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ” The prophet Isaiah was

speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the

wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for

him!’”

John the Baptist began his ministry with a call to repentancei.

Matt. 4:17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and

turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."

Jesus began his ministry with a call to repentanceii.

Luke 24:47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in

the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:

‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’

Jesus told his disciples that repentance brings forgiveness of sinsiii.

The importance:b.

Acts 2:38 ‐ 39 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and

turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the

forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy

Spirit. This promise

is

to

you,

and

to

your

children,

and

even

to

the

Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

Peter taught it on the day of Pentecostc.

Acts 17:30‐31 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in

earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of

their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with

justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this

is by raising him from the dead.”

Paul taught its importance for all mend.

Repentance2.

Faith (belief) is the second aspect of Salvation. Romans 10:8‐9 reads “ And that message is

the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is

Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

a.

Faith3.

Laying the

foundatio...

SalvationMarch‐15‐10

6:53 PM




Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives

us assurance about things we cannot see”

b.

Faith is not contradictory to knowledge – Psalm 119:66 I believe in your commands; now

teach me good judgment and knowledge

c.

Our Sin. Romans 2:23 states that EVERY person has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Our sin creates a barrier between us and God.

a.

The Holiness of God – John wrote, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John

1:5) and

Isaiah

declared

that

“His

name

is

Holy”

(Isaiah

57:15).

God’s

perfect

holiness

is

incompatible with our sinful nature, therefore there must be a mechanism to replace (or

cleanse) our nature.

b.

Justification – “If God, the Judge, is without injustice and completely righteous in all His

decisions, then how can He announce a sinner righteous? And sinners we all are. There are

only three options open to God as sinners stand in His courtroom. He must condemn them,

compromise His own righteousness to receive them as they are, or He can change them

into righteous people. If He can exercise the third option, then He can announce them

righteous, which is justification. But any righteousness the sinner has must be actual, not

fictitious; real, not imagined; acceptable by God’s standards, and not a whit short. If this

can be accomplished, then, and only then, can He justify.”

c.

The Necessity of Salvation4.

Justification consists not only of man’s sin, but of man’s negative righteousness, his lack of

perfect righteousness. Isaiah declares that all of our righteous deeds are as filthy rags in

the sight of the perfect holiness of God (Isa. 64:6). Man not only needs the subtraction of

his sin, but also the addition of perfect righteousness, the righteousness of Christ. God’s

solution to this problem is found in the doctrines of “imputation” and “justification” as set

forth in the Bible.

a.

Job stated the problem accurately when he asked, “How can a man be in the right before

God?” Justification answers this question posed by Job. Doctrinally, justification is the

judicial act of God, based on the work of Jesus Christ, which justly declares and treats as

righteous the one who believes in Jesus Christ and who stands by imputation in the

righteousness of Christ.

b.

‐Charles

Caldwell

Ryrie

Acts 4:12i.

John 12:48ii.

John 3:36iii.

There is only one sin today which can keep a person separated from God and lost, the sin

of rejection of Christ or unbelief in Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

a.

The Unpardonable Sin5.

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