Revealing the Unknown God
God uses people to accomplish His perfect plans.
A1 Objectives
B1 Distinguish between a culture of "Jews" and "Greeks."
B2 Explain the importance of explaining the foundation to the "Greeks" so that they can understand the Gospel.
A2 Scriptures
B1 Acts 2:1-41
B2 Acts 17:16-34
B3 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5
A3 Notes
B1 People have foundational beliefs.
B2 People are usually comfortable with this belief.
B3 People sometimes have given great thought to come to this belief.
B4 People are spiritually dead because of Adam and our own sin.
B5 We do not seek God.
B6 God initiates salvation and completes salvation.
B7 The basics of the Gospel are
C1 We are sinners.
D1 What is sin?
E1 Breaking of God's laws especially as summarized in the 10 Commandments (1 John 3:4)
E2 Not doing right. Right and wrong have to be defined by the King, God, not ourselves. 1 John 5:17)
E3 Not doing what is good. Good and bad have to be defined by God. (James 4:17)
E4 Planning evil. (Proverbs 24:8-9)
E5 The essence of sin is myself. This is the idea that my way is the right and true way. It is a heart issue. (Matthew 15:19)
E6 Another way of stating/defining sin.
D2 How do we know? (The Holy Spirit is the convicter. When we feel guilty, it is from the Holy Spirit. This has to be true guilt, not false guilt. True guilt is when we do not obey God's laws.
D3 The Ten Commandments show a summary of God's laws. (Exodus 20:1-17). The Lord Jesus taught 9, leaving out the laws of the Sabbath).
D4 Why are there laws? (God is King. He has a kingdom. Kingdom's have laws).
D5 Who says that these are the laws we need to obey? (Jesus. Jesus is the key. The Gospel was written by eye witnesses (Matthew and John) and by historians (Mark writing Peter's account and Luke, who interviewed many witnesses. Because Jesus is true and He took the position that the Bible is true is very reasonable evidence that it is true. See here,
D6 Are there absolutes? (see here, here and here
E1 If someone gets the incorrect change at a store, they will notify the cashier. They want an absolutely correct change returned.
E2 If someone is playing a game, especially if there are any stakes, they want the rules followed absolutely.
D7 Who is God? (Yahweh)
D7 What is the difference between different Gods, and how can we know who is the "right" God?
E1 "But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation." (Jeremiah 10:10, NKJV)
E2 The right definition of God. This would include characteristics/attributes as omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. There could not be two gods, because who would have the omnipotence? (See here and here)
E3 There is only one God who meets these characteristics--the God of the Bible.
D8 Who is Jesus? (The Bible has the definitive answer, because it was written by eyewitnesses or those who interviewed eyewitnesses. Also see here, for example).
D9 How can we tell who is the real Jesus? (Read the Bible. The Bible is the standard to know the characteristics of the real Jesus).
D10 How do we know if this is true? (The Bible is reliable).
D11 Does understanding about Jesus have any bearing on knowing if the Bible is true or not, and if the Ten Commandments are true? (Yes. "Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him."
(Hebrews 1:1-2, HCSB)
D12 What is the punishment for breaking God's laws? See this list.
D13 Why is this so terrible? Isn't God a God of love? (Yes, He does forgive according to His character and rules. He is also a God who is just and holy.
D14 Isn't science more reliable that the Bible? It depends. See here, here,
D15 Hasn't science proved that the Bible is wrong? See D14 above
D16 So I have broken God's laws, I am a good person. Why do I need to believe this Jesus?
D17 Isn't it cruel for God to kill His Son? (Consider here and here
E1 The Romans killed Jesus, not God. Luke 23:33-36
E2 Death is the punishment for sin. Romans 6:23
E3 Somebody had to pay this punishment.
F1 Each person cannot never fully complete the sentence. Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:46, and Revelation 14:10-11
F2 Jesus suffered the complete penalty for sin
G1 He died physically.
G2 He was forsaken by His Father. Matthew 27:46
C2 Sin is punished. Romans 6:23, James 1:15
C3 Jesus suffered for our sins, dying on the cross bearing the punishment for sin. Hebrews 9:12-14
C4 God opens the heart and mind to understand our condition and the Gospel. Acts 16:14, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6. See here and here.
C5 He calls/invites us to believe and be reconciled to God. Matthew 11:28 and Revelation 22:17
C6 We can resist or not resist. Matthew 23:37, Luke 14:17-20, Acts 7:41
B8 Bible Christianity is a reasonable faith, not blind faith. See here, here, and here
B9 Typical society is evil and in chaos.
B10 Preaching/sharing the Gospel has to be the same in every situation. The method may be different but the message the same.
B11 Be prepared to have answers to tough questions.
A4 Questions
B1 Peter's sermon in Acts 2 was different than Paul's in Acts 17. Do they present a different Gospel?
B2 Are there different gospels for different eras and different cultures?
B3 What is the true Gospel? (Need God)
B4 How to we speak to different cultures the one, same Gospel?
B5 The Gospel is the same. It is answering the different objections and questions.
C1 Hindu (Here)
C3 Jehovah Witness (Here and here)
C4 Mormon (Here) Also here and here)
C5 Buddhism (Here)
B6 Some of the main points we need to know is
C1 The Deity of Jesus Christ. (See here and here ).
C2 The resurrection of Jesus Christ. (See here and here)
C3 Creation (See here and here)
C4 The Bible (See here and here).
B7 Falsehoods
C1 Baptism is needed to be saved. (See here and here).
C2 Sabbath keeping is necessary. (See here and here).
B8 Objections to the Gospel
C1 Seven Basic Objections to the Gospel (Compare)
D1 What about the heathen who never hear the gospel? Answer
E1 "THE heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork." (Psalms 19:1, NKJV)
E2 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse," (Romans 1:18-20, NKJV)
E3 The Gospel has been, is, and will be the same. The Gospel preached to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Pharaoh of Egypt, David, Malachi, Peter, Judas Iscariot, you, and me is the same. The only difference is that some have a greater understanding of the doctrine, but the Gospel is the same.
E4 Others have pointed out that no one who was remained lost who wanted to be found. Acts 8:26-39 and Matthew 7:7-8
D2 Is Christ the only way to God? Answer
E1 "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
(John 14:6, NKJV)
E2 ""Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, NKJV)
E3 Jesus Christ is the only way because He is the only one to make a perfect provision.
F1 He is sinless.
F2 He died.
F3 He rose from the dead.
D3 Why do the innocent suffer? (Why is there evil, pain, death, etc.). Answer
E1 "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. " (Romans 5:12, NKJV)
E2 "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV)
E3 Adam knew that if he ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, he would die. Maybe that seems too strict, but at least, Adam did knew. He made the wrong choice.
E4 The world is under a curse. This happened when the only humans were Adam and Eve.
E5 Bad things happen. There is war, storms, sickness, evil people (as in murderers). Because the world is cursed some die before their full life.
E6 The Bible specifically states that God killed Er and Onan ("But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also " (Genesis 38:7-10, NKJV). They had crossed the line that God had specified not to cross, so they died.
E7 God has drawn a line for every person, family, city, country, world, and the universe. When that line is crossed, judgment happens. Everybody eventually dies.
E8 Infants die in some of these cases because the parents made bad choices.
E9 The problem of evil.
F1 God wanted volunteers to be His followers. Only a volunteer can love freely. Anything else wouldn't be real love.
F2 God created everything good. There was no evil.
F3 God gave Adam a test.
G1 Would Adam believe God or another.
G2 Would Adam be faithful to God or another.
G3 Would Adam obey or disobey.
G4 The command--you can eat of any tree or plant except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If you do, you will die.
G5 Eve was deceived by the serpent.
G6 She offered Adam the fruit.
G7 He ate it.
G8 So Adam
H1 Did not obey
H2 Loved his own plans better
H3 Did not believe God
H4 Disobeyed (sinned) willfully and premeditatedly.
G9 God cursed the world. This curse brought all the death, sorrow, and evil that we see and experience today.
E10 The problem of hell.
F1 "How can a God of love send someone to hell for eternity for just eating a piece of fruit or a little lie?"
F2 Sin is serious.
F3 God warns.
F4 God provided for a solution to not go there.
D4 How can miracles be possible? Answer
E1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1, NKJV)
E2 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NKJV)
E3 "This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (John 3:2, NKJV)
E3 What is a miracle?
F1 A event of creation. Example: John 2:9, John 9:1-7, Luke 22:49-51. In each of these cases something was created. In the first wine was created, the second--sight, and the third--a new ear.
F2 Jesus is God. If there is a god, then god can create. (See here, here, and here )
D5 Isn't the Bible full of errors? Answer:
E1 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV)
E2 "GOD, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:1-2, NKJV)
E3 "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21, NKJV)
E4 Types of errors. There are basically two.
F1 Contradictions
F2 Misinformed writers
E5 For further information on this issue see here, here, here, and here.
D6 Isn't the Christian experience merely psychological? Answer
E1 Acts 9 (Conversion of Saul/Paul)
E2 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:8-10, NKJV)
E3 What type of Christianity are you referring to? There are 100's of flavors of "Christianity."
E4 What type of experience are you talking about? Just a ticket to heaven? Well then, turn to Christian universalism where everyone goes to heaven.
E5 Which type of person do you think is best. The one who thinks clearly, uses only logic and science to solve problems, and in general is not dependent on any authority? The one who thinks clearly, uses reasonable faith to understand there is a God who has guidelines for human behavior, and recognizes authority?
E6 People who believe that Christianity is only a crutch for the weak often have addictions as drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power, people, etc.
D7 Won't a good moral life get me to heaven? Answer
E1 ""knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. " (Galatians 2:16, NKJV)
E2 "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, " (Titus 3:5, NKJV)
E3 "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. " (James 2:10, NKJV)
C2 What is the basic issue for all these and other questions? (Further information
D1 To provide an excuse to not believe.
D2 To stop the Gospel message by veering off the topic.
B9 Some situations. How do we present the Gospel to a/an
C1 Atheist
C2 Church goer
C3 Child
C4 Old person (elder)
C5 College age
C6 Jehovah Witness
C7 Gay, Trans, etc.
C8 Jew
C9 Criminal
C10 Pastor
C11 College professor
C12 Politician
