26 October 2015

Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:6

He who claims to abide in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6, EMTV)


090515_0046_DailyBibleS1.png

A1 Outline

B1 Subject--he


C1 He


C2 Claim


B2 Verb


C1 Requirement


C2 Imitation


A2 Notes

B1 He= anyone who says that they are a Christian.


B2 Claims. True or not true. See James 2:14, Proverbs 20:6, Titus 1:16. Compare Matthew 24:5, Revelation 2:2


B3 Abide in Him. This is to claim to be a Christian. The idea of abiding is a Biblical thought dealing with our dependence on Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:24, John 15:10, John 14:23


B4 Walk = living our daily lives. It is to be as the New Testament teaches us. To know these things we must read and study the Bible. Matthew 11:29, Philippians 2:5, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Peter 1:15-16


B5 As He walked = the thoughts, desires, words, and deeds how Jesus lived. Obviously, we are not God, so we cannot do miracles as He did, but we can have the same attitude towards others, honor God, obey the Scriptures, and so on.


A3 Questions

B1 Do you know anyone who claims to be a Christian but does not live godly?


B2 What is the importance of living godly?


B3 Are we to live like Jesus did with no home, no money, just go around and teach, preach, and heal?


B4 Are we to live like Jesus with the same priorities, desires, and interaction that He had with people?


B5 Are others watching us?

25 October 2015

Hard Questions—An Atheistic Worldview?

What are the practical implications of an atheistic worldview?


hardquestions

A1 What is a worldview?

C1 A comprehensive conception or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it. Dictionary.com


C2 From Wiktionary--worldview


D1 One's personal view of the world and how one interprets it.


D2 The totality of one's beliefs about reality.


D3 A general philosophy or view of life.


C3 Thus you have a Christian worldview, Elizabethan worldview, German worldview, naturalistic worldview, etc.


C4 Basically it is how you or I interpret things that happen in our life. Two people will each have their opinion on a political happening or a personal tragedy.


A2 Some examples

B1 How your worldview affects everything in your life.


B2 How your worldview affects your prayer life


B3 What Is Your Worldview?


B4 One only needs to search the internet and find many different worldviews coming from theists to non-theists of all types.


A3 Atheist worldview

B1 Viewed from an atheist viewpoint.


C1 Atheism as a Positive Worldview


C2 I Believe: An Atheist's "World View"


B2 Viewed from a theist viewpoint.


C1 Is atheism a worldview?


C2 The Inevitable Consequence of An Atheistic Worldview


A4 Notes

B1 Our worldview not only affects our beliefs but also our actions.


C1 Is drinking alcohol wrong?


C2 Is homosexuality wrong?


C3 Is politics wrong?


C4 What about marijuana, cursing, living together before/without marriage, cheating, etc.?


B2 What is the standard for our worldview?


C1 Bible?


C2 Science?


C3 Famous leader?


C4 Friends?


C5 What makes me happy? (hedonism)


B3 If it is the Bible, then


C1 What is its authority? (Is a book of God's words or men's words)?


C2 How do you interpret it? (In its plain, normal sense or allegorical, symbolic, etc.)?


C3 Are the Old Testament laws binding on today's Christian?


B4 How can we decide which worldview is the one to follow/believe?


C1 How are we going to base our decision?


D1 Science?


D2 Bible?


D3 It comes down to myself. How do we choose?


C2 All people have a sense God exists sometime during their life. Romans 1:18-21 See here, here, and here


C3 Jesus is God. See here, here, and here See Resources to Help You Defend the Deity of Jesus


C4 Because Jesus is God, His message is the one message to believe.


D1 The written messages are reliable. Four Reasons the New Testament Gospels Are Reliable


D2 Christians are to reject blind faith and are to embrace a reasonable faith. Consider:
Is the Cold-Case Christianity Approach a Gimmick Or A Valuable Filter?


D3 Nor is there salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven which has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, EMTV)


D4 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; and he who does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36, EMTV)


C5 Proofs for Jesus's resurrection


D1 Proof of the Resurrection


D2 A debate between Dr. Bert Ehrman and William Lane Craig (This is the written, not audio).


D3 Video sources, books, articles


D4 Resurrection—No Doubt About It


D5 Many others


C6 The Christian faith is a reasonable faith. An atheistic worldview only leads to the wrong worldview.



Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:5

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:5, EMTV)


090515_0046_DailyBibleS1.png

A1 Outline

B1 Obedience due to love for God


B2 Obedience plus love equals a true Christian


A2 Notes

B1 Keeps = obedience


B2 We show that we love God by obeying Him.


C1 How does loving something show love?


D1 Examples


E1 If I love my dog, do I show this by obeying her?


E2 If I love my children, do I show this by obeying them?


D2 It depends on the authority.


E1 Yahweh is God. This means He has ultimate authority.


E2 He is the King of the Universe.


E3 Love for king and god would imply obedience.


E4 Obedience shows loyalty, too.


D3 A Scripture teaching.


E1 Motivation


F1 Fear. This really is an OK motive, because we are to fear God. Judgment day is coming.


F2 Love. This is better, because it is voluntary.


E2 Obedience and love--John 14:15, John 14:21, 1 John 5:3, Psalm 119:167, 2 John 1:6


E3 Obedience and faith--Matthew 7:21, James 2:14-26, James 1:22


E4 Obedience must be sincere--Psalm 51:6, 1 Timothy 1:5


E5 Obedience shows that there has been true conversion 2 Corinthians 5:17


B3 His Word = the Bible. Since we are Christians and not Jews, we obey the rules of the New Testament.


B4 Perfected has the idea of completeness. Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 9:9, James 2:22


B5 Obedience to the Scriptures is one of the signs that we are truly converted.


A3 Questions

B1 Why does obedience have to be sincere?


B2 Is the excuse "God looks at my heart" sufficient to allow many things that Scripture would forbid or show by example to be wrong?


B3 What is a better motivator--fear or love? Why?


B4 How does obedience to the Scriptures a sign of our rebirth?


B5 Why must we interpret the Bible in its plain, normal sense?

24 October 2015

Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:4

He who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4, EMTV)


090515_0046_DailyBibleS1.png

A1 Outline

B1 The talk


B2 The walk


B3 The truth


A2 Notes

B1 The talk: "I have come to know Him."


C1 The Greek word is in the present perfect.


C2 In this case it is hard to translate.


D1 Present perfect with the word see is "I have seen him."


D2 Present perfect with the word know is "I have known him."


D3 But in the second example it sounds like a past tense, that is, "I used to know him.'


D4 Perhaps we could translate this as "I know him now" using an added adverb "now" to convey the present sense.


D5 The various translations have both "I have come to know him" and "I know him."


D6 The idea is that a person claims to know God in the past and still now in the present.


C3 The bottom line of this phrase is, "I know God," that is, "I am a Christian."


B2 Well then, let us test this and see if you are.


B3 Do you obey His commandments? They are written in the New Testament. Jesus has spoken them. His Apostles have taught them.


B4 God does not lie, nor does He like liars.


C1 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time itself, (Titus 1:2, EMTV)


C2 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:16-17, NKJV)


C3 But there shall by no means enter into it anything unclean, nor shall the abominable or liars enter, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27, EMTV)


B5 God is a God of truth


C1 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, EMTV)


C2 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. (Proverbs 12:22, NKJV)


A3 Questions

B1 Can we separate salvation from godly living?


B2 Can we separate doctrine from godly living?


B3 What is the purpose for godly living?


B4 Will living godly save us?


B5 How can obeying Jesus's commandments show we are true Christians?


B6 Does God approve of liars? How can He then approve of those living a lie?


B7 Are we living a lie?

23 October 2015

Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:3

Keeping His commandments


090515_0046_DailyBibleS1.png

Now by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. (1 John 2:3, EMTV)


A1 Outline

B1 If clause


B2 Main clause


A2 Notes

B1 Him and His refer to Jesus Christ. See 1 John 2:1.


B2 Keep means to obey.


B3 Commandments refer to the rules that Jesus gave directly or through His Apostles. Here are a few.


C1 7 things we are to abstain from


D1 Idols (Acts 15:20


D2 Fornication (Acts 15:20, 29; 1 Thessalonians 4:2-3)


D3 Strangled meats (Acts 15:20)


D4 Eating blood (Acts 15:20)


D5 Meats offered to idols (Acts: 15:29)


D6 All appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)


D7 Fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11)


C2 6 Things to lay aside


D1 Wickedness (James 1:21)


D2 All malice (1 Peter 2:1)


D3 All guile (1 Peter 2:1)


D4 All hypocrisies ((1 Peter 2:1)


D5 All envies (1 Peter 2:1)


D6 All evil speaking (1 Peter 2:1)


A3 Questions

B1 What is important about keeping His commandments?


B2 When we keep His commandments what does that prove?


B3 Why is it important to know Him?


B4 Is there a way to assure ourselves that we are Christians?


B5 Are these commandments to be obey today?

22 October 2015

Hard Questions—God’s Existence

What key arguments are there for (and against) God's existence?


hardquestions

A1 Definitions

B1 God


C1 Standard--the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe (god. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/god)


C2 The one being who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, personal, eternal, independent, sovereign over the universe and beyond. His name is best known as Yahweh and has all the character traits revealed in the Bible.


B2 Exist


C1 Standard--To be as a fact and not as a mode; to have an actual or real being, whether material or spiritual. 1913 Webster


C2 To be reality.


B3 Faith


C1 Standard--The standard definition of faith seems to be centered on believing something of which there is no proof to the senses. It would be a believe without the senses or natural law indicating reality.


C2 It is believing something or someone based on their character or actions. Sometimes it is a wanting to believe something to be true.


C3 The Bible has faith to be a reasonable belief. There is a reason based on past events, past actions, past experiences that confer that the present situation or statement is reasonably true.


C4 The Greek word for faith is πίστις pistis. It means "persuasion, confidence." It includes the idea of some type of proof. It is not blind faith. Faith is not the idea of someone coming and delivering a persuasive speech and people believe it. That type is believing a good sales pitch. When Abraham believed God, he had dealings with God that had come true previously, so based on Abraham's past dealings with God which proved true, he believes the present situation to be true also. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:3, EMTV). This is a quote from Genesis 15:6.


D1 Abraham had a vision Genesis 15:1. He had enough dealings with God to recognize who this was.


D2 With God in the situation of rescuing Lot.


D3 With God in the land of Egypt.


D4 With God traveling from his home land to the promised land.


A2 Notes

B1 God--main arguments for and against


C1 General rules/questions


D1 What is acceptable as evidence?


D2 Does personal experience evidence?


D3 Is natural law only acceptable?


D4 Is there supernaturalism?


C2 Against


D1 Natural law shows that there is no "god."


D2 The problem of pain.


E1 If God is good and all powerful, He would not have allowed pain. Pain exists, therefore God is not good and all powerful. Since the definition of God includes the idea of good and all powerful, God does not exist.


E2 In better form it would be


F1 God is good.


F2 God is all powerful


F3 A good and all powerful God would not allow evil, pain, and suffering.


F4 Evil, pain, and suffering exist.


F5 Therefore God does not exist.


E3 Weakness


F1 What are the definitions of good, pain, evil, and suffering?


F2 Is there any examples of pain, evil, and suffering that is beneficial?


F3 What standard does one use to determine what pain, evil, and suffering are?


F4 Is there any alternative explanation?


G1 God is good.


G2 God is all powerful.


G3 God created everything good, that is, without evil, pain, and suffering.


G4 God allowed a measured, libertarian free will for man to obey or not obey. He did this so that people would be a volunteer, not a robot to love and serve God. Love involves a choice to express this. A forced and merely mechanical "love" would be false. No human today likes that either.


G5 Adam chose to not obey and not love God.


G6 God punished all (as He said He would) with pain and suffering.


G7 God is both law giver and judge.


G8 God is justified.


D3 The problem of evil.


E1 There is a being that is "good" and knows how to, wants to, and is able to prevent suffering, evil, and pain.


E2 Suffering, evil, and pain are experience by all.


E3 So there is no god.


E4 Weakness: as above in the problem of pain.


E5 William Lane Craig:


I think that evil, paradoxically, actually proves the existence of God. My argument would go like this: If God does not exist then objective moral values do not exist. (2) Evil exists, (3) therefore objective moral values exist, that is to say, some things are really evil. Therefore, God exists. Thus, although evil and suffering at one level seem to call into question God's existence, on a deeper more fundamental level, they actually prove God's existence (n.d.). Referenced from here.


D4 The big stone.


E1 God is defined as being omnipotent.


E2 Can he create a stone that he cannot lift?


E3 There is no god.


E4 Weakness: a and not a cannot exist at the same time. It is not consistent with His character. God cannot do some things as lie. Titus 1:2.


D5 Probably the main argument for atheism relies on the evidence. The only evidence accepted by atheists is natural evidence and natural law. There is no supernatural. They merely refuse any supernatural.


D6 Resources


E1 The Problem of Evil


E2 William Lane Craig


E3 This article deals with the resurrection being a true, historical event. It does so much deal with the existence of God but shows the Bible is true historically.


C3 For


D1 Cosmological Argument


E1 The universe cannot exist on its own. It needs a cause or something to bring it into existence.


E2 The first cause is God.


E3 A type of argument for the existence of God, arguing that since everything and event has a cause, there must be an uncaused first cause. Wiktionary


E4 Weakness: who caused God?


D2 Teleological Argument


E1 There is order in the universe. This implies someone to have put order into what exists. This someone is God.


E2 A type of argument for the existence of God, that orderliness of nature is evidence of design, therefore also of a designer. Wiktionary


E3 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. (Hebrews 3:4, EMTV)


E4 Weakness: order exists but may have happened by random occurrence.


D3 Ontological Argument


E1 "God exists, provided that it is logically possible for him to exist."


E2 The highest possible, logical infinite being thought of. Compare


E3 A type of argument which maintains that the existence of God can be deduced from an analysis of the concept of God. Wiktionary


E4 An a priori argument for the existence of God that asserts that existence is a perfection and that God is the most perfect being, and therefore that God must exist. Wordsymth


E5 Consider this video The Information Enigma. This is from the Discovery Institute and deals with Intelligent Design. Yet, it is reasonable to conclude that the source of information would come from the greatest possible source--God. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3, EMTV)


E6 Weakness in that to an atheist, the highest possible presently existing being is humans.


D4 Moral Law Argument


E1 Morality is observed.


E2 Belief in God is the best explanation for this common morality.


E3 Weakness: all humans are related, and it might just be a genetic expression.


D5 Physicotheology


E1 God exists as illustrated by physics and nature philosophy.


E2 The view that evidence and sound arguments
for God's existence can be derived from a study of the natural world; a study of the natural world intended to provide such evidence. Wiktionary


E3 Weakness: design is in the process of evolution and is not to be inferred that there is a designer. It appears to be designed but is not.


D6 Jesus exists argument


E1 Lived in the first century.


E2 Seen by many.


E3 Supernatural occurrences witnessed by many.


E4 Claimed to be God.


E5 The books of His life (the Gospels in the Bible) are reliable and were written in the first century.


E6 Weakness: The "witnesses" may have been collaborating in a lie. Jesus does not live on earth now to observe what He does.


D7 Evidence model


E1 This has lately been best developed by J. Warner Wallace.


E2 It revolves around the principles of detectives researching a cold case.


D8 Some sources of interest


E1 A YouTube list of animated explanations of God's existence by William Lane Craig.


E2 Many links to the topic Is the Bible Reliable?


B2 Exist


C1 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for it is necessary for the one approaching God to believe that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6, EMTV)


C2 Because that which is known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (Romans 1:19, EMTV)


A3 Questions

B1 What is reasonable?


B2 Are we able to believe reasonable evidence?


B3 Why do people not believe?


B4 Why do people believe?


B5 Why do people believe the Bible to be only the work of humans?


B6 Why are witnesses' testimony discounted?


B7 What is the best line of evidence?


B8 Even though all "proofs" of God's existence have weaknesses, what one strikes you are most reasonable?

20 October 2015

Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:3-6

Another test to know if we are a true Christian--obedience to God.


090515_0046_DailyBibleS1.png

The Importance of obeying Jesus's Rules


Now by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who claims to abide in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6, EMTV)


A1 Outline

B1 Do we obey? 1 John 2:3


B2 Two examples


C1 One claims to be a Christian but does not live Christ's commandments. 1 John 2:4


C2 One claims to be a Christian but does live Christ's commandment 1 John 2:5


B3 Summary--If we are Christians, we will obey. 1 John 2:6


A2 Notes

B1 Definitions


C1 Him--The Lord Jesus. See 1 John 2:1


C2 Keep


D1 The Greek word is τηρέω tereo.


D2 It means to guard, keep, fulfill, detain, maintain. The idea is watching something carefully in order to have it safe. It can apply to guards keeping a prisoner, keeping (guarding) our self, fulfilling an order or prophecy, keeping from satan and his ways, keeping the faith (not leaving the teachings of the Bible), and obeying (doing what is required). We use it similarly in the phrase "keeping the speed limit."


D3 From Thayer's Lexicon--SYNONYMS: τηρέω, φυλάσσω: τηρέω to watch or keep, φυλάσσω to guard; τηρέω expresses watchful care and is suggestive of present possession, φυλάσσω indicates safe custody and often implies assault from without; τηρέω may mark the result of which φυλάσσω is the means (e. g. John 17:12 where the words occur together... Our word is in bold. When I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You have given Me I guarded; and not one of them is lost except the son of perdition, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.


(John 17:12 EMTV)


C3 Commandments


D1 The Greek word is ἐντολή entole.


D2 It means rule, commandment. An absolute to obey given by an authority.


C4 Perfected


D1 The Greek word is τελειόω teleioo.


D2 It means to finish what we start, thus complete, finish, etc.


C5 Abide


D1 The Greek word is μένω meno.


D2 It means to remain, continue, endure. It has the idea of staying where we are, and in this case staying we are in doctrine and life as Jesus taught.


D3 Compare John 2:19, John 14:16, John 5:38, 2 Timothy 3:14, etc.


C6 Walk


D1 The Greek word is περιπατέω peripateo.


D2 It means to walk as in "I walked to the store," and to walk as live our life as in "I walk in the steps of my Father." It has the idea of our conduct and how we live our life.


D3 Matthew 4:18, John 6:66, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, etc.


B2 We need to do the walk as well as the walk. If we are truly a Christian, then we will life our life in accordance with God's rules.


B3 Cross references: John 8:31, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Matthew 10:37-39, Ephesians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Matthew 10:25


A3 Questions

B1 What are His rules? (For a starter read Ephesians 5)


B2 Do you know anyone who says they are a Christian but don't live by Jesus's rules?


B3 Why do people want to call themselves a Christian but not live according to Jesus's rules?


B4 What does the love of God have to do with following His rules?


B5 Why should I follow God's rules?


B6 Isn't following God's rules legalism? (No, we do not obey those rules to get to heaven but because we love God and want to do them).