Using the four steps to study Bible texts

[From my Christian Brother Daniel Dickey

Using the Four Steps to Study Bible Texts

Try using the four steps on a text of your choice from any Bible book. All you need is a Bible, a pen, some paper, and about 30 minutes.

1. Pray: Pray before and throughout your study of the Bible

Start by praising and worshiping God. Confess your sins. Ask God for the Holy Spirit's help so you can correctly understand and apply God's Word to your life today. Do not proceed to the next step until you have done this.

2. Say: What does the text say?

Select a text to study from any Bible Book. Write the reference (book, chapter, and verse) here:

Now read the text carefully and study the text you chose. All observations should be based on what the text actually says. Write your observations here.

Some Additional Guidance

Observe: Ask questions like…

• Who is talking?


• What is the theme?


• Where is this happening?


• When is this happening?


• Why did this happen?


• How is god working?

3. Mean: What does the text mean in its context?


Determine what the author intended to communicate to the first readers according to the context. The following questions will help you do this for your text.


What is the immediate context for the text you chose? (Hint: use paragraph breaks, subtitles, and chapter breaks to help you.) . What is the larger context? Remember that it always helps to study a larger context than is necessary, but studying too small a context can lead to error.


Now read at least the immediate context and answer the following question to the best of your ability. For some texts, you may need to read a larger context. According to the context, what did the author intend your text to communicate to the first readers?

Briefly write down any questions you have about what the text means. These questions can be helpful for future study. God can use them to help you understand the Bible better.

The complete context of every text also includes the language, the culture, the historical background, and the setting of the author and first readers. Helpful resources would be a Study Bible, Bible Dictionary, Bible Encyclopedia, Greek Lexicon and Interlinear/Reverse Interlinear Bible.

4. Apply: How will I apply this text to my life today?

Whenever we study the Scriptures we should also determine what God is saying to us personally and make a plan to put that into practice. To do that, you can ask God, "What do You want me to do as a result of my study of Your Word?"

While praying, make a practical plan to apply what you have learned from God's Word to your life. To make a plan, answer the following questions:

•    What will I do?

•    When will I do it?

•    Where will I do it?

•    How will I do it?

Review your plan. Is it something you can do today? Does it include a way for you to know when you have completed it? If not, revise your plan.

Here is an Acrostic to help Apply God's Word

PRECEPTS: Prayer to pray, Reason to praise, Error to avoid, Command to obey, Example to follow, Promise to claim, Truth to believe, Sin to Confess.


So remember PRECEPTS and after studying the text ask yourself, is there a…

• Prayer to pray
  


• Reason to praise
  


• Error to avoid
  


• Command to obey
  


• Example to follow
  


• Promise to claim
  


• Truth to believe
  


• Sin to Confess

From my Christian brother Daniel Dickey

Sunday School Lesson—Noah obeyed God

Noah obeyed God




A1 Scripture

B1 Genesis 6:5-22

B2 Genesis 7:1-5

A2 Notes and Questions

B1 How does God see?

C1 He is creator.

C2 He is omniscient.

D1 Hebrews 4:13

D2 Revelation 2:23

D3 Proverbs 5:21

B2 Genesis 6:5.

C1 What does God see in this passage?

D1 Wicked actions

D2 Wicked thoughts

D3 Note the adjective "continually." The word implies "every day."

C2 What is the source of evil, wicked, actions?

D1 The heart.

D2 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (Matthew 15:19, EMTV)

C3 What does God see today?

C4 What are we to do?

B3 Genesis 6:6

C1 Did God really repent?

D1 Compare

Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. (Jonah 3:9-10, NKJV)

D2 In English the word repent has the idea of changing of the mind because of sin or failure.

D3 The Hebrew word has the idea of breathe deeply, sigh. It is the idea of changing the course of action because of a change in circumstances.

E1 People, nations, etc. Jeremiah 18:7-10,

E2 God's judgment is usually conditional unless stated otherwise. Ezekiel 18:4, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23

E3 Yet it is conditional.

F1 God came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10

F2 Jesus preached repentance. Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15

F3 He wants all to repent 2 Peter 3:9

F4 God responds to true repentance. Jonah 3:9-10

F5 This is the reason the Bible states that God repents. 1 Chronicles 21:15, Jeremiah 26:3, Amos 7:3

E4 Some things are unconditional

F1 Messiah Daniel 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7

F2 All covenants between God and man (except God's Law (Old Testament Law)). 2 Samuel 7:14-16

E3 Hebrew words

F1 1344 נָחַם (nāḥam) (From TWOT) For more info see here.

G1 The origin of the root seems to reflect the idea of "breathing deeply," hence the physical display of one's feelings, usually sorrow, compassion, or comfort. (From TWOT)

G2 In this regard, A. J. Heschel (The Prophets, p. 194) has said, "No word is God's final word. Judgment, far from being absolute, is conditional. A change in man's conduct brings about a change in God's judgment." (From TWOT)

G3 Usually this reflects God's emotions.

F2 2340 שׁוּב (shûb) (From TWOT) For more info see here.

G1 The third important use of shûb in the Qal, and theologically the most crucial, is in passages dealing with the covenant community's return to God (in the sense of repentance), or turning away from evil (in the sense of renouncing and disowning sin), or turning away from God (in the sense of becoming apostate).

G2 Ezekiel 14:6, 1 Kings 8:47-49

C2 Does God have emotions?

C3 Do people ever have this type of repentance?

C4 What are we to do?

B4 Genesis 6:7

C1 Is God cruel and mean to destroy all? Even babies?

D1 "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 3:23).

D2 The parents made bad choices, so their children suffered.

D3 It has no bearing on the babies and the final judgment.

C2 Does sin have consequences?

C3 Does our sin affect God?

B5 Genesis 6:8

C1 What does look for in people?

C2 What is grace? (Receiving what we do NOT deserve). Romans 11:6

B6 Genesis 6:9-10 Noah walked with God. The list of his sons.

B7 Genesis 6:11

C1 What did God see?

C2 What was the earth filled with?

C3 What is the warning to the earth today? (Repent or face God's judgment).

B8 Genesis 6:12

C1 The Hebrew word is H7843 שָׁחַת shachath (From Strong's). It means destroy, rot, ruin. This is the condition of humanity and all of creation.

C2 How do we see this type of corruption in the world today?

B9 Genesis 6:13

C1 What does God say the earth is filled with?

C2 Is this true for today?

C3 What was God's judgment?

C4 Could the people of Noah's day repent?

B10 Genesis 6:14 What is gopher wood? There have been many suggestions.

C1 Smoothed, shaped wood.

C2 Box wood

C3 Cedar

C4 Cypress

C5 Others

C6 Links: here, here,

B11 Genesis 6:14-17 The size of the ark, basics instructions, and the reason for it.

Build a boat for yourself out of good timber; make rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out. Make it 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Make a roof for the boat and leave a space of 18 inches between the roof and the sides. Build it with three decks and put a door in the side. I am going to send a flood on the earth to destroy every living being. Everything on the earth will die, (Genesis 6:14-17 GNB)

B12 Genesis 6:18-20

C1 Is this covenant conditional or non-conditional? (Non-conditional)

C2 Is this covenant with Noah and his family or with the animals also?

B13 Genesis 6:21

C1 Did God do all the work for the provisions?

C2 Is work good?

B14 Genesis 6:22 What did Noah do? (He obeyed God)

C1 What did Noah do? (He obeyed God)

C2 Is it best to follow God's plan or ours?

C3 Why doesn't today's church live, act, and believe according to the teachings of Jesus?

B15 Genesis 7:1-3

C1 Why did God want 7 of each clean animal?

C2 What is a clean animal?

D1 The Hebrew word implies something that is not defiled, contaminated, or something that has had the contamination removed.

D2 A cleanness, pureness, in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense.

D3 Clean animals were also used in the service of man as a pride of lions is not the same use as a herd of cattle.

C3 How would Noah know this before the giving of the Law?

C4 Are animals still classified this way?

B16 Genesis 7:4-5

C1 Why did God judge humanity?

C2 How soon? (in 7 days)

C3 How long? (40 days)

C4 What was Noah's response?

C5 What was humanity's response?

C6 Why did innocent children die?

C7 Why did innocent animals die?

C8 Why is there death today?

C9 In light of this what is the responsibility of parents and adults?

C10 Is there any standard?

C11 Does this standard change with society's standards?

C12 Are there different standards for different cultures?

Hard Questions—What is the difference between objective and subjective truth?

What is the difference between objective and subjective truth?




The article below is from my ongoing book on basic doctrine.


Truth (Basics)


A1 Defined

B1 Eyewitness: as in testimony

B2 Repeatable: as in math

B3 Consistent

B4 Legal: based on law, as in speed limit

B5 Faithfulness: as in true to a person or cause

B6 Fact vs. Opinion. This would be difference subjectively/objectively.

B7 Comment from IVPBBC--

The Greek concept of truth emphasized reality; the Old Testament word translated "truth" had more to do with integrity or faithfulness to one's word or character. Jewish thought characterized God as the Truth, so Jesus' hearers should realize that he refers specifically to God's truth in the Jewish sense. [Comment on John 8:32--The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener]

B8 The Hebrew, 'emeth, has to do with stability.

A2 Theories

B1 Objective: the description of an object is correct

C1 Correspondence theory: verifiable

D1 How a statement's truth or falsity corresponds to the world of reality.

D2 How thoughts and statements correspond to things and facts. [1]

D3 Examples:

E1 It is raining outside. Is it or isn't it?

E2 The dog ate the hot dog. Did the dog eat the hot dog or not?

D4 Difficulties

E1 God exists. Is this true or not?

E2 How can this be verified?

E3 Usually statements need to be checked as true or false have to be verifiable and repeatable.

B2 Subjective:

C1 Coherence Theory of Truth: not verifiable. This deals with how something lines up with subjective reality. Something may be true because it lines up with our belief system.

C2 Constructivist theory: truth is what society has struggled with and come to a conclusion. It is not based on any transcendent facts. "...perceptions of truth are viewed as contingent on convention, human perception, and social experience. [2] Basically truth is whatever society says it is, thus changeable.

C3 Consensus theory: truth is whatever is agreed upon by a person or group. That group may be a group of one or the whole human race.

C4 Pragmatic theory: does a belief work; if it does, then it is truth. Thus some believe an idea must be tested by a group or individual. There is also negative pragmatic theory that holds that if it works may or may not be true, but it is for sure that if it fails, then it is NOT truth.

D1 Negative pragmatism: any statement can be true, but if it doesn't work (it fails), it has to be false.

B3 A flow chart concerning truth can be found here: http://www.truthdefined.com/7-TheoriesOfTruth.htm

C1 Truth cannot be known: nihilism

C2 Truth can be known

D1 Inflationary (substantive) theories: (truth can/may be defined)

E1 Correspondence: the idea that there is a "correspondence" between belief and reality.

F1 Need to define terms

F2 Examples:

G1 That leaf is green; need to define leaf and green.

G2 I love my wife; need to define love and wife.

G3 God exists; need to define God and exists.

E2 Coherence

F1 Defined: a statement must cohere (stick together) to other statements known to be truth

F2 Examples:

G1 "It is raining cats and dogs outside."

H1 True or false?

H2 How does it compare to commonly accepted truths.

I1 Is it wet outside?

I2 Are drops of water falling from the sky?

I3 Are cats and dogs falling from the clouds?

I4 Are other people standing here see the same?

G2 A common example

Coherence Theories are valuable because they help to reveal how we arrive at our truth claims, our knowledge. We continually work at fitting our beliefs together into a coherent system. For example, when a drunk driver says, "There are pink elephants dancing on the highway in front of us", we assess whether his assertion is true by considering what other beliefs we have already accepted as true, namely,

• Elephants are gray.
  


• This locale is not the habitat of elephants.
  


• There is neither a zoo nor a circus anywhere nearby.
  


• Severely intoxicated persons have been known to experience hallucinations.
  

But perhaps the most important reason for rejecting the drunk's claim is this:

• Everyone else in the area claims not to see any pink elephants.
  

In short, the drunk's claim fails to cohere with a great many other claims that we believe and have good reason not to abandon. We, then, reject the drunk's claim as being false (and take away the car keys).

E3 Pragmatism

F1 Defined: If it works, then it is true. (Relativism).

F2 Post-modernism

F3 No absolutes except the absolute--there is no absolute truth

F4 Not practical as it is subjective and changeable.

F5 Is it falsifiable?

D2 Deflationary theories: (truth cannot or needs not to be defined)

E1 Redundancy: adding "it is true" to any statement. It is true that the dog is barking. It is true is not needed.

E2 Prosententialism: this deals with prosentences. A prosentence is a sentence that stands for something. "My dog is black, so I didn't see it at night." The word 'it' means the dog. If I say, "That's true," the sentence "that's true" is a prosentence.

E3 Disquotationism: removing quotations marks around statements. The statement "it is true," simply becomes it is true.

B4 Ways to know something [see 3]

C1 Empirical

D1 What sense organs (taste, smell, see, feel, hear, also instruments that may extend these as microphone, telescopes, microscopes, etc.)

D2 The senses may be wrong as in optical illusions, delusions, hallucinations, ventriloquists, etc.

D3 We may know our own stimulated senses but how do we know others?

C2 Rational

D1 Not what is sensed but what is arrived at by reason using mathematical proofs

D2 Descartes: I think, therefore I am. (also rationalists as Spinoza and Leibniz).

D3 Criticism:

E1 The world out "there." How does someone know the sun is shining.

E2 Reality would be different for different people. How do I someone else thinks?

C3 Mystical: a feeling or sense inside someone as premonition, burning in the bosom, tingling, "peace"

C4 Pragmatical: finding out what works

C5 Authority: because someone (an authority) says so. This is no more than "trust me" and is often manipulative.

B5 The Bible and Truth

C1 Words for truth

D1 "emet" H571 with the idea of stability, truth. This would be as a stable object that when pushed, blown on, tested is various ways proves unchangeable (unalterable) thus constant, lasting permanent. Stability includes the ideas of resistance to change. It comes from the root "aman" (TWOT entry 116). There is an idea of reality in what is said and done. God is truth.

D2 "aletheia" G225. It means not hidden or covered up. It is something out for all to see. "It denotes a reality that is firm, solid, binding, and hence true. With reference to persons it characterizes their action, speech, or thought, and suggests integrity." [4]

C2 How can we know that this sentence (Jesus is God) is true?

D1 All the above theories fail. God cannot be studied or analyzed.

D2 What direct proof would be adequate?

D3 Does circumstantial evidence adequate?

D4 Is there a difference is "proof" and "reasonably?"

E1 Proof: an absolute found in math and logic but not science.

E2 Reasonable: the preponderance of circumstantial evidence

B6 Only God can know and reveal truth, so whatever the Lord Jesus says and does is truth. That is the only measure of truth. In this sense logic, science, and math are not perfect.

C1 Can only true Christians know what is true or not?

C2 Is the phrase, "All truth is God's truth," true?

B7 Jesus--this is the only correct one. (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)

B8 Theory and how we live our lives

C1 Theory is interesting and philosophical but what about how we live our lives. People do not live their lives totally in the theoretical. Is it raining or not? Does God exist or not? Since God cannot be tested with the senses, we must find these out by what is most reasonable. This is a view to circumstantial evidence. The more circumstances there are, the more likely it is true.

A3 Contrasted

B1 Lie

C1 He said to him, "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ' Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (He was lying to him.) (1 Kings 13:18)

C2 "Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. (Ezekiel 13:22)

C3 A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies. (Proverbs 14:5)

B2 Deceit

C1 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. (Job 27:4)

C2 He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit. (Proverbs 12:17)

B3 Hypocrite

C1 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? (Luke 13:15)

C2 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:28)

B4 Belief systems that fear the truth with uncomfortableness, exposure,

C1 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

C2 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us." Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: "Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them, (Isaiah 30:9-12)

A4 Importance

B1 Is freeing (And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." --John 8:32)

C1 No need to remember lies

C2 Confidence

C3 Safety

C4 From harm

C5 From deceit

C6 From false teaching

B2 Only known from the Bible (Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. --John 17:17)

C1 Holy Spirit is teacher

C2 Bible is the text book

C3 You and I are the students

C4 We only learn when we study

A5 Bible passages

B1 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6). Thus the very character of God, what He does, what He says, and what He thinks is truth.

B2 And Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak." Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?" And he said, "Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!" So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ' These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.' " (2 Chronicles 18:13-16) Thus a contrast between truth and lie; the king saw the difference perhaps from the tone of voice. Micaiah might have been speaking this with a sarcastic voice.

A6 References


    B1 http://atheism.about.com/od/philosophyepistemology/a/Coherence.htm


    B2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth


    B3 http://www.truthdefined.com/7-TheoriesOfTruth.htm

B4 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15073a.htm

A7 Lecture

B1 Define truth

B2 Offer examples

C1 If a=b and 12/4 = 3 and 3 = 12/4, then does truth = fact and fact = truth

C2 If fact is truth, then was Satan's offer to Jesus truth or the words of Satan to Eve were fact?

D1 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, "' You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" (Luke 4:5-8)

D2 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, ' You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ' You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. (Genesis 3:1-4)

A8 Sources

B1 [1] Correspondence Theory of Truth (n.d.). In Correspondence Theory of Truth. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correspondence_theory_of_truth

B2 [2] http://www.truthdefined.com/7-TheoriesOfTruth.htm The reader is hereby given permission to copy and distribute any or all pages from this website as long as text and graphics is not altered and the copyright and this permission statement is included as part of all copies. Information on this website must not be used for any commercial purposes.

B3 [3] http://www.shrdocs.com/presentations/16815/index.html

B4 [4] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged (TDNTa), Kittel, Gerhard; Friedrich, Gerhard, 1985, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Entry: aletheia.

The Story of Christmas is True

Five Reasons You Can Trust the Story of Christmas Is True (Free Bible Insert)


Detectives create lists. As a cold-case detective, I'm no different. When investigating an event in the distant past (in my case, an unsolved murder), I collect evidence, make lists and do my best to reach the most reasonable inference. When I began to investigate Christianity at the age of thirty-five, I approached the gospels the same way I approached my cold-case files. Lists were an important part of the process. One New Testament claim was particularly interesting to me: the conception and birth of Jesus. When I first read through the gospels, the birth narratives seemed incredible and unreasonable. I'm not the only person to express such a concern. In a recent article posted in the Herald Scotland, Reverend Andrew Frater called the Nativity story a "fanciful, fairy tale" and called on Christians to "disentangle the truth from the tinsel". Frater is a minister and a believer, and even he doesn't believe in the virgin conception of Jesus. As an atheist, I was even more skeptical. I rejected supernatural claims altogether, and the first Biblical claim about Jesus was a supernatural one. But as I collected the evidence and formed my lists, I found there were many good reasons to trust the story of Christmas. I've assembled them here with links to longer treatments of each topic:


Reason 1:
The Supernatural Nature of the Virgin Conception Shouldn't Disqualify It
When I began to investigate the virgin conception, I was actually investigating my own philosophical naturalism. I was, in essence, asking the following questions: "Is the natural world all that exists?" "Is there anything beyond the physical, material world we measure with our five senses?" "Are supernatural events possible or even reasonable?" In asking these questions, I was putting naturalism to the test. It would have been unfair, therefore, to begin by presupposing nothing supernatural could ever exist or occur. If we want to be fair about assessing the virgin conception or any other supernatural aspect of the nativity story, we cannot exclude the very possibility of the supernatural in the first place. Our presupposition against the supernatural would unfairly taint our examination of the claim.


Reason 2:
The Claim of the Virgin Conception Appears Incredibly Early in Christian History
It's always easier to tell a lie once everyone who was alive to know the difference has already died. But if you're going to make a claim early in an area where people are still available to debunk your claim, be prepared to have a difficult time getting away with misrepresentations. The virgin conception of Jesus is one of the earliest claims in Christian history. The students of the gospel authors cited the virgin conception as a true claim about Jesus. Ignatius, the student of John (an Apostle who chose not to write about the birth of Jesus in his own gospel), included it in his early writings to local churches. Other Church leaders repeated the claim through the earliest years of the Church, and the doctrine also appears in the most ancient Church creeds. Even early non-canonical documents include the virgin conception of Jesus.


Reason 3:
The Birth Narratives in Luke and Matthew Are Not Late Additions
Critics, in an effort to argue the birth narratives in Luke and Matthew are not reliable, point to stylistic differences and "content shifting" within the gospels. Critics claim that the Greek language…


Read the rest
here.

Sunday School Lesson—The Holy Spirit helps us

The Holy Spirit helps us




A1 Scripture

B1 John 14:15-27

B2 John 15:26-27

A2 Outline

B1 Jesus's message to the Apostles John 13-17

B2 Jesus's leaving will be a blessing to all John 14

C1 Preparing a place for believers John14:1-7

C2 Making followers to be co-workers John 14:8-14

C3 Sending the Holy Spirit to help in Christian life and to remember John 14:15-24

C4 Leaving a peace that overcomes the world John 14:25-31

A3 Notes and Questions

B1 Basic doctrine of Holy Spirit

C1 From Matt Slick

D1 With the ascension of Christ, we have the arrival of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, Acts 2) who ministers to the Church through the mediation of Christ (1 Tim. 2:5) and the Scriptures.

D2 He is fully God. He is not a force. He is the third person of the Trinity.

E1 He has a will--1 Corinthians 2:11

E2 He speaks--Acts 13:2

E3 He loves--Romans 15:30

E4 He can be grieved--Ephesians 4:30

E5 He convicts of sin--John 16:8

E6 He creates--Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4

E7 He gives gifts--1 Corinthians 12:8

E8 He intercedes--Romans 8:26

E9 He teaches--John 14:26

E10 He testifies of Jesus--John 15:26

E11 He baptizes--1 Corinthians 12:13

E12 He guides--John 16:13

E13 He encourages--Acts 9:31

E14 He empowers--Micah 3:8

E15 He gives joy--Romans 14:17

E16 He comforts--John 14:16-26

D3 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer (Romans 8:11) and continues to work in him to bring about sanctification (Romans 15:16).

D4 The Holy Spirit illuminates the mind of the believer (1 Corinthians 2:12, 13) and reveals to him the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10, 13, 1 John 2:27).

C2 From Free Will Baptist Treatise

The Holy Spirit

1. The Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Spirit the acts and attributes of an intelligent being. He guides, knows, moves, gives information, commands, forbids sends forth, reproves, and can be sinned against.

2. The attributes of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit.

3. The works of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit: creation, inspiration, giving of life, and sanctification.

4. The apostles assert that the Holy Spirit is Lord and God.

From the foregoing, the conclusion is that the Holy Spirit is in reality God and one with the Father in all divine perfections. It has also been shown that Jesus Christ is God—one with the Father. Then these three— the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are one God.

The truth of this doctrine is also proved from the fact that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are united in the authority by which believers are baptized; and in the benedictions pronounced by the apostles, which are acts of the highest religious worship.

B2 Gender

C1 Hebrew

D1 Original: רוּח

Transliteration: Ruwach

Phonetic: roo'-akh

Part(s) of speech: Noun, Feminine

D2 Some have concluded that since the Hebrew word is feminine, then the Holy Spirit is feminine (she).

C2 Greek

D1 Original: πνεύμα

Transliteration: pneúma

Phonetic: pnyoo'-mah

Part of speech: Noun, Neuter

D2 Some have concluded that since the Hebrew word is neuter, then the Holy Spirit is it (force, effect).

C3 Apostle John

D1 John 15:26

E1

E2 εκεινος is masculine, not feminine. John knew Greek will and deliberately uses the masculine, because the Holy Spirit is "he."

D2 John 14:26

E1 Greek--εκεινος is masculine

E2 The Apostle John knew Greek very well and used this word deliberately.

C4 God is masculine as in Father and Son, so it is most reasonable to believe Spirit is also. God is one God in three persons, not three gods.

B3 John 14:15-27

C1 How do we love God? (Keep His rules).

C2 How does this show love?

C3 What are His rules? Some examples: 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)

C4 John 14:16

D1 Why does Jesus have to ask for something?

D2 How is the giver of the Holy Spirit?

D3 How do we know that this helper, comforter, is the Holy Spirit and not a human? (Next verse)

C5 John 14:17

D1 What is a description of the Holy Spirit in this verse? (Spirit of truth).

D2 Why is truth so important?

D3 How do we know what is truth?

D4 Is it ever OK to lie? (Hiding slaves during 19th century, hiding Jews in WWII, keeping a secret, etc.).

D5 Who is the "world?"

D6 Why can't the world receive the Holy Spirit?

C6 John 14:18 What is the meaning of this verse?

D1 Clarke in his commentary on this verse writes:

The disciples of a particular teacher among the Hebrews called him father; his scholars were called his children, and, on his death, were considered as orphans. Christ calls his disciples children, beloved children, Joh 13:33; and, now that he is about to be removed from them by death, he assures them that they shall not be left fatherless, or without a teacher; for in a little time he should come again, (rise from the dead,) and, after his ascension, they should be made partakers of that Spirit which would be their comforter, advocate, teacher, and guide for ever.

D2 Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5

C7 John 14:19

D1 What are some facts about this verse?

E1 Yet in a little while

E2 The world will see me no more

E3 You will (resurrection was only seen by believers. Compare 1 Corinthians 15:6).

E4 Because I live, you will, too.

D2 What comfort does one get from the life that is described here? (Comfort of the resurrection)

C8 John 14:20

D1 What day is Jesus talking about? (Some say it is Pentecost, but most likely it is a new dispensation that starts with Jesus's resurrection).

D2 What important knowledge comes to believers from Jesus's resurrection?

C9 John 14:21

D1 Are we to obey Jesus's rules? Is that happening today?

D2 What is the idea of Jesus's revealing Himself to believers?

E1 "Will show" is future present indicative.

E2 He does not say when.

E3 It could refer to His post-resurrection appears to the Apostles and those with them.

E4 Strictly speaking Jesus is speaking to the Apostles.

D3 Who are the ones who will see Jesus? (Those who obey His rules).

D4 Does this refer to mystical voices, visions, appearances? (No)

C10 John 14:22 What is Judas's misunderstanding? (He thought that the earthly kingdom was going to be set up shortly).

C11 John 14:23

D1 How can God live in us?

E1 We are God's living Temple.

E2 Compare Ezekiel 37:27, 2 Corinthians 6:16

D2 Who are the ones in whom God lives? (Those who obey the New Testament).

C12 John 14:24 Why does Jesus keep emphasizing obedience?

C13 John 14:25-26

D1 Who is Jesus addressing here? (The Apostles).

D2 How can we apply this to us today? (We remember a Bible verse).

C14 John 14:27

D1 What kind of peace is Jesus speaking of?

D2 Why is His peace different from any other peace?

D3 Do we disobey God when we are troubled (anxious, worried) or fearful? (No, we run to Him for help. Psalm 18:2, Psalm 61:3, Proverbs 18:10

C15 John 15:26

D1 How does the Holy Spirit testify about Jesus?

D2 What authority does the Holy Spirit have to testify about Jesus?

C16 John 15:27

D1 What are we to do?

D2 What is the method? (Bells, whistles, light show, entertainment, or preaching? Preaching 1 Corinthians 1:18-21, Acts 17:18, Acts 17:32).

C17 List some things that we must do, the Holy Spirit will do, and Jesus will do?

Hard Questions—Why worship God?

Why would God need people to worship Him (isn't that egotistical and arrogant)?


A1 Question

B1 Does God need it?

C1 God needs nothing

D1 "...nor by the hands of men is He served, as though He needed anything, for He gives to all life and breath with respect to all things. (Acts 17:25, EMTV) Nor does he need anything that we can supply by working for him, since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone. (Acts 17:25, GNB92)

D2 Psalm 50:8-15

D3 Since He is the source of life and everything that is, He needs nothing.

D4 Since He owns everything, He needs nothing.

B2 What is worship? See below in answers

A2 Answer

B1 Reasons

C1 Being thankful--Matthew 15:36, Romans 1:21, 1 Corinthians 15:57, Philippians 4:6, Revelation 7:12

C2 Praise for good work--Luke 19:37, 1 Kings 8:55-56

C3 For a compliment--Mark 7:37, Luke 23:41

C4 Respect and honor--Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 4:9-10, Matthew 8:2, Romans 1:25, Revelation 4:10, Revelation 9:20, Revelation 22:8-9

C5 Singing for our emotional expression--2 Chronicles 5:13, Revelation 5:8-14

B2 God gives these to us

C1 Thanks--John 11:41, 1 Peter 1:7

C2 Praise--Luke 22:28-30, Romans 2:29, 1 Corinthians 4:5

C3 Compliment--Matthew 25:21

C4 Honor--John 5:44, John 12:26

Hard Questions—Is the Old Testament God different from the New Testament God?

Why does the "Old Testament God" seem different than the "New Testament God?"




A1 Problem

B1 The God of the Old Testament is angry, but the God of the New Testament is love.

B2 The Old Testament God is angry, holy, vengeful, punishing; the New Testament God is meek, mild, compassionate, and loving.

A2 Solution

B1 There is a misreading and understanding of the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament.

C1 Old Testament

D1 God is holy and punishes. Joshua 24:19, Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 27:11

D2 God is compassionate and loving. Exodus 34:6, Psalms 86:15, Jonah 4:2

C2 New Testament

D1 God is holy and punishes. John 2:15, John 18:6, Matthew 23:33

D2 God is compassionate and loving. Matthew 15:32, Hebrews 5:2, Matthew 20:34

B2 God's character

C1 His likes and dislikes.

C2 Heaven is where God "lives." God does not like liars, adulterers, haters, bullies, abusers, covetousness, murder, thieves, etc. So in heaven He does not want these things happening, and they will not happen.

C3 Israel is a nation, a DNA people, chosen by God to be a special people for a special mission. Because they are to represent Him, they must be like Him in their thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. They were and are not, so God becomes angry just as He said.

C4 This is all summarized in the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20).

C5 Of the 10 Commandments, 9 are repeated in the New Testament.

Old Testament	New Testament
Do not have no other gods besides me	Matthew 4:10, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 John 5:20-21, 1 Corinthians 5:11
Do not make any graven image	Romans 1:23, Revelation 9:20, Matthew 4:9-10
Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain	Matthew 5:33-37, Colossians 3:8, 2 Timothy 3:2
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy
Honor your father and mother	Mark 10:19, Matthew 19:19, Ephesians 6:2
Do not kill	James 2:11, Matthew 5:21, Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9
Do not commit adultery	James 2:11, Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9
Do not steal	Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9, Ephesians 4:28
Do not bear false witness against your neighbor	Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9, 1 Timothy 1:10
Do not covet	Romans 13:9, Romans 7:7, Luke 12:15, 1 Corinthians 5:11, Colossians 3:5

C6 No sinner will be in heaven.

B3 All people are sinners and will face God's wrath.

C1 God reveals His character. His character reflects His rules.

C2 He warns what will happen if disobedience occurs.

C3 He provides a plan for forgiveness.

C4 Image

C5 Need God

A3 Further study

B1 Is God different?

B2 Isn't the God of the Old Testament Harsh, Brutal, and Downright Evil?