Truth Quest @ Los Altos Grace

Friday, July 8, 2011

Session 6 - The Trinity: Part 2

The Trinity – The Triune Godhead – Part 2

Topic:      We talked about it last week, but let’s take another look at one of the most perplexing things - our God is one and yet He is three—the Triune Godhead.

Verses to Consider: Genesis 1:1 &1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5

Articles:
Part 1 - Basic Overview with Key verses. http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html

Part 2 - There’s not a ‘Trinity verse’ — and that’s a good thing http://magazine.biola.edu/article/11-winter/think-bigger/

            - The Study of God http://ichthys.com/1Theo.htm
              - The Trinity (Triunity) of God http://bible.org/article/trinity-triunity-god

Key Questions:

Theologians often describe God as one essence and three persons. Can you explain that?

Is this “trinity concept” a logical contradiction and therefore is not believable?

This is from the Los Altos Grace Brethren Church in Statement of Faith:
We believe: THE ONE TRUE GOD: existing eternally as three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matthew 29:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Do you agree? Why or why not?

Who do you pray to: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit?

Application:

Divine Truth:
            What are some old beliefs that I need to lay aside and new beliefs I need to adopt:

            What are some old behaviors I need to lay aside and new behaviors I need to adopt:
Nurturing Relationships:
    How does this truth affect relationships…
                        ...with my spouse (if appropriate):
                        ...with my child/parent:
                        ...with my employer/employee:
                        ...with my friends:
                        ...with my brother/sister:
                        ...with those in authority:

Apostolic Mission:
     How does this truth help me in overcoming the enemy’s schemes?

     How does this truth help me in pursuing the mission I have in God’s kingdom?

What's One Thing I will Do this Week because of What I've Learned?

1.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Session 5 - The Trinity

The Trinity – The Triune Godhead

Topic: One of the most perplexing things is that our God is one and yet He is three—the Triune Godhead.

Verses to Consider:     Genesis 1:1 &1:26;
Deuteronomy 6:4;
Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20;
2 Corinthians 13:14;
Galatians 3:20;
1 Timothy 2:5

Article: http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html
<http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html>

Key Questions:

• Who are the three persons of the Godhead and how do they relate to one another?

• What are the roles or tasks of the three persons of the Godhead—how are they different in what each does?

• What are key passages to talk about the unity/oneness of God? What are key passages to explain the three persons of the Godhead?

• Is there a helpful diagram or illustration to explain the triune Godhead?

• If you studied only the Old Testament, could you come to know that God is triune? What about from General Revelation alone (meaning no Scriptures)?

Application:

Divine Truth:
What are some old beliefs that I need to lay aside and new beliefs I need to adopt:

What are some old behaviors I need to lay aside and new behaviors I need to adopt:

Nurturing Relationships:
  How does this truth affect relationships…
...with my spouse (if appropriate):
...with my child/parent:
...with my employer/employee:
...with my friends:
...with my brother/sister:
...with those in authority:

Apostolic Mission:
   How does this truth help me in overcoming the enemy’s schemes?

   How does this truth help me in pursuing the mission I have in God’s kingdom?

---
One Thing I Will Do This Week:

Take Home:
1) God is one
2) The Godhead has three persons
3) The differences between the three

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Authority of the Bible

Our Topic...what is the actual authority of the Bible.

Verses to Consider: John 10:35; Revelation 22:18-19; Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 14:37

Article: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Bible_Authoritative.htm

Key Questions:

How high in the pecking order is the Scripture?

I’m responsible to know the Scriptures (interpret it myself), so does it still have authority over me?

How does church history/tradition relate to the Scripture?

Is the Bible sufficient for what God wants us to know?

How does the Bible relate to science

Application:

Divine Truth:

What are some old beliefs that I need to lay aside and new beliefs I need to adopt:

What are some old behaviors I need to lay aside and new behaviors I need to adopt:

Nurturing Relationships:

How does this truth affect relationships…

...with my spouse (if appropriate):

...with my child/parent:

...with my employer/employee:

...with my friends:

...with my brother/sister:

...with those in authority:

Apostolic Mission:

How does this truth help me in overcoming the enemy’s schemes?

How does this truth help me in pursuing the mission I have in God’s kingdom?

Take Home:

The Scripture is superior to me

The Scripture has a claim on my life

Its authority leads us to a right relationship with God

Have a learning, submitting, growing, awe-filled approach to the Scriptures

Friday, June 17, 2011

How We Got Our Bible: The Canon of Scripture - Session 3

How We Got Our Bible: The Canon of Scripture

Topic:

The Old Testament was in put together by the Jewish religious leaders years before Jesus came to earth. The early church accepted the books of the New Testament after passing certain criteria. The accepted collection was called the “canon” of Scripture. The word “canon” means “measuring stick.” There were three main criteria:

1) Did an Apostle or someone with Jesus write it?

2) Was the book consistent with known Scriptures?

3) Did the early church universally accept the book as Scripture?

Check out the following article for more introduction: http://bible.org/seriespage/bible-holy-canon-scripture

Key Questions:

Why these books?

How did it get to this list of books?

Can more books/letters be added to this list?

Application:

Divine Truth:

What are some old beliefs that I need to lay aside and new beliefs I need to adopt:

What are some old behaviors I need to lay aside and new behaviors I need to adopt:

Nurturing Relationships:

How does this truth affect relationships…

...with my spouse (if appropriate):

...with my child/parent:

...with my employer/employee:

...with my friends:

...with my brother/sister:

...with those in authority:

Apostolic Mission:

How does this truth help me in overcoming the enemy’s schemes?

How does this truth help me in pursuing the mission I have in God’s kingdom?

One Thing I Will Do This Week:

Take Home:

1. General outline of how we got the Bible

2. Confident of the 66 books in our Bible

3. Awe of God using humans to accomplish His purpose over time, space, cultures

Sunday, June 12, 2011

10 Passages that reflect the Scriptures talking about their own inspiration

What the Bible says about itself. . .

1) 2 Timothy 3:16‑17

All Scripture is inspired. Inspiration is literally “God-breathed.” Inspiration in the biblical definition means that all the very words of Scripture were God-breathed.

This text emphasizes that divine inspiration applies to the whole original text of the Bible. It doesn’t say that all Scripture is equally important, but that it is equally inspired by God (cf. Judges 3:16 and John 3:16).

ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED

2) 2 Peter 1:20‑21

This text explains something of the "how" in divine revelation. It emphasizes the Holy Spirit's superintending work over the human authors. Both the human and divine elements exist, but the divine is in control.

THE HOW OF INSPIRATION INCLUDED GOD AND MAN

3) Mark 7:8‑13

Christ endorsed

1) the fact that Moses authored the Pentateuch (first 5 books of OT) and

2) the divine inspiration of the Pentateuch.

As a corollary, the emphasis is once again, as in 2 Timothy 3:16‑17, on the written product as being divinely inspired and preserved (see Matthew 5:18).

THE PENTATEUCH IS INSPIRED

4) Matthew 24:15

Christ endorsed the Prophets. In this case, Daniel is mentioned by name. Thus this becomes an important proof text since Daniel, more than any other book outside the Pentateuch, is ridiculed and rejected by liberal "scholarship."

THE PROPHETS ARE INSPIRED

5) Mark 12:36

Christ endorsed the Psalms, in this case also attesting to David’s authorship.

THE POETIC BOOKS ARE INSPIRED

6) Luke 24:25‑27

Christ endorsed the entire Old Testament (called the "Law and the Prophets" in this verse‑ see Matthew 5:17, 7:12, 11:13).

THE ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT IS INSPIRED

7) Mark 13:31

Christ declared that his own words were eternal and infallible.

THE GOSPELS ARE INSPIRED

8) John 16:12‑13

Christ declared that His teaching did not represent the sum of new revelation. He stated that the Holy Spirit would give further, complete truth to the Apostles. This verse teaches two things: (a) further revelation would be given to the Apostles, and (b) this revelation would be completed in the Apostles' lifetimes, since Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide them into "all" truth. Correlate this passage with John 17:17, where Jesus, speaking to the Father, says, "Thy word is truth [aleithia, same word as 16:12‑13]."

FURTHER REVELATION WOULD FOLLOW THE GOSPELS

9) 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Paul taught that his teaching carried divine authority (see also 1 Cor 14:37).

THE LETTERS/EPISTLES ARE INSPIRED

10) 2 Peter 3:15‑16

Peter affirmed the inspiration of Paul's letters, equating them with the "other Scriptures." (The Greek word for "other" is loipos, meaning rest, further, remaining.)

THE LETTERS OF PAUL ARE INSPIRED

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Facebook Group

All...we started a Facebook group too...so we can contact those who we can catch better that way. If you want to join...go to the group here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_135535699856377

Topic for Session 2 (Sun. 6/12) - Inspiration, Inerrancy and Reliability of the Bible

Article to check out: http://bible.org/article/inspiration-inerrancy

Verses to check out and see what they say about themselves (The Scriptures affirming the Scriptures):