1
Q
Is every sin the same in God’s eyes?
A
No
- mosaic law required diff payments/sacrifices for diff sins (varying degrees of severity)
Capital Crime (murder) vs stealing required double payment
- who commits the sin has greater gravity (leaders; kings) (Judas; against children; sodom and gamorrah)
[life doesn’t make sense this way either; disciplining children; government]
- it is true that if you break 1 rule, you break the whole thing
Sins are worse
1. Position (pastors, leaders, parents, etc.)
2. Parties offended (God, parents)
3. Nature of the offense (black or white vs gray; lust vs adultery)
4. Circumstances (public, church)
2
Q
What is the Bible?
A
A collection of divinely inspired and authoritative writing; compiled as one book made up of 66 smaller books
3
Q
Why the Old and New Covenants?
A
2 covenantal relationships between God and humanity; 1st was ratified at Mount Sinai pointing toward new covenant where the law would be written on people’s hearts
4
Q
What is Covenant Theology?
A
(central to Reformed theology)
- a way of reading the whole Bible
- a framework for understanding the Bible’s overall structure and meaning; viewing God’s interactions with humanity through the lens of covenants
- Covenant: Promisory agreement between two parties that is ratified by certain rituals that make it binding
1. Covenant of Works (Adam; life and blessing if perfect obedience)
*Covenant of Redemption: Agreement between Father and Son to redeem (ppl disagree on this though)
2. Covenant of Grace (offers salvation through faith in Jesus; administered in various ways throughout the Bible to make God’s promises to His people clearer and point to the coming of the Savior) (first announced Gen 3:15)
*Noahic = (covenant of continuation) promise to preserve earth and never again send flood to destroy all life (Gen 8:20 - 9:17) (sign = rainbow)
*Abrahamic = promise to bless entire world through one family, multiply his descendants, bring him into the promise land (sign = circumcision)
*Mosaic = (law covenant) legal regulations and sacrificial system; never meant to be a means of salvation - meant to point to Jesus amidst the failure of this law (a lot of times people talk about the Old Covenant and New Covenant, and when they are talking about the OC, they are talking about this one)
*Davidic = (royal covenant) chose the fam of Abraham descent to rule Israel permanently; the line of the Savior
*New Covenant = all other covenants fulfilled in this one (inaugurated in Jeremiah 31:31-34) Jesus brought it forth through his life, death, and resurrection. Continued in the ministry of the church and won’t be consummated until the return of Jesus
5
Q
Animism
A
spiritual beings/forces have power over us. We must discover what they are, their impact, and how to control them for our benefit.
- Impacts 40% of pop
- This thinking is found in many religions
Ex: Knock on wood (actually has its origin in thinking trees have protective properties and knocking on them awakens them; tarot cards; black cat; etc.)
6
Q
What is the purpose of the Bible?
A
To make people wise to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ
- Conviction of sin
- Correction and Instruction
- Spiritual Fruitfulness
- Joy and Delight
- Authority in Doctrine and Deed
7
Q
How is the Bible organized?
A
- 39 books in Hebrew; a very small portion in Aramaic
- The books in OT are organized topically
Law | Historical Books | Wisdom | Prophetic (Major and then Minor) - There is not complete uniformity in the manuscripts on the order of the books. This should prevent us from claiming divine meaning from any particular order in our current English Bible.
NT: Paul’s letters are ordered in decreasing lengths (first to communities then to individuals). Hebrews was put last because people thought that he wrote it.
- Perhaps the other NT author letters were ordered by prominence
- As more and more copies were made, there were some attempts at divisions and labels (Eusebius 260-340AD)
- Our current chapter divisions were put there by Stephen Langton (13th century), Archbishop of Canterbury, while lecturing
- Subsequent publications followed his format (again, no divine meaning behind this) There are clearly times when the divisions are not the best
- Verse divisions in OT were made by the Ben Asher family (Jewish scribes) around AD 900
- Verse divisions in NT were made in 1551 by Robert Estienne, a printer from Paris (prior to this, scholars had to use phrases like “halfway through Galatians 4”
- First English Bible with verse divisions was the Geneva Bible in 1560. Pretty much impossible that any other system would challenge this one since it is so solidifed.
8
Q
God’s jealousy
A
Jealous for what rightly belongs to him (glory). Jealous for us. Jealous for us not to pursue anything else other than God.
[not jealous in the sinful sense where we want something that doesn’t belong to us]
9
Q
Who wrote the Bible - Humans or God?
A
- Different theories of inspiration
- Verbal Plenary Theory: Dual authorship. Authors wrote as thinking, feeling people, God so mysteriously superintended the process that every word written was also the exact word he wanted to be written - free from all error
[Undoubtedly, authors were more or less conscious of relating divine revelation]
[plenary = whole, complete]
[verbal = every word]
[one of the Christian truths that at the end of the day is not fully explainable]
[the meaning of the text is often more deep and has meaning that the author doesn’t completely understand]
[Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) God preserves his infallible word through the manuscripts]
10
Q
Does the Bible contain error?
A
- Up until the mid 17th century, essentially everyone who was a Christian accepted that the Bible is completely truthful. But the Enlightenment started to give people skepticism.
- Scripture claims itself as completely true (2 Tim 3:16 // Psalm 12:6 // Hebrews 1:1-2)
11
Q
What is the Trinity?
A
3 persons, 1 God
- God’s whole and undivided essence belongs equally and simultaneously to each person
- Each is fully God while each is his own personal expression in role and activity
12
Q
What are incommunicable/communicable attributes?
A
true of God exclusively // those that we share
13
Q
Immense/omnipresent?
A
God is non-spatial (yet he creates space) He inhabits all the space that he made
14
Q
How did we get the Canon?
A
(not authorized collection of books; it’s a collection of authorized books)
(canonization is the process of recognizing that inherent authority)
OT
- some were recognized authoritative immediately due to their prophetic word being fulfilled
- By the end of the 1st century the Bible was finished, which is amazing
- By the time of Jesus, there was little debate about the OT canon. Everyone agreed what was in and what was out.
- Jesus and the Apostles affirmed the OT canon; I do too
NT
1. Apostolic: written or tied closely to an apostle (an authorized eye witness of Jesus)
2. Catholic: widely/universally recognized by the churches
3. Orthodox: not in contradiction to any recognized apostolic book or doctrine
(written AD 45 - 100 // collected in read in churches AD 100 - 200 // carefully examined and compared AD 200 - 300 // complete agreement was obtained AD 300 - 400 [Athanasius letter in 367])
- it is not surprising to find that in an absence of unified ecclesiastical hierarchy and in a situation when documents were copied by hand that church debated what writings were truly apostolic
- Keep in mind the large geographic distances between some Christian communities, as well as the persecutions that made communication and gatherings of decision-making virtually impossible until the conversion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century (it took time to distribute and to communicate with the churches)
- Subjective component where people just (empowered by the Holy Spirit) recognized it as God’s word
- It’s amazing to realize that the whole church came to recognize the NT canon given they just had their own slowly circulating knowledge and experience of the documents. Knowing the diversity in the church, the fact that they all agreed suggests that the final decision was not solely at a human level
15
Q
Is the Canon closed?
A
- according to the stipulations, it is impossible
- even if a letter of Paul were discovered, it did not have catholicity and can’t be considered Canon
16
Q
What are the law books?
A
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
17
Q
What are the historical books?
A
Historical Books (Joshua - Esther): God’s dealings with Israel, historical narrative
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
18
Q
Wisdom books
A
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
19
Q
Major Prophets?
A
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
20
Q
Minor prophets?
A
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
21
Q
Why did Jesus not baptize during his ministry?
A
(John 4) It was attributed to him because his disciples did. He probably didn’t want to create divisions - people boasting….1 Corinthians
22
Q
What were indulgences?
A
Written documents (later printed) from bishops (best were from the pope) that the holder would receive a reduction in temporal punishment for sins (that were already forgiven through confession) (came from the church’s “treasury of merit”)
- Originally you would get them through acts like prayer, charity, or pilgrimage
- Later they were sold for money (corruption in the church) funded projects like St. Peter’s Basilica
- They started saying it could guarantee salvation or free a soul immediately from purgatory
23
Q
How did Jewish customs effect early Christianity?
A
- Continued Mosaic Law beliefs (Sabbath, Kosher, circumcision) out of tradition/New covenant wasn’t really established yet/over time through apostolic teaching it was/people are hard to change that quickly. Wasn’t until Council of Jerusalem in AD 49 (Paul, James, Peter _ debating if Gentiles need to follow law to be saved_Acts 15)
24
Q
Where did Jews come from? Who are they?
A
Jews refer to God’s special, called out people. Specifically referring to the 12 tribes of Israel. What happened is after the death of Solomon, the kingdom split. Northern Kingdom is made up of 10 tribes and Southern kingdom is made up of Judah, Benjaminites, and Levites (capital was Jerusalem). Then the Northern Kingdom got sacked by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The NK then either intermarried, dispersed, or some went to remain faithful to God in the Southern Kingdom. Southern kingdom was sacked by Babylonians in 586 BC (Babylonian Exile). They are later brought back. But then they were exiled, the people were known as “Judeans” or “the people of Judah.” This became Jew in English through Greek and Latin translation.
25
What is justification?
Is the act of God declaring a sinner to be righteous in his sight - not because of what we've done but because of what Jesus has done for us (1 time declaration)
26
What are the Christian traditions/branches?
Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism
27
What is Catholicism?
- Roman Catholicism and Eastern Catholicism
- Largest tradition (1.3 billion followers
- Leader = Pope (Rome)
28
What is Protestantism?
- Reformation = 1517 (Reform Movement against the Catholic Church; emphasized authority of Scripture alone, salvation by faith alone, and the priesthood of all believers)
- Many different denominations
29
Who are the Lutherans?
- Founder = Martin Luther (1517)
- Infant baptism (means of grace)
- Consubstantiation (Christ's body and blood is truly present in, with, and under the sacrament) (note difference from transubstantiation)
- Have a much more liturgical worship service
30
Explain the history of baptism
- By 250, infant baptism was considered valid (they began believing that God saved and forgave sins by baptism)
- No writer mentioned infant baptism prior to 200 (Tertullian is the first to mention it around 200)
- Until the 5th century, they usually baptized children only when they got sick (but then they started doing it earlier not knowing when they could get sick)
- The King was commanding the baptisms. Baptisms were very political and not spiritual.
- Preachers in the 5th century then began urging people to baptize their infant for the purpose of regeneration (never know when they might kick the bucket)
- By the year 500, parents are generally expected to present their child either at Easter or Pentecost in their first year of life (baptism only happened twice a year)
- Was by immersion (with the exception of the sick (pouring/sprinkling was permitted as an exception by the 3rd century)
31
What was Arianism/Subordinationism?
- Founded by Arius
- the father created the Son to be a powerful created being through whom he would create the universe
- “There was a time when Jesus was not”
- the nature of the Son is less than the nature of God
- this was a powerful movement; taken down by the Nicene Council
32
What is Modalism/Sabellianism?
- Sabellius (what year?)
- only one God that reveals himself in different modes
- wasn't a specific council that killed this, it just died on its own, Christians just knew it was wrong
33
What is the self-sufficiency of God? And what are popular denials?
- God possesses within himself intrinsically and eternally every quality (good) in infinite measure (Is. 40:12-15)
- He exists just fine with or without creation; creation doesn’t add anything to him; it’s just an expression of him; a display of himself
- (Denial) Process Theology (1920s – 1980s); God is in the process of becoming something better the next moment than what he was; gets better as he receives from the world (study deeper) contributing value he would otherwise lack)
- (Denial) He was lonely, thats why he needed to create us
34
What are the incommunicable attributes of God?
1. Self-Existence (Aseity)
2. Self-sufficiency
3. Infinity
4. Immensity/Omnipresence
5. Omnitemporality
6. Immutability
35
What is God's self-existence (Aseity)
His existence is in himself / does not derive existence from another / everything else is contingent-dependent existence
36
What is God's Infinity?
Never depleted in any way
37
What is God's Immensity?
God is not limited or confined by space (infinite presence and Transcendence) (infinite presence, but not spread out like a substance) (fills all of space, but is not confined by it)
38
What is God's omnipresence?
God is present everywhere in creation at all times
39
What is God's omnitemporality?
God is present in all times (past, present, and future) simultaneously and continually but is not limited by time (he exists outside of time; yet is still present with us in time)
40
Immutability
God cannot change in His being, character, purposes, or promises
41
Relational mutability
God changes in relationship with people depending on the changed ethical situation he faces (he changed in a way that is appropriate to the situation) // none of this happens without God anticipating it
42
Cultural Christianity
the culture gives shape to what that theology is; happens formally and informally (Hitler anti-semitism_got rid of Jesus’ Jewish background; black theology
43
Non-cultural Christianity
the normative Christian faith (no dissemination into the context you’re in) (specific clothes, building, etc. _ missionary era in 18th and 19th century with British_ naïve culture Christianity)
44
Apostle
(GotQuestions)
- Means "one who is sent out"
- 1st use in NT is the 12 apostles
- 2nd use in NT is generically referring to individuals who have been sent out to be messengers/ambassadors for Christ
- 12 Apostles Qualifications: 1. Eyewitness to resurrected Jesus // 2. Explicitly chosen by the Holy Spirit/Jesus // 3. Ability to perform signs and wonders // 4. Laying the foundation of the church
- The generic sense refers more to a missionary (we are technically all apostles in this sense, but it is still dangerous to go back to this language and call ourselves this because it can lead to a lot of confusion since the majority of the time, the apostle language refers to the 12 apostles)
45
Premillennialism
Christ returns before the 1000 year reign
2 Main Types
Historic Premillennialism
- Believers go through the tribulation first and then...
- Christ returns, defeats evil, establishes 1000 year reign, followed by final judgement and new heavens and earth
Dispensational Premillennialism (Left Behind)
- Christ raptures the church before a 7 year tribulation
- After trib, Christ reigns for 1000 years
46
Postmillennialism
Christ returns after the millennium
- The gospel will gradually transform the world, leading to a golden age of peace (the millennium)
- Followed by Christ's return and judgement
(optimistic view)
47
Amillennialism
There is no literal 1000 year earthly reign
- "millennium" is symbolic of the current church age, where Christ reigns spiritually from heaven
- Tribulations and blessings happen throughout this age
- Christ will return at the end of history for final judgement and resurrection
48
Why plurality of elders?
You always see elders referenced in the plural (Acts 14:23 - Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each church)
(Titus 1:5 - "appoint elders in every town")
(Philippians 1:1 - Paul greets the "overseers and deacons')
- Wise stewardship (no abuse of power, many minds make better decisions)
(Ecc 4:9-10 = Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.)
49
Transubstantiation
(Roman Catholic View)
- The bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Christ (the substance changes, though they still taste and look the same)
- Literal interpretation of John 6
- Only valid if a priest consecrates it (in persona Christi _ in the person of Christ)
- When the priest recites the words of institution, it is Christ working through him who effects the transformation
50
Consubstantiation
(Lutheran view)
Christ's body and blood are "in, with, and under" the bread and the wine
- The bread and the wine remain physically what they are, but Christ is truly and mysteriously present with them
51
Reformed / Presbyterian View (Spiritual Presence)
(Reformed, Presbyterian, some Anglicans)
Christ is spiritually present in the elements
- The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but Christ is truly present by the Holy Spirit, and believers spiritually feed on Christ
- It's more than a symbol, it's a means of grace
52
Memorial View (Symbolic)
(Baptists, non dom, evangelical)
- The bread and wine are symbols that help us remember Christ's sacrifice
- There is no real presence of Christ in the elements - only a commemoration
- Stresses Jesus' command (Luke 22:19 - Do this in remembrance of me)
53
List of barren women
1. Sarai (Isaac)
2. Rebekah (Isaac; Jacob + Esau)
3. Rachel (Jacob; Joseph + Benjamin)
4. Hannah (Elkanah; Samuel + 3 sons and 2 daughters unnamed)
5. Elizabeth (Zechariah; JTB)
54
Grace
unearned favor and kindness
55
Who did Jesus appear to when he resurrected? (passage)
Peter, 12, 500 brothers, James, all the apostles, Paul (1 Corinthians 15)
56
Abraham's son
Isaac
57
Isaac's sons
Jacob and Esau
58
Church
Local and Universal (1 Cor 12:13)
(assembly) pf believers
- (more than just a hangout) there is a commitment to be together (know who's in and who's out) and a right administration of the sacraments and proper leadership of the body leading toward biblical worship
59
The 7 Doctrines of the Bible
1. Authority
2. Truthfulness
3. Inerrancy
4. Clarity
5. Necessity
6. Sufficiency
7. Inspiration
60
Authority of Scripture
the Bible has the right to rule what Christians believe, how they live, and how the Church functions—because it is the very Word of God. To disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God (2 Tim 3:16)
61
Truthfulness of Scripture
The Bible tells the truth in all that it teaches (John 17:17)
62
Inerrancy of Scripture
The Bible is without error in its original writings (autographs) in all that it affirms. (There are no mistakes in the writing) (2 Tim 3:16) (Psalm 119:160)
63
Clarity of Scripture
Scripture is written in such a way that it is able to be understood by anyone for salvation and faithful living, but it requires time, effort, and the help of the Holy Spirit, and our understanding will remain imperfect in this lifetime (Psalm 119:130) (2 Tim 3:15)
64
Necessity of Scripture
the Bible is absolutely essential for knowing certain truths—especially about salvation, God’s will, and how to live as a follower of Christ (not necessary to know that God exists though) (Rom 10:13-17)
65
Sufficiency of Scripture
Scripture contains all the words of God we need for salvation and obeying him perfectly (2 Tim 3:16-17 // 2 Peter 1:3)
66
Inspiration of Scripture
the entire Bible is god-inspired and that God's inspiration extends to the specific words used, not just the general ideas. God used human authors to write in the human way but intervened in the way that every word was exactly what he wanted (2 Peter 1:21)
67
Communicable attributes of God
omniscience, wisdom, truth, goodness, love, grace, mercy, holiness (tons more)
68
Omniscience
God knows all that is knowable (all things possible and actual past, present, and future) (Matt 11:21 // 1 Cor 2:7-8)
*Only debate was when open theists said he couldn't know the future
69
Who are open theists and what do they believe?
God knows everything that can be known, but because the future free choices of humans are not yet determined, they are not fully knowable even by God.
The future is “open” — not completely settled or fixed — because humans have genuine free will.
God interacts dynamically with creation, responding and adjusting His plans based on human decisions.
(Gen 6:6 / Ex 32:14 / Matt 10:30 / Psalm 139:1-4)
70
Why didn't God make the Bible clearer?
- The core things are clear
- The secondary things aren't as clear, God meant it this way (probably to get us seeking)
- Means we probably shouldn't get hung up on the unclear things because God didn't make it clear!
71
Can you walk against God's will?
Yes - his revealed will
No - his hidden will
- It's never justified to go against God's revealed will (however, when we do, God uses it for our sanctification and our good)
72
Glory
(Hebrew) weight, heaviness, or importance. Manifested greatness, beauty, and worth to God.
73
Calvinism
TULIP
1. Total Depravity
2. Unconditional Election
3. Limited Atonement
4. Irresistible Grace
5. Perseverance of God and the Saints
74
Cosmological Argument
There is something rather than nothing. All things have a start, something had to start the universe. (cause = God)
75
Melchizedek
(Psalm 110) (Gen 14:17-19)
- Very mysterious
- "King of righteousness and peace"
- Abraham respected his authority and gave him a tenth of everything
- Some think he was pre-incarnate Christ, some think real king, some think angel, some think Shem
- The point is that he points to Jesus - the perfect high priest who atoned for our sins
76
Mount Zion
- At first was referred to as a physical space (the high hill on which David built a citadel)
- Zion = Jerusalem; Mount Zion is on the southeast side of the city
- David captured and built his royal palace there (became a symbol of power in Israel's kingdom)
- When Solomon built the temple, the meaning extended to include that temple area
- It's used for the city of Jerusalem, the land of Judah, and the nation of Israel as a whole
- Also refers figuratively to God's people (Israel) (Isaiah 60:14); God's spiritual kingdom (redeemed people)
77
If God wants everyone to be saved, why doesn’t he save everyone? (1 Timothy 2:4)
- It’s a genuine want, but he wants something else more: his own glory
- God is glorified when some are saved and others are condemned
- What is truly good at its base definition is what glorifies God. - Goodness is not at its core what we as humans think it is.
- Therefore, our sense of what is good is actually limited and not fully true.
- We therefore have to trust that what God says is good is actually the fullest sense of what is good.
78
Pentateuch
- First 5 books of the Bible
(Torah)
79
Can Christians cuss?
- The Bible doesn’t explicitly use the term ‘cussing,’ but it does talk about what kind of speech should and should not come out of a Christian’s mouth
- Eph 4:29 = Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up
- Eph 5:4 = Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking
- Colossians 4:6 = Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt
- Matthew 12:34 = Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks
- Romans 14 = (never put a stumbling block in front of a brother)
- We are called to build up and reflect Jesus
- Not all profanity is the same
- Profanity used to harm or insult is sin
- Emotional Outbursts; more gray area; but I would say that it is not building up
80
Can women be deacons?
The Greek in 1 Timothy 3:11 could either be ‘wives’ or ‘women’
There’s no possessive (their wives) which would be expected
The verse mirrors verse 8, suggesting a new group of people entirely
Paul gives no requirements for elders wives, why would he do it for deacons wives?
Romans 16:1 - Phoebe, a female deaconess, the Greek is in the masculine when describing her so it is referring to a specific ministry role
Paul is commending her to the Roman church, which is typical for someone in a recognized ministry role
Early church history shows that women did have this role in the church
81
Eastern Orthodoxy
- 1054 AD Great Schism, split with the Catholic Church
- Theosis: salvation (becoming by grace what God is by nature, through the sacraments) (transformation into holiness) (salvation is not a one time declaration, it is a relationship/process
- 7 Official Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, Unction
82
If Gods Spirit is in someone, how can they sin and be ok with it?
- We can grieve and quench the Spirit, this is Scriptural
- If over the long haul they aren’t convicted, that is probably a sign they weren’t saved in the first place
- It is possible to struggle with a sin your whole life, as long as their is struggle and increased victory over the long haul
83
Isaiah
- 8th century BC
- Kingdom is divided
- Israel was conquered by Assyria in 722 BC (because of their rebellion)
- Their is judgement for sin ; often through foreign nations
- Isaiah speaks more about the coming Savior than any other OT prophet
84
Can God make a rock he can’t pick up?
2 Timothy 2:13 = if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself
85
The unforgivable sin (Mark 3:29)
- The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day committed the unpardonable sin by accusing Jesus of being demon-possessed. They had no excuse for such an action. They were not speaking out of ignorance or misunderstanding. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to save Israel. They knew the prophecies were being fulfilled. Yet they deliberately chose to deny the truth and slander the Holy Spirit.
- This cannot be duplicated today
- The only unpardonable sin today is that of continued unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in his rejection of Christ. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world, convicting the unsaved of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). If a person resists that conviction and remains unrepentant, then he is choosing hell over heaven
86
What is demon possession and can believers be demon possessed?
Demon possession is when a demon has complete control over someone (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 4:33-35; 8:27-33).
In the NT passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast out a demon, we are called to resist the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Eph 6:10-18).
Believes are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19; Eph 4:30)
Therefore, if this is true, it is impossible for the holiness and righteousness of God to be in the presence of evil
It is impossible for a evil demon to share an abode with the Holy Spirit
1 John 4:4 - For the one who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We shouldn’t let our personal experience of seeing other Christians “demon-possesed” change our minds. We need to let scripture shape our experience, not the other way around
Demon possession is when a demon has complete control over someone (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 4:33-35; 8:27-33).
In the NT passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast out a demon, we are called to resist the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Eph 6:10-18).
Believes are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19; Eph 4:30)
Therefore, if this is true, it is impossible for the holiness and righteousness of God to be in the presence of evil
It is impossible for a evil demon to share an abode with the Holy Spirit
1 John 4:4 - For the one who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We shouldn’t let our personal experience of seeing other Christians “demon-possesed” change our minds. We need to let scripture shape our experience, not the other way around
87
How were people saved in the OT?
Genesis 15:6 (Abrahams faith counted as righteousness)
Genesis 49 (king from Judah)
Gen 3:15 (faith in one that will crush his head)
Prov 9:10 (fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom)
Jesus ministry (preaching, faith)
Faith in a Savior (dimly perceived)
Sacrificial system pointed forward to something better
88
Why did Jesus tell the demons not to say who he was?
1. Perfect Plan (timing)_if he was revealed to early, he probably would've been crowned or maybe a revolt
2. He knew the breadth of his ministry would be hindered (Mark 1:45)
3. Didn't want demons to say it
4. Humility
89
Did Jesus have siblings?
Mark 6:3 (James, Joses, Judas, Simon__also sisters)
90
Did God allow polygamy in the Bible?
No; though there are many examples of it, that does not mean it is right. Verses that assume multiple wives are verses that are trying to regulate an evil, not giving it merit. We know that marriage is supposed to be between 1 man and woman from the beginning.
10 Commandments
Disfunction always followed (Abrahams wives; Solomons wives;
91
Fear of God
"Contrary to terror, it is a reaction of awe and reverence in response to understanding the holiness, perfection, and power of God in such a way that we are brought into a state of utter humility" - Caleb Souders
92
Divorce
- Couple should aim to not divorce
(1 Cor 7:10) (Mark 10:8)
- If they do divorce (for a NON -VALID reason) then they should not re-marry since they would be committing adultery
(1 Cor 7:11)
- You can never divorce if the couple are both believers, except for sexual immorality (Matt 5:32) (Matt 19:9)
- You can divorce if an UNBELIEVING spouse abandons you (1 Cor 7:15)
- It is impossible for a BELIEVING spouse to abandon you permanently. Because if a believer abandons a spouse, you would exercise church discipline. And then if they don't respond to that discipline (Matt 18:15-20), they are declared an unbeliever. Then, that spouse can therefore divorce them since they are declared an unbeliever and have abandoned them.
- The question then becomes what defines abandonement? **It's important to note that people have different view on this stuff**
- If it is a valid divorce, you can get re-married
Matthew 19 + Mark 10
1 View is that when Jesus gives the exception clause in Matthew to divorce, Jesus is not talking about marriage at all, but actually just the engagement period. In Jewish culture, the engagenment period was considered to be as serious as marriage. And since this exception clause isn't in the other Gospels and Matthew is the Jewish gospel, and we have the example of Joseph wanting to divorce Mary (during the enagement period bc he suspected infidelity), people think that this is only talking about engagament. Therefore, they would say there are no grounds for divorce.
*Very few ppl in church history have actually held this view
**the word in Greek for sexual immorality is porneia; which is all types of sexual sin. There is simply no contextually evidence that Jesus is only talking about engagement period "sexual sin"
**The word porneia isn't used in Joseph's example; so Matthew doesn't draw any connection there
Romans 7
- A marriage lasts until death (Romans 7:2)
- It doesn't seem like there is Scripture that specifically talks about remarriage after a divorce. I think though that simply logically speaking, if you have a valid divorce, you put yourself back into a state of a single person, and it really just makes logical sense to be able to re-marry. It does not seem wise to me to not allow someone to remarry if they divorced in a proper way by the Bible when I have no Scripture to back it up. Of course, they should be cautious and should seek counse and give themselves time before.
- In terms of what is abandonment. I would say that this is a state where you've left the marriage. Certainly, there are case by case opinions. But I think think if a spouse is continually abusing the other spouse and does not seek reconciliation, that is abandonment. I think that if the abuse was a one time thing, that is a grievous sin that should be repented of, and probably even space should be given to the spouse, but that is not grounds for abandonment. I think abandonment is when you've forfeited the marriage.
93
Is Mark 16:9-20 in the Bible?
- 2 of the oldest (and therefore most respected manuscripts) Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus don't contain it
- There are also 23 other manuscripts that have different endings or notes that express authenticity questions
Many Early church fathers quoted from the lengthened ending
- The transition seems awkward and clunky
- The grammar and sentence construction is sloppy if it was really there
- Seems that Mary is introduced for the first time; even though she was mentioned 3 times previously in the Gospel
- There are 18 words never used before in his Gospel
- The signs were in accordance to the apostolic time, so they don't contain contradictions; but we don't know if Jesus actually said this
- A vry possible explanation is that someone added it in to make a better ending to Mark (even though the ending of 'amazement' is consistent with the theme of Mark)
- It would help explain a contradiction when Matt 28:1 says that Jesus appeared late on the Sabbath and Mark 16:9 says Jesus appeared "early on the first day of the week"
- It would make sense to be an addition to a Gospel that seems like it's missing something
99% of the manuscripts today contain the added ending
- God will give us everything we need; his word will not be shaken
94
What about people who've never heard the gospel?
1) All people are given revelation about God and will be responsible for that knowledge (Romans 1:20)
-Shown power and existence through creation
-Law written on our hearts (Rom 2:14-16)
2) Some people had incomplete knowledge, but were still saved
- This is logic
- They believed in God, and it ended up being Jesus
3) People can never be sure of people's eternal future
- God is the judge
4) Whatever God decides will be completely fair
(Deut 32:4)
- All gods are certainly not the same God
- There is only one true God
95
How should you handle infidelity in a marriage?
You feel like you're alone; your not
Take some time away potentially; ask help from a friend; atleast pockets of time
You need to let people in; talk to someone you trust
Focus on fixing yourself first
You feel like you need to make a quick decision to get rid of the pain; don't do that
You want control and therefore want to put the blame and healing process duty on yourself; when in reality they should be holding most of the weight
Set Boundaries
Forgivenss; often it's a process for it to be real
**You need to know what happened, but the more specifics you know it could actually cause more damage** // you think you need to know everything, but you actually don't
You don't want to stay married to someone who you think is going to continue to be unfaithful
96
Is Church Membership in the Bible?
The Body implies membership
- 1 Corinthians 12:21-26
- Romans 12:4 - 5
Submission implies Membership
Hebrews 13:17
2. Majority of letters written to "the church"
- 1 Corinthians 1:2 (to the church of God that is in Corinth)
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1 (to the church of the Thessalonians)
3. The Early church kept membership records
- Acts 2:41
4. Church discipline texts imply membership
Matthew 18:15-20
1 Corinthians 5:12
5. Church leaders were assumed to be members
- 1 Timothy 3:7
- Acts 20:28
97
Baptists
Christianity
Roman Catholics
Orthodoxy
Protestantism
Where did they come from?
A lot of debate when they began
3 Diff Views
John the Baptist (30AD)...widely held until early 20th century
Protestant Reformation (1500AD)
With Anabaptists (re-baptizers after child baptism)_ psycho group
English Reformation with the Puritans (1700s)
Church of England (Anglicans…Diet Catholics)
Puritans wanted to purify Church of England
English Separatists wanted to purify the Puritans
3 Major Beliefs
Church Membership by members who’ve been baptized by immersion
Greek word for baptism is “baptiso,” which they transliterated in the English to a word that looked a lot like it -- baptism…but the word actually means immersion
Romans 6 -- purpose of baptism is to be a symbol
Church Polity must be Congregational
Churches at time had episcopal leadership
Chain of command
Church government must be autonomous
English Baptists (John Smyth_father of baptists)
Came from Anabaptists
Holland Church
Began covenanting together with membership
Began cooperating with other churches
Began confessing together with confessions of faith
1689 = Second Landon Baptist Confusion of Faith
1925 = Baptist Faith and Message
Began evnagliezing with missionary organizations…Baptist Missionary Society (IMB_NAMB)
English Separatists fled England__Puritan Society in America (Pilgrims)
Congregationalists started off Puritans_persecuted baptists
Rhode Island_Roger Williams_1st baptist church
Baptists started splitting (General Baptists _ Particular Baptists)
Jesus’ death
Landmark Baptists (we are the only real christians; started with John the Baptist)
Split for political reasons
Southern Baptists _ Northern Baptists
SBC formed as pro-slavery
B = Biblical Authority
A = Autonomy of Church
P = Priesthood of Believer
T = Two offices of the church (Pastor / Deacon)
I = Individual Soul Competency (not only saved w/ personal profession)
S = Saved church membership
T = Two ordinances
S = Separation of church and state
98
When was Jesus born? When did he die?
- During the days of Herod the King, Herod died in 4 BC
- Herod ordered all babies 2 and younger to be killed (so Jesus could've been born 6 BC to 4 BC)
99
What does the Spirit do?
Given to believers (Acts 1)
Lead (Mark 1: desert; sometimes to hard things)
Abide in you (1 Corinthians 6:19)_body is a temple of the Spirit
Sanctify (1 Peter 1:2 // Gal 5:16-17)
Character Shaper (Gal 5:19-26)
Helps // Guide (John 14 // Eph 5:18)
Seals (Eph 4:30)
Assists in prayer (Jude 1:20 // Romans 8:26)
Regenerates and Renews us_at salvation (Titus 3:5)
Comforts with Joy and hope (1 Thess 1:6 // Rom 15:13)
Comforts with Fellowship (2 Cor 13:14)
(Spiritual gifts...need more research)
Convicts Sinners (John 16:8)
Testifies of Christ (John 15:26)
Wisdom Giver (1 Cor 2:10-11)
100
Is it possible to lose your salvation?
1. if you did nothing good enough to earn your salvation, you can't do anything bad enough to lose it
2. No one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28-29)
3. His love (Romans 8:38-39)
4. Sealed by the Holy Spirit (identification and security) (Eph 1:13-14)
5. "For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have toreverse his "righteous" verdict given to us
6. He will keep us (Phil 1:6)
7. We can't be re re unborn
8. He will justify and glorify the called (Rom 8:30)
101
Is abortion wrong?
1. God is the maker of all life (Psalm 139:13-16)2. Do not murder is a clear command of the Bible (Matthew 5:21-24)3. All life is made in God's image, and is precious (Gen 1:26)4. Rape? 2 wrongs don't make a right5. Kill the mom? Very rare; value others above yourself
102
Can I claim the promises made in the OT?
No; you have to know who they were made to. And the context. Promises to ethnic Jews (Israel) do not necessarily apply to us Gentiles today. Though you can still have applications and principles (that are confirmed in the NT). (All Scripture is profitable).
103
Revelation Author
John the Apostle (as opposed to John the elder or some different John)
- while in exile on the island of Patmos
- written to 7 actual churches
104
Different approaches to the book of Revelation
1.Preterist: Almost all events in Revelation have already taken place; most in the 1st century. (tie many of the symbols to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD)
2.Historicist: Approach Revelation as a blueprint of the entire span of church history. Some books describe the past, while others look ahead toward the future.
3.Idealist: Revelation describes spiritual realities that reoccur throughout history until the final consummation. (no one event corresponds to the symbolism in Rev)
4.Futurist: sees the majority of Rev applying to future end-time events that occur directly prior to Christ’s return
(Plummers View: some parts in preterist [Rev 2-3] most in idealist. Some in futurist [Rev 20:7-22:21]
105
Israel's Timeline
930 BC = Divided Kingdom (northern tribes with Jeroboam) [the other 10 tribes made up the northern kingdom] (southern tribes with Rehoboam) [southern tribe was just called Judah, but also included Benjamites and Levites; Simeon's land was inside of Judah, so over time they simply got absorbed into Judah]
“2 south, 10 north — Levi scattered, Joseph split.”
722 BC = Israel conquered by the Assyrians (they received no return from exile event; or returned as a unified ppl as the southern kingdom did)
[All this is happening in Judah - in the capital which is Jerusalem]
586 BC = King Neb (from Babylonia) conquers/destroys Jerusalem and burns the temple. Forces SOUTHERN ppl into exile (they went to Babylonia, about 600 miles away into modern day Iraq; travel time on foot was about 4-5 months)
539 BC = King Cyrus (Persian King) conquers Babylon and
538 BC = Cyrus allows exiled ppl to return (42,360 in total) and rebuild temple (first wave returns under Zerubbabel [high priest] and Joshua [high priest])
536 BC = Temple foundation is laid (but then work stops bc of persecution)
520 BC = Rebuilding starts back up w/ prophecy/encouragement from Haggai
516 BC = The temple is finally rebuilt (70 years after it was destroyed)
~480 BC = Esther
458 BC = Second wave of returned exiles (lead by Ezra) (Ezra preaches spiritual reform)
445 BC = Rebuilding of Jerusalem walls led by Nehemiah (finished in 52 days)
430 BC = Nehemiah's reforms conclude
106
Is every single thing God's will/is he behind everything?
Yes. God stands behind both agencies good and evil the same. He is the author the good. He is not the author of evil. All good must come from him, no evil comes from him. He uses creatures to bring to pass evil. Why? To accomplish purposes that could only be accomplished by that evil. Purposes so great it justifies the evil. Brought about in a way God can’t be held accountable, humans brought up in a specific freedom) (compatibilism)
107
Can it be God's will that we go against his will?
sin is going with his hidden will when we go against his revealed
108
Does God not work for the good of unbelievers?
prepared for destruction by their own actions); working for his own good, not their own personal good;
109
How can the same Spirit lead us to interpret God's word differently?
It humbles; keeps us seeking; doesn’t make us feel like we have it all. Humility and boldness balance
110
Should we avoid praying out loud since the devil can hear us?
Na. The devil is very perceptive anyway
111
Why didn't God write the Bible?
He chooses to use humans, he’s always done that. Even if he wrote it himself we would still probably have debates and Qs.
112
Porn
any material that depicts sex/nudity with the intent of arousal in the viewer
113
Different Revelation Views
[BTF 12/12/25]
1.Historic Premillennialism: Christ returns before the millennium. Believers are resurrected, Satan is bound, Christ reigns for 1000 years. After 1000 years, Satan is briefly released, then defeated, and the final judgement occurs.
-Future, literal tribulation
-Actual Antichrist
-Christ reigns bodily from Jerusaem during the millennium
Dispensational Premillennialism: Christ returns before millennium and raptures the church (7 year rapture - debate within when the rapture is but most would say pre)
-Israel and Church are distinct in God’s plan
-Many OT promises to Israel are fulfilled during the Millennium
2.Amillennialism: No future literal 1000 year earthly kingdom. Symbolic, not literal. The 1000 years is the present age between Christ’s first and second coming. Christ currently reigns and Satan is bound. At the end of the symbolic millennium, Christ returns and final judgement happens immediately.
-The first resurrection is spiritual; the believer’s new birth or the believer’s entrance into heaven when they die
-1 resurrection and one final judgement at Christ’s return
3.Postmillennialism: Christ returns after a golden age of gospel triumph. The 1000 years is symbolic of a future era during which the gospel spreads powerfully across the world. Society becomes overall more Christianized. After this long period of flourishing, Christ returns and final judgement occurs.
5. Partial Preterism: Most of Revelation (except final judgement/new creation) was fulfilled in AD 70. The beast = Roman Empire. The harlot = Jerusalem or Rome. The Great Tribulation occurred in the 1st century. Aligns with either amillennial or postmillennial belief on the millennium
114
Galatian Heresy
- Faith + Jewish Law (especially circumcision)
- Taught by Judaizers; outsiders from the church who infiltrated the church after Paul left and were seen as authoritative voices
115
Reformed Theology
- Came from the Reformation in the 16th century
CORE FOUNDATIONS
1. Sola Scriptura (the Bible is the final and highest authority to faith and life - not tradition or human opinion)
2. Gods Sovereignty
3. Grace alone
4. Calvinism
5. Covenant Theology
116
Church Discipline
The act of removing someone from membership and participation in the Lords supper
- Church’s public statement that it can no longer affirm the salvation of this person
117
Nehemiah
- Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem
- Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia
- Reforms for about 15 years aimed at long-term spiritual faithfulness (worship, sabbath, marriage, temple, social justice)
118
Why did Jesus have to be human?
1. In order for our sins to be imputed on him (inconceivable that they could be imputed to the divine)
2. Came as the Son of Man (2nd Adam)
3. To be our substitute
4. In order to die
5. Become sin
119
Is masterbation sin?
- It's not explicitly mentioned, but that doesn't mean it isn't talked about or inferred in passages
- Based on principles of marriage and sexuality, we know it's wrong
- Any sexual expression outside the confines of marriage is sin (Gen 2:24, Mark 10:6)
- It's still wrong even if you're not lusting (fake ppl count, maybe it wasn't something at that moment, but something in the past that fed your desire)
- Often Christians feel guilt (sign of the Spirit)
- "It's how I abstain from sexual immorality" - we are never told in Scripture to commit one sin to avoid another.
- Why would Paul tell people to get married (1 Cor 7:1-2) to fulfill their sexual desires if they could biblically fulfill their desires on their own without a spouse - it would be so much easier
- It takes what was meant to be something you give to someone else (1 Cor 7:4-5) and makes it a selfish act
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