Tag: Los Altos Grace

Posted on

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

Posted on

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
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
Posted on

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


Posted on

Scriptures Reflecting Their Inspiration: Top Ten Bible Passages on Inspiration

What the Bible says about itself. . .
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
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
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
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
Christ endorsed the Psalms, in this case also attesting to David’s authorship.
THE POETIC BOOKS ARE INSPIRED
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
Christ declared that his own words were eternal and infallible.
THE GOSPELS ARE INSPIRED
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
Paul taught that his teaching carried divine authority (see also 1 Cor 14:37).
THE LETTERS/EPISTLES ARE INSPIRED
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

Posted on

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

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

1) 2 Timothy 3:16‑17 
2) 2 Peter 1:20‑21
3) Mark 7:8‑13
Christ endorsed
            1.  
                        2.                    

 Matthew 5:18
 4) Matthew 24:15
 5) Mark 12:36
 6) Luke 24:25‑27 
 7) Mark 13:31

 8) John 16:12‑13

 9) 1 Thessalonians 2:13
 10) 2 Peter 3:15‑16


Posted on

God’s Revealing Work – Revelation

Revelation
Topic: 
Revelation defined.       These are two kinds of revelation- Specific and General Revelation
Verses: Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 1:20, Hebrews 1:1-3
Article: http://ldolphin.org/reveln.html
Key Questions:
•           How has God revealed himself to us?
•           How do we know He has? 
•           What means does He reveal himself to us today?
•           Why would God communicate with us?
•           What can you know about God and His expectations of man from General Revelation
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:
Text Box: One Thing I Will Do This Week: Take Home: 1. Means by which God reveals Himself 2. A sense that God wants to be known by you
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?

Posted on

Session 1 Worksheet — Revelation

Revelation
Topic: 
Revelation defined.       These are two kinds of revelation- Specific and General Revelation
Verses: Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 1:20, Hebrews 1:1-3
Article: http://ldolphin.org/reveln.html
Key Questions:
•           How has God revealed himself to us?
•           How do we know He has? 
•           What means does He reveal himself to us today?
•           Why would God communicate with us?
•           What can you know about God and His expectations of man from General Revelation
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. Means by which God reveals Himself
2. A sense that God wants to be known by you




Posted on

Introduction

Introduction                                                  
TruthQuest is a learning system that encourages a learning community rather than a lecture/listen format. We are seeking to grow deeper in knowledge and understanding of the Scripture and to apply those Scriptures to our lives in the present. To that end we will spend time at the end of each session working on how the Scriptures actually work themselves into the fabric of our lives.

Each session will have a topic and we encourage everyone to scour the Scriptures to inform the group about the topic. The goal is actually becoming good, life-long learners, rather than having every bit of minutia nailed down. There are also many who have studied and written down their understanding on these theological topics.  We recommend learning from those who have gone before as well.  You might want to pick up one or two of these resources to aid your learning. (see below) 

Posted on

Recommended Books

Since we are going to be learning together…and from those who have gone on before, we thought we would post some of the books we recommend for you to consult in your learning…

Recommended Theology Books: 
Dispensational:
Ryrie, Charles.  Basic Theology
Thiessen, Henry C. Lectures in Systematic Theology
Covenant/Reformed:
Boice, James M. Foundations of the Christian Faith
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
Charismatic:
Williams, J. Rodman. Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective
Other:
Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology
Grenz, Stanley. Theology for the Community of God