What are the 5 categories the OT is organized into? Name a book from each.
Law - Genesis
History - Joshua
Wisdom - Job
Major - Isaiah
Minor - Hosea
What are the 5 categories the NT is organized into? Name a book from each.
Gospels - Matthew
History - Acts
Paul's Epistles - Romans
General Epistles - Hebrews
Prophecy - Revelation
What are the 4 processes for how we got the Bible, in proper order?
1. Revelation
2. Inspiration
3. Transmission
4. Translation
Know the 3 processes for how we seek to properly understand, interpret, and use the Bible; in proper order.
1. Interpretation
2. Illumination
3. Application
Define infallible
Incapable of making mistakes or being wrong
Define inerrant
Freedom from errors or untruths
Define verbal plenary inspiration
Verbal - the words of scripture are inspired, not just the teaching
Plenary - everything in scripture is inspired, not just the areas of faith and practice
What evidence do we have that our Bible today is accurate? internally & externally
- testable claims of miracles and prophecy
- archaeological discoveries
- no motivation for fabrication
- the uniqueness of text
- honesty in reporting events
- preservation of the text
- extra-biblical evidence
- affirmation from non-biblical authors
- l
What are the two primary factors textual critics look for in ancient manuscripts? How does the Bible compare to other books in these
1. What is the time span between the original and the copies? - over thousands of years
2. How many copies exist? - The Bible is the most well-attested book in all of ancient history with more manuscript in existence than any other work
What is a variant?
Each different reading among the "extent" or existing manuscripts
What are some causes of the variants?
Errors can be made by the scribes who copied the scriptures
What were the 3 standards for NT canonization?
1. Writer's authority - was He a disciple, apostle or close friend
2. Internal evidence - did the book contradict other books, carry the same overall message
3. Common acceptance - widespread agreement that the book was Scripture
What is the inerrancy syllogism? (3)
1. Scripture is God's word
2. God cannot lie
3. Scripture is true
What does NCS teach about the Bible in its doctoral statement?
The Bible is final authority and without error (original manuscripts)
What are some reasons the Apocrypha is rejected from protestant canon?
- not quoted as scripture by Jesus or other NT writers
- not written in Hebrew like OT
- lack the claim of divine inspiration or predictive prophecy
- rejected as scripture
What do you see as the strongest Biblical evidence that the Bible is true?
(Opinion) The testable claims of miracles and prophecy
What do you see as the Strongest extra-Biblical evidence?
(Opinion) Architectural evidence
Define aseity
-God's INDEPENDENCE
-God is SELF-EXISTANT
-God brought about creation to bring Himself JOY but this does not diminish His independence
Define eternality
-God is infinite with respect to TIME
-God has no beginning or end He is IN ALL TIMES AT ALL TIMES
-God does not experience a SUCCESSION OF MOMENTS in His own being
-God SEES events in time and ACTS in time, but this does not diminish His eternality
Define immutability
-God's UNCHANGEABLENESS
-God does not nor could not change in His BEING, His PURPOSE, or His PROMISES
-God feels EMOTIONS and acts differently in response to different SITUATIONS, but this does not diminish His immutability
Define omnipresence
-God is infinite with respect to SPACE
-God is present with HIS WHOLE BEING at every point in space at all times
-God is without SIZE or SPATIAL dimensions
-God acts differently in different PLACES, but this does not diminish His omnipresence
Define omnipotence
-God is infinite with respect to POWER
-God possesses all power to do His HOLY WILL- He is not limited to doing only what He has actually done, but He is capable of doing even more
-It is not entirely accurate to state "God can do anything"- God cannot wi
Define omniscience
-God is infinite with respect to KNOWLEDGE
-God's knowledge is PERFECT and ABSOLUTE from all eternity
-God is INTUITIVE- He does not learn, He simply already knows
-God knows all things ACTUAL and all things POSSIBLE
Define spirit
-God is a being not made of MATTER OR MATERIALS- He cannot be perceived by BODILY SENSES
-God is DISTINCT from this world: He does not have properties of matter nor is He dependant upon matter
-God is INVISIBLE- He does not have SIZE OR DIMENSION
Define wisdom
-God's POWER and KNOWLEDGE are applied with discipline
-God's ways achieve the MOST APPROPRIATE and BENEVOLENT end
-God always chooses the BEST GOALS and the BEST MEANS to those goals
Define goodness
-God is the SOURCE of all things good
-God is the FINAL STANDARD of all that is good
-God takes PERSONAL INTEREST in each of His creatures
-All that God does is WORTHY OF APPROVAL
Define love
-God ETERNALLY gives Himself to His creatures
-God directs His goodness toward His creatures in a PERSONAL WAY
-God acts DELIBERATELY, INTELLECTUALLY and SACRIFICIALLY in His will towards His creatures- love is not just an emotion
Define grace
-God's GOODNESS toward those who do not deserve it- unmerited favor
-It is only through this that an individual can experience SALVATION
Define mercy
-God's COMPASSION toward those who do not deserve it
-This and LOVINGKINDNESS are closely related
-God demonstrates this when He TAKES PITY upon the helpless condition of humanity and WITHHOLDS His just punishment
-God demonstrates this by OFFERING COMFOR
Define long-suffering
-God's PATIENCE in dealing with evil
-God demonstrates this by bearing with the ON GOING DISOBEDIENCE of His creatures
-God withholds judgment, making it possible for humanity to REPENT
Define righteousness
-God always acts in accordance with and conforms to His PERFECT NATURE
-God is the FINAL STANDARD of what is right- He is righteous altogether
-God's JUSTICE refers to His righteous actions directed toward humanity
Define holiness
-God is SEPARATED from all sin and evil, devoted to seeking His own honor
-THIS and LOVE are the primary motivations observed in Scripture to explain God's actions
Define unity
-God is not divided into or composed of PARTS
-every attribute of God QUALIFIES every other attribute
-No one attribute of God is more important or greater than the others, for He is INFINITELY PERFECT in all of His attributes
-God is both NUMERICALLY and
Define veracity
-describes God's TRUTHFULNESS and FAITHFULNESS
-God is the true God- all His knowledge and words are THE FINAL STANDARD
-God will always do what He says and fulfill EVERY PROMISE
-God knows things as they really are- ALL TRUTH IS GOD'S TRUTH
Discuss the importance of one of God's incommunicable attributes.
An incommunicable attribute of God is his immutability and it's important because He does not nor cannot change in His BEING, his PURPOSE, or His PROMISES
Distinguish between the 4 types of God's will & which we should focus on as disciples.
- His necessary will
- His secret will
- His free will
- His revealed will
Define incommunicable attributes
Doesn't communicate
Define communicable attributes
What God communicates to us
Define essential holiness
Refers to God being separate from His creation, for there is no one else like Him
Define ethical holiness
Refers to God being without sin, for He is morally perfect (lacking nothing in character)
Define and give an example of common grace
Refers to the aspects of God's grace directed to all humanity
Ex: providing food and shelter
Define and give an example of special grace
Refers to the free gift of eternal salvation applied to those who believe in Christ
Ex: it's only through God's grace that an individual can experience salvation
Firstborn
- "firstborn" does not mean that Christ was created
- in scripture this could mean "the firstborn child" or "one who possessed priority; superiority of position
Submission
- voluntary yielding to another's position
- voluntarily following the direction of authority
Roles of the Trinity
Father - planner
Son - accomplisher
Holy Spirit - applier
Tritheism
3 people are God, not 3 in one
Modilism
God changes modes
Arianism / subordinism
The son and Holy Spirit are not fully God
Identify a NT passage that reveals all members of the trinity together at once
Matt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Matt 3:16-17 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened
Identify a passage from John that describes Jesus as fully God
John 1:1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Where is the first evidence of God's plurality
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the
Understanding of the most famous Jewish passage (SHEMA)
Deut 6:4 - identifies that God is one
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Explain how the Trinity's imprint can be seen within certain aspects of life. Give an example.
Imprint on church
Imprint on family
Imprint on government
List the 3 SPECIFIC parts in the Biblical definition of the trinity GIVEN IN YOUR NOTES.
1. God eternally exists as 3 persons
2. Each person is fully God
3. There is only 1 God
Define Teleological argument
The design, order, and purpose of the universe is due to intelligence rather than chance (William Paley's watchmaker illustration)
Define Cosmological Argument
Every new thing or element of change must have a cause (cause and effect)
Define Ontological Argument
The idea of God, the perfect Being, has always existed in the minds of human beings
Define Moral Argument
- All people have a concept of right and wrong, a concept that must have come from something outside of them, a moral absolute
- All people have a conscience that reflects some sense of morality outside themselves
Define Pascal's "Wager
- If you say there is a God and there is not, there are no consequences
- If you say there is not a God and there is, there will be drastic consequences
Describe the Teleological syllogism
Premise 1: if there is design, there must be a designer
Premise 2: the universe has a highly complex design (order)
Conclusion: the universe held a designer
Describe the Cosmological syllogism
Premise 1: whatever begins to exist has a cause
Premise 2: the universe began to exist
Conclusion: the universe has a cause
Since this cause is responsible for bringing space and time into existence, this cause must be an uncaused, changeless, timeless, i
Describe the Ontological syllogism
Premise 1: if it can be conceived, it must exist
Premise 2: the concept of God is usually conceived
Conclusion: God must exist
Biblical passage the demonstrates Teleological argument
Psalm 19:1-2
Biblical passage the demonstrates Cosmological argument
Romans 1
Biblical passage the demonstrates Ontological argument
Romans 1
Biblical passage the demonstrates moral argument
Romans 2:14-15
Discuss in detail two elements from True-U DVD that you found interesting and useful in demonstrating the existence of God.
- Before Edwin Hubble's discovery people thought the earth was not expanding
- Scientific materialism thought that plain particles turned into complex, living stuff
Define worldview
Someone's interpretation of reality that deeply shapes one's behavior
Define reason
An uncomfortable state where your belief contradicts itself
Define faith
The process of committing to a particular belief
Define cognitive dissonance
An uncomfortable state where your belief contradicts itself
Define ultimate reality
The absolute, supreme, and eternal person underlying the universe
Define theology
A set of commitments about God which dictate one's beliefs and actions
Define doctrine
A religious belief that's affirmed as true by a community