NEW LIFE DISCIPLESHIP STUDIES BOOK 6

New Life
DISCIPLESHIP STUDIES
by Bien A. Llobrera

BOOK 6
BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

Table of Contents

Lesson 1: Five Truths about the Bible

Lesson 2: Five Basic Laws of Interpretation
Lesson 3: Five Truths about God
Lesson 4: Five Truths about Christ
Lesson 5: Five Truths about the Holy Spirit
Lesson 6: Five Truths about the Trinity
Lesson 7: Five Truths about Man
Lesson 8: Five Truths about Things
Lesson 9: Five Truths about Angels
Lesson 10: Five Truths about Satan and Demons
Lesson 11: Five Truths about Sin
Lesson 12: Five Truths about Salvation
Lesson 13: Five Truths about the Church
Lesson 14: Five Truths about Last Things

NEWLIFE BOOK 6: BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

© 2020 by Bien A. Llobrera. All rights reserved.

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NEW LIFE DISCIPLESHIP STUDIES BOOK 6
LESSON 1
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THE BIBLE

In this lesson we will discuss FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THE BIBLE. All doctrines and teachings relating to
our relationship with God and our walk with Christ are taken from the Bible. There are five truths about the
Bible, which we as disciples of Christ need to know.

TRUTH 1: ONE BOOK

The Bible contains 66 books, but it is really ONE BOOK. The origin and history of the word "Bible"
illustrate this amazing truth. "Bible" comes from the Greek word "biblia", which means "books," because
before the invention of printing and book binding, the different portions of Scriptures were kept as separate
books or scrolls: 39 books (scrolls) in the Old Testament, 27 books (scrolls) in the New Testament.

Later on, when the same word passed from Greek into Latin, "biblia" looked like a singular noun in Latin, so
it came to mean "book". Scholars say that grammatically speaking, turning the Greek plural "biblia" into a
Latin singular may be considered a mistake. But from the standpoint of the real nature of God's Word, it was
not a mistake. Rather, it happily brought out the amazing truth that the Bible is truly ONE BOOK, though it
contains 66 books. This book, the Bible, is called the WORD OF GOD.

Isaiah 40:8: The grass withers, the flower fades. But the WORD OF OUR GOD stands forever.

1 Peter 1:23: ... having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the WORD OF
GOD which lives and abides forever.

TRUTH 2: ONE AUTHOR

The Bible had about 40 human writers and it took about 1500 years to write and compile the Bible.
Amazingly, however, there are no real contradictions among the human authors. Opponents of the Bible
have pointed out contradictions. But more and more research have shown these contradictions as apparent,
not real. Why is that? Because above the many human authors, who wrote over a long period of time, from
different places and backgrounds, the Bible has only ONE AUTHOR – God Himself. As the Author, God
watched over and enabled the human writers to record His Word. This process is called the divine
inspiration of the Bible.

What do the following verses say about the divine inspiration of the Bible? Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:16; 2
Peter 1:21; 1 Corinthians 2:13

• In 2 Timothy 3:16 the word "inspired" means "God-breathed". The message of the Bible came from
the very depths of God's being, and He breathed out or communicated His message to His chosen
human instruments, the prophets and apostles, who then proclaimed and wrote down the message
they had received from God.

• According to 2 Peter 1:21, this communication came through the Holy Spirit who moved -- carried
along, led, controlled, and safeguarded -- the prophets and apostles, so that they would write down
only what God wanted them to communicate to others.

• We are assured in 1 Corinthians 2:13 that the Holy Spirit made sure that the message was correctly
received and correctly put into just the right human words.

For further study about how the human writers came to write God's Word, look up these verses: Exodus
24:3-4; Isaiah 30:8; Jeremiah 30:2; Habakkuk 2:2; Revelation 1:19.
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TRUTH 3: TWO MAJOR DIVISIONS

The Bible has two major divisions: Old Testament and New Testament.

“Testament” essentially means a God-given covenant or agreement which governs the relationship between
God and His people. The OLD Testament governed the divine-human relationship before the coming of
Christ into the world. The NEW Testament may be described as the Old Testament “updated” by Christ’s
coming into the world, and it is now the covenant which governs the present divine-human relationship to
the end of time.

• Old Testament

The Old Testament consists of 39 books divided as follows: 5 – 12 – 5 – 5 – 12:

➢ 5 Books of Law (Genesis to Deuteronomy)
➢ 12 Books of History (Joshua to Esther)
➢ 5 Books of Wisdom (Job to Song of Solomon)
➢ 5 Major Prophets (Isaiah to Daniel)
➢ 12 Minor Prophets (Hosea to Malachi)

Following the MacArthur Study Bible, we may summarize the Old Testament flow of history as follows:
1. Creation of the universe
2. Fall of man
3. Judgment flood over the earth
4. Fathers of the Chosen Nation (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel)
5. The History of Israel
❖ Exile in Egypt – 400 years
❖ Exodus and wilderness wanderings – 40 years
❖ Conquest of Canaan – 7 years
❖ Era of Judges – 350 years
❖ United Kingdom (Saul, David, Solomon) – 110 years
❖ Divided Kingdom: Judah (Southern Kingdom, capital: Jerusalem); Israel (Northern Kingdom, capital
Samaria) – 350 years
❖ Exile in Babylon – 70 years
❖ Return and rebuilding the land – 140 years

PERIOD BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

(Malachi to John the Baptist) – 400 years

• New Testament

The New Testament consists of 27 books divided as follows: 4 – 1 – 13 – 8 – 1

➢ 4 Gospels (Matthew – John)
➢ 1 Church History (Acts)
➢ 13 Letters by the Apostle Paul (Romans – Philemon)
➢ 8 Letters by Various Apostles (Hebrews – Jude)
➢ 1 Prophecy (Revelation)

We quote this summary of the New Testament from the MacArthur Study Bible:

After the completion of the OT, there were 400 years of “silence”, during which God did not speak or
inspire any Scripture. That silence was broken by the arrival of John the Baptist announcing that the
promised Lord Savior had come. The NT records the rest of the story from the birth of Christ to the
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culmination of all history and the final eternal state; so the two testaments go from creation to
consummation, eternity past to eternity future.

While the 39 OT books major on the history of Israel and the promise of the coming Savior, the 27 NT
books major on the person of Christ and the establishment of the church. The 4 gospels give the record of
His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension. Each of the 4 writers views the greatest and most important
event of history, the coming of the God-man, Jesus Christ, from a different perspective. Matthew looks at
Him through the perspective of His kingdom; Mark through the perspective of His servanthood; Luke
through the perspective of His humanness; and John through the perspective of His deity.

The book of Acts tells the story of the impact of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lord
Savior – from His ascension, the consequent coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the church, through
the early years of gospel preaching by the apostles and their associates. Acts records the establishment of the
church in Judea, Samaria, and into the Roman Empire.

The 21 epistles were written to churches and individuals to explain the significance of the person and work
of Jesus Christ, with its implications for life and witness until He returns.

The NT closes with Revelation, which starts by picturing the current church age, and culminates with
Christ’s return to establish His earthly kingdom, bringing judgment to the ungodly and glory and blessing
for believers. Following the millennial reign of the Lord Savior will be the last judgment, leading to the
eternal state. All believers of all history enter the ultimate eternal glory prepared for them, and all the
ungodly are consigned to hell to be punished forever.

TRUTH 4: ONE THEME AND ONE PURPOSE

Since the Bible is one Book with one Author, it has only ONE THEME. This theme is Jesus Christ. In the
Old Testament the coming of Christ to earth is foretold; in the New Testament the story of His actual
coming is told.

The Bible has only ONE PURPOSE, which is related to its one theme. The purpose of the Bible is to bring
us to personal faith in Christ, and as a result we will receive His gift of eternal life.

What do the following verses say about the ONE THEME and ONE PURPOSE of the Bible?

Luke 24:44-47 _____________________________________________________

John 20:31 ________________________________________________________

TRUTH 5: FIVE PRACTICAL USES

The Bible was caused by God to be written for practical uses. What are these? Please study 2 Timothy 3:16-
17. God's Word is profitable for:
✓ Doctrine - to tell us what to believe;
✓ Reproof - to stop us when and where we are going wrong;
✓ Correction - to bring us back to the right way;
✓ Training or Instruction - to enable us to stay on right path.
✓ Equipping – to provide all the resources to serve God.

After you believe in Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior, the Bible becomes your guide for daily
living. With the help of the Bible you are equipped for a life of purpose and meaning, for a life spent in
doing good works to glorify God and bless other people.
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MEMORIZE
Memorize the Books of the Old and the New Testament.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 2
FIVE BASIC LAWS OF INTERPRETATION

Some people ask, "Isn't there a danger in letting people do their own interpretation of the Bible?" There are
always dangers, but these dangers do not excuse us from obeying the command of Christ Himself for us to
know the truth.

John 8:31-32: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed in Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My
disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 17:17 (Jesus praying to God the Father): "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."

To be true followers of Jesus, we must be faithful students of His Word, the Bible. It is through the truth,
God's Word, that we become truly free – free from false beliefs and false values and false way of living.
Only through God's Word can we be sanctified – delivered from the moral impurities that falsehood brings
upon our life.

TWO TYPES OF MISINTERPRETATIONS

As we study and interpret the Bible, we must beware of two types of misinterpretations. Please study
Revelation 22:18-19; according to this passage, what are two types of misinterpretation? This warning in
Revelation applies specifically to the contents of the book of Revelation, but it generally applies to all other
parts of the Bible.

The two main types of misinterpretation are:

• ADDING to Scripture: A person adds to the Scripture when he makes it to say or mean what it does
not actually say or mean.

• SUBTRACTING from the Scripture: A person subtracts from the Scripture when he ignores,
conceals, or contradicts what the Bible really says or means.

There are many laws of correct interpretation, but we shall study only five of these. Knowing and applying
these laws will safeguard us from misunderstanding or misinterpreting God's Word.

LAW 1: LAW OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Only a person who has been born again spiritually and who has the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit
has the ability to understand and properly interpret the Bible. Please study 1 Corinthians 2:12-14.

The Christian, who has the Spirit of God, is contrasted with the non-Christian person or natural man. The
natural man (1) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; (2) he considers the things of God as
foolishness; and (3) he cannot know or understand the things of God. On the other hand, the Christian is able
to understand and receive the things of God through the help of the Spirit of God.
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LAW 2: LAW OF LANGUAGE

Bible interpretation is subject to the rules of grammar and the rules of literary types. Grammar refers to
words, tenses, sentences, and their relations. Literary types include prose, poetry, proverb, parable,
narrative, history, prophecy, etc. Each literary type must be interpreted according to its own rules.

Illustration 1: Please study Hebrews 10:10, 14:

The GRAMMAR of Hebrews 10:10 demands that we interpret the death of Christ as happening only once
and for all time, and His sacrifice is never to be repeated in any form or manner whatsoever. From Hebrews
10:10 and other related verses, we see, for example, that the teaching which says that a certain ritual repeats
or "re-presents" the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood is a misinterpretation.

Illustration 2: Please study Psalm 91:4:

An example of literary type is Psalm 91:4. In this verse God is pictured to have wings. This is poetical
imagery, and we must not therefore interpret the verse to say that God is some kind of bird. Rather, the
verse is saying that just as the mother bird protects its little ones with her wings, so does God protect His
people.

LAW 3: LAW OF CONTEXT

The context refers to the surrounding verses in which a particular verse is found. The law of context
demands that we interpret a verse in relation to the preceding and succeeding verses.

Illustration: 1 Corinthians 15:19:

This verse is a favorite of Jehovah's Witnesses. They interpret this verse to say that IF YOU HOPE ONLY
IN CHRIST, you are the most pitiable of all people. If we study the context, however, we shall see that 1
Corinthians 15 is actually saying that IF ONLY IN THIS LIFE we have hope in Christ, then we are the most
miserable of all people. But according to the context, since Christ rose from the dead, the person who
believes in Christ has hope NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE BUT ALSO IN THE LIFE TO COME! Therefore,
the Christian is of all people the most blessed and the most to be envied!

LAW 4: LAW OF UNITY

This law demands that we must seek that interpretation, which is consistent with the clear teachings of the
other parts of the Bible. We must not accept an interpretation, which makes different parts of the Bible to
contradict each other, or which makes us ignore or set aside one part in favor of another.

This law specifically applies to difficult passages. When interpreting a difficult passage, you should make
sure that you do not make the difficult passage contradict the passages which are very clear.

Illustration: Luke 14:26; Matthew 5:44:

Luke 14:26 is a difficult passage. What does Christ mean when He says "hate your father and mother"? We
must interpret this in the light of the clear teaching of Matthew 5:44, which tells us to love even our
enemies. In Luke 14:26, to hate means to LOVE LESS or to put in second place. Christ is saying that when
the demands of God come in conflict with the demands of family, then we must choose to obey Christ
instead of family; this means that we must love Christ MORE and our family LESS; we must be willing to

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forsake family members, if necessary, for the sake of Christ. But when we do this, this will come across to
our family as practically hating them.
LAW 5: LAW OF OBEDIENCE

Please summarize in your own words the thought of Deuteronomy 29:29.

The law of obedience demands that we are responsible and accountable to obey those truths that are clear to
us. Christ does not require us to do that which we do not know or understand. In studying the Bible there
will be many things which you will not immediately understand; and there will be some things that you will
never understand at all. The "secret" or "hard" things we must be content to leave in God's hands. But those
things which we understand, those things we must obey.

The fifth law of interpretation demands a certain attitude: we must study the Bible for practical Christian
living. We must not study the Bible merely for the purpose of adding to our knowledge. Rather, we must
always study the Bible so that we will love and obey God more and more. Please study Matthew 7:24-27.

APPLICATION

We have learned that the Bible is GOD'S WORD. How does this truth affect our life? What do we do with
this truth? In the account of the first temptation, we find the bottom-line issue regarding our attitude to
God's Word, the Bible. In this account Satan comes in the form of a cunning Serpent to tempt our first
mother, Eve.

Please study Genesis 3:1-5. Eve faced the bottom-line issue: Whose word would she believe, and whose
word should guide her life – God's Word or the Serpent's word? God's Word said: Don't eat of the
forbidden tree or you will die. Satan's word said: Go ahead, eat and you will not die. Unfortunately, Eve
along with Adam, chose to follow Satan's word and brought sin and death upon the whole human race.

Today the issue is still the same for you: Whose Word will you follow to guide your life – God's Word or
Satan's word? In a short statement, write down your choice. ______________________________________

MEMORIZE: Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 3
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD

When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, He told him, "Take off your sandals, for the
place where you are standing is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5).

As we study about God, we should remember that we are standing on holy ground; like Moses we must take
off our sandals. In other words, we must maintain the attitude of humility and worship. The only reason we
are able to study about God is because He has made Himself known in His Word, and He has made it
possible for us to know Him by making us members of His family through His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:18).
He has also given us His Holy Spirit, who will enlighten us to understand what God has revealed about
Himself in the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:12). We may begin by studying five truths about God.

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TRUTH 1: GOD IS CREATOR

What is the first truth revealed about God in the Bible? God is Creator. (Genesis 1:1) The Bible tells us
WHO was responsible for all creation: GOD. The Bible tells us two things about HOW creation came to be:
First, God created everything by His Word. Second, God created everything out of nothing.

Whenever we human beings make anything, we have to use previously existing materials. In the beginning,
there was only God, and He did not have any pre-existing material to use; He caused everything to come
into existence OUT OF NOTHING. As theologians say in Latin: God created EX NIHILO. God SPOKE
things into existence from nothing.

Read Genesis 1:3: Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (See also verses 6, 9, 11, 14,
20, 24, 26). Let’s also study Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3. Scientists have proposed all kinds of theories about
the beginning of everything. However, most, if not all, of their theories require that a pre-existing material
must already be available to produce everything that we now find in the universe – from the smallest atom to
the biggest galaxy. In the beginning, only God had the power and wisdom to create something out of
nothing.

TRUTH 2: GOD IS SUSTAINER

The Bible reveals that God did not leave His creation to continue operating on its own apart from Him. God
continues to sustain and govern His creation. From the following verses describe God's work as Sustainer.

Psalm 36:6; Isaiah 40:22,26; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3.

Note specially Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3. These verses reveal to us that everything in the present
creation is held together and kept in proper working order by the power of Jesus Christ.

The universe needs constant maintenance! Scientists tell us that we may expect the universe to do two
things, either to fly apart, with planets and stars scattering in all directions away from one another; or to
collapse upon itself, planets and stars crashing into one another into one big crunch – but it doesn't. Why
not? Because of the power of GOD THE SUSTAINER, who keeps all things together in their proper places.

TRUTH 3: GOD IS REDEEMER

The Bible tells us that everything was created perfect in the beginning, but something terrible happened to
mar this perfection. Humanity fell into sin, and as a result everything in creation became subject to decay
and death. God could have decided to discard the ruined creation– people and all – and start fresh. But
against this dark background, another aspect of God's nature was revealed. God manifested Himself not only
as Creator and Sustainer, but also as Redeemer or Savior of His creation, specially as Redeemer of human
beings. Please note the name of God in the following verses:

Isaiah 44:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Jeremiah 50:34; Titus 3:4,5.

Let’s think of this truth on a personal level. Each time we sin, God has all the right to judge and punish us
instantly. But He doesn’t. Instead, He has provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and to be
restored to Himself and restored to the right path He has set for us. This way is through His Son Jesus
Christ who redeemed us – paid for our sins – on the cross. When we believe in Christ as our Lord and
Savior, He forgives all our sins and gives us new life and power to live in the way God wants us to live. We
may call God our Redeemer “the God of second chances”. He always gives us a chance to begin again. Do
you realize that you have strayed away from God? Why don’t you ask God’s forgiveness – and begin again
with Him today?
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TRUTH 4: GOD IS FATHER

The truths about God as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer are awe-inspiring. But here is a still more awe-
inspiring truth: God gives Himself to us as our FATHER! This story is told about one U. S. president. One
day he was meeting with very important persons from different nations; all these persons were very formal
and careful as they talked with the president. But on the floor, at the foot of the president, his son was
playing with his toys. Whenever he had a little problem with his toys, he tugged at his daddy’s coat tails and
the president would put all his guests on hold while he attended to his son. This story is only a faint
illustration of what God wants to be to us as Father – very close, very intimate, very personal.

In the Old Testament, the Fatherhood of God was only hinted at. In the New Testament the full blaze of the
Fatherhood of God was revealed by Christ. However, Christ’s revelation came both as Good News and Bad
News. The Bad News is that, because of sin, God's Fatherhood is no longer universal; it is conditional. The
Good News is that Christ came precisely to restore sinful man to relationship with the heavenly Father.

BAD NEWS: Because of sin, who has become the father of sinners? John 8:44

GOOD NEWS: How may we restore our relationship with God as our Father? John 1:12

GOD THE FATHER calls us to a Father-Child relationship. Please study 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.

JESUS CHRIST THE SON teaches us to pray to God our Father. Matthew 6:9

THE HOLY SPIRIT enables us to call to God in the most intimate terms. Galatians 4:6

A PERSONAL QUESTION: Are you sure that your relationship with God as your heavenly Father has
been restored? You may have it restored by inviting Christ to come in your heart as your Lord and Savior.

TRUTH 5: GOD IS PERFECT

God has attributes or qualities which He alone possesses in perfection. We shall mention nine of His
innumerable attributes. Please study the following verses and meditate on each attribute that's mentioned.

❖ ETERNAL (no beginning and no end) Psalm 90:1,2; Revelation 1:8

❖ OMNIPOTENT (all-powerful) Luke 1:37
❖ OMNISCIENT (all-knowing) Psalm 139:1-6
❖ OMNIPRESENT (present everywhere) Jeremiah 23:23-24; Psalm 139:7-10
❖ SOVEREIGN (controls everything) Daniel 4:34-35; Romans 11:36
❖ LOVE (merciful and gracious) 1 John 4:8-10; Jeremiah 31:3
❖ FAITHFUL (unchanging; fulfills His promises) Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Corinthians 1:18-20.)
❖ HOLY (pure; does not tolerate any sin) 1 Peter 1:15-16; Isaiah 6:3.
❖ JUST (punishes sin exactly and fairly) Romans 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:17.

NOTE: NAMES OF GOD

In the Old Testament, God has many names, such as EL, ELOHIM, ADONAI, and combinations of EL (EL-
SHADDAI, EL-ELYON) as well as combinations of YWHW (such as the traditionally pronounced
JEHOVAH-JIREH, JEHOVAH-RAPHA, JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, JEHOVAH-SHALOM, JEHOVAH-
SHAMAH). In Exodus 3:13-18, God revealed His personal covenant name YHWH ELOHIM (YAHWEH
God: LORD God) (verses 15, 18) as the name by which Israel would henceforth call Him, as a sign of their
covenant relationship with Him.

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Significantly, the New Testament brings the final revelation that salvation can only be found in the Name of
Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Therefore, we are commanded to be witnesses to Christ (Luke 24:46-
48; Acts 1:8; Philippians 2:6-11). As regards God the Father, Jesus taught His disciples to call God “Our
Heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:9-13); the Holy Spirit enables the believer to call God “Abba, Father”
(Romans 8:15,16; Galatians 4:6).

Following the example of the Septuagint (LXX) Greek Old Testament translation, which most of the early
Christians used as their Bible, the Greek New Testament consistently translates the name YHWH as LORD
(John 12:38; Acts 7:30-34, 37; Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Hebrews 1:10). Hence, most of the
earlier English translations also adopted the traditional translation LORD (all caps) for YHWH, though in
some passages they used JEHOVAH. However, modern scholars agree JEHOVAH is certainly not accurate
for this reason: because the Jews considered YHWH too holy to be pronounced, they inserted the vowel
points of the word ADONAI as a signal that they were not to pronounce YHWH but instead pronounce
ADONAI or simply say HA-SHEM (THE NAME). English translators made the mistake of transliterating
YHWH using the vowel points of ADONAI, resulting in the hybrid word JEHOVAH. The modern
scholarly consensus gives YAHWEH as the most probable pronunciation, although this is not hundred
percent assured.

But as pointed out above, JESUS CHRIST is the name that God Himself gave as the name by which we
must be saved (Acts 4:12). Hence, let us keep on witnessing for Jesus Christ as the only Way, the Truth,
and the Life that leads to God (John 14:6). Any group promoting any other name is a cult, because it
diminishes or denies the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world.

APPLICATION: How should our knowledge of God affect how we relate to Him and live our lives?

(a) WORSHIP – As our CREATOR and SUSTAINER, and as One who possesses all PERFECT
ATTRIBUTES, God deserves our worship. Revelation 4:1-11 describes how God is worshiped in heaven;
please note verses 10-11. 1 Chronicles 29:10-18 is a good example of a prayer of worship.

(b) RELATIONSHIP - As our REDEEMER and FATHER, God calls us into relationship with Him. Are
you sure you have a personal relationship with God? John 1:12.

If you already have a relationship with God, are you living worthily before your Heavenly Father? 1
Corinthians 10:31.

MEMORIZE: John 17:3: And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom You have sent. – John 17:3.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 4
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT CHRIST

WHEN Christ was on earth, He asked His disciples two questions in Matthew 16:13-16. First, "Who do
people say the Son of Man is?" Second, "But who do you say that I am?"

As a follower of Christ, you are asked the same two questions. What have you heard others say about
Christ? What do you personally believe about Christ? Your belief about Christ should include the
following truths.
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TRUTH 1: CHRIST IS GOD

When we say "Christ is God" we mean that He has the same divine nature as God the Father. One false cult
teaches that Christ is only a man. Another false cult teaches that Christ was originally the first and highest
angel created by God.

What does the Bible say about Christ? Let's look at key passages.

1. ISAIAH 9:6: This verse is a prophecy about Christ's birth. This verse gives two titles of Christ that
proves He is God: MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER (or Father of Eternity).

2. JOHN 1:1: In this verse Christ is called the Word. This verse proves that Christ is God by saying: THE
WORD (CHRIST) WAS GOD.

3. HEBREWS 1:8,10: In these two verses God the Father is speaking to His Son, Jesus Christ, and the
Father calls His Son: GOD and LORD.

4. JOHN 5:19-23: The Jews wanted to kill Christ because He claimed to be equal with God (John 5:18).
Instead of denying it, Christ explained what kind of equality He possessed with the Father.

(a) Christ claimed that He could do all that the Father could do. If Christ were only a man, could He do
what only God could do? Since Christ can do all that God the Father does, is Christ God or not?

(b) Christ claimed that He is worthy of the same honor as the Father. If Christ were only a man, He would
be committing blasphemy if He took the honor that God alone deserved. Since Christ deserves the same
honor as God the Father, is Christ God or not?

5. PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11: This passage tells about Christ before He came to earth and about the position He
occupied after He went back to heaven.

(a) What FORM did Christ have before He came down to earth? Christ had the FORM OF GOD. FORM
follows NATURE (essence). Only someone with the nature of God has the form of God, in the same way
that only someone with the nature of man has the form of a man. Since Christ possessed the FORM OF
GOD, what kind of NATURE did He have?

(b) The Bible declares that only God deserves the worship of all His creatures, and He does not give His
glory to another (Isaiah 45:14, 18, 21, 23; 48:11; Matthew 4:10). Philippians 2:9-11 says that by God's
decree all creatures must worship and bow the knee to Christ and confess that He is Lord. Therefore is
Christ God or not?

TRUTH 2: CHRIST BECAME A HUMAN BEING

Although Christ was God, what did He become? John 1:14

Christ the Eternal Word became flesh, taking on human nature.

(a) Christ was born of a virgin. Luke 1:30-35 describes the virgin birth.

When God created the first man Adam, He took some material from clay and out of that clay He formed
Adam. In a similar way, God took some material from the womb of the Virgin Mary and out of that
material God formed the human body of the baby Jesus, and Mary brought Him forth through the virgin
birth.
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(b) Christ lived a normal human life:
• He was born of a human mother (Luke 2:1-7)
• He grew up as a normal human child (Luke 2:52)
• He experienced ...

1. Hunger (Matthew 4:2)

2. Thirst (John 4:7)
3. Fatigue (John 4:6)
4. Sleep (Mark 4:38)
5. Temptations (Luke 4:1,2,13; Hebrews 2:18; 4:15)
6. Sorrow (John 11:35)
7. He had flesh, bones, and blood (Luke 24:39-40; John 19:34)
8. He died and was buried (Luke 23:46; John 19:38-41)

(c) Although Christ experienced all temptations like any human being, He was different in that He
committed no sin and lived a perfect life of obedience to God. This was because He was born to become the
Second Head of the Human Race in place of Adam. He came to succeed where Adam failed. 1 Peter 2:22;
John 8:29, 46; Hebrews 4:15; 5:7-9; Romans 5:12-18.

(d) Christ became a human being to enable Him to die for the sins of the world. Hebrews 2:14-17; 10:5

(e) Christ was more than a man. His resurrection proved that He was indeed the Son of God, who
possessed the same God-nature as God the Father. Romans 1:4; John 10:17-18,30.

TRUTH 3: CHRIST IS SAVIOR AND LORD

(a) The primary purpose of Christ's coming to the earth was to do the work of a Savior. From the following
verses note the things from which Christ saves people:

• From sin: Matthew 1:21

• From fear of death and from bondage to the devil: Hebrews 2:14-15:
• From God’s wrath at the end of the world: 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9.)

(b) Christ is able to save because of His perfect life, His death, burial and resurrection, His ascension, His
ministry as high priest, and His second coming. Hebrews 9:11-14: Acts 10:36-43

(c) Christ's work as Savior should not be separated from His position as Lord. If we believe in Him as
Savior, we must also submit to Him as our Lord. According to the following verses, how should we
demonstrate that Christ is the Lord of our life?

• Believe Him in our heart and with our lips tell others about Him: Romans 10:9-10
• Live in continual obedience to Him: Colossians 2:6-7; Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21-23.

(d) A personal question: Have you truly believed in Christ as your Savior and Lord? Are you consistently
living in obedience to His commands? Are you encouraging others to believe in Him and follow Him?

TRUTH 4: CHRIST IS THE ONLY MEDIATOR

After completing His work of redemption on earth, Christ ascended back to heaven to assume His work as
Mediator at the right hand of God the Father.

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(a) Because Christ is the God-Man and because of His work as Savior and Lord, He is the only Mediator
between God and people. He is the only Person who can bring people back to God. He is the only Person
we must approach in order to have a personal relationship with God. John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews
4:14-16.

(b) This is the reason why when we say, “I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ”, because He is the only
Mediator. John 14:13,14

(c) Most precious of all, as Mediator He is also our High Priest who continually prays for us. Just imagine
this, Someone is always praying for us! Hebrews 7:25

(d) A personal application: Some people pray to certain saints because they believe that the saints “have
influence with God”. This is an insult to God and to His Son. God gave His only Son precisely so that He
alone might become our only and most effective Mediator with God (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). Let us
approach God through the only Go-between He has provided; God Himself declares that He will accept no
other mediator, only the One who died and rose again for us, Jesus Christ our Savior, Lord, Mediator,
Friend!

TRUTH 5: CHRIST IS THE COMING KING AND JUDGE

The next big event that we should be waiting for is not WORLD WAR III. We should be waiting for the
Second Coming of Christ. At His Second Coming He will put an end to present human history as we know
it, and He will establish His visible kingdom on earth over which He will reign personally. There are
differences among sincere Bible-believing Christians regarding specific details of the Second Coming. But
we must not lose sight of the most important thing: All Christians believe that Christ will come again!

NOTE: We will study more about the Second Coming when we study TRUTHS ABOUT LAST THINGS.

APPLICATION

(a) Have you believed in Christ and received Him as your Savior, Lord and God? (John 20:28)
(b) Have you surrendered your self to Christ and to His purpose for your life? (Acts 26:15-19)
(c) Are you seeking to know Christ more and more everyday? (Philippians 3:7-11)
(d) Are you helping to make Christ known to the whole world? (Acts 1:8)

MEMORIZE: Matthew 16:16: Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God.” – Matthew 16:16.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 5
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

IN the technologically advanced nations of the west, people who have been educated in modern science no
longer believe in a world of spirits. In most of the developing countries in the East, the Philippines among
them, people still believe in spirits. In the east, these spirits are often more real and personal to people than
God, and their fear of them is sometimes much stronger than their faith in God. However, there is now in the
west a growing interest in spiritualism and even spiritism. For the Christian to have a sound view of the
spirit world, he/she must begin by knowing and understanding the person and work of the Holy Spirit of
God.
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TRUTH 1: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD

The Deity of the Holy Spirit is easy to prove by simple reasoning. In the same way that the spirit of man has
the nature of man, so the Holy Spirit of God has the nature of God. There are many verses which prove that
the Holy Spirit is God.

1. The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4). How does Peter's statement to Ananias prove that the Holy
Spirit is God? Peter said to Ananias, “You have not lied to men but to God?” Which God did Peter mean?
God the Holy Spirit.

2. The Holy Spirit possesses attributes and qualities of God.

• ETERNAL - Hebrews 9:14

• OMNIPRESENT - Psalm 139:7-8
• OMNISCIENT - 1 Corinthians 2:10
• OMNIPOTENT - Luke 1:35 (Note: The Holy Spirit is the POWER OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD.)

TRUTH 2: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON

The real issue about the Holy Spirit is whether He is a DISTINCT PERSON just like God the Father and
God the Son are. By PERSON we mean a being with a mind, emotion and will of his own. Some sects call
the Holy Spirit merely as a "force" like wind or electricity. "Force" has no mind, emotion, or will, and is
therefore not a person. Does the Holy Spirit have mind, emotion, and will? Please study the following
verses:

1. JOHN 16:13 – How does the Holy Spirit's ability to teach prove that He has a MIND?

2. EPHESIANS 4:30 – How does the fact that the Holy Spirit can be grieved prove that He has EMOTION?

3. ACTS 13:2 – How does the Holy Spirit's ability to choose missionaries prove that He has a WILL?

4. JOHN 14:26; 15:26 – Based on the fact that the Holy Spirit can be sent by either the Father or the Son,
how can we prove that the Holy Spirit is a DISTINCT PERSON from the Father and from the Son?

5. The importance of the PERSON of the Holy Spirit is this: Just as we can relate either to the Father or the
Son because each is a PERSON with mind, emotion, and will; even so we can relate to the Holy Spirit and
He can relate to us in inter-personal relationship. We can talk to the Holy Spirit and He can talk to us, and
He can relate to us in all the different ways that persons connect with one another.

NOTE: At this point, you may be asking: Do we have three Gods – God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Spirit? There is only ONE God, although subsisting in Three Persons.

TRUTH 3: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2), and His primary work is to give life (John 6:63).
From the following verses, describe the part of the Holy Spirit:

1. In PHYSICAL creation. Genesis 1:2; 2:7; Psalm 104:30

2. In SPIRITUAL creation:
(a) The Holy Spirit brings about the new birth, by which He imparts new spiritual life to every person who
believes in Christ. John 3:3, 5; Titus 3:5
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(b) The Holy Spirit is also responsible for bringing spiritual transformation which changes the believer into
the image of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

TRUTH 4: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE COMFORTER

The word "Comforter" translates the Greek word PARAKLETOS, which can also mean companion, guide,
helper, counselor, teacher, someone who is called to stand alongside a person. In John 14:16 Christ called
the Holy Spirit as "another Comforter". Scholars point out that in the original Greek language of the New
Testament, there are two words which may be translated as “another” but they have different connotations:
ALLOS (another of the SAME KIND); and HETEROS (another of a DIFFERENT KIND). Christ promised
to send the Holy Spirit to be the ALLOS PARAKLETOS. This means that all that Christ was as the first
PARAKLETOS to the disciples when He was with them on earth, the Holy Spirit would be another
PARAKLETOS of exactly the same kind to be with Christians today! From the following verses, what can
you expect today from the Holy Spirit as your Comforter?

1. Romans 8:16
2. Ephesians 1:13
3. John 14:17
4. 1 Corinthians 6:19
5. John 14:26
6. John 16:8-11
7. Acts 1:8
8. Romans 8:2
9. Romans 8:14
10. Romans 8:26

TRUTH 5: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE GIVER OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

To live victoriously as a child of God and to serve effectively as a disciple of Christ, you need power, ability
and resources. These are provided by the Holy Spirit through spiritual gifts that He imparts to believers.
Please study 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and answer the following questions:

1. Who alone gives spiritual gifts? (verses 4, 7, 11)

2. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? (verse 7)

3. List some of the spiritual gifts. (verses 8-10)

4. In the next books, we will study 20 spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible, classified as follows:

Gifts for Serving Gifts for Teaching Gifts for Leading Basic Ministry Gifts
Service Word of wisdom Leadership Apostles
Helps Word of knowledge Governments Prophets
Giving Exhortation Faith Evangelists
Mercy Various tongues Miracles Pastors
Healing Interpretation of tongues Discernment Teachers

APPLICATION: The Christian life is life in the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Holy
Spirit (Ephesians 5:18); and we are to continue living and working in the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians
5:16,22-25).

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MEMORIZE: John 14:16-17: And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may
abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. – John 14:16-17.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 6
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THE TRINITY

We learned that three Persons deserve to be called GOD, because they possess the same God-nature: God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This raises the question: Does the Bible teach that there
are THREE GODS? The answer is NO. And the explanation is found in the truth about the TRINITY. The
word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, but the truth it describes is clearly taught in the Bible. The truth of
the Trinity is a REVELATION TRUTH – it is something we could not have discovered by our human
reason or human senses; it is something God revealed about Himself. It is only because God revealed the
truth of the Trinity to us that we accept it and believe it. We need to know five truths about the Trinity.

TRUTH 1: TRINITY DOES NOT MEAN THREE GODS

The Bible is very clear that there is only ONE GOD. Opponents of the Trinity accuse Christians of teaching
and believing in three Gods. We must insist that we teach and believe that there is ONLY ONE GOD, and
the Bible clearly teaches that there is only One God. Please study Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6

TRUTH 2: TRINITY MEANS THREE PERSONS IN ONE GOD

Trinity means there is only ONE GOD subsisting in THREE PERSONS – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The
Bible that teaches THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD is the same Bible that teaches there are THREE PERSONS
who share in the nature of the One God. This is REVELATION TRUTH; we could not have known about
the THREE PERSONS except that God revealed about the Three Persons in the Bible.

We have already proved the deity of God the Father (Lesson 3), the deity of the Son Jesus Christ (Lesson 4),
and the deity of the Holy Spirit (Lesson 5). In this lesson we need to prove the UNITY of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit.

(a) THE UNITY OF THE FATHER AND THE SON.

Christ taught that He and the Father are DISTINCT PERSONS from each other, but at the same time they
are not separate but ONE with each other.

• CHRIST AND THE FATHER HAVE DISTINCT PERSONS: John 5:31,32; John 8:17,18

• CHRIST AND THE FATHER HAVE THE SAME NATURE:

Opponents ridicule the idea of the Trinity by asking what, they say, is a very simple question of arithmetic.
They ask: "One plus one plus one equals how many?" The answer, of course, is three. But the Trinity is
not about human arithmetic. Let's look at the "arithmetic" of Christ. In John 10:30 Christ says: "I and the
Father are one." Putting this in arithmetic symbols:
I and MY FATHER are ONE

1 + 1 = 1
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Opponents say that Christ meant, "I and my Father are one in purpose and work." Christ meant no such
thing as John 10:31-33 shows. In fact, His listeners understood very well that Christ was claiming equality
with God and they attempted to stone Him for the sin of blasphemy.

• CHRIST CLAIMED UNITY AND ONENESS WITH THE FATHER. Please study John 14:8-10.

(b) THE UNITY OF GOD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

• THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DISTINCT PERSON FROM THE FATHER AND THE SON. The
Father can send the Holy Spirit in the name of Christ (John 14:26); and Christ can send the Holy
Spirit from the Father (John 15:26). This is further explained in TRUTH 4 below.

• THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IDENTICAL WITH THE LORD (JEHOVAH): Please study 2 Corinthians
3:16-17.

In 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 we see the unity and identity of God with the Holy Spirit. The background of verse
16 is about Moses, who took off his veil when he turned to face the Lord (Yahweh or Jehovah). According
to 2 Corinthians 3:17, who is this Lord (Yahweh or Jehovah)? Jehovah is the Spirit. In other words,
Jehovah and the Spirit are one.

• So, if the Father and the Son are one; and if Jehovah the Lord and the Spirit are one, then the THREE
PERSONS are ONE GOD!

TRUTH 3: THE TRINITY IS HINTED AT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

(a) In the very first chapter of Genesis the truth of the Trinity is already hinted at. Please study Genesis
1:26-27.

In verse 26 God says, "Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness...." To whom was God talking?
Opponents say that God was talking to angels. It could not be, because in verse 27 it does NOT say, "So
God created man in THEIR image, in the image of God AND ANGELS, He created him...." Rather, verse
27 says, "So God created man in HIS image, in the image OF GOD He created him...."

(b) Please also study Genesis 3:22-23. Notice the use of the plural in verse 22 (when God speaks as a
FIRST PERSON) and the singular in verse 23 (when God is described in the THIRD PERSON). By the
way, this is a good illustration of Law 2: Law of Language in interpretation – we must understand the
GRAMMAR of these verses. If God speaks in the PLURAL in the first person and if God is described as
SINGULAR in the third person, either we have a grammatical violation, or we have a hint of the Trinity –
that there is ONE GOD, and this one God speaks of Himself as more than one. person

(c) Compare similar use of plural and singular in Genesis 11:5-8.

(d) Genesis 1:1,2 implies at least TWO PERSONS of the Trinity: God the Father (verse 1) and the Holy
Spirit (verse 2).

(e) Proverbs 30:4 recognizes the existence of the FATHER and the SON.

TRUTH 4: THE TRINITY IS ASSUMED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

(a) In the New Testament there are passages which assume the unity of the Three Persons of the Trinity.
From the following verses, please show how the unity of the Three Persons are assumed or implied.
Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2
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(b) During the Baptism of Jesus, we see the Three Persons in operation together: the FATHER speaking
from heaven and the HOLY SPIRIT like a Dove descending upon the SON. Matthew 3:16-17

(c) The DISTINCT PERSONS of the Trinity are indicated very clearly in John 14:16-17. Note: Here, we
see the THREE PERSONS doing distinct and separate works: JESUS praying to the FATHER to send the
HOLY SPIRIT to the disciples.

(d) A helpful illustration: The TRIANGLE provides a helpful illustration. There is only ONE TRIANGLE
(there is only ONE GOD) but it is made of THREE ANGLES (there are THREE PERSONS who share in
the nature of God), but the three angles (Three Persons) are connected in a UNITY that is permanent and
which cannot be separated from each other.

Some people do not like the word mystery, but this word describes the truth of the Trinity. The same Bible
that tells us there is only ONE GOD is also the same Bible that tells us THREE PERSONS are called God.
How do you reconcile these two seemingly contradictory truths? Humanly speaking, we cannot. It is a
MYSTERY, but we believe it because God Himself revealed it to us in the Bible.

TRUTH 5: THE TRINITY IS DEMONSTRATED IN THE UNITED WORK OF THE THREE

PERSONS

In Lesson 3 we studied three works of God, as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. The Bible shows that the
Three Persons are equally responsible for these works.

1. CREATOR: God the Father and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1,2); the Son (Hebrews 1:8, 10).
2. SUSTAINER: The Father (Psalm 36:6); the Son (Hebrews 1:3); the Holy Spirit (Psalm 104:30).
3. REDEEMER: The Father (John 3:16); the Son (1 Peter 3:18); the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).

APPLICATION

(a) The Trinity is a REVEALED TRUTH to be believed, Because:

• God in His Word tells us that there is ONE GOD;

• He tells us in His Word that THREE PERSONS deserve to be called God;
• He tells us that the Three Persons are ONE; Therefore, we believe and teach these truths as the
Trinity or Three-Persons-In-One-God.

(b) The Trinity will always remain a MYSTERY. Someday in heaven God will make everything plain, but
here on earth we must humbly accept that the Trinity is a mystery that we cannot fully explain.

(c) Before the TRIUNE GOD our best attitude and posture should be that of worship and thanksgiving,
especially in regard to our salvation. We worship and thank the FATHER for planning our salvation even
before the foundation of the world; we worship and thank the SON for accomplishing our salvation on the
Cross; and we worship and thank the HOLY SPIRIT for applying that salvation to our hearts.

(d) The truth of the Trinity is demonstrated in the most practical way in PRAYER: We pray TO THE
FATHER (Matthew 6:9), we pray in the name of JESUS CHRIST THE SON (John 16:24), and we pray
with the help and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT (Romans 8:26,27).

TWO COMMON ERRORS

Though we may use some earthly illustration (such as the triangle) to help us understand in some way the
truth of the Trinity, we must humbly admit that it will always remain a mystery. For how can ONE be

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THREE, and THREE be ONE at the same time? In our attempt to make the Trinity somewhat more
understandable, we must beware of two (among many) common errors.

ERROR #1: TRITHEISM

In our emphasis that the Father is God and the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God we may end up
teaching that we do actually have Three Gods. Dr. Norman Geisler explains: "Tritheism is the belief that
there are three gods or three separate beings in the Godhead. Few, if any, have held this view consciously,
though unwittingly many have fallen into it verbally by their incautious language about the Godhead. By
correctly stressing the three persons as distinct, it is easy to slip into the language of tritheism, which
wrongly posits three separate beings." (Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, page 195)

ERROR #2: MODALISM

"Modalism holds that God is only one person who appears in different modes or roles at different times in
the divine economy, from which it gets the title 'Economic Trinity,' as opposed to the ontological Trinity of
orthodox theology." (Geisler, loc. cit.)

A very common modalistic illustration goes like this: "I am one person, but I am also a son, I am also a
husband, and I am also a father." What's wrong with this illustration? It emphasizes ONE BEING but it
does not recognize THREE DISTINCT PERSONS. In the Divine Trinity, the Father is not the Son is not
the Holy Spirit; all Three Persons are distinct and yet they are ONE GOD.

The “ONENESS” group commits the error of MODALISM because they don't believe in the distinction of
PERSONS. They teach that the Father is Jesus and is the Holy Spirit. Some of them explain it this way: In
the Old Testament, God operated as the Father; in the New Testament, God operated as the Son; and today
God is operating as the Holy Spirit. The passage in John 14:16-17 exposes the error of the “ONENESS”
group, because these verses show that the THREE DISTINCT PERSONS simultaneously operate and
interact with one another.

MEMORIZE: Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. – Matthew 28:19.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 7
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT MAN

HUMAN beings are the crowning glory of God's creation. Of all that God created, humans are the most
precious. How do we know this? We know this from the supreme demonstration of love, which God
showed toward human beings when He gave His only Son for their redemption. We may, therefore, ask
with the Psalmist: "What is man, that you, O God, are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4). Our answer to this
question should include five truths about man. (Please note: In this lesson, the word "man" is used in the
traditional inclusive sense of "man and woman".)

TRUTH 1: MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD.

In their effort to avoid the truth that God created all things, many scientists believe in the theory of
evolution, by which (they say) everything, including man, came into existence through random chance,
without a designer or creator. However, a good number of scientists reject the theory of evolution. They
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believe that everything in the universe shows intelligent design, pointing to an All-wise, All-Powerful
Creator and Designer. For example, theistic scientists ask: "Can you imagine a watch without a
watchmaker? Man is infinitely more complicated than a watch." The Bible reveals to us this truth: God
created man. From Genesis 1:26-27 please note the following:

(a) Man was created in God’s image (to be discussed in Truth 2).

(b) Man was created to rule over God’s creation, as God’s overseer and manager and keeper.

(c) Man is male and female together. God imparted certain qualities to the male, and He imparted certain
qualities to the female, and assigned certain roles for each to fulfill, so that, together, the male and the
female will achieve the kind of life and relationship that God intended for people. Together, male and
female will find their highest destiny. Apart or in competition, they will fall short of God’s great purpose
and blessing for them. Male chauvinism (insisting on male superiority which tends to treat women merely
as objects of pleasure and servants) and radical feminism (insisting on leveling all gender differences and
roles, which tends to treat men as rivals) are both contrary to God’s wise order and plan for partnership
and mutual respect and fulfillment between the sexes.

TRUTH 2: MAN WAS CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE.

Of all God's creation, only man was given something of God's nature and personality. From Genesis 1:26-
27 we learn that God created man in His own image. What qualities or attributes are included in this image?

1. SPIRITUAL IMAGE

(a) Although man was created out of the dust of the earth, he had something more permanent than his
material physical body. According to Genesis 2:7, what spiritual "component" did God impart to man at his
creation? Genesis 2:7

(b) In the New Testament, Christ distinguished between the two components of man: a physical component
(body) and a spiritual component (soul). Matthew 10:28

(c) The New Testament reveals that man consists of a tripartite personality consisting of body, soul and
spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

• The BODY is the physical "house" of the living person who consists of the immaterial soul and
spirit. Through the body a person relates to the physical environment and to things in it. When the
soul and spirit of a person leave the physical body, the body dies; but the soul and spirit live forever.

• The SOUL is that which relates to self and to other persons; it is the seat of consciousness (expressed
through the five physical senses) as well as sub-consciousness; its faculties include the mind,
emotion, will, memory and imagination, and conscience.

• The SPIRIT is that which relates to God and to spiritual realities.

2. INTELLECTUAL IMAGE

Man was created with the power to know, and he was given knowledge of God. This intellectual image was
impaired when man fell into sin. The restoration of this knowledge is one of the objectives of Christ's
renewing work. Please study Colossians 3:10.

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3. MORAL IMAGE

(a) Man was created with a free will, which means the freedom and ability to choose coupled with
accountability for every choice. This free will makes human beings truly human and not robots or
machines. According to Genesis 2:16-17, the first man Adam was given the opportunity very early on to
exercise his free will. This opportunity came in the form of a command, a prohibition regarding a particular
tree called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Genesis 2:16-17

(b) The moral image also means that in the beginning God gave to man certain perfect moral qualities.
Ephesians 4:24 mentions two qualities – righteousness and holiness; these were lost through sin, but they
would be restored through Christ.

TRUTH 3: MAN FELL INTO SIN AND LOST HIS ORIGINAL PERFECTION AND POSITION

1. Everything that God created, including man, was good and perfect in the beginning. Genesis 1:31

2. After man fell into sin, what consequences did sin bring to humanity and to the whole earth? Genesis
3:17-19; 6:5

3. Before his fall into sin, what was man's position? Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:6

4. After man yielded to the temptation of Satan, the serpent, what authority and power did Satan claim over
the world? Luke 4:5-6

TRUTH 4: MAN WOULD BE REDEEMED FROM SIN

On the very day that man fell into sin, God announced His plan to redeem man. This plan centered on the
coming Seed (Son) of the woman. In the Old Testament it was not immediately known or understood who
this Seed would be. The New Testament revealed this was Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin. Genesis
3:15; Galatians 4:4,5; Matthew 1:21. Note: More about this later under the topic: “Five Truths about
Salvation” (Lesson 12).

TRUTH 5: MAN WOULD BE RESTORED TO HIS ORIGINAL PERFECTION AND POSITION

1. Describe the pattern of perfection after whom God is recreating people. Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:13.
Christ is God’s pattern, and God’s purpose is to make every Christian to be transformed to become like His
Son in His perfect humanity.

2. What position will be occupied someday by those who are perfected in Christ? Romans 8:16-17;
Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21; 22:3-5. Redeemed humanity will live with God and reign with Him forever and
ever in God’s eternal kingdom!

APPLICATION: Let's meditate on the following comments by James Montgomery Boice on Psalm 8:

[Psalm 8] describes [man] as being "a little lower than the heavenly beings" rather than "a little higher than
the beasts." It could have been written the other way around. If man really is a mediating being, as the
psalm maintains, it would have been equally accurate to have described him as slightly higher than the
beasts rather than as slightly lower than the angels. But it does not, and the reason it does not is that,
although men and women have been given a position midway between the angels and the beasts, it is
nevertheless humanity's special privilege and duty to look upward to the angels (and beyond angels to God,
in whose image women and men have been made), rather than downward to the beast. The result is that
they become increasingly like God rather than increasingly beast-like in their behavior.
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Boice continues:
Western society has lost sight of God. It no longer sees man as a creature made in God's image, whose chief
end is "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." It has eliminated God from its collective conscience. But
then, because it no longer looks to God to derive its sense of identity and worth from him, it looks in the
only other direction it can look. It looks downward to the beasts and derives its identity from the animal
kingdom.

This is what evolution is all about. Eliminate God, and evolution is the only theory left. We are only
slightly advanced beasts, according to this theory. Besides, since we see ourselves as beasts, we begin to
behave like beasts. Indeed, we behave worse than beasts, for we end up doing things the animals would not
even dream of doing. (James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary on the Psalms, Vol. 1, pp. 71-72).

MEMORIZE: Psalm 8:4-5

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 8
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THINGS

By "things" we refer to all creation other than humans and spirits in earth and sky and to the limits of outer
space – living things like plants, flowers, trees, microscopic life, birds, animals, and non-living things such
as rocks, rivers, planets, stars, and galaxies. We must know five truths about things.

TRUTH 1: THINGS SHOW FORTH THE GLORY OF GOD

As we thoughtfully consider the things around us, what truth do they help us to see? Psalm 8:1; Psalm 19:1;
Romans 1:20

TRUTH 2: THINGS SUPPLY THE NEEDS OF MAN

1. According to God's plan, how was man's physical need for food to be supplied? Genesis 1:29; Genesis 9:3

2. God created not only plants and trees for food; He also created plant and trees that were beautiful to look
at. How did these beautiful plant and trees satisfy man’s intellectual and aesthetic sense? Genesis 2:9

3. Look at Genesis 2:9 again. How do the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil meet man’s
spiritual and moral needs? Answer: These trees provided man with the opportunity to exercise moral choice.

4. In what way does man's position as ruler over the earth meet his higher need for growth, adventure and
creativity? Genesis 1:28

5. In summary, through things He created God supplied man’s needs – food for his physical life; beauty for
his aesthetic sense; choices for his moral powers; and authority and dominion for his creative powers. How
complete and wonderful was God’s provision for the human beings He created!

TRUTH 3: THINGS ARE INTERDEPENDENTLY RELATED

People have now become aware of the importance of the relationship of all creation to one another
(ecology). For example, forests affect water supply. When forests are destroyed ground water sinks deeper

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into the earth or disappears altogether; rain water is not conserved, instead it causes flash floods that cause a
lot of damage to life and property.

(1) Though the Bible was not written to explain ecology, there are passages which show God's concern for
proper balance in nature. Please study Genesis 2:15. How does the double responsibility of man (to work or
till the ground, and to keep or take care of the garden) show God's concern for ecology?

(2) How does the command in Deuteronomy 20:19-20 show God's concern for the relationship between
man and trees?

(3) Even the land had a God-given right to rest. What do you think is the purpose of the sabbath law for the
land? Leviticus 25:2-4

(4) The lesson is clear. We may use things, but at the same time we must care for them. Under this proper
care comes the importance of stopping all kinds of pollution, specially of the air and water. If we do not
take care of our air and water, very soon we shall destroy the world on which our physical life depends.

TRUTH 4: THINGS ARE TO BE MANAGED WITH PROPER STEWARDSHIP

1. Stewardship means that we do not own creation, but we have been placed as managers of creation
according to the purpose of the Owner and Creator. From the following verses, show who the Owner is, and
what are the things He owns. Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:10-12

2. Since God owns everything and we are merely His stewards, how are we to manage His things? 1
Timothy 6:17,18; Ephesians 4:28; Luke 3:10,11

TRUTH 5: ALL THINGS WILL BE MADE NEW

1. Because of man's sin, what happened to God's first creation? Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:19-21

2. God has planned to create a new heaven and a new earth at the end of time. Describe how the new
heaven and new earth will be different from the old? Revelation 21:4-5

3. In view of God's plan, how are we to live our lives today? 2 Peter 3:13-14

APPLICATION: Romans 1:20 tells us: "For since the creation of the world His (God's) invisible attributes
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead..."
Modern science is helping us to appreciate God's power and wisdom in creation.

Those of you who enjoy science, you'll find this very interesting. Apart from any theistic presupposition,
scientists have discovered what they call the ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE in creation. Dr. Norman L. Geisler
describes this principle: The anthropic principle (Greek: anthropos, "human being") states that the universe
was fitted from the very first moment of its existence for the emergence of life in general and human life in
particular... ... For life to be present today, an incredible restrictive set of demands must have been present in
the early universe:

1. Oxygen comprises 21 percent of the atmosphere. If it were 25 percent, fires would erupt, if 15 percent,
human beings would suffocate.

2. If the gravitational force were altered by 1 part in 10 to the 40th power (that's 10 followed by forty
zeroes), the sun would not exist, and the moon would crash into the earth or sheer off into space
(Heeren, 196). Even a slight increase in the force of gravity would result in all the stars being much
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more massive than our sun, with the effect that the sun would burn too rapidly and erratically to
sustain life.

3. If the centrifugal force of planetary movements did not precisely balance the gravitational forces, nothing
could be held in orbit around the sun.

4. If the universe was expanding at a rate one millionth more slowly than it is, the temperature on earth
would be 10,000 C. (ibid. 185).

5. The average distance between stars in our galaxy of 100 billion stars is 30 trillion miles. If that distance
were altered slightly, orbits would become erratic, and there would be extreme temperature
variations on earth. (Traveling at space shuttle speed, seventeen thousand miles an hour or five miles
a second, it would take 201,450 years to travel 30 trillion miles.)

6. Any of the laws of physics can be described as a function of the velocity of light (now defined as
299,792,458 miles a second). Even a slight variation in the speed of light would alter the other
constants and preclude the possibility of life on earth (Ross, 126).

7. If Jupiter was not in its current orbit, we would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter's gravitational
field acts as a cosmic vacuum cleaner, attracting asteroids and comets that would otherwise strike
earth (ibid., 196).

8. If the thickness of the earth's crust was greater, too much oxygen would be transferred to the crust to
support life. If it were thinner, volcanic and tectonic activity would make life untenable (ibid., 130).

9. If the rotation of the earth took longer than 24 hours, temperature differences would be too great between
night and day. If the rotation period was shorter, atmospheric wind velocities would be too great.

10. Surface temperature differences would be too great if the axial tilt of the earth were altered slightly.

11. If the atmospheric discharge (lightning) rate were greater, there would be too much fire destruction; if it
were less, there would be too little nitrogen fixing in the soil.

12. If there were more seismic activity, much life would be lost. If there was less, nutrients on the ocean
floors and in river runoff would not be cycled back to the continents through tectonic uplift. Even
earthquakes are necessary to sustain life as we know it. (From Baker Encyclopedia of Christian
Apologetics by Norman L. Geisler)

A PERSONAL QUESTION TO ANSWER:

How should the anthropic principle motivate us to worship and love and serve God even more?

MEMORIZE: 2 Peter 3:13-14 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and
a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be
diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. 2 Peter 3:13-14.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 9
FIVE TRUTH ABOUT ANGELS

THERE is a lot of interest in angels in movies and tv shows today. Most of the stories about angels treat
them as if they are like human beings still in training or going through a probationary period. From the
Bible we may know five truths about angels.

TRUTH 1: ANGELS ARE SPIRIT BEINGS CREATED BY GOD

1. Angels were created by God. Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16

2. Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as "ministering spirits" that serve God’s people. (More about this in
Truth 4.)

3. Spirits do not have earthly or material bodies, although they may appear in human form. Below are some
of the qualities or characteristics of angels:

(a) Powerful – Psalm 103:20

(b) Holy – Matthew 25:31
(c) Do not marry – Matthew 22:30
(d) Created perfect in the beginning. When Lucifer (Satan’s name in the beginning, Isaiah 14:12 KJV)
mounted a revolt against God, theologians believe that about a third of all the angels followed him and were
cast out from God’s immediate presence in heaven (Revelation 12:4, 9). Hence, there are now two kinds of
angels: good angels, who remain faithful to God, and bad angels or demons or evil spirits, who follow Satan.

TRUTH 2: ANGELS HAVE NAMES AND RANKS

1. Some angels are called CHERUBIM (Genesis 3:24). They seem to be responsible for guarding the
holiness and justice of God.

2. Some angels are called SERAPHIM (Isaiah 6:2). They seem to be responsible for the worship of God.

3. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL is the special protector of the nation of Israel (Daniel 12:1; Rev 12:7,8).

4. GABRIEL is a special messenger of God (Luke 1:19).

5. Angels seem to have different levels of rank and strength (Daniel 10:12-14)

TRUTH 3: ANGELS ARE SERVANTS OF GOD

1. In Hebrew and Greek the word "angel" simply means "messenger," whether human or spirit being. In the
New Testament angels refer primarily to God's heavenly messengers. From the following verses, discover
some of the works of angels in serving God.

(a) They worship God. Revelation 7:11

(b) They perform God’s commands. Psalm 103:20
(c) They help people. Acts 5:19; 10:3-6

2. Angels had and will have a special ministry to Christ.

(a) They announced Christ’s birth. Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 2:10-12

(b) They assisted Christ during His time of temptation. Matthew 4:11
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(c) They announced Christ’s resurrection. Matthew 28:5-7
(d) They will accompany Christ at His Second Coming. 2 Thessalonians 1:7

TRUTH 4: ANGELS SERVE GOD'S PEOPLE

1. From the following verses, describe some ways by which angels serve God's people.

(a) They protect God’s people. Psalm 34:7; 91:11-12

(b) They deliver God’s people. Acts 12:6-10

2. Although angels serve God's people, human beings should not worship angels. Why not? Rev. 22:8-9

TRUTH 5: ANGELS WILL BE JUDGED

1. For some reasons not clearly revealed in the Bible, some angels sinned against God. What does the Bible
say about the future of fallen angels? 2 Peter 2:4

2. God did not have a plan for redeeming fallen angels. Hebrews 2:16

3. Christians will judge angels someday. 1 Corinthians 6:3 is a difficult passage to interpret. We do not
know how or why Christians will judge angels, but one thing is clear – there will be a judgment for angels,
and they will receive corresponding punishments, and Christians will be involved in some way in judging
them.

APPLICATION: We hear or read about experiences of people having encounter with angels. We ourselves
may have a story about this. How do we treat such purported experiences? Here are some guidelines:

• GUIDELINE 1: Let's admit there are genuine experiences with angels, as the example of Bible
characters prove.
• GUIDELINE 2: Let's keep our focus on God, not on angels. Our trust, our prayers, our thanks must
be directed to God alone, never to angels.
• GUIDELINE 3: Genuine experiences with angels should lead people to worship and love and serve
God more; counterfeit experiences magnify the angels and the experiences. In short, we must always
stay God-conscious, not angel-conscious.

MEMORIZE: Hebrews 1:14: Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who
will inherit salvation? – Hebrews 1:14.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 10
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT SATAN AND DEMONS

Many people ask, "Did God create Satan and demons? Why did God create them, and why does He allow
them to continue operating in the world?" A Christian should know five truths about Satan and demons.

TRUTH 1: SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WERE CREATED SINLESS IN THE BEGINNING.

1. Genesis 1:1 and John 1:3 show that God, through Christ, created all things in heaven and on earth. And
according to Genesis 1:31 God created everything good and perfect in the beginning. Hence, we may
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correctly conclude that Satan and his demons were originally created sinless, but that later on they sinned
and became enemies of God.

John 8:44

1 John 3:3

2. Two passages in the Old Testament seem to hint at Satan's original revolt. In Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV, Satan
is called "Lucifer"; in Ezekiel 28:12-15 he is called the "Anointed Cherub".

Isaiah 14:12-14

Ezekiel 28:12-15

3. Dr. Merrill F. Unger comments: "Theologians to a large extent have refused to apply the far-reaching
prophecies of Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-15 to Satan under the contention that they are addressed
solely to the king of Babylon in the first instance and to the king of Tyre in the second. Others contend this
interpretation is unwarranted for two reasons. First, it fails to take into account the fact that these prophecies
far transcend any earthly ruler and, second, it ignores the close connection Satan has in Scripture with the
government of the satanic world system (Dan. 10:13; Ephesians 6:12) of which both ancient Babylon and
Tyre were inseparable part. In their full scope these passages paint Satan's past career as 'Lucifer' and as
'The Anointed Cherub' in his pre-fall splendor. They portray as well his apostasy in drawing with him a
great multitude of lesser celestial creatures (Rev. 12:4).

"These fallen angels (demons) fit into two classes: (1) those that are free and (2) those that are bound. The
former roam the heavenlies with their prince-leader Satan (Matt. 12:24) and as his emissaries are so
numerous as to make Satan's power practically ubiquitous. The angels (demons) that are bound are
evidently guilty of more heinous wickedness and are incarcerated in Tartarus (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6). ..."
(From Baker's Dictionary of Theology).

TRUTH 2: SATAN AND HIS DEMONS ARE AN ORGANIZED ARMY

1. In Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 12:7 we read about "the devil (dragon) and his angels." Satan is the
commanding general of his army of fallen angels.

Matthew 25:41

Revelation 12:7

2. From Ephesians 6:12 we discover the ranks in Satan's army. Ephesians 6:12: "For our conflict is not
against flesh and blood, but against (1) the rulers, (2) against the authorities, (3) against the world rulers of
this darkness, (4) against the spiritual hosts of evil in the heavenlies" (numbers provided for clarity). These
titles suggest ranks or levels of authority and power.

3. Satan and his angels are fighting unitedly to achieve their objective. To defeat Satan and his army,
Christians, too, must learn to fight unitedly under Christ their Lord.

TRUTH 3: SATAN AND HIS DEMONS DECEIVE AND DESTROY PEOPLE

1. Please study the following verses: John 8:44, Ephesians 6:12

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(a) According to John 8:44 Satan (the thief) first tells lies, then he kills and destroys. In other words, first,
he deceives; and then he destroys. His demons follow a similar strategy.

(b) According to Ephesians 6:12, the works of Satan and his demons are of two categories: works of
darkness, and works of wickedness.

• Works of DARKNESS refer to the invention and promotion of false belief systems, both religious
(like false religions) and secular (like evolution). These lead to false worldviews and false values.

• Works of WICKEDNESS refer to the invention and promotion of sinful practices and vices.
Wickedness is behavior that is destructive to oneself and to others. Examples: addictions (to drugs,
wine and liquor, gambling); over-indulgence of normal appetites (like food and sex) outside of God-
given boundaries.

TRUTH 4: SATAN AND HIS DEMONS ARE UNDER GOD'S CONTROL

Why does God allow Satan and his demons to continue? Why did He not throw them immediately into hell
when they first sinned?

We don't know all of God's reasons, but one reason is clear: God is using these enemy spirits to test and train
believers. Satan and his demons are tools in God's hands, and as tools they are completely under God's
control. Please study the following verses:

Luke 22:31-32

1 Corinthians 10:13

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Romans 8:28

TRUTH 5: SATAN AND HIS DEMONS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED BY CHRIST AND WILL
EVENTUALLY BE PUNISHED.

1. The defeat of Satan was prophesied on the very day that he caused man to fall into sin. Genesis 3:15
foretold how Satan was to be defeated.

2. When Christ, the Seed of the Woman, came He defeated Satan and his demons.

Philippians 2:9-11

Colossians 2:15

Hebrews 2:14-15

3. Based on His victory on the Cross, Christ gave believers authority over Satan and his demons.

Luke 10:17-19

Mark 16:17

Revelation 12:11
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4. What do the following verses say about the final destiny of Satan and his demons?

Matthew 25:41

Revelation 20:10

APPLICATION

1. How do we overcome Satan and his demons? The Bible shows us how: by putting on the whole armor of
God and by prayer. Ephesians 6:13-18

2. Two questions:

(a) Do you always put on your armor? (verses 13-17)

(b) Do you consistently maintain the attitude of prayer? (verse 18)

MEMORIZE: Revelation 20:10: The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and
ever. – Revelation 20:10.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 11
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT SIN

What is sin? We need to answer this important question to understand ourselves, other people and human
problems. Sin is at the root of all the problems in the world. More importantly, we need to know what sin is
and its results in order to realize our need for salvation. There are five truths about sin that we need to know.

TRUTH 1: SIN IS DOUBTING GOD'S WORD

1. How do the following verses describe sin?

1 John 5:10

Romans 14:23

2. Unbelief – doubting God's Word – is the beginning of sin. When Satan tempted Eve, he began by
sowing doubt about God's Word. Satan asked, "Did God really say?" (Genesis 3:1). When a person doubts
God's Word, he begins to sin against God.

TRUTH 2: SIN IS DOUBTING GOD'S CHARACTER

1. Describe the meaning of sin from Romans 1:18, 21.

2. Ungodliness and unbelief are twins. After Satan had casted doubt on God's Word, he next casted doubt
on God's character. He told Eve, "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will
be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5). In other words, Satan implied, God is really selfish.

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He does not really care about people; all He cares about is Himself, that's why He gives all these laws
forbidding this and forbidding that.

3. Ungodliness is thinking unworthy thoughts about God; this leads to refusing to honor God as He really
deserves. Under ungodliness we may put idolatry and all other forms of false worship, which are all an
insult to the majesty of God. For example, when a person worships an image (whether of human form or
animal form), he is bringing God down to that level.

TRUTH 3: SIN IS BREAKING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS

1. From the following verses, describe what sin is.

1 John 3:4

Isaiah 53:6

2. Sin is lawlessness; lawlessness is law-breaking. Adam and Eve committed lawlessness; they broke a
clear law of God. God's law was very clear to them: "Do not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil." Adam and Eve rejected God's law and ate of the forbidden fruit.

3. Lawlessness is going your way and doing your will. Lawlessness is rejecting God's will and putting your
desires as a law unto yourself. Somebody said, "Sin is spelled S-I-N, with the big, proud ‘I’ in the middle."
Lawlessness is rejecting God as Lord and Master and putting yourself as the king/queen on the throne of
your life. This is the meaning of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When Adam and Eve
ate of this fruit, instead of asking God about what’s good and right, they began deciding what’s good and
right for themselves.

TRUTH 4: SIN IS FALLING SHORT OF GOD'S STANDARD

1. How do the following verses describe sin?

Romans 3:23

James 4:17

2. According to Bible scholars, one of the most common words used by the Bible for sin in the original
Hebrew and Greek means "to miss the mark." Sin is falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); this
means, falling short of God's standard, “missing the mark” God has set for us to aim at. We see this
illustrated in the experience of Adam and Eve. After they sinned, they sought to cover themselves; they
were ashamed to face God; and they hid themselves. Why? They had lost their perfect state, and they no
longer felt worthy to face God, they had fallen short of God’s approval.

3. To fall short of God's glory also means to fail to do what he requires (James 4:17). This shows the total
hopelessness of man's condition. Even if we grant that a man never breaks God's law because he does not
do what the law forbids, can he guarantee that he will do perfectly all that the law requires in everything that
he does? In other words, NOT DOING all that God forbids is not enough; you must also DO PERFECTLY
all that God requires. But who of us can do perfectly all that God requires?

TRUTH 5: SIN BRINGS FORTH DEATH

1. What do the following verses say about the relationship between sin and death?

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Ezekiel 18:4

Romans 6:23

2. Death is the punishment which God decreed upon sin. Essentially death means separation. There are
three ways that this separation is experienced.

• Spiritual death. Right now, in this life, the sinner is in a state of spiritual death or spiritual separation
from God.

Ephesians 2:1-3

1 Timothy 5:6

• Physical Death. A person experiences physical death when his soul separates from his body.

Genesis 3:19

Luke 23:46

• Second Death. Unsaved persons will experience the second death. This means eternal separation
from God and unending suffering in a place of torment.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Revelation 21:8

3. The eternal punishment of sin is very scary and terrible. For this reason, we must cry out to God for
salvation.

APPLICATION

1. This story is told about a medical doctor, a specialist in cancer research. They say that a deep anger
motivates him; he is deeply angry with cancer and deeply angry at what cancer is doing to people; this anger
fuels his passion for cancer research.

2. Sin is infinitely more deadly than cancer. What is your attitude toward sin -- anger? Tolerance?
Compromise? Ask God to make you see the true nature of sin and what it does, and ask God to give you a
deep and genuine hatred for sin.

3. God has such holy anger against sin that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to provide
a way to get rid of sin from people's lives and from His universe.

MEMORIZE: James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and
enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth
death. – James 1:14-15.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 12
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT SALVATION

If sin is at the root of man's problem, salvation is the only effective means that attacks that deadly root.
Salvation is what man needs and longs for, even if many times he thinks he needs something else. What five
truths do we need to know about salvation?

TRUTH 1: SALVATION: WORK OF THE THREE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY.

The Triune God in Unity is the author and accomplisher of salvation. The following three actions regarding
salvation are joint actions of the Trinity. It may help us to appreciate our salvation better if we understand
the role in salvation of each Person of the Trinity.

1. GOD THE FATHER PLANNED SALVATION. How do the following verses describe the part of the
Father in providing salvation? John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4-5, 9-10

2. JESUS CHRIST ACCOMPLISHED SALVATION. How do the following verses describe the part of the
Son in accomplishing salvation? 1 Peter 2:24; Revelation 5:9-10

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT APPLIES SALVATION. How do the following verses describe the part of the
Holy Spirit in applying salvation? 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14

NOTE: Just as it is incorrect to say that only one Person of the Trinity did the specific action “assigned” to
that Person, it is also incorrect to say that only the Holy Spirit is now active in the work of salvation. The
Three Persons of the Trinity continue to work together in saving people. Study the following verses: John
6:37, 65; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 7:25; John 16:8-10.

TRUTH 2: SALVATION: THREE RESULTS*

To understand better the three results, James Montgomery Boice suggests that we imagine a triangle.
Above the top angle (apex) of the triangle let's write "God the Father"; beside the left base angle let's write
"Christ"; beside the right base angle let's write "Us" (meaning, humanity).

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1. PROPITIATION

In our triangle illustration, let's draw an arrow from Christ, pointing to God the Father. The first result of
Christ's death shows us:

• God is a God of holiness and justice. Because He is holy and just God cannot and will not tolerate
sin, no matter how seemingly small, to stain His universe or to stay unpunished (1 John 1:5). God's
holiness and justice makes Him angry with sin and with sinners who stay unrepentant of their sins
(Romans 1:18). Some people dislike the idea of an angry God; but it's only because they don't fully
understand the nature of God as absolutely holy and just.

• God's anger needs to be propitiated and appeased. The death of Christ was God's own provision for
that propitiation. There on the cross, God poured out all the full force and fury of His wrath and
displeasure and anger against all sin, and Christ interposed between us and God's wrath, thereby
deflecting from us the judgment we deserved while at the same time satisfying all the demands of
God's holiness and justice by receiving the full fury of the punishment upon Himself (1 John 2:1,2).
Christ PROPITIATED God’s wrath on our behalf.

2. REDEMPTION

Let's draw an arrow from Christ, pointing to us. The second result of Christ's death shows us:

• Sin brings sinners under slavery and bondage (John 8:34). This slavery is the cruelest, most painful,
and most hopeless form of bondage from which there is no human help for escape (Ephesians 2:11-
12; 4:17-19; Romans 7:14-24). Satan is the meanest slave-driver of all (John 10:10; Hebrews 2:14-
15). And the sad fact of it all is that we have chosen this bondage, and we deserve all the painful
results of our choice.

• But God is a God of love and mercy (Romans 5:6-10). Mercy means that God withholds from us
what we deserve. When looking at our miserable bondage God could have said, "Serves you right."
Instead, God's love showed mercy toward us and through the death of Christ He provided the
redemption price required to buy us out of our slavery. Satan had kidnapped our souls and Christ's
blood became the Ransom payment that released us (Matthew 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 8:36).

NOTE: The ransom payment was not paid to Satan. In committing sin, we did not become indebted
to Satan; rather, we became indebted to the justice of God. God could not simply take us out from
Satan’s grasp, because Satan could say to God, “You cannot let these sinners go free without
punishing their sins.” After Christ paid for our sins, Satan had no longer any reason to keep us in
bondage.

3. JUSTIFICATION

Let's draw an arrow from God the Father, pointing to us. The third result of Christ's death shows us:

God is a God of goodness and grace. Whereas mercy withholds the punishment that we deserve, grace gives
the favor we do not deserve. God is able to show us this undeserved favor based on the propitiation and
redemption accomplished by Christ's death (Romans 3:24-26). This favor is called justification.
Justification is a legal term. In the court of heaven, God the Judge Himself makes two declarations about
our standing with Him:

• First, He declares us "Not Guilty". This doesn't mean that we are innocent or that we did not sin;
rather, it means that though we are the worst of sinners and the most wicked violators of His law, we
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are no longer liable to judgment and punishment because Christ had already taken the judgment and
punishment. This is the meaning of God being both just and the justifier (Romans 3:26). As the just
God, He made sure that the proper punishment was administered through Christ's death; and having
satisfied the demand of His justice, He can now be the justifier, the one to declare us "Not Guilty".

• Justification has a second declaration: "Completely Accepted". This means that we are fully restored
to a position of right standing with God, with all rights and privileges restored as members of His
family. Again, this doesn't mean that we have done anything to deserve God's full acceptance; we
are accepted in and through God's beloved Son (Ephesians 1:6). As our representative, Christ
performed the perfect human obedience that now provides the basis for our acceptance (Matthew
3:16-17; 17:1-5; Hebrews 5:7-9). In and through Christ we share in all His rights and privileges as
the beloved Son of the Father (John 1:12; Romans 8:15-17). This position of full acceptance is the
basis of all the promises of answered prayer (John 14:13-14; Romans 8:32).

*NOTE: This section is taken with some adaptation from James Montgomery Boice's Commentary on
Romans.

TRUTH 3: SALVATION: THREE TENSES

1. From John 5:24, describe the three tenses of salvation:

• Past: Passed from death to life

• Present: Has eternal life
• Future: Shall not come into judgment

2. Another way to describe the three tenses is in how salvation delivers us from sin:

• We are delivered from the PAST GUILT of sin (Romans 8:1,33)

• We are being delivered from the PRESENT POWER of sin (Romans 7:20-25; 8:2).
• We will be delivered from the FUTURE PRESENCE of sin (Romans 8:29-30; 2 Peter 3:13;
Revelation 21:22-27).

TRUTH 4: SALVATION: GRACE, REPENTANCE, AND FAITH

1. SALVATION BY GRACE.

(a) According to the following verses, is salvation to be received as a gift of grace, or is it a reward or salary
we must work for?

Romans 3:22-24
Romans 4:4-5
Romans 11:6
Ephesians 2:8-9

(b) Salvation is God's gift of grace; it is not something we work for. According to Ephesians 2:9, why does
God give salvation as a gift?

2. SALVATION THROUGH FAITH WITH REPENTANCE

(a) Faith is accompanied by repentance. Before we can receive salvation, we must have real repentance.
What did the following persons emphasize regarding repentance?

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John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1, 8)

Peter (Acts 2:38)

Paul (Acts 20:21; 26:20)

Christ (Matthew 4:17)

(b) Repentance may be pictured as throwing away the sin, which we formerly held in our hand. Faith may
be pictured as getting hold of the gift of salvation, which God offers. The throwing away is as necessary as
the getting hold. A person who refuses to throw away sin does not really want to get hold of God's
salvation.

(c) Another way to picture repentance and faith is as follows: Sin is turning our back toward God.
Repentance is turning right about face, so that our back is now turned toward sin; and faith is turning our
face toward God in total dependence upon His grace and forgiveness.

Some theologians who want to safeguard the absolute “grace” quality of salvation (that is, that salvation is
totally an undeserved gift and favor from God to us, uninfluenced in any way whatsoever by anything we
do) warn us against making “repentance” a requirement for salvation. They ask, “How sorry must I feel
before God forgives me? How do I know when God is satisfied by the intensity and sincerity of my
repentance?” This warning is necessary because many people grew up in the tradition that they must
“prove” the intensity and sincerity of their repentance by doing something. For example, some people walk
on their knees from the door of the church to the altar; others, usually during Good Friday, walk barefoot
and bareback while whipping themselves on the back with whips embedded with broken glass splinters; still
a few, also on Good Friday, allow themselves to be literally crucified; all this to prove how intense and
sincere is their repentance. Most people usually make some promises (to deny themselves of some pleasures
or to do certain charitable works) in an effort to “convince” God they are really repentant. So that when you
ask these people, “What is your basis for believing God forgave you?” they will answer in some way that
shows they are depending on what they did, rather than on God’s grace alone.

God forgives our sins absolutely on the basis of grace alone, uninfluenced by anything we do or feel. So,
where is the place of repentance? The root meaning of repentance (in Greek, METANOIA) will help us;
literally, it means “a change of mind” (not necessarily a change of emotion, though it is usually
accompanied by emotions of remorse and regret); it is changing our mind about what we think about God,
about ourselves, and about the nature of our deeds and attitudes, in order to agree with what God says about
these things. Repentance may also be described as simply a change of direction and orientation from having
our face turned away from God to having our face turned toward God. Repentance is illustrated by the
Prodigal Son: first, he changed his mind regarding his father, regarding himself, and regarding what he had
done; second, he changed his direction and orientation, when he turned his face toward his father and toward
home.

One hymn expresses the spirit of genuine repentance with these words: “Just as I am without one plea, but
that Thy blood was shed for me; and that Thou biddest me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

(d) By faith we receive, we appropriate, we take hold of God's salvation. What things are involved in faith?

• We believe in the Savior (Acts 16:31).

• We believe in His work (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

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• We give evidence of our faith with our mouth and with our heart (Romans 10:9-10). This evidence
is physically demonstrated by submitting to believer’s water baptism (Romans 6:1-4), whereby the
act of going underwater represents the death and burial of our old sinful life, and the act of coming
out of the water represents the beginning of our new life in Christ.

TRUTH 5: SALVATION: DIVINE ASSURANCE & HUMAN PROOF

1. Christians are divided into two groups: ARMINIANS and CALVINISTS.

a. ARMINIANS adopt the view of the theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609).

This view essentially states that a person who receives Christ must "endure to the end" in order to go to
heaven. If a Christian goes back to a life of sin and dies in that condition without repentance, he will still
end up in hell. A key verse is Matthew 24:13.

b. CALVINISTS adopt the view of the theologian John Calvin (1509-1564).

This view is usually summarized in the popular saying, "Once saved, always saved" and "If you are born
again, you cannot be unborn again". A key verse is John 10:27-29.

2. The BIBLE VIEW is neither Arminian nor Calvinist. The Bible assures believers of their salvation; the
Bible also challenges believers to prove the genuineness of their faith.

a. GOD GIVES ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

What assurance does God give regarding our salvation?

John 3:18

John 10:27-29

1 John 5:11,12

Philippians 1:6

b. TRUE BELIEVERS PROVE THE GENUINENESS OF THEIR FAITH

How do true believers prove their faith is genuine?

Romans 6:1-2

2 Timothy 2:19

1 John 3:2,3

c. TRUE BELIEVERS CONTINUE TO GROW AS DISCIPLES

What do the following verses say about growth in discipleship?

Colossians 2:7

1 Peter 2:2
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2 Peter 1:5-11

2 Peter 3:17-18

Hebrews 5:12-6:3

APPLICATION

The apostle Peter challenges Christians: "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling
and election sure; for if you do these things, you will never stumble" (2 Peter 1:10).

The apostle Paul gives a similar warning: "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- Unless indeed you are disqualified"
(2 Corinthians 13:5).

We need to answer three questions honestly:

• Question 1: Have I truly, sincerely believed in and received Christ as my Lord and Savior? (Has
God implanted the new life in me through the new birth?)

• Question 2: If Christ is my Lord and Savior, do I consistently trust and obey Him in every area of
my life? (Is the new life that God’s implanted in me bearing the fruit of God’s Spirit?)

• Question 3: Am I growing as a disciple of Christ? Am I following a plan for growth in discipleship?

MEMORIZE: Ephesians 2: 8- 9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 13
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHURCH

WHAT is the Church? Is it any group or building that puts up a sign saying they are the “Church of Christ”?
Our answer should be based on five truths that are revealed in the Bible.

TRUTH 1: THE CHURCH: FOUNDED BY CHRIST.

What does Matthew 16:18 say about the founding of the Church? From this verse let us note the following:

1. Christ is the Founder of the Church. He said, "I will build my Church."

2. Christ is the Rock-Foundation of the Church. The Roman Catholic Church claims this Rock is Peter.
Greek scholars tell us that the Rock does not refer to Peter because his name in Greek is PETROS (a piece
of rock), while the Foundation of the Church is PETRA (massive rock).

(a) Matthew 16:18 actually reads like this: “And I also say to you that you are Peter (PETROS), and on this
rock (PETRA) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

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(b) Christ is the same PETRA that the apostle Peter himself refers to in 1 Peter 2:8: And a stone of
stumbling, and a rock (PETRA) of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:
whereunto also they were appointed.” (KJV). The apostle Peter himself calls Christ as the PETRA, the
Rock that people rejected but which God chose to become the Cornerstone of the Church.

(c) The apostle Paul agrees with the apostle Peter when he writes in 1 Corinthians 3:11 that there is no other
foundation for the Church except Christ: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.” Only Christ the PETRA, not Peter the PETROS, can be the foundation of the
Church.

3. This FOUNDATION is laid in the heart of every believer when he/she makes the same confession that
Peter made: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16; Romans 10:9,10)

4. The true Church has not been and never will be overcome. Some cults claim that they revived or re-
founded the Church after (so they claim) it had been lost. Christ said the gates of hell would never
overcome the Church; it could never be lost. In spite of the fact that persecution and apostasy have
sometimes reduced the number of true Christians, yet the Church has continued, because the Founder
Himself promised that His Church will never be defeated by the enemy.

TRUTH 2: THE CHURCH: CALLED-OUT PEOPLE

The Church is the congregation of the CALLED-OUT PEOPLE OF GOD. This is seen from the meaning of
the word EKKLESIA (consisting of two words: EK, out of; KLESIA, call). The Church consists of people
who have been called out of the world to belong to God. Please study the following verses:

John 15:16

John 17:6, 14

Acts 2:39

Galatians 1:4

Colossians 1:13

1 Peter 2:9, 10

TRUTH 3: THE CHURCH: UNIVERSAL

1. The Church has a UNIVERSAL aspect. Universal means that the Church consists of all true born-again
believers from all time, from all places, and from all races and classes of people. The classical word is
KAT’ HOLIKOS, transliterated in English as CATHOLIC (meaning literally, UNIVERSAL); unfortunately,
this word became permanently attached to the name Roman Catholic Church; hence, it is less confusing for
non-Roman Catholics to use the word UNIVERSAL.

(a) The UNIVERSAL CHURCH consists of all people whose names are written in the Book of Life in
heaven. Please study the following verses:

Luke 10:20

Hebrews 12:23

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Revelation 20:12, 15

2. The UNIVERSAL CHURCH is described under four primary symbols:

• The Church is the FAMILY OF GOD. This symbol emphasizes the need for spiritual new birth in
order to become a part of the Church (John 1:12; 3:3,5; Ephesians 2:19)

• The Church is the BODY OF CHRIST. This symbol emphasizes three truths: (1) the AUTHORITY
OF CHRIST THE HEAD over His Church (Colossians 1:17); (2) the UNITY and DIVERSITY of
the members of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:12,13); (3) the TEAMWORK of the Church as the
diverse members of the Church serves under the direction of One Head (Ephesians 4:15,16).

• The Church is the BRIDE OF CHRIST (Ephesians 5:23-33; Revelation 21:2). This symbol
emphasizes the love-relationship between Christ and the Church (John 21:15-17; Revelation 2:4);
and the beauty, purity and perfection of the Church (Revelation 21:2).

• The Church is the TEMPLE OF GOD (John 4:23,24; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19,20; Ephesians 2:19-
22; 1 Peter 2:4,5; Revelation 21:3,22; 22:3-5). This symbol emphasizes (1) the spiritual worship of
the Church, which is not dependent on time and place; and (2) the eternal destiny of all the saved
people to be with God in the closest relationship that will last forever and ever!

TRUTH 4: THE CHURCH: LOCAL

The Church has a LOCAL aspect. This means that for all practical purposes the Church on earth can only
gather as a LOCAL BODY of believers. Someday in heaven, all Christians will gather as one UNIVERSAL
CHURCH; but on earth believers can only gather in their respective localities. The seven churches in
Revelation 2 and 3 are examples of the LOCAL aspect of the Church; they were described as churches in
their respective localities. Matthew 18:20 gives us the foundational principle governing the gathering of the
local church:

(a) CHRIST THE EVER-PRESENT HEAD: When just even two or three believers gather in the name of
Christ – because of their faith in Christ and because of their desire to worship and serve Christ – Christ
promises to be present in their midst. This means that Christ is always the EVER-PRESENT LORD AND
HEAD of the Church. Where the Head is present, His Body may function.

(b) BELIEVERS FUNCTIONING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST: The local Church gathers in order to
fulfill the following ministries as the Body of Christ in their locality (Acts 2:36-47):

(1) Preach the Gospel (vss. 36-40);

(2) Baptize new believers (vs. 41);

(3) Promote the basic functions of the local Church (vss. 42-47)

• Doctrine or Teaching (today this is accomplished through preaching and teaching based on the
Bible); groups of Christians and churches (usually called denominations) also adopt a set of doctrinal
statements and distinctives, which define their particular emphases.
• Fellowship (believers relating to one another in mutual caring, upbuilding and discipline);
• Breaking of Bread (the Lord's Supper represents the worship ministry of the church);
• Prayers (the intercessory ministry of the Church);
• Fulfill the Great Commission: Evangelism and Missions (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 8:4; 13:1-4).

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TRUTH 5: THE CHURCH: GOVERNMENT

The New Testament does not explicitly prescribe any specific type of government for the local churches.
But different groups of believers throughout Church history have claimed to follow one of three forms of
church government; a closer look at their practices usually reveals that all three forms are combined in some
form or another:

(a) Congregational: Rule by the Congregation

Also called democratic, the final decision rests upon the majority of the membership voting or deciding.
Acts 6:1-6 is usually given as an example of the democratic process, when the congregation was instructed
to select the "deacons". Today Baptist-type churches predominantly follow this congregational form of
government.

(b) Presbyterian: Rule by the Elders

Interestingly, Acts 6:1-6 can also be interpreted to support this form of government, because the elders (the
apostles) told the congregation to select candidates which were then presented to the elders for final
confirmation. Presbyterian-type churches today represent this form of church government.

(c) Episcopal: Rule by a Bishop

(1) The churches that follow the episcopal form of government include the Roman Catholic Church,
Anglican Church, Methodist Church.

(2) Some Charismatic churches are reviving what they call the "apostolic gift and office", whereby one
gifted pastor (usually the founder of a movement) exercises authority and care over a group of pastors and
churches, who share in his vision, teachings, and church practices.

NOTE: As shown in TRUTH 4 above, Bible-believing Christians believe that Christ is the ever-present
Head of the Church through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the true Vicar of Representative of
Christ. Believers have direct and immediate access to Christ, and each one has the responsibility of
following his/her own conscience (Matthew 18:20; John 14:16). No matter which form of government your
church follows, you must always make sure that you are really seeking and following the will of Christ the
Head through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION: It is important to become a member of a local church.

1. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit incorporates us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).

2. In the physical realm, there are no floating, unattached body parts. Even so in the Christian life; new
believers should not be floating but added to a local church (Acts 2:41,47).

3. Normally, you join the church that led you to Christ. But when you move to another place, you must
look for and join a local church of the same or similar faith and practice.

4. There is no perfect local church. Someone said, if you find a perfect local church, don't join it; or you'll
ruin it. You become a member of a local church in order to grow together with other members, and in order
to serve God together with the other members.

Challenge: Are you a member of a local church? If not, why not? Which local church do you believe the
Lord is leading you to join?
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MEMORIZE: Ephesians 1:22-23 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over
all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. – Ephesians 1:22-23.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

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LESSON 14
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT LAST THINGS

WHAT will happen after death? What will happen at the end of the world? This is a riddle that has puzzled
all peoples and challenged the greatest thinkers. Only Jesus Christ brought the answer, because He is the
Way, the Truth and the Life. Let us learn five truths about last things. Theologians call this the study of
eschatology, from the Greek words ESCHATON, end; and LOGOS, knowledge.

TRUTH 1: DEATH IS NOT THE END

What happens to a person after death? Christ lifted the curtain into the great beyond in Luke 16:19-31, by
telling about what happened to two men who died.

1. Who were the two men who died?

2. Where did Lazarus go after death?

3. Where did the rich man go after death?

4. A living person on earth has five physical senses (seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting) and four
non-material faculties (mind, emotion, will, imagination). Which of these senses and faculties did Abraham
(who died long time ago) and the rich man (who died recently) have after death?

5. Abraham's bosom is a description of the place of saved persons; Hades, the place for unsaved persons.
According to verse 26, after death is it possible to change places – from Hades to heaven, or from heaven to
Hades?

6. Prove (from verses 27-30) that the experience of the rich man in Hades happened after his death
simultaneously while the life of his brothers continued on the earth.

7. Death is not the end. When a person dies his soul separates from his body and the soul will go directly to
its eternal destination – in heaven (symbolized by Abraham's bosom) or in Hades (a place of torment).

8. In Philippians 1:23-24 the apostle Paul adds more light. According to Paul, after he departs from the
earth at death, where will he go?

9. Like Paul, when a Christian dies, he goes on to be WITH CHRIST. What is the condition of those who
die and go to be WITH CHRIST (Revelation 14:13)?
10. For the Christian death is a time of rest, while he waits for the resurrection of his body. For unbelievers,
death is the beginning of eternal suffering in Hades (usually called Hell by most people today).

TRUTH 2: THE CHRISTIAN WAITS FOR CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

1. Although the Christian knows that death is unavoidable, yet he is not waiting for death. What is the
Christian waiting for?
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Philippians 3:20-21

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

2. This expectation of the Second Coming is symbolically expressed through the celebration of the Lord's
Supper. Describe the attitude of expectancy from 1 Corinthians 11:26.

3. Between now and the Second Coming, the Christian life should be characterized by total involvement in
the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Through the Lord's Supper Christians are
reminded to "show forth the Lord's death" (continue proclaiming the Gospel) until the Lord comes.

4. According to Acts 1:6-8:

(a) Concerning the TIMING of the Second Coming, what does the Lord Jesus tell us (verse 7)?

(b) Instead of worrying about the timing of the Second Coming, what should Christians be concentrating on
(verse 8)?

(c) How does the Great Commission affect the timing of the end of the world (Matthew 24:14)?

5. For the sake of future study, you need to be aware about the most common interpretations about the end
of the world; they are described in relation to the ONE THOUSAND YEARS (millennium) mentioned in
Revelation 20; below are general descriptions of the positions:

(a) A-MILLENNIALISM – According to this view, the millennium is a symbolic number. The present
world will grow worse and worse until the Antichrist will finally take over. The Second Coming of Christ
will end the reign of the Antichrist, after which the Last Judgment will be held. Then the Eternal Kingdom
of God, the new heaven and new earth, will be set up to last forever.

(b) POST-MILLENNIALISM – According to this view, the millennium is a symbolic number. The Gospel
will continue to spread and things will get better and better until humanity achieves the perfect state of the
Eternal Kingdom of God.

(c) PRE-MILLENNIALISM – This view considers the millennium as literal 1000 years of Christ's personal
reign on earth, which will be inaugurated at His Second Coming. This view also teaches that there will be
SEVEN YEARS TRIBULATION immediately preceding the millennium. There are two main positions,
depending on when the RAPTURE will occur, before or after the TRIBULATION:

• POSITION 1: PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. Christ's Second Coming is divided into two parts:
Before the Tribulation begins, Christ will come FOR HIS SAINTS (He will Rapture or snatch them
away from the earth to save them from going through the Great Tribulation); while the Tribulation is
going on the earth, Christ and the Saints will hold the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB in the
heavenlies; when the Tribulation is ended, Christ will come down to earth WITH HIS SAINTS in
order to start Christ's literal 1000 years reign upon the earth.

• POSITION 2: POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURE: Christ's Second Coming is viewed as only ONE

EVENT: He will come down from heaven at the end of the Tribulation, bring about the resurrection,
bind Satan for a thousand years, and set up His millennial reign upon the earth.

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NOTE: Some Bible teachers hold a MID-TRIBULATION RAPTURE, but this view is not as well-
known as the two above.

6. REMINDER: Whichever position you take, you must be aware of the danger inherent in both positions:

• DANGER 1: For PRE-TRIBULATIONISTS, the danger is to believe that Christians will not go
through any tribulation of any kind at all. Please summarize in your own words the teaching of the
Bible regarding tribulation from following verses:

John 16:33

Acts 14:22

2 Timothy 3:12

• DANGER 2: For POST-TRIBULATIONISTS, the danger is to be overwhelmed by the prospect of

coming persecutions. Even if you believe that Christians will suffer the Great Tribulation, remember
Christ's promises for times of persecution. Please summarize the following verses in your own
words:

1 Corinthians 10:13

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

1 Peter 5:8-10

TRUTH 3: THERE WILL BE TWO RESURRECTIONS

1. Describe the two resurrections:

Daniel 12:2

John 5:28

Revelation 20:4-6

(a) RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS. This will happen at the Second Coming of Christ; it involves both
dead and living Christians. Dead Christians will first be resurrected from their graves; then, living
Christians will experience instantaneous transformation from their mortal body into their resurrection body
(1Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51).

What will the resurrection body look like? As an over-all description, the resurrection body of Christians
will share in the qualities of Christ's resurrection body. Please study the following verses describing the
power of Christ’s resurrection body: 1 John 3:2; John 20:9; Luke 24:31; Luke 24:37-40; Luke 24:41-43; 1
Corinthians 15:42-44.

(b) RESURRECTION OF UNBELIEVERS. Unbelievers will be resurrected separately from believers at

the Last Judgment (Revelation 20:5, 11-15). The Bible does not describe exactly what this body will look
like; but it will be a body in which unbelievers will experience eternal suffering. What do the following
verses say about the eternal condition of unbelievers? Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8.

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TRUTH 4: AFTER DEATH THE JUDGMENT

1. What happens after death? Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10

(a) JUDGMENT OF BELIEVERS: At the Second Coming of Christ, believers will be judged, not for
salvation, but for rewards. Describe the judgment of believers from 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

Explain the meaning of gold, silver, precious stones; wood, hay, stubble: Matthew 6:19-21; Colossians
3:23,24; Galatians 6:7,8.

(b) JUDGMENT OF UNBELIEVERS: All unsaved people, from the beginning to the end of history, will
be judged at the Great White Throne or the Last Judgment, at the end of the millennium. They will be
judged for degrees of punishment. How God will do this is not explained in the Bible; it is something that
we have to leave in the hands of God. From Revelation 20:11-15 describe the Last Judgment.

NOTE: Some Bible teachers teach eternal punishMENT (whereby unbelievers will be ANNIHILATED and
they will simply cease to exist), as opposed to eternal punishING (whereby they will continue to suffer
conscious pain forever and ever). ONE THING is clear: the punishment is of such TERRIBLE
MAGNITUDE that God was willing to send His own Son to die on the cross to save us from this eternal
tragedy (John 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

TRUTH 5: CHRISTIANS WILL REIGN WITH GOD AND CHRIST FOREVER

All of God's plans will culminate in the Eternal Kingdom. In this Kingdom Christians will reign with God
and with Christ forever and ever. How do the following verses describe the Eternal Kingdom?

Revelation 21:1-7

Revelation 21:22 - 22:5

APPLICATION:
(a) No matter what view of the Second Coming we may have, what should be our constant attitude:

Matthew 6:9-10

2 Peter 3:11-14

Hebrews 12:25-29

2 Timothy 4:6-8

(b) The important thing is that Christ will come again, and we must be always ready to welcome Him
anytime!

MEMORIZE: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
thus we shall always be with the Lord. – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Do your weekly prayer partner activities.

WHAT’S NEXT? Your next study will be New Life Book 7.

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