A study of the third Person of the Trinity is called Pneumatology, from the Greek word pneuma (πνεῦμα) meaning Spirit, wind or breath. Let’s explore who is the Holy Spirit.
Was the Holy Spirit involved in creation?
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2 HCSB)
Was the Holy Spirit prophesied to change men’s hearts?
“I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27 CEV)
What did Joel prophecy about a time which Acts 2 translates as “the last days”?
“It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28 WEB; cf. Acts 2:17-18)
Who did John say would baptize people with the Holy Spirit?
“I [John] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he [Jesus] that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11 KJV)
Should we ask God for the Holy Spirit?
“If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13 CEB)
Does the Holy Spirit lead us?
“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth…” (John 14:17 NLT)
What is one of the Holy Spirit’s main jobs?
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26 KJV)
Who does the Holy Spirit bear witness about?
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26 ESV)
Can we be guaranteed that the New Testament is accurate? Would any “word” supposedly from the Holy Spirit ever contradict God’s Word?
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13 ESV)
What would the Holy Spirit give the Apostles?
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)
How was the baptism of the Holy Spirit, poured out on Pentecost pictured? Is an immersion therefore the only picture of baptism?
“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” (Acts 2:3 NIV)
What extraordinary experience did the Holy Spirit give? Is there any indication that this would always occur?
“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.” (Acts 2:4 CEB)
Is the Holy Spirit a gift?
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ ” (Acts 2:38 NASB)
What can the Holy Spirit do with ordinary believers?
“After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking God’s word with confidence.” (Acts 4:31 CEB)
Did Ananias lie to the Holy Spirit? Did he lie therefore to God?
“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit … You have not lied just to human beings but to God.’ ” (Acts 5:3-4 NIV)
Is there a condition to receiving the Holy Spirit?
“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:32 NASB)
What does the Holy Spirit flood our hearts with?
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5 KJV)
Does having the Holy Spirit define whose side we are on?
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.” (Romans 8:9 WEB)
What designation is given those led by the Spirit of God?
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:14 NLT)
Does the Holy Spirit teach us?
“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13 NKJV)
Is the Nicene Creed correct when it calls the Holy Spirit “the Lord”?
“The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 CEB)
Is the Holy Spirit mentioned as an equal with God the Father and God the Son?
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 KJV)
What fruit does the Holy Spirit produce in our lives?
“God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” (Galatians 5:22-23 CEV)
What does the seal of the Holy Spirit mean?
“... when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.” (Ephesians 1:13 NLT)
Are we saved by good works? Is the baptism of the Holy Spirit also called a washing?
“He saved us — not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5 HCSB)
The Holy Spirit is the third essence of the three realities that we call God. Do you believe this mystery, testified to by Holy Scripture and all true Christian churches? You decide!
Bible E-Course 15d - God the Son
A study of Christ, the second Person of the Trinity is called Christology. Who is He? What does the Bible reveal about Him?
Who did God say Jesus is?
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 KJV cf. Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, 2 Peter 1:17)
Who does the Father want us to listen to?
“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!’ ” (Matthew 17:5 NASB cf. Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35)
In the parable of the vineyard, did the workers respect God’s Son?
“Now the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What am I to do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the vine-growers saw him, they discussed with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ ” (Luke 20:13-14 NASB)
How did John explain who Jesus is?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3, 14 NKJV)
Does Jesus have life in Himself?
“For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.” (John 5:26 WEB)
Did Thomas recognize who Jesus was?
“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28 NIV)
Though He was the Son of God before His resurrection, what did His resurrection prove?
“This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death.” (Romans 1:4 CEV)
Will Jesus submit to God for all eternity?
“Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.” (1 Corinthians 15:28 NLT)
Was Jesus equal with God?
“... Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)
What verse in the Psalms is clarified in Acts and Hebrews?
“I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” (Psalm 2:7 ESV)
Jesus God’s Son?
“that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, ‘You are my son because today I have become your Father.’ ” (Acts 13:33 CEV)
Through whom did God make the worlds?
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJV)
Was Jesus Michael the Archangel as some claim, or does this verse in Psalms refer to someone that all God’s angels worship?
“This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ God also said, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.’ And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, ‘Let all of God’s angels worship him.’ ” (Hebrews 1:4-6 NLT)
As Son of God is Jesus also God?
“But about the Son he [God] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’ ” (Hebrews 1:8 NIV)
Did the Son of God literally become flesh or was He just an illusion as some claim?
“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.” (Hebrews 2:14 NLT)
Who does true Christian fellowship include?
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3 NIV)
What was the main purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry?
“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10 NLT)
God the Son was with the Father from the beginning. He became flesh for the purpose of dying for our sins which separate us from God, so that we could enjoy eternity with Him. Do you cherish the Son? You decide!
Who did God say Jesus is?
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 KJV cf. Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, 2 Peter 1:17)
Who does the Father want us to listen to?
“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!’ ” (Matthew 17:5 NASB cf. Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35)
In the parable of the vineyard, did the workers respect God’s Son?
“Now the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What am I to do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the vine-growers saw him, they discussed with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ ” (Luke 20:13-14 NASB)
How did John explain who Jesus is?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3, 14 NKJV)
Does Jesus have life in Himself?
“For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.” (John 5:26 WEB)
Did Thomas recognize who Jesus was?
“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28 NIV)
Though He was the Son of God before His resurrection, what did His resurrection prove?
“This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death.” (Romans 1:4 CEV)
Will Jesus submit to God for all eternity?
“Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.” (1 Corinthians 15:28 NLT)
Was Jesus equal with God?
“... Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)
What verse in the Psalms is clarified in Acts and Hebrews?
“I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” (Psalm 2:7 ESV)
Jesus God’s Son?
“that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, ‘You are my son because today I have become your Father.’ ” (Acts 13:33 CEV)
Through whom did God make the worlds?
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJV)
Was Jesus Michael the Archangel as some claim, or does this verse in Psalms refer to someone that all God’s angels worship?
“This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ God also said, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.’ And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, ‘Let all of God’s angels worship him.’ ” (Hebrews 1:4-6 NLT)
As Son of God is Jesus also God?
“But about the Son he [God] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’ ” (Hebrews 1:8 NIV)
Did the Son of God literally become flesh or was He just an illusion as some claim?
“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.” (Hebrews 2:14 NLT)
Who does true Christian fellowship include?
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3 NIV)
What was the main purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry?
“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10 NLT)
God the Son was with the Father from the beginning. He became flesh for the purpose of dying for our sins which separate us from God, so that we could enjoy eternity with Him. Do you cherish the Son? You decide!
Bible E-Course - 15c - God the Father
Studying God as Father is called patriology or paterology. God is described as Father about 15 times in the Old Testament and over 250 times in the New Testament? Why?
Is God a Father even to orphans?
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” (Psalm 68:5 NIV)
Does God intend that we understand His fatherly compassion?
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13 ESV)
What about loving discipline?
“Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12 HCSB)
Even if we were to be disowned by family back to our ancestors, God is still our Father.
“Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.” (Isaiah 63:16 NLT)
Should we allow any cultural or national background to get in the way of Christian unity?
“Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Malachi 2:10 HCSB)
To whom should we pray?
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6 KJV)
Is God a Father who provides?
“Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NASB)
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 NASB)
Hyperbolically, ought no other take God’s place as our one Father in heaven?
“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9 ESV)
Is God a giving Father?
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NIV)
Are there conditions?
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12 NKJV)
How much did God love the world?
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
Can anyone snatch us from the Father’s hand?
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:28-30 NLT)
How do we come to the Father?
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’ ” (John 14:6 WEB)
Does the Father want obedient children?
“Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them.” (John 14:23 CEV)
How long has the Father loved the Son?
“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24 CEB)
Does God treat us as slaves living in fear of a harsh task master or as adopted children, who call Him by terms of love?
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15 NLT)
Why were we made?
“We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 CEV)
Does God bless His children abundantly?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NASB)
Does glory belong to God the Father?
“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:20 ESV)
Is God a generous and giving Father?
“Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” (James 1:17 HCSB)
What is one way to tell if the love of the Father is in us?
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 KJV)
If we have the love of the Father in us will the world even know us anymore? What manner of love has the Father given us?
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1 NKJV)
The Bible pictures God our Father in heaven as someone of compassion, loving discipline, generously providing perfect gifts, and who loves us so much that He allowed His unique Son to die for us that through Him we might have eternal life? Do you love this loving God our Father? You decide!
Is God a Father even to orphans?
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” (Psalm 68:5 NIV)
Does God intend that we understand His fatherly compassion?
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13 ESV)
What about loving discipline?
“Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12 HCSB)
Even if we were to be disowned by family back to our ancestors, God is still our Father.
“Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.” (Isaiah 63:16 NLT)
Should we allow any cultural or national background to get in the way of Christian unity?
“Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Malachi 2:10 HCSB)
To whom should we pray?
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6 KJV)
Is God a Father who provides?
“Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NASB)
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 NASB)
Hyperbolically, ought no other take God’s place as our one Father in heaven?
“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9 ESV)
Is God a giving Father?
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NIV)
Are there conditions?
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12 NKJV)
How much did God love the world?
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
Can anyone snatch us from the Father’s hand?
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:28-30 NLT)
How do we come to the Father?
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’ ” (John 14:6 WEB)
Does the Father want obedient children?
“Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them.” (John 14:23 CEV)
How long has the Father loved the Son?
“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24 CEB)
Does God treat us as slaves living in fear of a harsh task master or as adopted children, who call Him by terms of love?
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15 NLT)
Why were we made?
“We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 CEV)
Does God bless His children abundantly?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NASB)
Does glory belong to God the Father?
“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:20 ESV)
Is God a generous and giving Father?
“Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” (James 1:17 HCSB)
What is one way to tell if the love of the Father is in us?
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 KJV)
If we have the love of the Father in us will the world even know us anymore? What manner of love has the Father given us?
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1 NKJV)
The Bible pictures God our Father in heaven as someone of compassion, loving discipline, generously providing perfect gifts, and who loves us so much that He allowed His unique Son to die for us that through Him we might have eternal life? Do you love this loving God our Father? You decide!
Bible E-Course 15b - Is God Three & One?
The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but is the concept there? How can God be both three and one?
God’s Oneness
The central prayer of Jewish prayer life is the Shema Yisrael (שמע ישראל) after its first words in Hebrew, “Hear, O Israel.”
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV)
Are two one flesh in marriage?
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 ESV)
Three in One
Do Father, Son and Holy Spirit have one name?
“Go [having gone] therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the [singular] name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 NASB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit present at Jesus’ baptism?
“After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I [the Father] am well pleased.’ ” (Matthew 3:16-17 NASB)
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him [Jesus], and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I [the Father] am well pleased.’ ” (Luke 3:22 NKJV)
Does this help us begin to understand other passages?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1-2 KJV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in teaching and reminding us of Jesus’ teachings?
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I [Jesus] have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in testifying about Jesus?
“When the Counselor has come, whom I [Jesus] will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.” (John 15:26 WEB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the promise of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost?
“While he was still with them, he said: Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I [Jesus] told you he has promised to do.” (Acts 1:4 CEV)
“Now he [Jesus] is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.” (Acts 2:33 NLT)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in Jesus’ earthly ministry?
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God [the Father] anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38 NASB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the Resurrection of Jesus?
“who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4 WEB)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the lives of those in the Spirit?
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God [the Father] dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9 ESV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in cleansing us and making us right with God?
“Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God [the Father] by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in one of the great benedictions?
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God [the Father], and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in us calling God by the endearing term Abba?
“And because you are sons, God [the Father] has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ ” (Galatians 4:6 ESV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in making us wise to know God?
“I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.” (Ephesians 1:17 CEV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in us coming to the Father?
“Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” (Ephesians 2:18 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in God living in us?
“Christ is building you into a place where God [the Father] lives through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22 CEB)
Is there one Father, one Son and one Holy Spirit?
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4–6 NKJV)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in pouring out the Holy Spirit on us?
“He [God the Father] poured out this Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6 HCSB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in Jesus’ sacrifice?
“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God [the Father], purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14 ESV)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in choosing us?
“God the Father chose you because of what he knew beforehand. He chose you through the Holy Spirit’s work of making you holy and because of the faithful obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. May God’s grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:2 CEB)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in building us up?
“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” (Jude 1:20–21 NLT)
Heresies
God’s Oneness
The central prayer of Jewish prayer life is the Shema Yisrael (שמע ישראל) after its first words in Hebrew, “Hear, O Israel.”
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV)
Are two one flesh in marriage?
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 ESV)
Three in One
Do Father, Son and Holy Spirit have one name?
“Go [having gone] therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the [singular] name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 NASB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit present at Jesus’ baptism?
“After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I [the Father] am well pleased.’ ” (Matthew 3:16-17 NASB)
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him [Jesus], and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I [the Father] am well pleased.’ ” (Luke 3:22 NKJV)
Does this help us begin to understand other passages?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1-2 KJV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in teaching and reminding us of Jesus’ teachings?
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I [Jesus] have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in testifying about Jesus?
“When the Counselor has come, whom I [Jesus] will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.” (John 15:26 WEB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the promise of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost?
“While he was still with them, he said: Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I [Jesus] told you he has promised to do.” (Acts 1:4 CEV)
“Now he [Jesus] is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.” (Acts 2:33 NLT)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in Jesus’ earthly ministry?
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God [the Father] anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38 NASB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the Resurrection of Jesus?
“who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4 WEB)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in the lives of those in the Spirit?
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God [the Father] dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9 ESV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in cleansing us and making us right with God?
“Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God [the Father] by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in one of the great benedictions?
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God [the Father], and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in us calling God by the endearing term Abba?
“And because you are sons, God [the Father] has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ ” (Galatians 4:6 ESV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in making us wise to know God?
“I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.” (Ephesians 1:17 CEV)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in us coming to the Father?
“Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” (Ephesians 2:18 NLT)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in God living in us?
“Christ is building you into a place where God [the Father] lives through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22 CEB)
Is there one Father, one Son and one Holy Spirit?
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4–6 NKJV)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in pouring out the Holy Spirit on us?
“He [God the Father] poured out this Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6 HCSB)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in Jesus’ sacrifice?
“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God [the Father], purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14 ESV)
Were Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in choosing us?
“God the Father chose you because of what he knew beforehand. He chose you through the Holy Spirit’s work of making you holy and because of the faithful obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. May God’s grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:2 CEB)
Are Father, Son and Holy Spirit involved in building us up?
“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” (Jude 1:20–21 NLT)
Heresies
The scriptures do not support modalism, God as one person in three modes. Jesus prayed to the Father, not Himself. Nor do the scriptures support three gods, tritheism. God is one. Both are heresies and bad logic. The mystery of the Trinity is that God is one ousia (essence) in three hypostases (realities). Do you believe this mystery? You decide!
Luke 16 Filthy Lucre
Should we boycott corporations that deal in dirty money, or is all money really filthy lucre? Are our tainted tithes and offerings usable for heavenly purposes? Let’s discuss a shrewd business manager and his wise use of filthy money in Luke 16:1-13.
People versus Profits
Luke 16:1-4 Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’ 3 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’
An absentee landowner buys land cheaply from debt-burdened farmers. The farmers now work as hired hands. The manager has great latitude. Was he more generous than the owner wanted? Did he mismanage the boss’s money? The manager schemed selfishly, to avoid manual labor or begging.
Forgiving Debts
Luke 16:5-7 “So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ 7 “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’
The manager forgave his boss’s debtors. Perhaps he had been overcharging them for selfish gain. He clearly had the authority to change the bill. Or, Did the owner cheat the people in the first place? Yet, the boss commends his manager for shrewdness. The manager now has grateful friends. Was he unjust? What were his motives? Debt forgiveness is a great blessing.
Righteous Purposes for Money
Luke 16:8 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.”
Is Jesus praising misuse of money? Ought Christians use even the corrupt resources of this world for any possible good they can do? Are all of this world’s teachings about money evil? Is Jesus saying to use money in manners similar to dishonest rascals, but for eternal and godly purposes?
Does this mean we are saved by works? No, we are saved by faith, but saving faith is evidenced by good works (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-26). Faith without works is dead. Remember Cornelius, whose prayers and giving to the poor were a memorial in heaven? Remember poor Lazarus who suffered in this life, but would welcome us into heaven.
Dirty Money
Luke 16:9 Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
Parables leave room for hearty conversation, deep thought and different opinions. Jesus challenges us to think about the wise use of money to benefit others. But, is not all money corrupted in some way? Jesus’ instructions were quite the opposite. He said to use unrighteous mammon to make eternal friends.
Faithful with Little
Luke 16:10-12 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
Many people misuse money. All money is on loan from God. Even a trillionaire on earth has little compared to owning the whole Universe. Can God trust us with what He only loaned us in this life? If so, He will give us actual ownership in eternity.
Serving Two Masters
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Does money master us or do we master money? In ancient Israel the wealth was spread equally in a planned system to minimize poverty, using a seven and fifty year redistribution, and kings were never meant to be obnoxiously wealthy. The jubilee system prevented some abuses of wealth. We can master money and bring small jubilees to the poor.
Wealth is dangerous and deceptive. Are we honest and fair? What is a righteous price? What is a righteous day’s pay? Wealth blinds us to the suffering of others. Wealth deceives us. Ownership is fiction. We borrow from God what others will one day control. Two important uses of money for the Christian are the Gospel and the poor. We can avoid the danger and deception of wealth by using it for eternal purposes.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
People versus Profits
Luke 16:1-4 Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’ 3 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’
An absentee landowner buys land cheaply from debt-burdened farmers. The farmers now work as hired hands. The manager has great latitude. Was he more generous than the owner wanted? Did he mismanage the boss’s money? The manager schemed selfishly, to avoid manual labor or begging.
Forgiving Debts
Luke 16:5-7 “So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ 7 “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’
The manager forgave his boss’s debtors. Perhaps he had been overcharging them for selfish gain. He clearly had the authority to change the bill. Or, Did the owner cheat the people in the first place? Yet, the boss commends his manager for shrewdness. The manager now has grateful friends. Was he unjust? What were his motives? Debt forgiveness is a great blessing.
Righteous Purposes for Money
Luke 16:8 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.”
Is Jesus praising misuse of money? Ought Christians use even the corrupt resources of this world for any possible good they can do? Are all of this world’s teachings about money evil? Is Jesus saying to use money in manners similar to dishonest rascals, but for eternal and godly purposes?
Does this mean we are saved by works? No, we are saved by faith, but saving faith is evidenced by good works (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-26). Faith without works is dead. Remember Cornelius, whose prayers and giving to the poor were a memorial in heaven? Remember poor Lazarus who suffered in this life, but would welcome us into heaven.
Dirty Money
Luke 16:9 Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
Parables leave room for hearty conversation, deep thought and different opinions. Jesus challenges us to think about the wise use of money to benefit others. But, is not all money corrupted in some way? Jesus’ instructions were quite the opposite. He said to use unrighteous mammon to make eternal friends.
Faithful with Little
Luke 16:10-12 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
Many people misuse money. All money is on loan from God. Even a trillionaire on earth has little compared to owning the whole Universe. Can God trust us with what He only loaned us in this life? If so, He will give us actual ownership in eternity.
Serving Two Masters
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Does money master us or do we master money? In ancient Israel the wealth was spread equally in a planned system to minimize poverty, using a seven and fifty year redistribution, and kings were never meant to be obnoxiously wealthy. The jubilee system prevented some abuses of wealth. We can master money and bring small jubilees to the poor.
Wealth is dangerous and deceptive. Are we honest and fair? What is a righteous price? What is a righteous day’s pay? Wealth blinds us to the suffering of others. Wealth deceives us. Ownership is fiction. We borrow from God what others will one day control. Two important uses of money for the Christian are the Gospel and the poor. We can avoid the danger and deception of wealth by using it for eternal purposes.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Bible E-Course 15a - Studying God
Theos (θεός) is Greek for God. So, studying God is called theology. What does the Bible reveal about God?
Is God a Spirit?
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 KJV)
Does Jesus reveal that God is gentle?
“... for I am gentle and humble in heart …” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Is God loving?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)
How long does God’s love last?
“For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” (Psalm 100:5 NLT)
Is God merciful?
“For the Lord your God is a merciful God…” (Deuteronomy 4:31 ESV)
Is God compassionate?
“... For He is gracious and compassionate …” (Joel 2:13 HCSB)
Is God faithful?
“... And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)
Is God forgiving?
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 ESV)
Did Jesus ask God to forgive people before they had repented?
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ ” (Luke 23:34 NLT)
Is God good?
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever…” (Psalms 100:5 NIV)
Is God just?
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV)
Does God tolerate injustice?
“Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” (2 Chronicles 9:7 NLT)
Are all God’s ways just?
“... For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV)
Is God the source of life?
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7 NASB)
Is God distinguished from lifeless idols? Is He the fountain of life?
“For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?” (Deuteronomy 5:26 NIV)
Can anyone outgrow the need for God’s life-sustaining presence?
“... He is your life and the length of your days…” (Deuteronomy 30:20 NKJV)
Does God inhabit eternity?
“For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place…’ ” (Isaiah 57:15 NKJV)
The Hebrew phrase “the heavens and the earth” means everything. Who created it?
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NASB)
Does God change?
“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6 NLT)
Is God’s counsel immutable?
"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath" (Hebrews 6:17 NKJV)
Does God’s character change?
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 KJV)
Is God holy, exalted above everything else?
“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9 ESV)
Is God righteous?
“... for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (Daniel 9:14 NASB)
Is God love?
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love... And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:8, 16 KJV)
Is God truthful?
“Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.” (John 3:33 NLT)
What does the Parable of the Lost Son tell us about God?
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:11-32 NKJV)
Is God Near?
“ ‘Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24 NASB)
Does it mean that God is not far from every one of us?
“... he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist …” (Acts 17:27-28 NLT)
Is God also far above us?
“ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)
Who is like the Lord?
“Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.” (Psalm 113:5-6 NLT)
Is evidence of His existence ubiquitous?
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20 NASB)
In the Bible, God is revealed as a personal Being who loves His children and wants to save all of us from death and hell. Do you choose to believe this great God? You decide!
Is God a Spirit?
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 KJV)
Does Jesus reveal that God is gentle?
“... for I am gentle and humble in heart …” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Is God loving?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)
How long does God’s love last?
“For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” (Psalm 100:5 NLT)
Is God merciful?
“For the Lord your God is a merciful God…” (Deuteronomy 4:31 ESV)
Is God compassionate?
“... For He is gracious and compassionate …” (Joel 2:13 HCSB)
Is God faithful?
“... And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)
Is God forgiving?
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 ESV)
Did Jesus ask God to forgive people before they had repented?
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ ” (Luke 23:34 NLT)
Is God good?
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever…” (Psalms 100:5 NIV)
Is God just?
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV)
Does God tolerate injustice?
“Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” (2 Chronicles 9:7 NLT)
Are all God’s ways just?
“... For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV)
Is God the source of life?
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7 NASB)
Is God distinguished from lifeless idols? Is He the fountain of life?
“For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?” (Deuteronomy 5:26 NIV)
Can anyone outgrow the need for God’s life-sustaining presence?
“... He is your life and the length of your days…” (Deuteronomy 30:20 NKJV)
Does God inhabit eternity?
“For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place…’ ” (Isaiah 57:15 NKJV)
The Hebrew phrase “the heavens and the earth” means everything. Who created it?
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NASB)
Does God change?
“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6 NLT)
Is God’s counsel immutable?
"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath" (Hebrews 6:17 NKJV)
Does God’s character change?
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 KJV)
Is God holy, exalted above everything else?
“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9 ESV)
Is God righteous?
“... for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (Daniel 9:14 NASB)
Is God love?
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love... And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:8, 16 KJV)
Is God truthful?
“Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.” (John 3:33 NLT)
What does the Parable of the Lost Son tell us about God?
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:11-32 NKJV)
Is God Near?
“ ‘Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24 NASB)
Does it mean that God is not far from every one of us?
“... he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist …” (Acts 17:27-28 NLT)
Is God also far above us?
“ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)
Who is like the Lord?
“Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.” (Psalm 113:5-6 NLT)
Is evidence of His existence ubiquitous?
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20 NASB)
In the Bible, God is revealed as a personal Being who loves His children and wants to save all of us from death and hell. Do you choose to believe this great God? You decide!
Bible E-Course 14b - the Apostles' Creed
The Apostolic or Apostles’ Creed is reputed to have either originated with the apostles or later. Its source is a mystery. It contains twelve articles of faith that are essential biblical and apostolic doctrines that have been believed throughout church history.
1. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
“However, for us believers, There is one God the Father. All things come from him, and we belong to him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ. All things exist through him, and we live through him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 CEB)
“And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!’ ” (Revelation 16:7 ESV)
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 HCSB)
3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary… And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’ ” (Luke 1:26-27, 35 NKJV)
4. Under Pontius Pilate, He was crucified, died, and was buried.
“But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.” (Luke 23:23-25 NASB)
5. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NIV)
6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
“When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Mark 16:19 NLT)
7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
“I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom:” (2 Timothy 4:1 WEB)
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26 KJV)
9. the holy universal church, the communion of saints,
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV)
“Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.” (Revelation 8:3-4 NLT)
10. the forgiveness of sins,
“If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15 CEV)
11. the resurrection of the body,
“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.’ ” (John 6:35-40 NLT)
12. and the life everlasting.
“And this is the testimony: God gave eternal life to us, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12 CEB)
It is important to realize that most Christians are united in believing these essential teachings of our common faith. They separate orthodoxy from heresy. Do you believe them? You decide!
1. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
“However, for us believers, There is one God the Father. All things come from him, and we belong to him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ. All things exist through him, and we live through him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 CEB)
“And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!’ ” (Revelation 16:7 ESV)
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 HCSB)
3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary… And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’ ” (Luke 1:26-27, 35 NKJV)
4. Under Pontius Pilate, He was crucified, died, and was buried.
“But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.” (Luke 23:23-25 NASB)
5. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NIV)
6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
“When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Mark 16:19 NLT)
7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
“I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom:” (2 Timothy 4:1 WEB)
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26 KJV)
9. the holy universal church, the communion of saints,
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV)
“Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.” (Revelation 8:3-4 NLT)
10. the forgiveness of sins,
“If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15 CEV)
11. the resurrection of the body,
“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.’ ” (John 6:35-40 NLT)
12. and the life everlasting.
“And this is the testimony: God gave eternal life to us, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12 CEB)
It is important to realize that most Christians are united in believing these essential teachings of our common faith. They separate orthodoxy from heresy. Do you believe them? You decide!
Bible E-Course 14 - The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed summarizes important Bible doctrines that separate orthodoxy from heresy. For consistency, let’s quote the public domain King James Bible.
God the Father
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:6)
“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18 cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Mark 12:32; Malachi 2:10; Genesis 17:1-4; Exodus 6:3; Matthew 6:9)
maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…” (Colossians 1:16 cf. Job 38:1-30; John 1:3; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11)
God the Son
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31 cf. John 20:28; Acts 11:17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:5)
the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds [ages],
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) ...” (John 1:14 cf. John 1:1-2; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 16:16; Psalm 2:7)
God of God, Light of Light,
“... God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12 cf. John 1:4, 9; Psalm 27:1; Matthew 17:2, 5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 1:3)
very God of very God,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 cf. John 17:1-5; 1 John 5:20)
begotten, not made,
“No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18 cf. John 16:28)
being of one substance with the Father,
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
by whom all things were made;
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made… He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” (John 1:3, 10 cf. Hebrews 1:1-2, 10; Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 11:36)
who for us men and for our salvation
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (I Timothy 2:4-5 cf. Matthew 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Colossians 1:13-14)
came down from heaven
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven… He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.” (John 3:13, 31 cf. John 6:33-35, 38)
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34-35)
and was made man;
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 cf. Hebrews 2:14)
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
“And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15 cf. Mark 15:25; I Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24)
He suffered and was buried.
“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31)
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:4 cf. Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:53; Matthew 27:59-60)
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” (Mark 9:31 cf. Mark 16:9; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:1, 45-46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
and ascended into heaven
“And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:51 cf. Acts 1:9-10; Mark 16:19)
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19 cf. Acts 7:55; Luke 22:69)
And He will come again with glory
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26 cf. Matthew 24:27; John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17)
to judge both the living and the dead,
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;” (2 Timothy 4:1 cf. Acts 10:42; Matthew 16:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:5)
whose kingdom will have no end.
“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:11 cf. Hebrews 1:8)
God the Holy Spirit
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26 cf. Acts 1:8)
the Lord and Giver of Life,
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 cf. Acts 5:3-4; Genesis 1:2)
who proceeds from the Father
“... the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26)
[and the Son,]
(This is known as the filioqué from Latin, and added by western churches to the original creed, but rejected by eastern churches.)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father…” (John 15:26 cf. Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6)
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)
who spoke by the prophets.
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” (Ephesians 3:5 cf. I Samuel 19:20; Ezekiel 11:5; 1 Peter 1:10-11)
Church
And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church,
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22 cf. Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Ephesians 1:4; 4:4; 5:27; Acts 1:8; 2:42; Mark 16:15; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:17)
Baptism
We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (Ephesians 4:5 cf. Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 2:12-13; Acts 22:16)
Resurrection
and we look for the resurrection of the dead
“... if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain… ” (1 Corinthians 15:12-49 cf. John 11:24; Romans 6:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
and the life of the world to come.
“... and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30 cf. 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1)
Amen
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalm 106:48)
The Nicene Creed separates orthodox believers from heretics. What do you believe? You decide!
God the Father
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:6)
“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18 cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Mark 12:32; Malachi 2:10; Genesis 17:1-4; Exodus 6:3; Matthew 6:9)
maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…” (Colossians 1:16 cf. Job 38:1-30; John 1:3; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11)
God the Son
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31 cf. John 20:28; Acts 11:17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:5)
the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds [ages],
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) ...” (John 1:14 cf. John 1:1-2; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 16:16; Psalm 2:7)
God of God, Light of Light,
“... God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12 cf. John 1:4, 9; Psalm 27:1; Matthew 17:2, 5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 1:3)
very God of very God,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 cf. John 17:1-5; 1 John 5:20)
begotten, not made,
“No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18 cf. John 16:28)
being of one substance with the Father,
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
by whom all things were made;
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made… He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” (John 1:3, 10 cf. Hebrews 1:1-2, 10; Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 11:36)
who for us men and for our salvation
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (I Timothy 2:4-5 cf. Matthew 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Colossians 1:13-14)
came down from heaven
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven… He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.” (John 3:13, 31 cf. John 6:33-35, 38)
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34-35)
and was made man;
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 cf. Hebrews 2:14)
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
“And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15 cf. Mark 15:25; I Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24)
He suffered and was buried.
“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31)
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:4 cf. Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:53; Matthew 27:59-60)
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” (Mark 9:31 cf. Mark 16:9; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:1, 45-46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
and ascended into heaven
“And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:51 cf. Acts 1:9-10; Mark 16:19)
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19 cf. Acts 7:55; Luke 22:69)
And He will come again with glory
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26 cf. Matthew 24:27; John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17)
to judge both the living and the dead,
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;” (2 Timothy 4:1 cf. Acts 10:42; Matthew 16:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:5)
whose kingdom will have no end.
“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:11 cf. Hebrews 1:8)
God the Holy Spirit
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26 cf. Acts 1:8)
the Lord and Giver of Life,
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 cf. Acts 5:3-4; Genesis 1:2)
who proceeds from the Father
“... the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26)
[and the Son,]
(This is known as the filioqué from Latin, and added by western churches to the original creed, but rejected by eastern churches.)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father…” (John 15:26 cf. Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6)
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)
who spoke by the prophets.
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” (Ephesians 3:5 cf. I Samuel 19:20; Ezekiel 11:5; 1 Peter 1:10-11)
Church
And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church,
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22 cf. Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Ephesians 1:4; 4:4; 5:27; Acts 1:8; 2:42; Mark 16:15; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:17)
Baptism
We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (Ephesians 4:5 cf. Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 2:12-13; Acts 22:16)
Resurrection
and we look for the resurrection of the dead
“... if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain… ” (1 Corinthians 15:12-49 cf. John 11:24; Romans 6:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
and the life of the world to come.
“... and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30 cf. 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1)
Amen
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalm 106:48)
The Nicene Creed separates orthodox believers from heretics. What do you believe? You decide!
Bible E-Course 13b - Communion, Symbol or Sacrament
Is communion symbolic, an ordinance, a sacrament, a memorial or all of the above? Does it even matter?
Symbol
The argument begins with a simple word, “is.” Those who remember the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal may remember that famous line, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” What did Jesus mean by the word “is” when He introduced communion?
“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body.’ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’ ” (Matthew 26:26-28 NLT)
A common explanation for saying this is only symbolic is that Jesus also said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7, 9), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14), “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “I am the true vine” (John 15:1, 5).
This is a reasonable explanation, but can it be both symbolic and a sacrament? What about theories that go way beyond what the Bible actually teaches? Is Jesus somehow present in the bread and wine, or do they transubstantiate into His literal body and blood? Does symbolism exclude us from also receiving a sacred blessing or divine grace as we partake of the bread and cup?
Sacrament
If we understand the simple meaning of the word sacrament, rather than overly complicate the idea, then we can open our hearts to include God’s spiritual blessing along with the physical elements of communion. Some Protestants may be offended by other doctrines associated with the word sacrament. Can we examine the word sacrament in isolation for a moment?
The word sacrament is not preferred by some Protestants basically because of different understandings of what the word means. It is not a biblical word, but the concept of a sacred act that God blesses spiritually is certainly biblical. The origin of the word is in the eastern church, referring to the mystery of the Gospel and God’s mysterious involvement in physical acts.
“Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” (Ephesians 6:19 HCSB)
The western church more often uses the word sacrament rather than mystery. An early understanding of a sacrament was a physical act through which God imparted a divine blessing. Some say therefore that all of life is a sacrament.
The formal number of sacraments was gradually reduced to seven in the western church. Protestants usually only accept two, baptism and communion. Some Protestants prefer to call these ordinances rather than sacraments. Others suggest that footwashing ought to be included as a sacrament because Jesus commanded it. This reveals the flaw of a narrow definition of a sacrament, as something Jesus directly or indirectly commanded. Discussion has basically ceased, respective positions have hardened and very few are open to thinking outside these man-made doctrinal walls.
So, some Protestants are comfortable with the word sacrament and others are not. It all depends on definition. Though baptism and communion are universally recognized as essentials of our common faith, the word sacrament is probably a non-essential. All would accept the idea behind it, of receiving a divine blessing while performing physical acts in obedience to Christ. Is baptism symbolic or sacramental? Depending on definition, it can be both.
Quakers and Salvation Army have not traditionally partaken of the bread and cup, though that is possibly changing. Is this, their traditional stance potentially disobedient to Jesus? Was this command to the disciples also by extension a command to us?
“... Do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19 WEB cf. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
What did Jesus say?
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ ” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 NKJV)
As we examine these words we notice several things:
Jesus gave thanks, so calling communion the Eucharist [thanksgiving] is appropriate. It is appropriately called the Great Thanksgiving.
It’s a mystery. What does the word “is” mean? Is it just symbolic or that and more?
It’s a sacrament, in the simplest meaning of that word. Divine blessings come to those who obey Jesus in physical things.
It’s an ordinance. Jesus said to the disciples, “do this.” Why refuse to do this?
It’s a memorial. Jesus said, “in remembrance of Me.”
It’s repeatable. Jesus said, “as often.” He just didn’t say how often.
Do you partake of communion expecting a blessing from heaven or just go through the motions as symbolic alone? Do you reject Jesus’ instructions by just spiritualizing the rite away? Do you obey men or Jesus? You decide!
Symbol
The argument begins with a simple word, “is.” Those who remember the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal may remember that famous line, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” What did Jesus mean by the word “is” when He introduced communion?
“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body.’ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’ ” (Matthew 26:26-28 NLT)
A common explanation for saying this is only symbolic is that Jesus also said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7, 9), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14), “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “I am the true vine” (John 15:1, 5).
This is a reasonable explanation, but can it be both symbolic and a sacrament? What about theories that go way beyond what the Bible actually teaches? Is Jesus somehow present in the bread and wine, or do they transubstantiate into His literal body and blood? Does symbolism exclude us from also receiving a sacred blessing or divine grace as we partake of the bread and cup?
Sacrament
If we understand the simple meaning of the word sacrament, rather than overly complicate the idea, then we can open our hearts to include God’s spiritual blessing along with the physical elements of communion. Some Protestants may be offended by other doctrines associated with the word sacrament. Can we examine the word sacrament in isolation for a moment?
The word sacrament is not preferred by some Protestants basically because of different understandings of what the word means. It is not a biblical word, but the concept of a sacred act that God blesses spiritually is certainly biblical. The origin of the word is in the eastern church, referring to the mystery of the Gospel and God’s mysterious involvement in physical acts.
“Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” (Ephesians 6:19 HCSB)
The western church more often uses the word sacrament rather than mystery. An early understanding of a sacrament was a physical act through which God imparted a divine blessing. Some say therefore that all of life is a sacrament.
The formal number of sacraments was gradually reduced to seven in the western church. Protestants usually only accept two, baptism and communion. Some Protestants prefer to call these ordinances rather than sacraments. Others suggest that footwashing ought to be included as a sacrament because Jesus commanded it. This reveals the flaw of a narrow definition of a sacrament, as something Jesus directly or indirectly commanded. Discussion has basically ceased, respective positions have hardened and very few are open to thinking outside these man-made doctrinal walls.
So, some Protestants are comfortable with the word sacrament and others are not. It all depends on definition. Though baptism and communion are universally recognized as essentials of our common faith, the word sacrament is probably a non-essential. All would accept the idea behind it, of receiving a divine blessing while performing physical acts in obedience to Christ. Is baptism symbolic or sacramental? Depending on definition, it can be both.
Quakers and Salvation Army have not traditionally partaken of the bread and cup, though that is possibly changing. Is this, their traditional stance potentially disobedient to Jesus? Was this command to the disciples also by extension a command to us?
“... Do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19 WEB cf. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
What did Jesus say?
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ ” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 NKJV)
As we examine these words we notice several things:
Jesus gave thanks, so calling communion the Eucharist [thanksgiving] is appropriate. It is appropriately called the Great Thanksgiving.
It’s a mystery. What does the word “is” mean? Is it just symbolic or that and more?
It’s a sacrament, in the simplest meaning of that word. Divine blessings come to those who obey Jesus in physical things.
It’s an ordinance. Jesus said to the disciples, “do this.” Why refuse to do this?
It’s a memorial. Jesus said, “in remembrance of Me.”
It’s repeatable. Jesus said, “as often.” He just didn’t say how often.
Do you partake of communion expecting a blessing from heaven or just go through the motions as symbolic alone? Do you reject Jesus’ instructions by just spiritualizing the rite away? Do you obey men or Jesus? You decide!
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