Intro Video For Leaders
Intro Video For Students
Lesson 1
Introduction to Absolute
Absolute
Curriculum
Year 1, Lesson 1
Welcome to the Absolute curriculum. The goal of this
curriculum is to introduce you to the Absolutes of the Christian faith, the
things you need to know. Things that I wish I had known at your age, or wish I
had understood better. What you can typically expect to see is a 10-20 minutes
video of me walking you through a particular text of Scripture or a topic that
arises as we study the Bible. This, along with the discussion time with your
leaders afterward, will hopefully serve to give you at least a basic
understanding of each of the things that we will be discussing. If you want to
know more about anything, ask your leaders! They would be more than willing to
help you out in deepening your knowledge of God and His word.
I hope this is a help to you all. Let's jump in.
Introduction to God
So how are we going to approach this study? Well, we are
going to break it into several “chunks” where we will build on the same concept
for 4-5 lessons. This is in part due to our format (there is no way to really
say what needs to be said about God in 15 minutes) and in part to the fact that
going through these things a little slower and bit by bit should, at least
theoretically, help us grasp what we're learning a bit better. So the first
“chunk” of knowledge we are going to approach is the knowledge of God. Knowing
who God is, and responding appropriately, is the most important thing in our
lives. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The
fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge.”[1]
You might even question if there is a God. I'll be honest with you, we aren't
even going to grapple with that question, and here's why:
“18 For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what
can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his
invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been
clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that
have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For
although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,
but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. 22 Claiming
to be wise, they became fools, 23 and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and
birds and animals and creeping things.” [2]
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”[3]
The question is not, “is there a God?” He has made that
clear[4].
The question is, “who is He?”
Why we need the Bible
This leads us into our study today. How do we answer this
question of who God is? You may have noticed that three times already I have
referenced the Bible. That should give you a clue as to where we're going. The
reason we must approach the Bible to know God is that it [the Bible] is God's
revelation of Himself. Other religions and systems attempt to seek knowledge of
God via other means. Means which, invariably, fall woefully short of true
knowledge of God. Why is this? It is because, “God makes himself known on his
own terms, when, where, and how he chooses. God can be an object of our
knowledge only if he has revealed himself to us. Consequently, theology can
exist as a legitimate enterprise only when it begins with God's
self-revelation.”[5]
What makes us think the bible is God's self-revelation?
Well, there are many places we could turn, but let's look simply at one of
them.
“20 knowing
this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own
interpretation. 21 For
no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as
they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”[6]
The men who wrote the bible did so as the were carried along
by God, and thus they spoke the very words which He wanted them to speak. This
wasn't some sort of mechanical dictation, as you can see from the many styles
and personalities of the writers which come through, but this is no mere human
book. This book is the word of God Himself. In looking at the bible we will
cover four main points, which you can remember with the acronym “SCAN.”
S- the bible is Sufficient
C- the bible is Clear
A- the bible is Authoritative
N- the bible is Necessary[7]
Now, while SCAN is a handy way to remember these four
points, I believe we will be better served if we walk through them in reverse
order.
The Necessity of the Bible:
We've already hit on this first point some. We need the
bible to understand God, because the bible is God's self-revelation to us.
You may be familiar with the C.S. Lewis quote, “If I find in
myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most
probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”[8]
I believe the reason so many folks quote this statement is that it resonates
with us at a very deep level. We have longings for something deeper than this
world has. The basic reason for this, Genesis chapter one tells us, is that we
are made in the image of God. We were designed to mirror and reflect Him, and
to enjoy an intimate fellowship with our Creator. However, Genesis three
introduces to us how sin entered the world through Adam's disobedience, thus
severing that closeness with God. We are now born apart from God, under the
condemnation of our sin.[9]
What is our fundamental need? God is our fundamental need. We need forgiven of
our sin against Him, and we need to be reconciled into a right relationship
with Him. Which means, again, that we desperately need His word, because it is
the only way we can come to know Him!
The Authority of the Bible:
We need the bible. But then we come to another
question of pressing importance: can I trust what the bible has to say?
The answer, in short, is yes. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness.”[10]
If all Scripture is breathed out by God, or as the passage we read from 2 Peter
put it, given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then Scripture is as true
as God is true. How true is God? Well, the Apostle Paul says, “Let God be true
though every one were a liar.”[11]
And Jesus himself applies these words not only to the person of God, but to
God's word when he says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”[12]
God is truth. His word, being inspired and breathed-out by
Him, is our final standard of earthly truth, and thus the highest of earthly
authorities.[13]
Wayne Grudem summarizes this point helpfully,
“All the words in the Bible are God's words. Therefore, to
disbelieve or disobey them is to disbelieve or disobey God Himself.”[14]
The Clarity of the Bible:
We need the Bible to know God, and His word speaks
authoritatively (not only on who He is, but on all other matters to which is
speaks). However, what good will this do us if we cannot understand what the
Bible says? It is here that we desperately need to know that Scripture is
clear. While approaching the Word of God can in one sense be very intimidating
(who can understand God?), it is important for us to remember why He has given
us the Scriptures: to reveal Himself to us. 2 Timothy 3:15 says that the
Scriptures “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus.”[15]
They can only do this if they are clear and able to be understood. Which they
are. Indeed, the Psalmist praises the Lord for the ability of His word to make
even a simple man wise. “The testimony of the Lord
is sure, making wise the simple.”[16]
God's word is clear, clear enough for you and I to understand.
The Sufficiency of the Bible:
Finally, we come to our concluding point. But the fact that
it is last by no means makes it least. I want to conclude today with that fact
that the Bible is sufficient. That is to say, it is enough. We already quoted 2
Timothy 3:15 & 16, so let's look what follows them,
“You have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work.”[17]
Scriptures is able to make us wise for salvation, it is
breathed out by God, and...it is profitable. Profitable for what? For teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. How profitable
is it in these things? Just a little? No. It is so profitable that through
them, the man of God may be complete and equipped for every good work. The
Bible is all we need for salvation, and it is all we need to live the live God
has called us to in obedience to Him. This has a couple of applications.
First, it guards us against any church or tradition that
teaches us we need anything beyond the Bible. For example, Mormons have the
Book of Mormon, Islam has the Koran, Roman Catholics have the pope and church
tradition. All of these religions would claim the Bible, or at least parts of
it, as part of their sacred literature, but they hold these other teachings
beside or above Scripture in terms of authority. They say the Bible on it's own
is not enough to tell us what God would have.[18]
The results are always disastrous, and lead, at best, to a distortion of the
Bible's message, and usually to a flat out contradiction or denial of biblical
truth.
That error may be easy to see. But the fact is we all have a
(perhaps subtle) desire for God to use extra Biblical revelation to speak to
us. We want a personal word from the Lord. The author of Hebrews says, “Long
ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in
these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”[19]
We would like to think that God will speak to us at many times and many ways.
Through visions, dreams, or in a “still small voice.” But what the writer says
here is that God has spoken to us in these last days through His Son, Jesus
Christ. And how do we know Jesus? Through the Bible. May be this sounds
depressing, or impersonal. But in truth, it is exactly the opposite. I don't
need to go seek some quite place to here from God. God speaks to me in His
word. Any time I pick up the Bible and read it, I am reading God's personal
revelation of Himself to me in His Son, Jesus. How amazing is that! God has
spoken finally, authoritatively, and sufficiently in Jesus. We need nothing
more. The Bible is enough.
[1] The
Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
(2001). (Proverbs 1:7a). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society. All Scripture quoted,
unless otherwise noted, will be from the ESV.
[2] Romans
1:18–23
[3] Psalm
14:1a
[4] See: Wayne Grudem, Christian Beliefs (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), chapter two “What is God like?” Also, Wayne Grudem, Systematic
Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), chapter nine “The Existence of
God.”
[5]
Michael Horton, Pilgrim Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011)
pg 36-37. Emphasis in original.
[6] 2 Peter 1:20–21. See also, 2 Timothy 3:16,
Hebrews 1:1-2,
[7]
Taken from “Fullness and Finality: The
Sufficiency of God's Word” a lecture given by Kevin DeYoung. http://www.wts.edu/stayinformed/view.html?id=1796 accessed August 17, 2014
[8]
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillian, 1952) pg 120
[9] “Behold,
I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm
51:5. “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23
[10] 2 Timothy 3:16
[11] Romans 3:4
[12] John
17:17. See also, Titus 1:2, 2 Samuel 7:28, and Proverbs 30:5.
[13] Some may contest that it is circular reasoning
to appeal to the Bible to prove the Bible's authority. Grudem makes a helpful
point in regards to this: “It should be admitted that this is a kind of
circular argument. However, that does not make its use invalid, for all
arguments for an absolute authority must ultimately appeal to that authority
for proof: otherwise the authority would not be an absolute or highest
authority. This problem is not unique to the Christian who is arguing for the
authority of the Bible. Everyone either implicitly or explicitly uses some kind
of circular argument when defending his or her ultimate authority for belief.” Systematic
Theology, pg 78-79.
[14] Grudem, Christian Beliefs, pg 13.
[15] 2
Timothy 3:15
[16] Psalm
19:7
[17] 2
Timothy 2:15b-17
[18] Some might ask, what then of creeds,
confessions, and other statements of Biblical truth? Should we read Christian
books, or listen to sermons? What about a curriculum like this that is
attempting to explain the Bible? If the Bible is really enough, are any of
these things legitimate?
The answer is a definite “yes.” Christians
have, throughout church history, affirmed that all of these things, creeds,
confessions, sermons, books, are to be appreciated, embraced, and used in
accordance with their alignment with and accordance to Scripture. Their
usefulness lies not in any intrinsic value of their own, but as summaries and
explanations of the Biblical text itself.
[ Heb
1:1-2a
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