Christian Perspectives 1-7

religion

religion

THE BELIEF IN AND WORSHIP OF SUPERHUMAN CONTROLLING POWER, ESPECIALLY A PERSONAL GOD OR GODS

religion

A SET OF BELIEFS CONCERNING THE CAUSE, NATURE, AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSIDERED AS THE CREATION OF A SUPERHUMAN AGENCY OR AGENCIES, USUALLY INVOLVING DEVOTIONAL AND RITUAL OBSERVANCES, AND OFTEN CONTAINING A MORAL CODE GOVERNING THE CONDUCT OF HUMAN AFFAIRS

positive biblical use

JAMES 1:26-27 “RELIGION THAT IS PURE”

negative biblical use

COL.2:23 “SELF-MADE RELIGION”

ACTS 17:22 ATHENIANS ARE VERY “RELIGIOUS” (STATUE TO THE UNKNOWN GOD)

religion is universal

1. MAN HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS “INCURABLY RELIGIOUS”

2. MISSIONARIES TESTIFY TO ITS PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

3. SOME THINK THIS IS A BAD THING

KARL MARX (ATHEIST/ FATHER OF COMMUNISM)

“RELIGION IS THE OPIATE OF THE PEOPLE”

RICHARD DAWKINS (ATHEIST/ SCIENTIST)

CHRISTIANITY IS A “VIRUS” AND CHRISTIAN PARENTS ARE GUILTY OF “CHILD ABUSE”

FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE (ATHEIST/ PHILOSOPHER)

“I CANNOT BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WANTS TO BE PRAISED ALL THE TIME”

MAHATMA GANDHI (HINDU LEADER)

“GOD HAS NO RELIGION”

EDGAR ALLAN POE (AMERICAN AUTHOR/POET)

“ALL RELIGION, MY FRIEND, IS SIMPLY EVOLVED OUT OF FRAUD, FEAR, GREED, IMAGINATION, AND POETRY.”

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (FRENCH EMPEROR)

“RELIGION IS EXCELLENT STUFF FOR KEEPING COMMON PEOPLE QUIET. RELIGION IS WHAT KEEPS THE POOR FROM MURDERING THE RICH.”

GEORGE CARLIN (AMERICAN HUMORIST)

“I WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF A GROUP WHOSE SYMBOL WAS A MAN NAILED TO TWO PIECES OF WOOD.”

JOHN LENNON (MUSICIAN)

“I BELIEVE THAT WHAT PEOPLE CALL GOD IS SOMETHING IN ALL OF US. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT JESUS AND MOHAMMED AND BUDDHA AND ALL THE REST SAID WAS RIGHT. IT'S JUST THAT THE TRANSLATIONS HAVE GONE WRONG”

Benjamin Franklin

“HOW MANY OBSERVE CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY! HOW FEW, HIS COMMANDMENTS/COMMANDS!”

Thomas Jefferson

"THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION... IS A RELIGION OF ALL OTHERS MOST FRIENDLY TO LIBERTY, SCIENCE, AND THE FREEST EXPANSION OF THE HUMAN MIND."

DAVID HUME (PHILOSOPHER / ATHEIST)

“LOOK OUT FOR A PEOPLE ENTIRELY EMPTY OF RELIGION... THEY ARE BUT A FEW DEGREES REMOVED FROM THE ANIMALS”

EXTREMISTS AND FANATICS

1. DAVID KORESH (WACO, TEXAS / CULT LEADER)

2. JIM JONES (JONESTOWN, CULT LEADER)

3. OSAMA BIN LADEN

4. AL QUAEDA

RELIGION ACCEPTED BY GOD

1. THE ONLY RELIGION THAT GOD ACKNOWLEDGES AS VALID IS THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION = BELIEF IN JESUS AS LORD

2. IF SOMEONE SINCERELY BELIEVES IN A DIFFERENT RELIGION, THEY ARE SINCERELY WRONG

THE CAUSE OF RELIGION

1. RELIGION WAS NOT INVENTED BY MAN - MAN HAS INVENTED

RELIGIONS, BUT NOT RELIGION

2. PEOPLE ARE RELIGIOUS BECAUSE WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF

GOD

● BIRDS WERE MADE TO FLY; FISH WERE MADE TO SWIM, HUMANS WERE

MADE TO WORSHIP GOD

WHAT IS DOCTRINE?

1. A BELIEF OR SET OF BELIEFS HELD AND TAUGHT BY A CHURCH, POLITICAL PARTY, OR OTHER GROUP

2. DOCTRINE MEANS BELIEF OR TEACHING 3. BIBLE DOCTRINE = BIBLE TEACHING

WHAT IS “REFORMED”

1. 2 MAIN FIGURES: JOHN CALVIN AND MARTIN LUTHER

2. MARTIN LUTHER (LUTHERAN CHURCH NAMED AFTER HIM)

a. FORMER GERMAN PRIEST, LIVED IN THE 1500s

b. INFLUENCED PROTESTANT REFORMATION IN EUROPE

c. SPOKE AGAINST INDULGENCES, PURGATORY, GOOD WORKS

FOR SALVATION AND ABUSES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

JOHN CALVIN

a. BORN IN FRANCE IN THE 1500s, STUDIED LAW AND THEOLOGY

b. WROTE: “INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION” – A DEFENSE

OF PROTESTANT, REFORMED THEOLOGY

c. LEADER OF PROTESTANT MOVEMENT IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

d. GREAT THEOLOGIAN WHOSE WRITINGS INFLUENCED MUCH OF EUROPE

e. SOMETIMES REFORMED THEOLOGY IS CALLED CALVINISM

REFORMED THEOLOGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CREEDS

(CREED COMES FROM LATIN “CREDO” MEANING “I BELIEVE”)

1. APOSTLES’ CREED (OLDEST – 1ST OR 2ND CENTURY)

a. IT IS A SUMMARY OF THE APOSTLES’ TEACHING

b. IT WAS USED TO INSTRUCT NEW CONVERTS

c. IT IS A UNIFYING CONFESSION OF FAITH AND WORSHIP

NICENE CREED (COUNCIL OF NICEA, MODERN DAY TURKEY 325 A.D.)

a. DEFENDED THE DEITY OF CHRIST, RESPONSE TO ARIANISM

b. ALSO WRITTEN TO DEFEND THE TRINITY

c. MORE FOR TEACHING THAN WORSHIP

ATHANASIAN CREED (5TH OR 6TH CENTURY)

a. GOOD EXPLANATION OF THE TRINITY AND THE INCARNATION b. NOT WRITTEN BY ATHANASIUS, BE HE WAS A GREAT DEFENDER OF THE TRINITY

● MOST EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES WOULD AGREE WITH THESE CREEDS OF THE EARLY CHURCH

REFORMED THEOLOGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CATECHISMS

(TO “CATECHIZE” MEANS “TO TEACH OR INSTRUCT”)

1. HEIDELBERG CATECHISM , 1563 A.D.

a. WRITTEN BY A THEOLOGIAN IN HEIDELBERG, GERMANY b. TEACHES PROTESTANT CHRISTIANTIY IN Q AND A FORM c. MOST ECUMENICAL (WIDELY ACCEPTED)

WESTMINSTER CATECHISM, 1646-1648 A.D.

a. ADAPTED FROM THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION

b. THERE IS A LONG AND SHORT CATECHISM (Q AND A FORM)

REFORMED THEOLOGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CONFESSIONS

1. BELGIC CONFESSION, 1562 A.D.

a. WRITTEN DURING TIME OF PROTESTANT PERSECUTION BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

b. COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF REFORMED FAITH

WESTMINSTER CONFESSION, 1646 A.D.

a. WRITTEN BY 120 PURITAN PASTORS IN WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND

a. WRITTEN IN PROTEST OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE CANONS OF DORDT, 1618-1619 A.D.

a. PROTESTANT LEADERS MET IN THE CITY OF DORDT, NETHERLANDS

b. WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO ARMINIAN CONTROVERSY IN DUTCH,

REFORMED CHURCHES REGARDING BELGIC CONFESSION

Doctrines of Grace

● TOTAL DEPRAVITY

● UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

● LIMITED ATONEMENT

● IRRESISTABLE GRACE

● PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

APOSTLES’ CREED (OLDEST – 1ST OR 2ND CENTURY)

a. IT IS A SUMMARY OF THE APOSTLES’ TEACHING

b. IT WAS USED TO INSTRUCT NEW CONVERTS

c. IT IS A UNIFYING CONFESSION OF FAITH AND WORSHIP

HEIDELBERG CATECHISM , 1563 A.D.

a. WRITTEN BY A THEOLOGIAN IN HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

b. TEACHES PROTESTANT CHRISTIANTIY IN Q AND A FORM c. MOST ECUMENICAL (WIDELY ACCEPTED)

BELGIC CONFESSION, 1562 A.D.

a. WRITTEN DURING TIME OF PROTESTANT PERSECUTION BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

b. COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF REFORMED FAITH

5 solas

1. SCRIPTURE ALONE - NOT SCRIPTURE (BIBLE) PLUS TRADITION

2. GRACE ALONE – NOT GRACE PLUS PENANCE AND WORKS OF OTHERS

3. FAITH ALONE – NOT FAITH PLUS GOOD WORKS

4. CHRIST ALONE – NOT CHRIST PLUS THE PRAYERS OF MARY AND

SAINTS

5. GLORY TO GOD ALONE – NOT GLORY TO GOD AND THE SAINTS AND THE SINNER

SOLA

alone or only

5 solas

REFORMED THEOLOGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE

Scripture Alone

NOT SCRIPTURE (BIBLE) PLUS TRADITION

Grace Alone

NOT GRACE PLUS PENANCE AND WORKS OF OTHERS

Faith Alone

NOT FAITH PLUS GOOD WORKS

Christ Alone

NOT CHRIST PLUS THE PRAYERS OF MARY AND SAINTS

Glory to God Alone

NOT GLORY TO GOD AND THE SAINTS AND THE SINNER

General Revelation

1. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO EVERYONE IN GENERAL

2. IT IS NOT VERBAL OR WRITTEN

3. IT IS THROUGH CREATION AND THE HUMAN MIND

(PS.19:1-2, ROM.1:20)

4. IT DOES NOT GIVE THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND SPIRITUAL

THINGS

5. IT DOES NOT TELL THE WAY OF SALVATION

6. IT TELLS US ENOUGH TO HOLD PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE

Special Revelation

1. IT IS NOT REVELATION TO EVERYONE

2. IT IS NOT FOUND IN CREATION BUT HAS BEEN “SPECIALLY” GIVEN 3. THE BIBLE IS THE PRIMARY EXAMPLE

4. MIRACLES ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE

5. DIRECT COMMUNICATION FROM GOD (GOD SPEAKING TO PEOPLE) 6. DREAMS AND VISIONS

7. THEOPHANY – A VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF GOD

● BURNING BUSH, PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE, ETC. 8. ULTIMATE REVELATION WAS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF

Ultimate Revelation

JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF

Theophany

A VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF GOD

God Breathed

Inspiration Means

MEANING

GOD SUPERNATURALLY GUIDED THE BIBLICAL AUTHORS TO WRITE THE EXACT THINGS THAT HE WANTED EXPRESSED

Old Testament Scripture Proof

● EX.17:14 – “THE LORD SAID TO MOSES...”

● 2SAM.23:2 – “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SPOKE BY ME...”

● THE PROPHETS WOULD SAY, “THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS...”

New Testament Scripture Proof

● 2TIM.3:16 – “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD- BREATHED”

● 2PT.1:21 – “PROPHETS SPOKE FROM GOD AS CARRIED ALONG

BY THE HOLY SPIRIT”

Manner of Inspiration

1. IT WAS NOT “MECHANICAL” – WRITERS WERE NOT ROBOTS

2. IT WAS “ORGANIC” – IN HARMONY WITH THE WRITERS’ OWN ACTIONS 3. THE HOLY SPIRIT ILLUMINATED WRITERS’ MINDS AND KEPT THEM

FROM ERROR

4. THE H.S. GUIDED THEIR CHOICE OF WORDS

5. THE WRITERS KEPT THEIR TEMPERAMENT, THEIR STYLE AND VOCAB

Extent of Inspiration

1. ONLY THE ORIGINALS, NOT THE COPIES

2. EVERY WORD

“PROOF” OF INSPIRATION

1. THE BIBLE IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE “I BELIEVE IT”

2. THE BIBLE IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS IT’S TRUE

3. THE BIBLE IS TRUE BECAUSE IT EXPLAINS REALITY

a. HOW THE WORLD CAME FROM “NOTHING”

b. HOW LIFE CAME FROM NON-LIFE

c. HOW INTELLIGENCE CAME FROM NON-INTELLIGENCE d. HOW MORALITY CAME FROM NON-MORALITY

Nothing

HOW THE WORLD CAME FROM

Non-life

How life came from

non-intelligence

How intelligence came from

non-morality

how morality came from