Christian Spirituality Midterm

pagan religion

People often try to reach, appease, or gain favor with the gods through rituals and offerings.

Christianity

God takes the initiative to reach humanity through Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, not something we earn.

Daniel's 70-week prophecy — Daniel 9:24-27

27 AD: Jesus' baptism and anointing as the Messiah.

31 AD: Jesus' crucifixion, in the middle of the final prophetic week.

34 AD: End of the 70 weeks.

Transcendental Meditation

A technique involving silent mantra repetition to promote relaxation and a state of restful awareness.

Christian meditation

Reflecting on God's Word, character, promises, and actions while seeking to understand and apply biblical truth.

Biblical journaling

Writing down your observations, thoughts, questions, prayers, and personal applications while studying Scripture.

Intercessory prayer

Praying on behalf of other people, including their needs and their salvation.

The Bible's creation formula

66 books

About 40 human authors

Approximately 1,500 years to write

Thought Inspiration

The Holy Spirit inspires the writers' thoughts and messages, while they express them in their own words and writing styles.

Verbal inspiration

The Holy Spirit dictates or directly determines the precise words used.

Assurance of salvation

We are saved by God's grace through faith, not by our own works. Salvation is God's gift, so nobody can boast about earning it.

Spiritual disciplines

Regular practices that help Christians grow in their relationship with God, strengthen their faith, and develop spiritual maturity.

The four spiritual disciplines

The Apostles' Teaching: Devotion to learning and obeying the Word of God as taught by the apostles.

The Fellowship (Koinonia): Active, shared life, unity, and mutual support among believers.

The Breaking of Bread: Commemorating the Lord's Supper and sharing communal meals together.

The Prayers: Engaging in habitual, dedicated, and communal prayer.

The Divine Exchange

The Divine Exchange describes Jesus taking our sin upon Himself and offering us forgiveness, righteousness, and reconciliation with God through His sacrifice.

Exegetical Bible study

Detailed study of the Bible for the original meaning

Relational Bible Study

Focussing on the meaning of the passage and how it can apply to my life today.

Three steps to biblical journaling

Observe — What does the passage say?

Interpret/Reflect — What does it mean?

Apply/Respond — How will I put it into practice?

Five methods of prayer

1. 10 Most Wanted Prayer

A method of praying consistently for ten specific people you especially want to see grow spiritually or come to know Jesus.

Key word: Ten people.

2. Prayer Journal

A written record of prayers, requests, concerns, and answers to prayer.

Key word: Record.

3. ACTS Prayer

A — Adoration: Praise God for who He is.

C — Confession: Admit your sins and seek forgiveness.

T — Thanksgiving: Thank God for His blessings.

S — Supplication: Ask God for help for yourself and others.

Key words: Praise, confess, thank, ask.

4. The Lord's Prayer

The model prayer Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9-13. It includes honoring God, seeking His kingdom and will, asking for daily needs and forgiveness, and seeking deliverance from evil.

Key word: Jesus' model prayer.

5. Sanctuary Prayer

A prayer method based on the Old Testament sanctuary and its symbolism, using the sanctuary's features to guide prayer through themes such as praise, confession, cleansing, intercession, and commitment to God.

Key word: Sanctuary symbols guide prayer.

The three Ls of salvation

The Light

The Lamb

The Lifeline

How often does Ellen White use "meditation"

569 times

Seven proofs for the reliability of Scripture

1

Archaeological evidence

Archaeological discoveries can corroborate biblical places, people, and historical settings.

2

Manuscript evidence

Ancient manuscripts and comparisons between copies help scholars reconstruct the biblical text.

3

Historical evidence

Historical records and sources outside the Bible provide evidence about certain biblical people and events.

4

Fulfilled prophecy

Christians view biblical prophecies and their claimed fulfillments as evidence of divine inspiration.

5

Unity of Scripture

Despite having many authors across centuries, the Bible presents an overarching story of creation, humanity's fall, redemption, and restoration.

6

Jesus Christ and the resurrection

Christians point to the historical evidence for Jesus' life, death, and the early disciples' belief that He rose from the dead.

7

Transformative power

People testify that the Bible's message changes their beliefs, character, decisions, and lives.