Test 2 Objectives: Paul's Persecution and Conversion

Deuteronomy 21:22, 23

Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree

Jerusalem Tradition

The Church's first creed?

Cephas

Peter

James

Jesus' Brother

Number of witnesses after resurrection

500

Holy Spirit

Came with the early church's new life and power (Acts 2)

Christology of the early church

Jesus is the anointed prince of David, the humiliated, suffering servant (Isaiah 53), the LORD, the stone the builders rejected, our intercessor, and he will come again (parousia)

Parousia

Jesus' second coming to consummate his church

Stephen's early involvement

A Greek Christian, became a "deacon-like" member of the early church, debated in the synagogues, accused of changing the laws of Moses and Blasphemy against the Temple, was stoned to death by Jewish authorities (Saul approved of this)

Effect of Stephen's death

Persecution broke out in Jerusalem causing followers of the Way (Christians) to leave the city and take the message of Jesus to other cities

Paul's pre-conversion view of Jesus

Jesus was in no way the Messiah because he was cursed (Deut. 21); the Messiah would have divine blessing and would be a military, political leader

Saul's conversion

Blinded by a bright light; Jesus spoke and asked why Saul was persecuting him; told him to go to Damascus and he would be told what to do

Who healed Saul in Damascus

Ananias

Saul's immediate action after healing

After being baptized, Saul immediately preached the gospel

Who wanted to kill Paul in Damascus

The Jews (Jewish authorities)

Country Paul evangelized for 3 years

Arabia

Paul's time in Arabia

Not a time of rest, but of preaching the gospel; King Aretas of Arabia wanted to get ahold of Saul because he was stirring up the people of Arabia

Biblical evidence for Christianity from God

The empty tomb, Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, disciples turned from being fearful to fearless, and Paul's conversion

Change in Paul's Christology

Jesus was the Messiah; salvation not by law-keeping but a gift (grace); the Way was the people of God; salvation available to Jews and Gentiles; The Christians' judgment has already taken place

Paul's new view of salvation

Salvation was by grace (gift), not by law-keeping

Pauls view of Salvation

was by grace (gift), not by law-keeping

Ecclesiology

Jesus is the head, the church the body

Eschatology

we are living in the "last" days right now

Holy Spirit

was being 'poured out' in the last days according to Joel 2

Eschatological judgment for Christians

salvation is now, because of the imputation of Christ's righteousness, believers have already been judged. In God's eyes, we are seen as righteousness

Age of promise

days of the OT prophecy of the coming of the Messiah are done

Age of fulfillment

Jesus has come as the Christ, redemption is available now we are not citizens of this world but the world to come Sojourners

Subject of WCF Ch. 1

Holy Scripture

Paul Conversion

a drastic change in a person's life

Timothy conversion

grew up hearing the gospel, not a huge change

Mankind without excuse

we can look at what God has made, His Creation

General revelation

we can know things about God by looking at what he has created

Special revelation

God provides knowledge of Himself through supernatural means through the written word. Apart from special revelation, we cannot know how one is to be saved.

Apocrypha

Books not divinely inspired and part of the canon of scripture

Scripture necessity

Those things necessary for man's salvation

Understanding salvation

illumination by the Holy Spirit

Difference between general and special revelation

G- seeing what God had made, God has placed within mankind an instinct that there is a God (Calvin)

Reasons for needing Scriptures

to preserve and pass along God's truth, God can reveal Himself and His will, establish and comfort the church against the flesh

Criteria for NT canon

apostolicity, conform to the standard of the Christian faith, had to be used and accepted by the early church

Closed canon

nothing can be added to our written standard (scriptures)

Codex

the first form of the book with pages bound on one side (Bible)

Closed canon time - OT

OT law and history - 500 BC; OT Prophets - 200 BC; OT Wisdom literature - 100 AD

Closed canon time - NT

NT - 350-400 AD

Original Apostles

12 disciples/apostles, James (Jesus' brother), Paul